Today is a big day!!

Hi everyone, 

Today is a big day! Mason is coming home. However, Maddox is still having some drops in heart rate so he will not be. Hopefully, he is not too far behind his brother. I am looking at the positive and thinking this will be a nice way to ease into mother hood. Taking one baby home and learning the ropes one at a time. Maddox is in great hands and he is where he needs to be until we find out why he is having episodes of bradycardia.  

I definitely have everything i need, but I just don't feel ready, lol.  Where is my mommy manual? Where are the instructions for each kid :)?  Last night I was at the pump (where I am every 2 hours!!) and I was  thinking in my head.."ok, they eat every 3 hours...I pump every 2 hours...it may take them an hour to have a diaper change, feeding and burping... when do I sleep!?" I am panicking! lol..How does this work!??? Then I need to work on breast feeding.  How do i know they are getting anything? I know these are all normal worries. The boys are going to take a few weeks to even get the hang of breast feeding since they are only 36 weeks corrected age.  Full term babies still need direction and help with breast feeding, so I know this will take time. Then I thought I may never leave the house, however, where would we go anyways besides the doctor?  So, I am using winter as an excuse to become a hermit with the boys and learn what we need to learn. 

If you have any tips on easing into motherhood, breast feeding twins or even one baby, getting on a schedule, items I def need that i may not have thought of please let me know!! I will take all the advice I can get :)

A very excited mommy, 

shannon :)

Update Day 27 in the NICU

Hey everyone!

Sorry, I have been slacking with the blog updates, but things have just been go go go since they got here.  The boys are doing well. Mason is 4 pounds 6 oz and Maddox is 4 pounds 9 oz.  Mason is in preemie clothes and Maddox is stretchin the limits with his. He will be in newborns from now on :). They were supposed to be moved up to the more relaxed nicu, but after we left on sunday night he had a little episode and they decided he needed to stay and be monitored where he is. Since then he has been good and we have been asked to bring the car seats in tomorrow for their car seat test. This is where they place them in their car seats for an hour and a half to see if they have any issues.  If they have no issues then that is pretty much their ticket home.  If they don't pass then they just wait a day or so and try it until they pass. Their tubes are out of their noses and they are eating every meal through a bottle. We think the reason for Maddox's episodes are he doesn't like the fortifier they are adding to his bottle. Mike and I were there both Saturday and Sunday night and both he and Mason refused their bottles. The poor guys were making faces of disgust and gagging on the milk. I took one whif of the their bottles and I would have gagged myself.  The fortifier (vitamins and extra calories) they add to the breast milk must seperate the milk and gives it a smell that is awful! So, the nurse made us new bottles without it and the boys gulped it down.  Since then, they have held off on the fortifier and the boys are drinking the milk with no problem.  We joke about how they like their breast milk plain with nothing in it...from the tap :)

They are getting so big! They have filled out and their cute little cheeks are getting chunky :) I have to say they are beautiful and Maddox is completely dark and Mason is blonde! I love that I can walk in the nicu and not have to ask for any help. I go in, take their temps, change their diaper, feed them and kangaroo (skin to skin) They are just so sweet <3

We are so excited to finally bring them home..hopefully within the week, but are absolutely terrified!!! Mason has turned blue on Mike twice and luckily we noticed it and new to act. Everyone keeps telling us they will not send us home with babies if they are not 100% sure they are ready..boy i hope so!  I am going to miss the monitors telling us what is going on, but i just have to trust in God that we will be fine and they will be over those episodes!

I am sorry i have no photos to post...the area they are in is so dark and i am not allowed to take pics with a flash. I promise I will get some soon!!

We did get our mini van!! It is a Chrysler Town and Country and it will be perfect for us, the dogs, the boys and all of our baggage! 

Also, lucky me, I had to have a basal cell carcinoma removed on my shoulder and just happy i was able to get that out before the boys came home. Now i just need to get organized and set up our routine. Bottle routine, sleeping routine etc...feel free to let me know of any good tips for getting bottles ready, sleeping etc!

Thanks!

Shannon and Mike!

Twins Update: Day 18 in the NICU

Hi everyone!!

Boys are 18 days old and doing well. Mason and Maddox have both "graduated" to the intermediate section. Still breathing on their own, no iv's and both have started drinking from a bottle. Mason is 3 pounds 10 oz and Maddox is 3 pounds 14 oz.  Mason has taken as much as 32cc's in a bottle and is being bottle fed every other feeding. Maddox is a little behind in the bottle department.  He has taken up to 10cc's but, is only getting a bottle 1x every 12 hour shift.  Today I bottle fed Mason and he took about 14cc's before he got frustrated and went on bottle strike..lol. I get so nervous bottle feeding and then having to burp them. They are still so tiny to me and they tend to gag a little bit with the bottle becuase it is still so new and they are only 34 weeks old gestationally.  Mike fed Maddox and from what he says he wanted nothing to do with the bottle and if he did drank a little he spit it back up. i am not too concerned at this point, bc at 34 weeks they are still so little and some babies don't even take a bottle til a few weeks later.  So, if anything we are still a little ahead of the game. 

One thing that we can't get enough of is they are starting to smile and do little coo's.  When we talk to them they look around for us and follow our voice and smile. It is the best feeling in the world. They are starting to fill out quite a bit and when they have their little hats on they actually look a lot alike. However, you take off their hats Maddox has an abundant amount of dark hair and poor Mason has prince williams hair line, but it is light brown with blonde!!! I am so excited for them and what is to come. The only thing I am starting to get nervous about is when they do get to go home we will be getting them circumsized. I know tons of babies get this done and they never remember it and it heals quickly, but I just feel bad putting them through something else painful :(. This is the time to do it since they are so little, but I just feel bad. If you have any been there done that's please let me know to ease my mind. Our OB said he will do it before they leave the hospital so at least it's a doctor I know and trust.  

Twins Update: 10 days old :)

Babies are 10 days old already!! Gestation wise they would have been 33w1d. They are doing so good.  Both are off of IV's and receiving strictly breastmilk through a tube in either their nose or mouth. Still breathing room air. Mason yesterday had an episode where his heartrate dropped causing his oxygen to go down so they put his little tube back on and was just giving him pressure. These things happen in the NICU and luckily they have great monitors to alert the nurses when that happens. Since early this morning he is doing good without it again. They are just so cute. Mommy is doing good. I am exclusively pumping which is a huge job in itself. I pump every 2-3 hours and need to learn that it is not going to increase every pumping. I am up to 2-3 oz total every 2-3 hours at 15-20 min intervals. If you have any secrets to increasing milk supply please  share!! I am doing really good, but that would be for one baby. I am just making it with two babies. We are running milk up there every day and night sometimes just so they have breast milk and not have to be given formula. Def feeling the pressure! lol. 

Now that they are 33 weekers we have continued kangaroo care, but we are also letting them explore the breast to see what they are capable of doing. Mason new what to do! lets just put it that way! We gave him the breast and he latched on two or three times and then got lazy. We are not expecting them at this age to breast feed. They usually will not even begin doing that until 34 weeks and at that point you have to let them learn it. However, i will say, he knows what they are for, just not really ready to do it yet.  Maddox opens his mouth and checks it out, but has not latched. We were shocked that either of them showed much interest. I hope they are breastfeeding champs because pumping is annoying...lol. I hate having to get all the parts, clean them, dry them, sterilize them. It will be so much easier when i can just attach them and that is that and hopefully, they will bring on more milk! 

They are still so tiny!! The nurses are starting to just hand them to me and let me tell you IT IS TERRIFYING! They can't hold their heads up and I feel like I am goign to snap one in half when i have to hold them and bring them into my body.  The doctor said she has sent premies home as early as 34, 35 weeks and I can't imagine these two little guys at home with me...ALONE!...WITH NO MONITORS...ALONE! LOL.  I know we will be fine and the doctors will not send a baby home unless they are absolutely positive they are ready, but holy heck it is scary! 

Other than that, my hormones are raging. I cry at commercials, I cry if Mike looks at me wrong, I cry when someone gives me a card, gift or asks about the babiese, I cried while pumping at the nicu bc i had no control over the tv and the SPCA commercial was playing and i had to LISTEN TO THE WHOLE COMMERCIAL because I couldnt change the channel!! I cried last night in bed bc i was so afraid i was going to get sick and not know i was sick and would pass it on to the boys and they would get really sick!!! ugh....this is all normal! it is... i looked it up :) lol.  

Anyways, that is the update!!!  Talk to you soon!

Shannon

Quick update!!

Both boys are now breathing room air and they have increased their feedings :) Also, both boys are sucking on paci's :)  just wanted to give a quick update!! They are doing so well <3 now we just need to fatten them up a bit!!

talk to you soon!

shannon walker

December 22, 2012 and today...

At 3:30am on December 22, 2012 I woke up in horrible back pain followed by the fear I was losing my twin boys. Less than six hours later my first two boys were born and within minutes they were gone.  I never in my dreams thought I would survive that day. This year has been nothing but trying to get the family we lost back. After a five months of treatments we were blessed again not only with twins but our twin boys again. We never intended on replacing Chase and Cayden, but the thought that we were given a second chance to do everything we had to do to bring them into this world alive and healthy was our mission.

After finding our new team of doctors and fighting weeks and weeks to get into the hospital we needed we were on our way. A lot of bumps along the way this past 8 months with modified rest, to strict hospital rest for 4 weeks and being told we want to get to 32 weeks in order to get passed the preemie hump and we did it!!  They need help, but they are doing soo good!!! 

Last night Mike and I decided to deliver some milk to the NICU at 11pm and why not spend midnight with our boys telling them about their brothers who not only changed our lives, but gave us them :)

Last night was another amazing night! Not only did I get to hold Maddox when he was breathing in room air, but the nurse told me to let him explore breast feeding.  Preemies don't start breast feeding until around 34 weeks, bc they don't develop the sucking motion, but they are encouraged to explore and taste what they can at this point. So, we tried it out and my little guy did his best and was interested, just unsure what to do with the breast...lol. It was the most amazing feeling to know I can be their for him and his brother in a way no one else can and to give them the best possible nutrients!  In good time, he will learn what those bumps are for, but for now he just wanted them as pillows...lol!

Mason, had time with Daddy yesterday and had the chance to do skin to skin without the machine and Mike let me know he was also ready to "explore," however, daddy let him know he will be having no luck in that dept and to wait for me! Lol  

Can't wait to see what is in store for us today. 

shannon and mike!

NICU Day 2 full day

So, today the boys both had ultrasounds done on their brains to see if they had any brain bleeds and we are happy to announce both tests came back NEGATIVE!! These tests are done routinely so there will be more to come throughout their stay. It is very common after birth for babies to lose weight so their new weights are Maddox 3pounds 5 oz and Mason 3 pounds 3 oz.  Very normal even though it sounds like a lot.  Maddox is on CPAP and Mason is a little behind him.  The next step above CPAP is breathing in regular air, so that is a big deal!!! Very exciting. Both boys are just so darn cute and tonight daddy got some skin to skin time with Maddox and Mommy got some time with Mason <3.  Mike had the opportunity to take Maddox's temp and change his diaper which was a fail...lol. Daddy needs a little more practice. He said Maddox was lookin at him like, "seriously, dad, you can't change a diaper!?" Wish i was there to see that! Mike was telling Maddox all about the things they are going to do when they get older...skiiing, riding bikes etc. So sweet <3

Those are the updates so far for today. Stay tuned!!!

Shannon and Mike