Big day for the babies! We got a nice surprise this morning. All three kiddos are in little bassinets. They no longer have to be in warmers and are able to maintain their own temperatures! This is big because we have access to them now. I always felt separated from them even when I was standing right their because they were behind glass. It was kind of hard on me. Now I can reach down and pick them up when I want to!
All of the IV's are out! Dan and I are thrilled because we were always scared that we would pull on them and hurt them. The wires they stilll have to put up with are easy to reattach. We still have toput up with the feeding tubes which are relatively easy to avoid. They are getting all of the nutrition needs through their tummys... big step. Now, the next lesson will be growing strong enough to eat all of their meals from the bottle or nursing. They still get tuckered out and have to have some food through the feeding tubes. David is behind by far. He hasn't wanted to put in the effort of eating yet, but we feel he is coming around. Hopefully they increase how much he bottles tomorrow and we can get him on the road of self-sufficiency. Pray for his strength and endurance eating. David weighs 5 lb. 3 oz. A little weight loss after birth is expected.
Aria is eating pretty well, but our latest concern with her has been spitting up. They propped up the end of her mattress slightly and are slowing down her feedings to try and keep more of her calories in her tummy - instead of on the blanket! Pray that her tummy adjusts to eating more and that she grows. Levi will catch her in size soon if she doesn't watch out. She is at 4 lbs, 13 oz. right now.
Levi is trucking along with the eating. Our concern with him has been what they call "spells." Occasionally his heartrate drops drastically and the monitor alarms sound. He always recovers on his own, but it's still scary for mommy and daddy! We've been told numerous times that this is very common in preemie babies. He should grow out of it soon, especially once the feeding tube is removed. Pray for his "spells" to subside and his little heart grows steady and strong. Levi now weighs more than he did at birth - by an ounce and a half!
Being parents has been the most magical time for Dan and me. We are soaking up every precious moment and are moved to tears that God trusted these angels to us. I've never been more moved by anything than watching Dan as a father. What a privilege it is to be his wife and the mother of his children. Pray for him tomorrow and Thursday because he had to return to Rock Rapids for work again. This time he'll be away longer than he has before. I know it's ripping his heart out. Pray for his focus and peace so he can return to us Thursday afternoon with no worries.
I will add a few more pictures from the hospital. I can't access any pictures from our camera right now but hopefully on Thursday I'll have some good ones to post again. Thank you for caring about our family. Sharing David, Levi and Aria with all of you increases our joy immensely.
I can't believe it has been a week since this picture was taken... right before our triplets arrived! The MOST unbelievable part is that the three babies I hold in my arms were ALL inside my belly! I'll never understand how that was possible. I'll always miss that closeness with the greatest miracle I've ever experienced.
Another family photo!
My baby girl curled contently against my chest.
All piled together again... and they seemed very much at home with each other. They make me melt.
God bless you and your families!
Elizabeth
Elizabeth--your writing about your babies moved me to tears! You have one of the most tender spirits which is one reason why it is clear to me that our Lord would trust you with the tender care of three precious babies!
ReplyDeleteI am glad to hear your little ones are doing well. I can not imagine what you had to go through not being able to hold your child whenever you wanted to and I am thankful that you now do. I will be praying for each one in the ways that they need. God will take care of each one of them-I trust in that. Funny how they each already are showing you glimpses of their personalities based on their needs :) Know that I will continue to be praying for wisdom for you and Dan, as these precious little ones, with as much as you wish they did, do not come with an owner's manual :)
Oh--and the awe that they were in your tummy only grows when they start crawling, chatting, and laughing! Enjoy the greatest gift :) God's blessings! Jen Niska
They are all SO precious! Thanks for keeping us updated with news and pictures. Praying for you all!
ReplyDeleteCherry
What great updates! Brecken had a couple of those "spells" and I remember they were scary. But like the nurses said, he grew out of them.
ReplyDeleteHow many ml's of milk are your little ones SUPPOSED to be eating out of their bottle? And how many ARE they, on average? Before Brecken could come home, he had to eat 58 ml's (not even 2 oz!) every three hours, for 24 hours all on his own. And he only got an hour to have the bottle before the rest went down his tube. That was the most frustrating part for me. Don't get discouraged if they don't figure out how to breastfeed. The lactation people were a little mad at me because I just pumped and gave bottles, because he was making ground with the bottles. Not interested at ALL in breastfeeding. I figured as long as he was getting my milk, I didn't care how he got it. And I just kept trying breastfeeding when we got home. He didn't "get it" until he was 4 weeks old and then all of a sudden, he latched on and the bottles went in the cupboard. :) So don't get discouraged if it doesn't happen right away- just keep trying and some day the light will come on! :)
I'll tell you again how BEAUTIFUL your babies are- you and Dan make good lookin' kids! :)
thanks for all your time to write and put pictures on snyders
ReplyDeletethanks for letting use know and for all the pictures snyders
ReplyDeleteElizabeth - your family is very special! I will most definitley be praying for each of them to grow and get strong and healthy so they can go home.
ReplyDeleteYour posts make me teary eyed too! I agree that that wonderment about how these babies were in your belly grows as they grow. Owen just turned 4 yesterday, and I can't imagine how he's grown and how he started out. It's amazing the things that God does. Pregnancy and birth are such amazing events that God lets us experience. People think that the pain from childbirth is supposed to be a punishment, but I disagree and think that with that pain is the most amazing joy a person can experience and that God gives us that pain so we understand what a joy he has given to us.
Celebrate your children because they are so special!