More pictures

Finley

 

Luca

Finley

3 weeks old

Happy 3 week birthday (34 weeks, 2 days gestation) Luca & Finley. It's so nice to say that rather than Bits & Pieces :). They are both doing so well! Since the day they were born, they have both made strides to get home. Since the last update, they both had to be put back on CPAP for added pressure & oxygen but today were taken off CPAP & were put back on high flow nasal cannula. Finley was moved to a bassinet (open little bed) 2 days ago & Luca was moved to a bassinet last night. They are able to be in the same room, side by side now & are able to see & hear each other & for the first time we will be able to see them side by side.

At this point in their gestational age, they need to be learning to nuzzle (being put to the breast to get used to it) & breast feed. They both have been able to nuzzle a couple of times but have not fully been able to try breastfeeding. They both did great with nuzzling & attempted to latch on to nurse. I have been sick for 6 days & have not been able to see them which has been incredibly hard. I have a sinus infection & am no on antibiotics so will be able to go see them tomorrow. Tomorrow we get to attempt breastfeeding which is pretty exciting. The docs & nurses have said that the likelihood of them nursing for all feedings are unlikely (and I won't be at the hospital for each one) but that they may nurse for a few feedings each day. I've been pumping like a cow at home (moo), filling the freezer up with food for the girls so if they have to use bottles to eat, no worries as long as it's breast milk.

Finley is 4lbs, 3oz & Luca is 3lbs, 14oz. (as of last night). We are hoping to bring them home (either together or 1 at a time) within the next month.

Pictures

And finally, lots of pictures...

Last pregnancy picture (morning of
delivery)

 

Luca 

Luca

Finley

Finley

Finley

Happy Birthday

Luca

Happy Birthday Bits & Pieces

Luca Ella (aka Pieces, Baby A) & Finley Vera (aka Bits, Baby B) Tonn were born via scheduled cesarean ssection on January 7, 2014 at 9:47 & 9:48 am. Luca weighed 3lbs, 5.3oz & was 16 inches,  Finley weighed 3lbs, 11oz & 17 inches. Everything went well, they were taken down to the NICU after meeting mommy & daddy.  Bryan went with them to the NICU while I went to recovery. They were put on CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) & an IV for fluids. My delivery nurse wheeled me in my bed to the NICU after staying in recovery for a while & I was able to see them again for a few minutes. Since I still had my epidural, I had to stay in bed for the remainder of the day. Bryan was able to visit them throughout the day & do some diaper changes.

We stayed in the hospital for 4 nights after delivery. The girls have "touch times" every 3 hours where we check their temp & change their diaper. The nurse checks them out & we can touch them through port holes in their incubators. They are kept warm in these incubators. We (me & the girls in & out of utero wereinpatient together for 7 weeks, 5 days. I discharged home this past Saturday the 11th (our6 year wedding anniversary). My mom is here until Saturday which has been a huge help and we have been able to keep our amazing nanny for a while longer. Grandma has been able to see them daily & has even been able to hold them. Ani & Brody cant visit  in the NICU but they have seen lots of pictures. Anika is having a little bit of a harder time since she can't see them & we still go to the hospital. She & Brody are excited to have me home though.

After a couple days we were able to do kangaroo time (skin to skin) with Luca. Finley had to be put on a ventilator to help with breathing & to be given surfactant which helps her lungs. I don't call her feisty Finley for no reason, after a day or so on the vent, she decided to pull her tubes out & wave them in the air. Apparently she knew something we didn't, like-she didn't need it any more. She was put back on CPAP & stayed on it for a couple days. She was also under lights for slight jaundice. They are now 3 days free of CPAP & IV's, Finley has been off lights for 2 days & both are now on room air with just a little added pressure through a nasal cannula. They are fed through a gavage or ng tube feeding (tube in the mouth down to the stomach). I have an abundant supply of breast milk & they are well fed. Right now they get 22ml feeds every 3 hours plus 2ml of a fortifier. They practice sucking eith their tiny soothies when they are fed through their ng tube to simulate what it will be like when actually getting fed by mouth. Next week we get to attempt breast feeding.

Bryan & I take alternate holding each baby but get to do it twice a day & at the same time. They have now been moved to a different pod within the NICU as they don't need as much undivided care. They are slowly gaining weight from their initial normal baby weight losses but are still tiny @ 3lbs, 3oz (Luca) & 3lbs, 3.67oz (Finley). The estimate length of time they will be here is 6-8 weeks & we're past 1 week now. Please conyinue to keep them in your prayers.  I will post pictures later today.

Less than 2 days to go

Babies are almost here, I can't wait! I had a sono on Friday & girls look great. Even Pieces (baby A) has grown a good amount. She measured at approx 3lbs, 5 oz & Bits (baby B) measured at 3lbs, 14oz. My Perinatologist would like to proceed with delivery Tuesday given Pieces weight tends that have been low even though it seems she is growing better. Also, since they are getting bigger, the risks related to umbilical cord entanglement are still present.

We had a couple eventful moments while on the monitor this past Friday night & Saturday morning but all is fine. Friday night, they kept having decel's in heartrate, so much so that they had to call the doctor. Initially she said to keep me on all night, but they stabilized after 2 1/2 hours so I as able to come off. If they wouldn't have stabilized, I would have likely been taken down to Labor & Delivery for monitoring & to start on magnesium just in case delivery was necessary. I gave Bryan a little scare when I called to let him know what was going on. Doc later said that it was probably due to their size now, it's hard for them to not rub up against or touch the cords since they are right in between them. Same thing on Sat morning only it was shorter, more like an hour & a half. I was also contracting more so they wanted to watch me & the girls. They have been great since which makes mommy happy. I got my 2 rounds (4 total since I've been here) of steroids for their lung development Fri & Sat. 

I go in for delivery at 9:30am Tuesday (c-section) & will stay for 4 nights. I will be 31 weeks, 2 days pregnant. In total I will have been in the hospital for 7 weeks, 5 days by the time I go home. Baring any complications or issues with my health, I'll go home Saturday-on our 6 year wedding anniversary :). My mom flies in on Wed night & I'm excited to spend more time with her & introduce her to her granddaughters. 

Weight loss/gain: 45 pounds, wow! I still have to make myself eat sometimes because it just doesn't feel like there is any room for food. I am supposed to eat 160 grams of protein/day which is crazy hard! 

Maternity clothes: Yes, I basically live in yoga pants & tanks/hoodies. I've had to send home some clothes because they're too small now :).

Symptoms: More discomfort than anything. It's harder to walk around now because I get winded easily & have to sit down & my belly is heavy. I used to walk around he hospital when I first go here but now I just walk a lap around the unit & sit or lay back down. I have to take a lot of bathroom breaks, like every time I stand up. 

Sex (of babies): Girls, girls, girls!

Sleep: With Ambien, pretty good. On my own, not so much. I don't nap as easily these days either, I  can usually sleep for an hour before having to get up to use the bathroom. 

Best moment this week: Last week-finding out that Pieces has grown. This week-just excited to finally meet them.

Movement: Oh yea! They typically move the most when on the monitor. Pieces is starting to be more active lately too, she's even moved up from her usual low laying place.

Food cravings: Bacon, French fries dipped in mayo, cheesy eggs & always peanut butter-lately with apple pieces. 

Belly button in/out: In.

How are the kiddos taking it: Brody has been really clingy to me lately, which is so sweet. He loves to hug & kiss me as well as my belly/the babies. Anika is so excited for them to be born & for me to come home. 

What I miss: Home & my family. But it's been worth it all & I'm in the homestretch!

What I'm looking forward to: Being home with my crew, meeting my girls.

What I'm nervous about: The girls weight, their health, my being able to stay strong having them stay in the NICU when I go home.

30 weeks, 3 days

I saw the Perinatologist yesterday for my routine sono & Pieces (baby A) is still behind in her growth. While she is still gaining, she's not gaining at a high enough rate. She is now in the 4th percentile. Her approximate weight yesterday was 2lbs, 11 oz & Bits (baby B) was approx 3lbs, 9 oz. Everything else looks great, no issues with brain or organ development, just need her to grow better. Between my OB & Perinatologist, they believe delivery would be best as she will grow better & faster out of the womb. Delivery via c-section is set for Tuesday, January 7, 2014 at 9:30am. I will get repeat steroid injections this weekend to help with their lung development as well as magnesium sulfate a few hours before delivery to help decrease any neurological problems like cerebral palsy. I will stay in the hospital for 4 nights after & finally get to go home to my other babies. Bits & Pieces will need to stay in the NICU for a while to continue to grow.  I will be 31 weeks, 2 days on day of delivery & been inpatient in the hospital for 7 weeks, 5 days by the time I go home. We are so thrilled to have gotten this far along in the pregnancy & so thankful for all of the love & support from our family, friends, nurses & my doctors.