Two weeks old (33 weeks gestation)!

The girls are two weeks old today... 33 weeks gestation!

Watching them day by day, I'm becoming more attached and more in love...and harder to leave at night!  To be honest, the first 24 hours after giving birth, I was in complete shock that they were here; and for the first time, I experienced euphoria to such extreme that it didn't feel real and didn't feel like they were ours (for one, they were way too cute to be mine!)  P.S. I'm still working on their birth story!

Anyway, the girls are doing amazing!  They are complete miracles even outside of the womb.  The doctors and nurses are still amazed at how well they are doing at 32-33 weeks gestation.  As most of you probably saw (via Facebook), I was able to FINALLY hold them together, skin-to-skin (Kangaroo), on Tuesday... and seeing them just mold together was incredible.  I did not place Johnalyn's arm over Danika.  I moved her arm to her side because it was under her, and she took it from there, and that's how they laid on me for two hours.... If I could still any moment in time, it would be that moment right there.

Johnalyn (on the left) and Danika (right) first time skin-to-skin together on mom.

Individual updates:

Danika: She's currently 1720 grams (3 pounds 12.7 ounces).  She was able to maintain her temperature on her own for 24 hours, from Monday to Tuesday, so they lifted the top of her isolate yesterday morning (Wednesday, Feb. 25th), and she is now maintaining her body temperature on her own, 100% of the time.  Her feedings went from every two hours to every three hours, and they are upping her amount of feedings every day.  She's decided to favor her head being on the left side, so we need to start rotating her head position, and she HATES it.  She has a strong neck, and she WILL move her head to where she wants it, so we're 'sand bagging' around her head to keep it where we need it! She also has a temper tantrum when her arms are swaddled and can't get them by her face. On Sunday, she got her first bath and LOVED it.  She just melted!

On Tuesday, she gave us a bit of a scare.  She's been having episodes of bradycardia since birth.  This is where her heart rate and respiration rate slows down.  On Tuesday afternoon, she had a longer episode of this that required intervention.  She turned purple and completely stopped breathing.  The nurses jumped into action, and gave her a little oxygen, and she pulled right out of it.  The nurses said it's very common for this to happen in preemies... but when it happens to my own, it's more scary than when you read about it.  The nurse went back into her records and found that she was only on half the dose of caffeine that she was supposed to be on for her weight.  So, the doctor looked it over and they gave her a bolus of caffeine, and she jumped right back to herself.

 She's definitely turning into our little spunk!

Johnalyn:  She's currently 1750 grams (3 pounds 13.5 ounces).  She was able to maintain her her temperature on her own for 24 hours from Tuesday to Wednesday, so they lifted the top of her isolate this morning (Thursday, February 26th). On Monday, she had her first bath and didn't enjoy it as much as her sister. She is also maintaining her body temperature 100% of the time.  This is a huge step in the 'preemie world'.  Her feedings also went to every three hours yesterday.  She is one day behind Danika in everything.  She is also proving good neck muscles and loves to move her head from side to side on her own.  Sometimes she gets ahead of herself and whips her head so fast that she loses the muscles, and she slams her head straight down.  These little steps are so amazing to watch as they both gain more development day by day.  She's more laid back and finds any position we put her in as a comfortable position.

As for bradycardia, she has had no episodes... which makes me think if the extra 48 hours of C-pap had something to do with that.  She is also on caffeine.

They are both becoming more alert and are both showing a major interest in sucking on a pacifier.  This week we will be turning a huge corner as we start to explore oral feeding options.  I have been pumping every 2 - 3 hours and have been providing them all of their milk that is fed thru the feeding tube.  I will continue to do this, but will also start to breast feed on top of that.  Do I know what I'm in for?  Nope... but I want to try all options before we resort to formula.  I'm not against formula, and will definitely be an option, but I want to exhaust all breast milk feeding options before resorting to formula for two reasons:  1.  It's proven that babies (especially preemies) flourish and maintain a better immunity with breast milk (among other major positives) and 2.  It's cheaper!  So, this next week will be busy.  We will start with trialing one feeding a day orally, and the rest tube feedings, and proceed from there.  Wish us luck because this will be an exhausting step for all of us... but also very exciting as this is the longest, and last, leg of their stint to go home (we're still looking at 4 to 6 weeks before discharge)!

I'm sure most of you don't visit the blog to read my rambling thoughts... so, here are more pictures!!

Top:  Their isolates from weeks 31-32.5 weeks gestation.
Bottom:  Current isolates with their isolate covers off and tops raised! 

Danika-10 days old on February 22nd  (left) and Johnalyn- 11 days old on February 23rd (right) after their first baths.

They DO look different.  I need to bring out our baby pictures... but I'm pretty confident that Danika is showing Donny's facial characteristics... and Johnalyn is showing mine. (I'm sure our mom's can confirm or deny that!)

Danika - 13 days old

Johnalyn - 13 days old

10 days old!

The girls were 10 days old yesterday and are keeping this mama very busy! 

Danika:  She's currently 3 pounds 8.5 ounces.  She's really loving her pacifier  which is awesome!  She's showing signs of wanting to feed orally! She had a high bilirubin and was put on lights for 48 hours and then again for 72 hours.  She hated the mask over her eyes and kept pulling it off!  Glad that's over! Her umbilical line was taken out on Saturday  (IV line for medicine).  She got her first bath yesterday and loved it!!

Johnalyn:  She's also 3 pounds 8.5 oz!  She came back from the NICU on the 17th.  She was on c-pap for 48 additional hours... when she got to about hour 40, she decided to pull out her c-pap and proved to the "big wig" doctors that she didn't need it!  She's so much more content here with her sister.  She just found out how to pull out her feeding tube though!

They both keep our nurses busy! Most of our nurses are wonderful.  I came into the room this morning with this on the couch!

I'm so happy (and overwhelmed) with how fast things are going and how well they're  BOTH doing!!

Pictures!

Everything is still going well!  The girls are working hard on eating and growing (and pooping!)!  Danika is back up to her birth weight, and Johnalyn is slowly gaining back what she lost.

They are definitely showing us how persistent they are... Danika likes to re-position herself after the nurses get her all snug.. she'll go from laying on her back to laying on her side.  They are both showing interest in sucking on their pacifiers!  That's one hurtle with having preemies is teaching them to suck and swallow.  Johnalyn loves to lift her head up and move it to the other directions.   The doctors and nurses are very pleased with the direction things are going.
They both continue to amaze us!
Here are a couple pictures!!

Right outside their suite

Danika Jo opening her eyes for the first time - two days old

Johnalyn Ann waving "Hi!" after come back from the NICU - five days old

Mini Update

Ok... there really aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done.  I'm working on a more detailed blog, but it's been put on the back burner. 

The girls continue to do well.  Danika is doing so well... they keep upping her tube feedings, and shes one content, snuggly, spunky girl!

The only setback we've had was that Johnalyn required more breathing help.  Because she required more than 24 hours of c-pap, she had to go over to St. Mary's NICU.  She is now off of it (she kept pulling it out of her nose!) and she's doing great!  AND the doctors just approved her to go back to Methodist Hospital to be with her sister!

I was able to get a room at the Ronald McDonald House which is between the two hospitals (that place is amazing!).

All is great and everyday is one step closer to starting feedings! 

Are you 'chompin' at the bit' for an update???

They're here!!

Hi Everyone!  As most of your might know by now... our little girls made their appearance... and very quickly on Thursday!  I'm working on a longer blog about the 'birth story', but for now I'll give you the basics:

Danika Jo Grunloh
Born:  2/12/15 @ 3:46 pm
Weight:  3 pounds 5 ounces
Length:  16-3/8 inches

Johnalyn Ann Grunloh
Born: 2/12/15 @ 3:51 pm
Weight:  3 pounds 7 ounces
Length: 16-3/8 inches  (yes, they are the exact same length!)

Both girls are doing well.  Danika is definitely our feisty one.  She is doing amazing!  She is breathing on room air, and is basically just chilling in her incubator getting bigger.

Johnalyn is doing well too, but she required more oxygen and is on C-pap over at St. Mary's.  So we have two girls in two different hospitals, which makes for a pretty busy mom and dad!  I'll post more information soon, but I wanted to get a general update out there for everyone who has been our cheerleaders all along!

THANK YOU EVERYONE for being there along side us even though you're miles apart from us.  Our hearts are bursting with love and a lot of other things I can't even explain that I know all parents understand... and I totally get it now!

I will be keeping this blog updated as much as I can, and I will share pictures soon!!

Quick Update

Hi everyone,
Just a quick update... even though there isn't much to report at this point.... I'll find something to type about...

The doctors are content with how things are going, and are sticking to their "hands off" approach with me.  I'm having a lot of back pain that I can't quite get a grip on.  Contractions are, as one of the nurses said, "getting kind of funky".  They'll run really close together, 2 - 3 minutes apart and really intense, and then taper off to every 4 minutes and irregular in intensity.

I had an ultrasound yesterday, both girls scored 8/8 again on the biophysical test, but it was a little challenging to get "baby A" to deep breathe.  After about 10 minutes of waiting, moving in different directions, trying to get her to move, the tech had to bring out a simulator.... it got her to move, but she wouldn't take a deep breath. After waiting a little while longer, she was able to document two breaths.  She also is running on the small side as far as measurements.  The doctors are going to continue to monitor her growth. They "aren't too concerned yet"... but she just isn't growing as fast as her big sister.

"Baby B" is doing good.  She is high up in my abdomen ("Baby A" is VERY low), so it's always easier for the tech to get measurements and tests on her.  I'll have another biophysical ultrasound next week.

Hospital 'life' is getting challenging.  I miss home... a lot.  I'm missing all the fun prep work for these two girls that I had all planned in my head that Donny and I were going to do together.  I wish I could have just one 'normal pregnancy day' to go home, dive in and do everything I want to get done the way I visioned.   I've hit that 'nesting' stage, and I'm going completely nuts!

Anyway, here's a picture I took in the lobby of the hospital.  Made me smile and was exactly what I needed to see the night I found it... This John Wesley quote (founder of the Methodist movement) completely describes my awesome church! Hilltop has been pouring their love into me through this journey. I get goosebumps when I think of all of amazing support and love they've shown Donny and me!  I miss them a lot, and this gave me a little peace and a big smile!

30 weeks and 1 day!!

Two weeks ago today we thought the girls were going to make their appearance!  Even though I'm really sick of this hospital room and hospital life... I'd MUCH rather be sitting here than sitting in a dark room with two babies connected to wires and tubes.

As for an update, there isn't really one.  The doctors are having the "hands off" approach with me unless I have dramatic changes in symptoms, even though the doctor suspects that things are slowly progressing based off of my "mild" symptoms.  They're mostly concerned about infection at this point because of the dilation and exposed membranes.  The physicians here do weekly rotations, so I will be getting a new doctor on Monday... I always get nervous when a new doctor comes on because they have a whole different approach to their practice.  My next ultrasound is Tuesday, and I believe it's a growth ultrasound and another biophysical evaluation.

The doctors want me up and walking as much as possible, so I ventured down to the all the shops and restaurants down in the 'subway' (thanks Mom and Kasey!!!).... so now that I have a little bit of freedom, I'm indulging in everything I miss from when I worked here. I've had my share of Quizno's and Dairy Queen now... and I am now sitting here eating out of a 32 ounce bag of Carroll's Corn popcorn... good thing I passed my 3-hour glucose test!  They also have a patient library down a few floors that I'll go check out... they have games, puzzles, books, music... lots of things I can check out and bring back to my fancy studio apartment.

Donny will be coming tonight to spend the weekend.... excited for that, as it does get pretty lonely here (thanks Cindy for watching Shadow!!).  It's like we're dating again with me living in Rochester and him in Mankato... but this time I have to remind him to bring me clean socks and the daycare papers!

Kind of a boring 'update' but that's all I have right now...  :-)

29 weeks 5 days!

Another quick(-ish) update for everyone...
Discharge was supposed to be yesterday and then got pushed to today, and now I'm not leaving

Yesterday, the physicians here told me that I could deliver in Mankato if things would progress at this point and that they would transport the babies to Rochester.  I was having major anxiety at the mere thought that I would deliver in Mankato in the middle of a snow storm, and they can't get the babies to Rochester in a timely manner.... among other scenarios running thru my head.  They said they would talk with Dr. Larson and the neonatal team in Mankato and get back to me today with a plan...

I called Dr. Larson's nurse and told her everything and she was really confused by their comment about me delivering in Mankato at this gestation.  She talked with Dr. Larson, and he said that they have never delivered twins in Mankato as early as 34 weeks, and the neonatal team in Mankato is not equipped for such a situation... as singleton births are quite different than twin births.

This morning the team of doctors came in and said they talked with Larson and relayed the same information to me, and they came to the conclusion that it would be the safest for me and the babies to call my hospital room home for the time being.

So, that's that!

I had a biophysical profile test on the babies yesterday (where they look at their breathing, heartbeats, muscle tone/movement, and fluids)... and they both scored 8/8!  High achievers even in the womb!  Everything is looking good with them.  They just want to make sure that my issues with keeping them in isn't causing stress to their little bodies.

That's where we're at now.  The three of us are in Rochester for the time being, and Donny (and Shadow) is at home taking care of things there and working... trying to live 'normally'. Not easy, but this too shall pass.

I have to share an ultrasound picture of one of the girls giving us a little bicep flex...  actually looks like she's kissing it.   We're in trouble!  :-P

Little Update

Hi all,

I'm still at the hospital in Rochester.  On my exam before discharge on Friday, they didn't feel I was stable enough to head back home.  The doctor at first said she didn't suspect any further dilation, but later came back and admitted that she couldn't 100% verify that I dilated a little more... so, with that bit of news on top of my contractions, bleeding, and bulging membranes, they decided to keep me.    They told me that I would be here until Monday and then I'll have another evaluation to see if anything has progressed.  I have a new doctor (they cycle through on weekly rotations), and she seems to be a lot more in tune to what's going on and a lot more cautious than the past doctor.  

I have the three-hour glucose test scheduled for tomorrow too... that'll give the babies a party!  We'll see what tomorrow brings... but everything is going pretty well for the most part, so we hope to stay that way!