One Week Down

Today the twins' turned one week old. I can't decide if this first week flew by or if it was the slowest week in history. Can it be both?

I received a call from the babies' neo doc -- one I haven't met or heard about before. Apparently, this neo doc will be their primary doctor while they are in NICU. He was on vacation last week and that's why we were dealing with so many other docs (they were filling in for him). He seemed nice on the phone, and he wants us to meet with him tomorrow for a face-to-face meeting.

Here's what he had to report:

Katherine...he described her a phenomenal little girl, amazingly strong given her size and age; they are increasing her feedings because she is handling it well and is on the path to gaining weight; tomorrow she will be taken off of her IV and will only have a heart monitor after that (amazing!); she needs to be at or near 4 lbs. to maintain her body temp with no problems.

Carson...they are advancing his feedings as well; he is 2-3 days behind his sister in the food department due to his very rocky first 48 hours of life; he will be on the horrible oxygen mask thing for another 24 hours but it may come off tomorrow morning.

Overall, he said they looked excellent, and one or both of them will be coming home around week 35-36 weeks...unless, of course, something unforeseen happens. I am now in week 33 (or would have been I should say), so we are looking at about 2-3 weeks more of NICU, and that's if all goes well. He also said I really need to rest, drink more water and perhaps cut back on my NICU hours because my milk production is not where it should or needs to be. I completely agree. So, hubby and I are trying a new schedule. I will visit them during the day (and he will focus on his job and work), and hubby will visit them alone at night (and let me rest). On the weekends we will visit them together. Today I put in over 3 hours at the NICU, and I am just exhausted.

I can't continue with the 6-7 hours a day of doing that. Last week I was running on adrenaline, and now I feel like I have physically crashed and burned. My legs hurt, the swelling in my ankles/feet is not getting better, I am not eating nearly enough, my incision feels sore again, I am bleeding more, and I'm having some cramping again. None of these are good signs and I need to just get things back in balance. I feel like I could sleep for days.

I am seeing my OB on Thursday, and I am going in inquire about a drug to help advance my milk production. I really hope he will give me something. I never thought I would say this, but I basically want to feel like Elsie the cow. I want to produce so much milk that I have to freeze it. I want the babies off of donor milk.

P.S. Kate smiled today! I am sure it was just gas since she doesn't have the cognitive ability to express emotions yet, but it was definitely a smile...witnessed by a nurse and all. :) Too cute!