A New Frontier: The Open Crib

The twins are doing great.  Really, really, really great.  So great that they are in the same crib together!  No more plastic box!

They are gaining weight steadily – both above 4 pounds, now.  And both are “tolerating their feeds very, very well” which is fancy talk to say that the food doesn’t come back the way it went down but goes out the way Nature Intended.  The “very, very well” part refers to their “output.”  They are pooping prodigies.  Prolific.  Powerful.  Projectile.  (yes, projectile.)  If pooping were a martial art, my sons would be black belts.  They are Poop Ninjas.

The twins had their eye exams, too.  No ROP!!!!!!!  In case you don’t have your Preemie Manual handy, ROP is another one of those preemie acronyms that, when spelled out, still gives you no clue to what it actually stands for.  Then a nurse explains it to you, linking words like “retina” and “blood vessel” with words like “blow out” and “surgery.”  That’s really all you need to know.  Sometimes (rarely, but it does happen) preemies need laser eye surgery, particularly if their early oxygen needs were too great.  We dodged the bullet; their eyes are fine.  That’s all you need to know.

The twins can maintain their body temperature (with the help of hats & blankets rather than with the help of heated & humidified plastic boxes) so as of Monday night, both boys are together again in an open crib!

Aside from having to remember that you ALWAYS have to breathe, the twins have one major hurdle left before going home: learning how to eat.  Basically, they have to suck, swallow AND breathe.  It’s a skill that 25 weekers have a problem with.  The later the babies are born, the easier it is for them to learn this coordination.  Term babies learn it pretty much at birth.  It will take our boys about a month to do this correctly and consistently.  They’ll get some bottle practice, too.  And then the nasal feeding tubes come out!

Other cuteness in Open Crib Land – the boys wear little clothes now.  They are becoming more active and smile regularly.  I refuse to believe its “just gas,” because lemme tell you, they’ve had gas for two months now.  And no smiles.  And now, they are bundled up next to each other and guess what – they smile.

Favorite thing to say: (to one twin) “Look!  It’s the most beautiful baby in the world!” to which the nurses inevitably gasp and mention the brother.  “It’s O.K.” I reply.  “The other one looks exactly the same.”

And now for some pics.  The singles are of Michael, back when they were separated.  In the doubles, Michael is on the left (house left, not stage left) and Wagner is on the right.  Now accepting cute captions.

© 2010 Janine Kovac