Every day in the NICU with our girls has been filled with progress and exciting, new things. We are so proud of our daughters and their strength. It has been fun to be there when they sleep and when they open their eyes to look at us. They are so sweet and perfect.
Kendal got a yellow bow! Kendal weighs 3 lbs. 13 1/2 oz. She got her picc line out! It was so nice to hold her and change her diaper without all that stuff. She is officially receiving full feedings and doing well!
Lyla also got a yellow bow! Lyla started off the day with her low flow cannula, but in the middle of the day she got it taken off!!! The rest of the day she did really well without it.
We also received some really exciting news:: they are going to have us start the process of breastfeeding in the next couple days. I have to wait probably until Tuesday to meet with an occupational therapist. The nurse practitioner thinks the girls are ready to start the process. At first, they will have us do non-nutritive feedings--which means I will pump and then nurse them. They won't get any of my milk, or very little, but it will allow them to practice the sucking, get used to me, and get used to the smell of my milk without being overwhelmed with the milk flow. The nurse thinks Lyla may have some more difficulty because she just got off her oxygen and hasn't had much practice with a pacifier, but it is still good to start the process. There is a possibility that Lyla will need to be put back on oxygen because it may be too tiresome for her, but they said it is not a problem or worrisome. After 34 weeks (next week) sometime, when they think the girls are ready I will start actually nursing them 2 times a day, then 3, then 4. They will give the girls a break inbetween feedings and feed them through their feeding tube so they don't get too tired. Then they have me do 2 feedings back to back. Hopefully by then they will have gained enough weight and have everything else figured out so they can go home! It can be a long, difficult process because they will get extremely tired. I'm excited to start the process though.
Today I got to hold both of them at the same time! It was amazing. They were both extremely calm and seemed to LOVE it. They were reunited. :) Kendal spent most of the time sleeping, but Lyla spent some of the time staring at her sister and even had her first little reflex smile.
Lyla
Kendal
It felt so good to have both of them together.
In the picture above and below Kendal is making her open mouthed "smile" and Lyla is looking up.
:)
Lyla's "smile"
I love these girls SO much.
4 comments:
Oh my goodness Ally, they are beautiful! The pictures of all of you together are so sweet. I am so happy they are doing so well. They really are absolutely adorable!
Oh I love them and I love that you got to hold both of them together. That was my favorite at this stage, when they are 2 1/2 it gets kind of old lol. I see so much of both of you in them. You guys make the cutest kids ever. XOXO <3 <3 <3 Love you all!!!
Weird question. Does the color of the bow mean something? I notice you mention that each time, I was not sure if that meant something or just pretty bows?
These pictures are precious! I'm glad they are doing so well. You look fantastic! Hope you are hanging in there! We love you guys!
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