3 Days Old

I wanted to give everyone a quick update on the status of the boys.  Overall, both boys are doing as well as expected for 31 week preemies and mom and dad are so grateful for their progress so far.  They both have two main issues that the doctors are trying to address.  First is their breathing and related lung immaturity.  Alex is still on the CPAP and has been since birth.  Anthony is still on the ventilator and the doctors are now having success reducing the pressure and the oxygen levels.  Hopefully Anthony can wean off the vent and onto the CPAP soon.

The second issues both boys share is called PDA and it refers to a valve just outside the heart that is supposed to close shortly after birth.  In preemies, this valve often stays open for a while and causes blood to flow to the body without its full complement of oxygen.  To address this problem, both boys have started a three day dose of ibuprofen.  Hopefully this will help this valve to close.  Once the valve closes, it should improve the overall blood and oxygen flow in both boys and should also help some of the breathing issues.

The boys are both still receiving all their nutrition via IVs.  Once the PDA issue is solved, we hope they can start some breast milk feeding via a tube.  The boys have also received doses of antibiotics and treatment with UV lamps to help fight biliribun build up - both standard treatments for preemies.

Dad was able to "kangaroo" with Alex last night.  Kangaroo care means they place the baby on your bare chest and you share skin-to-skin contact for an extended period of time - it is a recommended treatment for preemies because it really helps their stability and overall well being.  It was awesome feeling to hold Alex for almost two hours and he really seemed to be at peace.

Mom is recovering well from the C-section and the incision is healing well.  Mom is suffering from some side effects of the epidural which went too deep and caused some spinal fluid to leak out.  She has had some terrible migrane-like headaches and a very sore back.  The headaches seem to have passed and mom should be going home within a day or two.  After all she has been through, these side effects were the last thing she needed, but she is battling through them like the trooper she is.

I will continue make updates as frequently as possible.