If you haven't noticed yet...take a look. Under the picture of the twins on the right hand side Uncle J added a link to "Kinloch Ready Recipes". Many of you have asked "What can we do to help?"...well, here's your chance! With the babies close to coming home (knock on wood) and Uncle J / Aunt Rachel going to Indy, meals will definitely be in high demand. Given their atypical dietary needs, Uncle J has posted ten recipes to use which appease all their concerns (dairy-free and low carb/sugar) and most of which have been Kinloch taste-tested and approved. Feel free to make any meal in advance and then freeze it for when they actually start living in their house again. It's a great excuse to stop by and see the cuties in person (Tenley and Will, that is). Thank you Uncle J!!
Now for the feeding update...The babies didn't start on the new bottles until yesterday at noon. They had every feed yesterday after noon via bottle and every feed stayed down (yay!) and no coughing occurred (yay!). The downside is that the actual amount they ate didn't increase so they are now on every other feed being a bottle (with the other being via feeding tube) until they can get the mixture just perfect enough so that they want to gobble all of it down. That's all I have for now....just waiting for some new pics to be sent my way....hint....hint :)
Friday, May 14, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
May 12, 2010
Today is my 100th post to this blog (with nearly 5,000 visits to the site)....whodathunkit...the kids have to come home at this point simply to save my fingers from falling off! ;)
There are definitely still some eating concerns. When they bottle or "source" feed they keep coughing (due to the splashing in the throat syndrome they both have) and therefore do not get enough milk. Formula works but it has to be non-dairy and mom has worked so hard to collect refrigerators full of milk that it would be a shame to waste it all. The most obvious point to keep them on "source" milk is the tons and tons of scientific evidence proving that "source" milk is sooo beneficial for preemies. The NICU does not allow Simply Thick (a thickener added to "source" milk to reduce the splashing) due to a NICU baby years back passing away shortly after starting the product. However, babies in the nursery (full-term babies) use this product all the time with little to no adverse effects. Since Will and Tenley are both 6lbs or more and are over 40 weeks gestational age, mom feels it would be safe at this point to see if using the Simply Thick helps get them drinking the "source" milk and will get them home! After verifying with the Dr that she consents, the order was put in.
Tonight at 6pm is suppose to be their first feed using the "source" milk and the Simply Thick additive. Daddy is there to witness. If all goes well, they will think it tastes yummy, it's thick enough that they don't cough, and they can come home after consistently proving themselves.
There are definitely still some eating concerns. When they bottle or "source" feed they keep coughing (due to the splashing in the throat syndrome they both have) and therefore do not get enough milk. Formula works but it has to be non-dairy and mom has worked so hard to collect refrigerators full of milk that it would be a shame to waste it all. The most obvious point to keep them on "source" milk is the tons and tons of scientific evidence proving that "source" milk is sooo beneficial for preemies. The NICU does not allow Simply Thick (a thickener added to "source" milk to reduce the splashing) due to a NICU baby years back passing away shortly after starting the product. However, babies in the nursery (full-term babies) use this product all the time with little to no adverse effects. Since Will and Tenley are both 6lbs or more and are over 40 weeks gestational age, mom feels it would be safe at this point to see if using the Simply Thick helps get them drinking the "source" milk and will get them home! After verifying with the Dr that she consents, the order was put in.
Tonight at 6pm is suppose to be their first feed using the "source" milk and the Simply Thick additive. Daddy is there to witness. If all goes well, they will think it tastes yummy, it's thick enough that they don't cough, and they can come home after consistently proving themselves.
Monday, May 10, 2010
May 10, 2010
Tenley had a bit of a rough night last night. In trying to entice her to bottle feed more, they put her on formula since, when they last tried, she gobbled it down. Unfortunately, they gave her dairy formula and every feed resulted in projectile vomiting. So, the moral of this story is, Tenley likes formula however it's a good thing mommy is still doing dairy-free eating because Tenley's belly does not like dairy formula. They switched it up to non-dairy formula today and, although she didn't eat as much, she at least kept it down. Her weight was 6 pounds...even after a full night of vomiting.
Will also enjoys formula but doesn't seem to be as picky about the dairy vs. non-dairy. With his first formula bottle yesterday he ate more than his recommended amount of food and he was still hungry afterwards! Will weighed in at 6 lbs 12 ozs and celebrated by pulling out his feeding tube...
The moral of the story is...to get these babies home, formula is the name of the game. Neither seems to "source" feed very well but both at least get half of their feed (if not more) during each bottle feed session.
Will also enjoys formula but doesn't seem to be as picky about the dairy vs. non-dairy. With his first formula bottle yesterday he ate more than his recommended amount of food and he was still hungry afterwards! Will weighed in at 6 lbs 12 ozs and celebrated by pulling out his feeding tube...
The moral of the story is...to get these babies home, formula is the name of the game. Neither seems to "source" feed very well but both at least get half of their feed (if not more) during each bottle feed session.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Happy Mother's Day!!!
Before I was a Mom -
I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.
Before I was a Mom -
I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom -
I had never been puked on - Pooped on - Spit on - Chewed on, or Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom -
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests...or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom -
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life
so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.
Before I was a Mom -
I had never known The warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.
-Anonymous
To Becky on her first Mother's day and to all Mothers: You are loved.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
May 6, 2010
Both babies had their hearing screenings today and both babies passed!!! YAY!!!
Mommy walked into the room today and a nurse started saying "mommy, your son is over here". She assumed the nurse was talking to someone else because neither baby has ever left the 1 foot parameter around their incubator. When she didn't see Will in his normal spot, she looked over and saw a "wireless" Will hanging out with the nurses, wide awake. No leads, no feeding tube, nothing. Will was apparently "mackin' it" with the nurses!! He was wide-eyed and very alert. He would cry and cry until someone would pick him up. When they would go to put him down, he would start crying again. The nurses didn't want Will to wake up Tenley (trust me, when she's sleeping you let her be) so they just picked him up, disconnected him, and brought him over to the corner where all the nurses were so he could hang out. Will also had a good "source" feed today - over half!! His eye exam went well ... he does have rhetenopothy but it's the lowest level (stage 1 zone 3) so all that's required is a follow-up exam in a few weeks. We also found out that his Phenobar level will never be increased, which is great news!
Could he be any cuter?....
Tenley had a full bottle today with the Occupational Therapist in 30 minutes!! She still has some congestion, even after the round of steroids. If it doesn't get any better, ENT will come back next week and re-evaluate. Come on Tenley...you're sooo close!!
Chubby cheeks!!...
Mommy walked into the room today and a nurse started saying "mommy, your son is over here". She assumed the nurse was talking to someone else because neither baby has ever left the 1 foot parameter around their incubator. When she didn't see Will in his normal spot, she looked over and saw a "wireless" Will hanging out with the nurses, wide awake. No leads, no feeding tube, nothing. Will was apparently "mackin' it" with the nurses!! He was wide-eyed and very alert. He would cry and cry until someone would pick him up. When they would go to put him down, he would start crying again. The nurses didn't want Will to wake up Tenley (trust me, when she's sleeping you let her be) so they just picked him up, disconnected him, and brought him over to the corner where all the nurses were so he could hang out. Will also had a good "source" feed today - over half!! His eye exam went well ... he does have rhetenopothy but it's the lowest level (stage 1 zone 3) so all that's required is a follow-up exam in a few weeks. We also found out that his Phenobar level will never be increased, which is great news!
Could he be any cuter?....
Tenley had a full bottle today with the Occupational Therapist in 30 minutes!! She still has some congestion, even after the round of steroids. If it doesn't get any better, ENT will come back next week and re-evaluate. Come on Tenley...you're sooo close!!
Chubby cheeks!!...
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
May 4, 2010
The world's most appropriate shirt for Tenley ...
Great Grandma Kinloch "Mom Mom" with Grandma Kinloch "Mo Mo" and Tenley ...
Twins nursery awaiting their arrival ...
Great Grandma Kinloch "Mom Mom" with Grandma Kinloch "Mo Mo" and Tenley ...
Twins nursery awaiting their arrival ...
Sunday, May 2, 2010
May 2, 2010
Well, we're back from MD. Tenley and William bought us some picture frames that say "I love my Aunt" and "I love my Uncle". Mine is going to work tomorrow and Uncle J is keeping his in a safe spot until our move in June to Indy. Thanks twins!
Tenley's butt rash looks much, much better. It was either the butt paste or the air out time...but I'm sticking with the magic of the butt paste ;) Tenley was up all night Friday wanting to be held, so the nurse had to spend most of her evening hours with Tenley. I'm thinking this may be due to the 2 hour nap she had earlier in the day in Uncle J's hands. Just look at her, she's in a deep sleep...
William is doing status quo. He's still tired during the day so the "source" feedings don't occur as frequently as the doctor's would like. Once his brain bleed clots dissolves he can hopefully come off the Phenobar which is making him a bit more drowsy. I was fortunate enough to see him on a day when he was wide awake...
And now for some additional pics as chosen by the blogger (there are LOTS out on the snapfish site right now from last week...I'm just posting a few each day from that batch)
http://www2.snapfish.com/comcast/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=3919855009/a=2117318021_72699886/
Tenley's butt rash looks much, much better. It was either the butt paste or the air out time...but I'm sticking with the magic of the butt paste ;) Tenley was up all night Friday wanting to be held, so the nurse had to spend most of her evening hours with Tenley. I'm thinking this may be due to the 2 hour nap she had earlier in the day in Uncle J's hands. Just look at her, she's in a deep sleep...
William is doing status quo. He's still tired during the day so the "source" feedings don't occur as frequently as the doctor's would like. Once his brain bleed clots dissolves he can hopefully come off the Phenobar which is making him a bit more drowsy. I was fortunate enough to see him on a day when he was wide awake...
And now for some additional pics as chosen by the blogger (there are LOTS out on the snapfish site right now from last week...I'm just posting a few each day from that batch)
http://www2.snapfish.com/comcast/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=3919855009/a=2117318021_72699886/
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