Sunday, October 23, 2011

August 20, 2011

It is January 23rd today, and I'm still trying to document what I can remember from the babies first months, I've been far too busy until now, so I just hope my memory doesn't fail me! I'll put all the posts in chronological order still, so that they're easier to follow :)


I took Knox and Kullen to the ER because they were quite Jaundiced. This was the start of a 4 day stay in the hospital, under the Billi lights for both of the boys... By the end of our hospital stay they had both lost over 1lb and were the skinniest little peanuts I ever did see!



Cliff Note version:

Kullen was down to 5lbs 9oz, and Knox was down to 5lbs 11oz when we were released from the hospital. We started them both on formula now -to get their weights up, but still breastfed too.

Knox's first night under the lights resulted in mom getting a whopping 15 minutes of sleep, every time the poor little guy moved in there he would freak himself out and flail around ... I ended up having to 'restrain him'

Sunday night after asking the nurses SEVERAL times if we could test Kullens Billi again, because he was more yellow now than Knox... Tyson finally came in and took him down to the ER. His Billi was through the roof, and into the lights he went as well.

I just remember how TINY you guys looked in those big incubators, all naked except for your styling shades...

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

AUGUST 17,2011 One day old

Well. It is January 2012, and I'm still trying to document the early days after babies arrived... so this is going to be the cliff notes version of Knox and Kullen, Day 1

-Knox had a little trouble breathing just after birth and had to have some 'Kangaroo time' with momma, I didn't mind one bit!

-Boys boys got to room in with me that first night!

-Found out they are AB-

-Had their blood sugar monitored several times a day

-Kullen had the first bath...Mommy missed it but was told he did not like it one bit...Knox seemed to enjoy his

-Both of you had to have car seat tests done to make sure they could keep their O2 sats up well enough in their seats so we could leave the hospital

-Knox was a great eater but quite sleepy... Kullen refused to eat... also very sleepy...and the nurses refused to help me... or listen to me that you were NOT eating AT ALL. I discovered you were BOTH tongue tied...asked several medical professionals, and they ALL said it wasn't a problem...despite the fact that you wouldn't eat...The nurses pushed formula rather than help me get you to latch/ stay awake for a feeding.

-At one point both babies were being quite fussy, so I put them naked, side by side, and wrapped them together...they snuggled up to one another and calmed right down

-6:00pm , February 17...approx 26 hours after you were born... We were released from the hospital...You guys were rock stars! I have never been more excited or terrified of anything in my life, than that 3 hour trek home with two 36 week infants. Yikes!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Happy Birthday!

August 16, 2011

5:00am: Woke up to get ready for the day

6:00am: Grandma arrives to follow us to the hospital, we head out

8:45am: Arrive at the hospital and are escorted to the Induction area.

10:00am: Have a cervix check prior to starting the induction. I am already 4 centimeters!!

10:30am: We're all checked into our labor and delivery room, We have met our Doctors, Dr. Tsui and I believe Dr.Campbell. As well as our Nurse Laura, and met a couple people that will be on the babies NICU teams. Laura starts me on a drug to induce labor. Starts with an O. cant remember the name.

12:00pm: I get my epidural BEFORE the pain even gets bad. Can anyone say AWESOME!? They do another cervical check and I am only 5cm. At this point I'm discouraged and think this is going to be one LONG labor as I've only went 1cm and contractions were almost constant. I think this is also the point where they break baby A's water.

From here on out I don't remember times... There was music on the radio... a couple foot rubs... and Laura was kind enough to let me chew gum even though I wasn't supposed to in case we ended up needing a C-section. At one point Baby A was having some decels so almost instantly the room filled with people. they put one of those little monitors onto his scalp... and everything looked perfect once again. Turns out, Baby A just wanted Laura's attention. I kid you not. EVERY SINGLE TIME she left the room he would have a decel and the alarms would start ringing... If she stayed in the room, all was good!

3:30pm: after staying 30 minutes past the end of her shift Laura finally left after determining babies were going to be stubborn and NOT be born during her shift. Literally 5 minutes after Laura left I told our new nurse (sorry, her name escapes me right now) That I was starting to feel some pressure. a few minutes later Dr Tsui was in the room and doing a check. I was 10cm! She asked me to give just a little push and see what happens...at which point she excitedly tells me to stop NOW unless I want baby A born right here right now, without any of the other doctors or the NICU teams!

3:40pm: the people start to flood in, there is a flurry of activity as both NICU teams prepare for the babies and both Doctors get all of their gear on and get the bed ready for me to push.

I'm going to guess here and say 3:45pm... they tell me to push with the next contraction.. I think I pushed twice during that contraction and Kullen Benjamin was born at 3:47pm... All I could say is 'Does he EVER look like Kyler'

I didn't get a chance to hold him right away as the NICU staff whisked him away to assess him (he was the anemic twin)

Dr. Campbell breaks baby B's water and informs us that Baby B has done exactly what he is supposed to and dropped right down... They seem shocked it went so well... and tell me I can already push again with the next contraction... It seems like forever before there is another. Finally I can feel the contraction start and it is time to push- again... and Knox Greyson is born with that contraction at 3:52pm, five minutes after his brother.

This time Daddy is able to cut the cord ( he wasn't allowed with baby A) They sneak me a quick peek and Knox is off with the NICU team as well.

Kullens NICU staff calls over to tell us he is a whopping 6lbs 9ounces (That is HUGE for 36 week twins) They bring him over to me and tell me he is doing GREAT... He is a little pale and that when I see Knox it'll be clear who the donor and recipient twins were. Knox's NICU team calls over telling us he is 6lbs15ounces! Everyone is completely shocked by

a)how smoothly their birth went
b)how HUGE they both are and
c)how well they are doing.

Dr. Tsui informs us that it NEVER goes this well and she is just amazed.

NICU team 2 Brings Knox over, he is doing great as well, and I am able to hold both of my baby boys together for the first time! Holding both boys I knew what the NICU team meant when they said it was obvious who the donor and recipient twins were... Here I have pale Mr. Kullen, and Mr. Knox looks like a tomato! They detected the TAPS soon enough that there were absolutely NO problems aside from the drastic color difference.

Coming soon, The babies first 24 hours, and home coming!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Life.

Life gets very busy when youre expecting twins. It gets even busier when you have infant twins... So no explanation should be needed regarding my LOOOONG overdue posting.

August 2011, a very busy month in our house.

We went for our routine MFM appointment in Edmonton on August 11, 2011... the appointments we had been going to bi weekly since 20 weeks to monitor the babies... On August 11th was the first time we had had a less than stellar 'review' from the doctors.

Up until this point we were always told how EXCELLENT we were doing. On this day we were told that there were some concerns regarding baby A's bloodflow to his brain and they wanted us back in four days to check on them again. I left the appointment wanting to cry, we didnt know if there was a problem or not... but it was a big hit for me to go from being told every appointment how great the babies looked, to suddenly there may be a problem.

August 15th, 2011... we headed back up to the city for our followup... the shock of a possible problem had worn off by now and we were expecting to hear everything looked great and there was indeed no need for concern. After a very long ultrasound in which the tech struggled repeatedly to get any blood flow readings from baby A, and assuring us it was nothing, and then an even longer wait for the doctor... we were told that babies would need to be born the next day due to what they figured was TAPS . Twin Anemia Polycythemia sequence. A form of the TTTS which is what we had been watching for all along...

We drove the 2.5 hours home to pack a few things and make arrangements for the boys as we didnt know how long we would be in the city and how much extra care the babies would need once they were born... We were told to expect them to need blood transfusions and a NICU stay... so we were most definitely worried...and just wanted one more night at home with our other three babies :)

To be continued. I do after all have 5 kids to watch, so I have to keep blogging short! Coming soon, The big birthday!