January 5, 2014

Wow... I can't say things have been uneventful anymore!

Paul's parent came yesterday and then Paul came a little later to celebrate Paul's birthday. We went for a wheelchair ride off the unit and I picked out a headband in the gift shop that is cute and I figured would help with my hospital bed hair! When we got back to the room around 4-4:30 P.M., they wanted to put the monitors on so I went to use the bathroom. I ended up more leaking than I have ever had which concerned me. While on the monitors I realized I was kind of crampy. The babies both looked good and they weren't picking up any contractions. Sometimes the monitors make me feel crampy so we decided to take them off and give me a bit without them while drinking lots of water. I went to the bathroom again and as I soon as I stood up I had leaked through my underwear, panty liner, and through to my pants. I knew this wasn't a good sign! I was put back on the monitors and the pain got worse. It also went around to my lower back. Then I felt like I was having low pressure too. But still no contractions were really being picked up on the monitors. This made me feel like a wimp! If these weren't real contractions, how the heck would I ever tolerate those?! In possible preparation, I signed paperwork, was changed into a gown, an IV was started, jewelry taken off, etc. The on call doctor was called and she showed up at about 7:15 P.M. She did an ultrasound to see where the babies were positioned. Then she checked my cervix and you could tell by her face, she was shocked. I was already paper thin and dilated to a 6. Things from there went FAST. I was told we would have babies in 30 minutes!! Paul changed into scrubs. The anesthesiologist came and talked to me about what to expect. I was wheeled down to the OR and at this point I totally felt like I needed to push!!  I was given my epidural that took at least 2 tries but it wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected it to be. Karley Grace was born first at 8:13 P.M. weighing 3 lbs 7.4 oz and 16.7 inches long. Bentley James was born at 8:14 P.M. weighing 3 lbs 12 oz and 16.5 inches long. Neither of them came out crying although Paul said he heard Karley squeak! They scored 8 and 9 on the Apgar test which is amazing but shocked me! Paul got to cut their umbilical cords. They brought Karley to me so I could see her. Bentley needed help breathing from the get go so I wasn't able to see him. It really went better than I expected.

Karley and mommy meet for the first time:

Paul's parents had been here and mine were informed when we knew they were coming in 30 minutes. When I came out of the OR majority of them were here or showed up shortly after. Even Uncle Ryan came too! :)

Paul and I got to go up very early this morning to see our children. Bentley needed to be intubated but he went from 40 to 28 in that short time and they need him to get down to 21 to take it out. They said they figured it would come out soon. Karley was on a cannula but just to help inflate her lungs. They both are doing amazing!!!

I started pumping last night. I produced some colostrum right off the get go which really helped me to feel like we were going to be successful!

Paul and I finally got to bed around 2:30 A.M. and at this point, I was completely exhausted!! Unfortunately we only got a few hours of sleep as labs needed to be drawn, I needed to pump, and get cleaned up.

Paul and I went up to see the children again right when they were receiving their cares. They took the cannula off of Karley while we were up there and she cried! It was such a high pitched cry. She likes to suck on her fist, fingers, thumb, etc. They gave her a pacifier and she did well with that too. She came out with some bruising due to being so low but today it even looks better than yesterday. She is truly doing amazing!!! Bentley is also doing well. They thought the ventilator could come out and we were informed that after we left, they were able to take it out!!! He also had some brady episodes while we were up there. But he comes right out of them without needing any sort of stimulation which is great!! We sure have little fighters but I am not surprised! :)

Karley 1 day old:

Bentley 1 day old:

I have gotten more sore throughout the day but that is definitely to be expected. The nurses are very impressed with how well I am doing already. This evening they took out my IV and left the starter and took my catheter out. I am no longer hooked up to anything! I also got to shower which was nice and I have my own clothes on again!

Shastina, Jim, Dakota, Mason, and Emma came to visit. Shortly after they arrived, Paul's parents did also. It was nice to visit and see them!!!

Paul and I got to go up to the NICU again tonight. It is always nice to go up and visit. We have met both of the nurses that will hopefully be their main caregivers through our NICU journey. They have already been wonderful in explaining things and making sure we are comfortable with everything. Karley now has a tube in her nose for feeding. Bentley was taken off of the ventilator and is now on c-pap. We got to open up their incubators and touch them for the first time tonight. It was an experience of a lifetime! Bentley got his first experience with a pacifier. Whenever Karley would be left alone as we were visiting with Bentley or lost her pacifier, she would cry. As soon as you went by her, she would stop! We also got to hear Bentley's little cry too. Karley has started with my breast milk already and is taking 5 ml at this point. They informed me she has eaten all of what I pumped already! Pumping has gone well but I have only gotten minimal. Hopefully it increases soon as Bentley can start eating tomorrow too!

Our beautiful little Karley:

 

 

 

Our handsome little Bentley: