5/28, Hospital Stay Day 2

Around 5:45 I decided to get up and see how the babies were doing because the NICU is closed from 6:30-8 AM and PM.  At this point the GFR symptoms were still present but better.  Both babies had plastic nose tubes to push air in and a stomach tube to suck air out that gets pushed in by the nose tube.  There wasn't much I could do so I checked on Jessie then went to get breakfast at the cafeteria.  When I paid I got two brand new 2010 pennies in my change, one for each of the babies.

After breakfast I went back to the room.  Jessie had most of the feeling back in her legs and was able to stand up a little bit so we were able to wheel her down to the NICU to see the babies once it opened back up.  GFR symptoms were mostly gone at this point but they were still breathing pretty fast.  We found out their blood tests had come back and no infection was present, so the respiratory issues are just caused by being born early and via C-section.  We found out the babies would be waking up every 3 hours (2, 5, 8, 11 AM & PM) to get their diaper changed and vital signs taken.  We got some pictures and then Jessie started falling asleep so we headed back to the room.  I needed to go home and get some things we didn't bring so I found the car in the parking lot and drove home, showered, packed up, ate some lunch and came back to the hospital. 

When I got back to the hospital the grandparents were there and ready to see the babies.  We are only allowed 4 non-parent visitors, and we had to give a list of names to the NICU staff.  Either two parents can be with the babies or one parent and a visitor.  We did some swapping out and both grandmothers got to see the babies.  Evie got some pretty strong hiccups like she had when she was in utero.  It was cute but she didn't seem to like them.  There was not much change in breathing at this visit.

We got a breast pump delivered and Jessie used it with some success a couple times.  We brought the results to down to the NICU in case they can use it.  The 5:00 NICU visit was about the same as the previous ones with no real change in breathing.  Jessie told them both their bedtime story and they both responded by opening their eyes and moving around, pretty much the same effect it had before they were born.  While we were at the hand washing station waiting to enter the NICU, the lady in front of us was saying her daughter was born at 26 weeks and was now at 31 weeks gestation, so she had been here for over a month and probably has a couple months to go still.

At the 8:00 visit a new shift of nurses had started and even though there didn't seem to have been much change in breathing they decided the babies were ready for more interaction.  We learned how to change diapers (she did Ben for us, I changed Evie) and then we got to hold the babies.  Jessie held Ben for a while and I got some pictures, then I got to hold him.  Then we changed Evie and we both got to hold her.  The neonatologist was in the room and suggested that since Jessie had already started pumping that we could come by at 11 and try breastfeeding with Ben instead, since his breathing is stronger right now.

We went back to NICU at 11 to try breastfeeding.  Ben tried for a while but was too sleepy to do much so we planned on trying again the next morning around 8.  We came back to the room and Jessie pumped and we got to sleep.  We woke up again to pump at 4.