NICU/Homecoming

Thursday, January 2, 2003
The boys are breathing on their own. Jack gets nipple feedings twice in a row, then one tube feeing, and so on. Nipple feedings are bottle feedings that teaches the baby how to suck, drink and breathe at the same time. One of the complications for preemies is that they’re too weak to suck and all their strength needs to go to gaining and maintaining weight. So, they’re given tube feedings until they are strong enough to suck but it requires a lot of energy so it needs to be done gradually. Jack weighs 5 pounds 2 ounces and the next big step for him is to increase his nipple feedings to every feeding. Hopefully, that will be ordered within the next day or so. Once he has a few days of successful nippling, he’ll get to come home. Dean gets 3 nipple feedings per day and weighs in at 4 pounds 5 ounces. He’ll likely come home a few days after Jack since he’s not as successful with his bottle feedings. He just doesn’t want to do the work – he forgets to breathe and then his monitor goes nuts.
I wish I had written down all of the progress over the 30 days. There’s been so many milestones that I’ve missed.
Monday, January 27, 2003
Both boys are home now. Jack came home on Monday, January 13. He’s on an apnea monitor for a minimum of 1 month and then the doctors will re-evaluate. He’s also on 5 different medications: aminophylline (a medication that speeds the heart up and keeps the airways open), diuril and aladactone (diuretics), and sodium and potassium (electrolytes). They’re all given at different times of the day and in different doses. It’s a challenge to keep up and I’ll be glad when we can discontinue them. Dean came home on Thursday, January 16. He’s also on an apnea monitor but no medications. Secretly, I don’t mind the monitors even though they weigh 10 pounds each! But, I sleep easier knowing that they’ll go off if their heart rate drops or they stop breathing. We’re pretty much just camped out in the living room. It’s easier than moving all their equipment to our bedroom each night. Jack acclimated to being home pretty easily but Dean was a little upset. He kind of acted like he didn’t trust us. Now they seem to be a little more comfortable. Getting Dean to eat has been a bit of a struggle. He just can’t get latched on like Jack does. Finally, my mom suggested I nurse them at the same time and, unbelievably, Dean latched on without any problem. Now I nurse them simultaneously with every feeding and Dean seems to be doing much better.