drum-roll please.......this just in - Mary Louise is 4 pounds!!!!! WOWEEE! I can't believe it! so so so exciting!
Brent is there now - he took my little brother Sean in as we can only have 2 people at a time and one parent must be there at all times when visitors (other than parents) are there. He phoned from there to tell me the news! (We didn't know that no one but parents can go after 9pm which is the time now so they will have to come back to the hotel shortly). Tomorrow, we are "moving" to Brent's aunt and uncle's house which is about 15 minutes or so from the hospital. (thanks so much!)
In answer to some questions: the babies are in radiant warmers - the open warming beds which as far as temperature act much like incubators but the babies are easier to get to as they are a bit more open. Therefore, they are not in clothes yet - only diapers and blankets. They both maintain their temperatures quite well when we hold them for longer periods (an hour or more) but eventually need warming. The nurse practitioner is planning on putting them together (co-bedding) (once we find out about Mary Louise's eyes) to help them grow and maintain their body temperatures better.
As far as donating breast milk. I have already asked - there are no donor banks in Louisiana. I know I may need the extra milk eventually (believe me, I'm not over-producing - they just don't eat very much yet) but would gladly donate some in this instance. Alas my sweet LA is a bit behind in that respect. The closest donor bank is in Austin, TX. Furthermore, donor banks don't take milk that is already pumped - it is only accepted after intense testing on the mother is done (absolutely understandable). I'm not sure what I'll do, but I refuse to pump and dump - I work to hard to get that stuff in the first place to just throw it out. For right now, the hospital is still taking it though and the babies are eating more each day so hopefully things will work out.
After all that worrying about being able to produce enough and now I'm worrying about where to put it all! How silly.
YAY!!!! MARY LOUISE IS 4 POUNDS!!! (just had to say it again)
Love, Heather
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WOW!!! she is HUGE!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteheather
Heather,
ReplyDeleteI know you are traveling back and forth with the babies now, but once you get settled, I thought I would share my tips for storing breast milk.
Charlotte (my oldest and also a preemie) never wanted to nurse, so I pumped for her for 10 months. Needless to say, I am a self-proclaimed pro at pumping and storing milk.
In a deep freezer, you can store milk for six months or longer, and up to 4 months in a normal freezer.
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T026900.asp#T026901
Also, I have some tips on my blog about how to best store the milk while freezing. I never worried about the time I pumped so much as the date. If I mixed two batches (i.e. on from late tonight and one from early am), I would mark that batch with the earliest date.
http://growingmayflowers.blogspot.com/2008/03/works-for-me-storing-breast-milk.html
Hope that helps! So happy Mary Louise is now 4 pounds. Way to go Mama!!
Yay That is great news! Grow babies grow! Keep up the hard work!
ReplyDeleteYay for growing babies!
ReplyDeleteAwesome that they are going to have them share a bed!!! Grow, maintain body temperature, all feeds by mouth... ya'll are almost home!!!
LA is sooo behind the times ;)
That is wonderful news! Soon you'll be taking them home, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteThat is one big peanut.
ReplyDeleteSuch great news, Heather! So happy for you and the babies! What a big boy and girl you have!
ReplyDeleteHannah