19.8.2010
Arrived just before 9am today to see William still clothed but a little naked Esther!
I have brought in some clothes for them today and new bedding so I am going to wash them and dress them today, and then make their bed space all pretty!
Dr Long came in to examine the twins today and all seemed to be quite positive. Both babies have gained a little bit of weight. Esther is now 1.26kg and William 1.6, 2lb 2oz and 3lb 8oz respectively. They are both continuing the same as yesterday apart from having the mineral phosphate added to their milk as it something of which they are both deficient. Tomorrow they will also start iron supplements. This is routine for all premature babies when they get to 28 days. They will also have a routine cranial ultrasound (head scan) within the next week. Dr Long also thinks Esther will have a blood transfusion next week.
So really we just carry on being patient, watching, waiting and letting them grow.
It is not a good nurse day today and David won’t be back until at least 6.30pm! Could be a very long day indeed!
Today Dr Long said that our babies will be on oxygen support for a few more weeks and he raised the possibility of them going home on oxygen. Funny that the nurses yesterday said that there was no way that would happen! Sometimes you just don’t know who or what to believe. I was ready to come in today and ask to try breastfeeding after some research I did last night but I think that I will wait for another day.
Just before 11am I did William’s cares. I did his mouth care with milk which he seemed to like, then I washed his face, hands and arms and changed his nappy. I then dressed him in a sleepsuit. It was easy to dress him and he loves being in clothes. He was angry naked man without them. Very funny!
William is now being fed 24mls every two hours. The idea is that he starts to experience hunger and he did! 15 minutes before feed time he got very cross and started looking for food! He had to be fed 15 minutes early and then he calmed straight down. Now I hope that he does not throw up all over his nice new clothes and bedding! This is a very positive step towards breastfeeding. Next step to put him to the breast during his tube feed so that he associates being at the breast and feeling full. I cannot wait to try feeding him myself. It is such a natural other child thing to do and I have not even been able to try!
After William’s cares I did Esther’s mouth, body wash and nappy. I decided not to dress her. She is just too small and seems quite happy being naked. I gave her some nice clean bedding and let her sleep.
Not sure if or when there will be cuddles today?
I love the way the babies smell. So sweet! They just smell delicious. When I am cuddling them I love nuzzling their heads and breathing in their scent. I can’t wait to get them home and hold them close all the time! I definitely want two weeks home alone before we start having visitors. We will have waited so long to have them and hold them for ourselves. We will definitely need that time. Our first time when we won’t be checking everything with a nurse first! We definitely will need that time!
Last night I ordered two neonatal suits each for William and Esther. I also bought a collection of ‘Just William’ stories for William and a Lion Storytelling Bible for Esther. To share I bought another Oliver Jeffers’ book and The Village with Three Corners (Jennifer Yellow Hat). The last one is for me really. The set of books I remember reading at school when I was learning to read! I can’t wait to teach our children to read. A little way to go yet but we have started trying to foster a love of stories and books as I read to them every single day and David does as often as he can, and will do much more when they are home. So much to look forward to when they come home!
Both babies are very settled and stable this morning. William in air and Esther on 26% oxygen.
At 1pm the doctor came to do the babies’ head scans, because if this they came off their CPAP early. So the times have moved 1-7 for William and 1-5 for Esther, which means that we should get a cuddle with her at the end of the day. Hurrah! Both head scans were fine, normal, so they will not have anymore now unless a problem is suspected.
Esther started her off CPAP time in 27% ambient oxygen while William was in 25%. Both were desaturating for a bit as they settled. I read Esther her daily instalment of Milly Molly Mandy before going for lunch.
After lunch and milk I came back to find both babies sleeping steadily through quiet time, William in 27% oxygen and Esther 29. Both of them were looking so snuggly in their beds. I am so looking forward to making their room lovely for them at home. Ikea deliver our new furniture on the 25th August and we can start preparations in earnest after that!
At 4pm Richard King, our vicar, came to visit Esther and William. He stayed for about 40 minutes. It was really nice to see him and he said that he will come again. He likes the story of Esther!
http://www.childrenstory.info/biblestoryforchild/chdbblqueenesther.html
http://www.childrenschapel.org/biblestories/esther.html
He also confirmed that we can have the twins’ christening on Sunday 30th January at 4pm. Another milestone to look forward to!
When Richard left I cleaned Esther’s nose before she went back on her CPAP. She went back with very little fuss today. Once she was on I changed William’s nappy and ended up changing his clothes too because he pooed all over them! This little accident has made me realise that we need a tumble dryer! Or lots and lots of clothes and bedding! William really did do a massive poo, the most I have ever seen, whilst I was changing his already full nappy! Bless! He did so well off CPAP whilst I was changing his clothes and nappies. Such a star!
After that event we read two Mother and Son tales before I switched my attention to Esther. I changed her nappy easily as she was no where near as dirty as her brother!
It has been a nice day today even though I have had no cuddles. Louise is on tomorrow so we can plan some cuddles, she is on Saturday too so David can have some cuddles then. David is late today. 6.30pm and still not here. He is here! I did some milk while David spent some time with the babies and then we went home.