My nephew Toby is doing really well at home with his Mummy and Daddy. My sister is very good at sending daily updates just as I did when Esther and William first came home. With family all over the world these digital updates mean so much and keep everybody in the loop. Seeing my little(?) newborn nephew begin to discover the world brings back wonderful memories of when David and I brought our babies home. Here are some of the updates we shared with family and friends during our first month at home.

22.09.10
We are very pleased to let you know that we have just survived our first night at home as a family of four!

We were taken a bit by surprise yesterday when the doctors told us that Esther and William were ready for home.

Along with congratulations the hospital staff have also given us some quite strict and specific instructions for now we are home as the babies were so premature and they do not want to see us back in hospital.

They recommended that we let all friends and family know from the start so that everyone can help the babies grow stronger.

No visitors to the house until the babies reach term

Because the babies are classed as having Chronic Lung Disease they are very susceptible to any and all forms of cold, flu etc … as it is possible for these viruses to travel on hands, clothing, bags etc without people knowing the chances of these infections being brought into the house increases dramatically with each visitor. In October the babies will be given the first of 5 injections to protect them from RSV the main virus that underlines all coughs and colds etc they will then be able to start meeting their friends and family. They will still be at high risk and so we will be keeping visitors to a minimum throughout the winter.

If and when you do visit we have been recommended to follow the same rules that the hospital apply:
Don’t come if you feel ill in any way
Always wash your hands when you arrive
Always wash hands before touching the babies
Don’t come in clothes that have been worn to schools or toddler groups etc …
Talk in calm, quiet voices around the babies

Sorry these rules all sound very strict and draconian
It has been a long journey to get the babies this far
We really do not want to spend any more time in hospital so we are going to be a bit protective and healthily paranoid at least until the cold and flu season is over.

Please bear with us as I am sure you will.

Though we are out of the building we are not yet in the clear
William will have a heart consultation in December and both babies will attend a Neuro Development clinic for the next two years. We also are still undergoing screening for their eyes over the next few months. This is to check that the babies are continuing to develop healthily. It was very emotional leaving the hospital yesterday after 59 long days but we are so glad to be home.

Thank you so much for all your cards, gifts, help and support so far.

Lots of love Jennie, David, Esther and William

PS) Please do not ring the house phone as we are catching sleep whenever we can!! We will regularly check emails and mobiles x

28.09.10
We have now been home a week and things are going well I think.
We have been out for a few walks around Charing and today we are venturing to Leeds Castle!
We hope to go for a walk along the seafront later in the week.
We also have the big weigh in on Friday with our lovely Health Visitor. Hope that they are making good progress. They are certainly feeding enough!

Feeling sad that we cannot have visitors as want to show off our lovely little ones.

The babies will have their jabs in October including the all important RSV one which protects them from the main virus that causes colds and flu. Then we can open the doors to friends and family who we are desperate to see

We thank you all for your patience in the mean time x

28.09.10
Today was my birthday and I had a lovely day with David and our son and daughter!!

We had a lazy morning and then went to Leeds Castle in the afternoon.
Took lots of photos of the little ones so that we can always look back on my first birthday as a Mummy!!

8.10.10
Today is David’s 30th birthday and we have been having a lovely time!
We went to Whitstable with the babies in glorious sunshine and walked along the seafront with ice cream!

Have just had a steak dinner (I cooked!) and now we are having a drink in front of the fire – between baby feeds!

10.10.10
Today we took the babies for their first picnic, albeit on the green behind our house!
What glorious weather!

31.10.2010
Both babies are doing really well with William almost 7lbs now and Esther fast approaching 6!

They are awake longer and starting to enjoy play.

They still only go 2-3 hours between feeds, day and night, which is exhausting.

Their corrected age is 2 weeks on Wednesday and so we can start working toward developmental milestones.

You will see from the pictures attached that they are already learning to read!!!

David provides daily flying lessons around the house which they also seem to quite enjoy.

This all seems like such a long time ago now and my memories are very hazy. I wish now that I had kept a more detailed record of Esther and William’s first days at home but then there just wasn’t time.

Reading back the brief notes and emails that I did write reminds me of all the lovely things we did but also how lonely it can be when you first bring a premature baby or babies home.

I am hoping with our new little one we can have a more normal home bringing, if there is such a thing.

But I would not change Esther and William for all the world.