UPDATED 3/11/08 3:31 a.m. - Finally got the pics to load!
Since their birthday the girls have continued to improve. They all developed jaundice which isn't unusual with any baby, so they spent two days getting a blue suntan under the bilirubin lights. The two who were on a vent had that removed in 24 hours and just got puffs of room air in their noses to remind them to breathe. That business is finished now too, and most of the lines and tubes and scary thingys are gone.
They all still have a feeding tube because it takes toooo many precious calories to suck during a regular feeding. Every third feeding is sucking a bottle, the other two are through the feeding tube. If they continue to feed well and gain weight, the feeding tubes will be gone in the next few days.
All in all, they are doing very, very well. The main goal for them is to eat and gain weight. In NICU terms, they are "grower babies." That means they don't have any life-threatening conditions that need critical nursing care, just poke stuff in at the top and wipe stuff off at the bottom. The NICU nurse said they are way ahead of most preemies, and will probably be out of the NICU before she gets to bond with them. (She was a little disappointed.)
Momma Butterbean was laid low by the delivery. She had pre-eclampsia, a potentially fatal complication. That's why the babies were delivered when they were. Momma BB was crashing and the only way to fix it was to deliver. She was pale and limp after delivery and required a blood transfusion. Not good. Wednesday was a bad day. She was a little better on Thursday, and was finally strong enough to hold babies on Friday. She was released on Saturday and went home to her momma's house for a little momma-type TLC. She's still moving slowly, understandably so, but seems to be getting better each day. Whew!
We finally got pictures of the Butterbeans with their eyes open, no bili-shades, and almost tube-free. I would post them for all to see, but Blogger doesn't like my slow upload speeds and won't upload them. I'll post them in a few days when my ISP finally "gits right with God."
UPDATE:
My ISP still ain't right with God, but at least I can now upload photos.
Those black Velcro patches on the sides of their heads were where the bili-shades attached. They are gone now.
Almondine - Dark-haired; looks just like her daddy.
Butterbean - Blonde; has her daddy's mouth, but otherwise this is the milkman's kid. She doesn't look anything like our side of the family.
Collard Greens - Dark-haired; extremely long fingers, toes, arms and legs. "Woo-hoo! What long fingers!" seems to be the first comment about this baby. She also looks just like her daddy and a whole lot like her 14-year-old sister.
Life is good with the Tres Butterbean clan right now. Our prayers are that it will remain so until they all get pudgy enough to go home.
9 comments:
Oh that is wonderful wonderful news, Speck!! They sound like preemie superstars, I'm so happy for your family.
Poor mom -- rest is the best thing for her now. Those healthy babies will running her ragged before she knows it.
Congrats to all.
Oh. My. Heavens. Angels, all three of them. They are beautiful... for beans that is quite an achievement. Really....they are beautiful....names? While Collard, Butter and Almond are cute, that might pose a problem later in life.
The Three Little Butterbeans and how They Grew - sounds like a great story to me.
Hope Mom is doing well cause the terrible trio look like they're enjoying what they've experienced of life so far. I know its not good to encourage sibling rivalery but I've picked out my favorite.
Thanks for the update and the pics!
I absolutely cannot imagine taking care of three babies. Lordy, I'd just fall on the floor and holler.
What wonderful darlins. Mommy BB needs major rest because these punkins are gonna keep her busy.
Cowbell: I think Momma is trying to lay low and capture the last little bit of alone time she will have for a long, long while. Oh vey!
Rosemary: These children have some high falutin' 16-cylinder names. The poor girls won't be able to spell them correctly until they are in the third grade or so. Believe it or not, the blog nicknames I've given them are easier to pronounce and simpler to spell than their real names. I'm hoping someone comes up with some 5-letter nicknames pretty quickly.
Willym: Oh! I love the story name. Will have to file that away for future creative pondering. Which one is your favorite? Do tell. I'll be sure to post really good photos of her for you to ogle.
Buck: The image of you falling on the floor and hollering just tickles me to death. I needed that laugh right now. Thanks.
I imagine there will be lots of folks fallin' on the floor and hollerin' before everything is said and done. It may be the daily course of events.
KA: Ya know, if they grow up and get pudgy like we're hoping, we may have to upgrade them from butterbeans to punkins permanently. Humm.......
Pictures!!! Three Cheers for the Beans! (One each)
They'll chub up, don't you worry. Adn your long fingered one? People thought it was so funny to joke about the Bohemian playing piano when she was a wee one, and lo and behold ... she's now a piano major. So mind what folks predict for those fingers, ha!
Congrats to all - sweet little things.
Have to admit Butterbean's my favorite - she looks like she's going to bitch slap anybody that leaves that tube in longer than they have to!
Congratulations! Those are some yummy looking babies right there. Keep the Hat away from their toes!
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