I was looking at Enya this morning and noticed that she too finally has pudgy baby thighs. Don't get me wrong, she is small and her waist is tiny (hopefully in 40 years I can still write that ;-)) she still fits into size 3 nappies with the tabs almost end on end, but she no longer has chicken legs. There is finally a bit of fat and more importantly muscle on her legs.
The darling girls allowed us to sleep in until after 7 this morning, I got a fright when I woke of my own accord and saw how late it was. We are no longer being wakened at 3am but they usually wake around 6:30am. Unfortunately Z had to go to work so we couldn't lie in and enjoy the late start.
Z is finding it really hard after his leave to only see the girls for 45 mins in the morning and then again for an hour in the evening. We get them out of bed just before 7 in the mornings feed them and then they go down immediately after for their morning nap as they are still very tired (latest 8 am). They wake anywhere from 9:30-10 and play until just after 11am when I feed them again and then back to bed for another 1-2 hour nap. They get another bottle at around 3ish in the afternoon followed sometimes by another nap although this one is usually just 1/2-1 hour long. Z comes home around 5:30-6pm to play a bit with the girls and then at the latest 6pm we start with the evening meal with the aim to get them into bed by 6:30-7pm. Any later and they are impossible to feed and settle as they are just too tired. Ciara has been known to fall asleep while being fed, she had to be woken up for every mouthful, she was too cute (we couldn't just leave her as she would have woken up at 3am starving-voice of experience speaking here).
This is the schedule that works for them and I know on the days where we deviate from it due to appointments how cranky they get, so obviously they need this much sleep, it just makes me sad for Z as he doesn't get a lot of time with them. It makes me wonder how moms who have to work manage. This is not a critisism of working mothers, I know we are fortunate that I can stay home with the girls this long, but it must really be hard to miss out on so much of your child's childhood!
31 Jul 2008
30 Jul 2008
Rocking babies
I now have 2 babies that are up on their hands and knees and rocking wildly. Enya started yesterday afternoon and now there is no stopping her. She only holds the position for a couple of seconds but is so proud of herself. Needless to say every time she does it I'm cheering like a mad woman. Ciara manged to lift her hand while on her hands and knees for the first time yesterday, up till now every time she's lifted her hand she has slid down onto her tummy from her knees. Ciara also sat onto her bottom from her hands and knees yesterday- she was still weight bearing through her hands but she got her leg out the way to sit on her behind ;-). PROGRESS!!
I honestly can't wait for them to be crawling as they are now too heavy to carry together and the one left behind always throws a wobbly. Please remind me of this post when I start whinging about them being too mobile!!!
PS a nice positive post for my 100th don't you think *lol*
I honestly can't wait for them to be crawling as they are now too heavy to carry together and the one left behind always throws a wobbly. Please remind me of this post when I start whinging about them being too mobile!!!
PS a nice positive post for my 100th don't you think *lol*
29 Jul 2008
Thank you Z
As previously mentioned we've been having a bit of a heat wave here, summer has finally arrived! Z had a week and a half leave (when I wasn't doing so well) and used some of his holiday to erect a sun sail over our terrace so the girls could enjoy the "fresh" air. I think he did a sterling job, so thank you Z!!
We've been out on the terrace most days and have even been enjoying paddling in the (tiny) baby pool.
Don't mind the grey skys we're finally having a summer thunderstorm this afternoon to cool things down.
We went to the paediatrician again about Enya not drinking, we had a couple of days last week where she only drank 100mls. His advice is as long as she is still putting on weight and not dehydrated to stop worrying. He gave me samples of a few other milk powders to try but as they are not thickened Enya won't drink them so we remain in a holding pattern. We've gone back to our AR thickened formula and are once again pressing on the teat. My aim is now to get her drinking out a cup as quickly as possible and do away with the bloody bottle before her bottle phobia gets any worse.
We've been out on the terrace most days and have even been enjoying paddling in the (tiny) baby pool.
Don't mind the grey skys we're finally having a summer thunderstorm this afternoon to cool things down.
We went to the paediatrician again about Enya not drinking, we had a couple of days last week where she only drank 100mls. His advice is as long as she is still putting on weight and not dehydrated to stop worrying. He gave me samples of a few other milk powders to try but as they are not thickened Enya won't drink them so we remain in a holding pattern. We've gone back to our AR thickened formula and are once again pressing on the teat. My aim is now to get her drinking out a cup as quickly as possible and do away with the bloody bottle before her bottle phobia gets any worse.
27 Jul 2008
Now for something completely different
The internet preemie support group I'm a member of were discussing hand disinfectant for use at home (post discharge) and it made me realise yet again how different the advice as well as treatments are in US as compared to what we've experienced.
I've often read that in the US the parents are involved in the care of their babies from early on, I think we were allowed to change our first nappy when Ciara was about 5 weeks old, we had to wait another couple of weeks before we were let loose on Enya. We however were encouraged to start kangerooing within a week of birth (with Ciara after 3 days:-)) where in the US they seem to start much later (were our girls particularly stable for preemies? I don't think so as JT, the 23 weeker, also started kangerooing at about a week old). I do know a lot of micropreemies make it home before their due date in the States where here in Germany that is the rare exception.
When we were discharged from hospital no mention was made of the fact we should limit our exposure to people during the RSV season (our discharge was slap bang in the middle of the season which ran from November to March). Maybe they thought we were sensible enough to realise that for ourselves but anyhow it was never mentioned. The other preemie blogs from the US that I read on the other hand write that they were specifically instructed to limit their contacts and avoid crowded places during the first 2 RSV winter seasons. Some are even advised not to place their children in creches for the first couple of years.
We were also discouraged from going along the route of hand disinfection once we were out of the hospital and away from the hospital bugs.The explaination we were given is that our daughters needed to be exposed to normal household germs to start building up their immune system. For this reason also during our hospital stay we used to wear our street clothes in the ICU even when we were holding the girls (except when we kangerooed obviously which is done bare skin to bare skin). The photos I see on the US blogs however show most parents wearing clean gowns over their clothes and I have already mentioned the discussion on what was the best hand disinfectant for home use on the preemie support group.
I wish I knew why there is such a large difference in the advice and treatment. Are the US parents more able than we in Europe that they can start assisting in the care earlier? I can't believe the US has more germs than Europe or that our doctors here are giving us foolhardy advice, given that we have not had any infections or real illnesses since being home. What do you think?
I've often read that in the US the parents are involved in the care of their babies from early on, I think we were allowed to change our first nappy when Ciara was about 5 weeks old, we had to wait another couple of weeks before we were let loose on Enya. We however were encouraged to start kangerooing within a week of birth (with Ciara after 3 days:-)) where in the US they seem to start much later (were our girls particularly stable for preemies? I don't think so as JT, the 23 weeker, also started kangerooing at about a week old). I do know a lot of micropreemies make it home before their due date in the States where here in Germany that is the rare exception.
When we were discharged from hospital no mention was made of the fact we should limit our exposure to people during the RSV season (our discharge was slap bang in the middle of the season which ran from November to March). Maybe they thought we were sensible enough to realise that for ourselves but anyhow it was never mentioned. The other preemie blogs from the US that I read on the other hand write that they were specifically instructed to limit their contacts and avoid crowded places during the first 2 RSV winter seasons. Some are even advised not to place their children in creches for the first couple of years.
We were also discouraged from going along the route of hand disinfection once we were out of the hospital and away from the hospital bugs.The explaination we were given is that our daughters needed to be exposed to normal household germs to start building up their immune system. For this reason also during our hospital stay we used to wear our street clothes in the ICU even when we were holding the girls (except when we kangerooed obviously which is done bare skin to bare skin). The photos I see on the US blogs however show most parents wearing clean gowns over their clothes and I have already mentioned the discussion on what was the best hand disinfectant for home use on the preemie support group.
I wish I knew why there is such a large difference in the advice and treatment. Are the US parents more able than we in Europe that they can start assisting in the care earlier? I can't believe the US has more germs than Europe or that our doctors here are giving us foolhardy advice, given that we have not had any infections or real illnesses since being home. What do you think?
24 Jul 2008
Summer has returned
After freezing our a&*£s off for the last week summer has finally returned in full force, which means I can't make up my mind if my daughters' shiny red cheeks are due to the heat or could they finally, at the age of eleven months, possibly be getting their first teeth!!
We met up with our neighbour from the Kinderklinik today (we had planned to meet 2 weeks ago but it got cancelled as the baby P had a fever). This little P from the hospital weighs nearly as much as Ciara now and is at least as big, although corrected she is 2 months younger than my two! Isn't it fantastic how babies can grow (at least when they eat they can), last time we saw her she was still in preemie clothing and weighed 2 and a half kilos.
I sent Z in my stead to physio this week as I hit rock bottom, the result is that Ciara is no longer getting physio and will now just be monitored while Enya still continues with the full program.
Ciara is now rocking so wildly on her hands and knees that her knees slide forward but she hasn't figured out how to move her hands forward. She has also sat from her hands and knees down onto one hip a couple of times, but hasn't figured out how to sit up properly yet. Enya is now trying to get onto her hands and knees but battles to keep her knees together. She does however watch her sister and then tries to imitate what Ciara is doing. They are taking more and more notice of each other and what is really cute is Ciara sometimes seems to be trying to comfort Enya when Enya starts to cry- probably just coincidence but cute nonetheless.
We met up with our neighbour from the Kinderklinik today (we had planned to meet 2 weeks ago but it got cancelled as the baby P had a fever). This little P from the hospital weighs nearly as much as Ciara now and is at least as big, although corrected she is 2 months younger than my two! Isn't it fantastic how babies can grow (at least when they eat they can), last time we saw her she was still in preemie clothing and weighed 2 and a half kilos.
I sent Z in my stead to physio this week as I hit rock bottom, the result is that Ciara is no longer getting physio and will now just be monitored while Enya still continues with the full program.
Ciara is now rocking so wildly on her hands and knees that her knees slide forward but she hasn't figured out how to move her hands forward. She has also sat from her hands and knees down onto one hip a couple of times, but hasn't figured out how to sit up properly yet. Enya is now trying to get onto her hands and knees but battles to keep her knees together. She does however watch her sister and then tries to imitate what Ciara is doing. They are taking more and more notice of each other and what is really cute is Ciara sometimes seems to be trying to comfort Enya when Enya starts to cry- probably just coincidence but cute nonetheless.
22 Jul 2008
Not doing well
Me this time, not the girls. We're coming up for the anniversary of when I was admitted to hospital and with one thing and another I'm not coping very well. Thankfully Z has this week off.
Enya has lost weight this week but when she only drinks one bottle the entire day what can you expect. She is still eating her solids at least, even if that is not as much as usual.
Enya has lost weight this week but when she only drinks one bottle the entire day what can you expect. She is still eating her solids at least, even if that is not as much as usual.
18 Jul 2008
Neurodevelopmental update
Yesterday was the 3rd preemie developmental follow up. We got to see B, who is a friend of ours as well as a neonatologist. She hadn't seen the girls since February and was very pleased at how they've grown and developed.
As expected she was especially pleased with Ciara's progress, as you may remember in February they were talking about Ciara having signs associated with brain damage (high tone in her legs, hands always being clenched etc.). B said that we should continue physio with Ciara until she is crawling, but also said she believes it's only a matter of weeks (please please please!!). Enya will need physio longer, but I think if I only need to treat one child it will take some of the stress out of my day, even though the physio wants us to go back to 4 sessions a day with Enya!
On the eating/drinking front B told me off for getting too fixated on numbers, as long as Enya is not dehydrated and continuing to grow albeit on her own curve, all was well (even if she is only drinking 250ml of formula a day). So I'm not to put any stress on myself and let Enya rediscover the joy of drinking! Now I've heard it from everyone and so I'll try (again) to relax about her milk consumption. On that note I must add Enya is continuing to drink her bottles without any assistance from us, she's even sucking occasionally!
Our friends from the UK arrive tomorrow morning so please excuse me not updating or commenting on your blogs for a few days.
As expected she was especially pleased with Ciara's progress, as you may remember in February they were talking about Ciara having signs associated with brain damage (high tone in her legs, hands always being clenched etc.). B said that we should continue physio with Ciara until she is crawling, but also said she believes it's only a matter of weeks (please please please!!). Enya will need physio longer, but I think if I only need to treat one child it will take some of the stress out of my day, even though the physio wants us to go back to 4 sessions a day with Enya!
On the eating/drinking front B told me off for getting too fixated on numbers, as long as Enya is not dehydrated and continuing to grow albeit on her own curve, all was well (even if she is only drinking 250ml of formula a day). So I'm not to put any stress on myself and let Enya rediscover the joy of drinking! Now I've heard it from everyone and so I'll try (again) to relax about her milk consumption. On that note I must add Enya is continuing to drink her bottles without any assistance from us, she's even sucking occasionally!
Our friends from the UK arrive tomorrow morning so please excuse me not updating or commenting on your blogs for a few days.
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