24 WEEKS!!! - we all people now!

So in honor of making it to 24 weeks, I get to hear some new terms such as: instead of evacuating the uterus, they now call it delivering babies, and instead of the fetus(es) they are now called humans. Interesting right? The nurses are excited and my primary OB has already sent in the neonatologist to talk with me. He was actually very nice - and seemed pleased with my progress so far and was also excited about my determination to pump and breastfeed. The following is an overview of what he said...

24 weeks is the very edge of viability. We really need at least 2 or 3 more weeks to significantly improve their chance of survival but the 24 weeks, if that's all we get, does give us a fighting chance. So, if born today, a single baby would have about a 60% chance of survival. Triplets are at least 10 to 20% lower than that but there aren't very good statistics on them really. Our babies (gosh I just love to hear them called babies) are in the lower percentile for weight and therefore have a bit more against them. However, primary concern is gestational age, not weight right now. Given 2 or 3 more weeks, their percentage for mortality can decrease by as much as 30%. They do not show any signs of congenital heart disease so they do not anticipate having to transfer them anywhere. If they need PDA surgery, there is a doctor here that can do that. So, this hospital is well equipped to care for our little ones. There are 4 NNP's on staff and one is here at all times as well as the 2 neonatologists who are in charge of patients in the NICU. The only thing they may need out of town is eye surgery - but that would be at a much later date.

Steriods will be given to me to help increase lung maturity (soon but I'm not sure when yet). It is unknown as to how much help they give but it is known that they improve chances and they are therefore reccommended. This would also reduce the need for oxygen supplementation and if they aren't on it long, their risk for retinopathy (and need of eye surgery) decreases. It is 2 injections, 24 hours apart.

Should the babies be born now (or in the next week or so), their risk for morbidity - especially neurological - would be extremely high. Bottom line, although the 24 week mark is recognized as a huge milestone for me - and one that I am indescribably ecstatic to meet and excede - we still need significantly more time. If they were born now, they would be in the NICU until at least their due date (August 5th). If I can hold of a few more weeks, they have a good chance of going home prior to their due date.

Last bit of info, white baby boys do the worst in the NICU. It is unknown why but the doctor said they can sometimes be as much as 2 weeks behind girls. We don't know what we're having and he said it wouldn't change their plan of care even if we did so it wasn't necessary to find out. It's just something else we'll have to pray over, and get through if the time comes. Right now, we are doing well. This is a good moment.