Baby Steps

All three of the girls are making progress. We are excited each day to walk into the NICU to see how well they are doing and check out their weights. Today we learned of each of them doing something new and exciting. All of them increased the amounts of their feedings. They are each getting around an ounce (30cc) every three hours. These amounts are based on their weights, so Anna gets the most- 38cc, Kate is getting 30cc and Elizabeth is getting 27cc.

Kate is off her temperature control mode in the isolette. She has on real clothes and is maintaining her temperature with just the air control mode in the isolette. She continues to take all her bottles by mouth and her NG tube should be coming out soon. She is about 30 grams (a little over an ounce) from her birth weight. She is almost 3lbs 11 oz.
Elizabeth is the first to make it back to her birth weight!! She is now 3 lbs 2 oz. No one around here is surprised she is the first. She has done extremely well nursing and takes all her bottles by mouth. She is maintaining her temperature on air control and is dressed in clothes. She was seen by a physical therapist yesterday and will be followed throughout her stay in the NICU and when she goes home. This is only due to her size. All infants under 1500g or less than 31 weeks gestation are followed by PTs. She checked out perfect and the PT said she looks great and wasn't worried about her at all.

Anna is out of the isolette and maintaining her temperature well in her open crib! She also lost her NG tube and we could see her beautiful face without the tape and tube. She is very close to her birth weight (5 grams) and weighs 4 lbs 2 oz. Not only does she have to maintain her temperature to go home, she also has to prove she can gain weight.

Anna, our big girl will even hold her own pacifier. Look at her precious face.

Anna in her crib.

I tried to get a close up of her face, but this is the best picture I got.

Since Sunday, all the girls have been getting fortified breast milk for their feedings, which means my supply (for the time being) is enough that that they don't need formula. The nurses add calories to my milk with Neosure to make it 24 calories per ounce instead 20 calories per ounce. This has helped them to gain the weight faster. They will go home on 22 calorie breast milk or formula with some of their feedings. We should meet with the nutritionist before we go home to figure out a way to organize feedings/nursing sessions and have optimal weight gain for all the girls.