So here we are 1 week and 2 days after the birth of the babies! I can't believe it was only a week ago - it seems like forever ago I was carrying around these little buggers. So much has happened in a week! Liam got his surgery the Monday following his birth and it went perfectly (the top picture was taken afterwords). They didn't find anything else that would complicate things and it seemed to be a fairly easy and common procedure. Just like I thought he would, he came through it like nothing! Strong boy! He is 3 lbs. 10 oz. now and they are going to put him on a feeding tube tomorrow. The next picture is Liam and then Luke at 1 week 2 days. Simply put, they are absolutely adorable! Luke has been doing great too - he is now breathing all on his own and is 3 lbs 14 oz. and has been taking milk. Because the boys were both premature, I knew how much of a benefit breastmilk would be to them, so I offered to pump for them. It has been quite an experience - the first few days were really difficult, as you have to do it every 2 hours (even at night!) which can be really frustrating when you aren't getting much output. It is also much more difficult to establish a supply with pumping as opposed to breastfeeding (not to mention getting up in the middle of the night to a cold pump instead of a cuddly baby - not so easy!), but I think I am getting a hang of it now and it is going much better. I am happy I am able to still do something to help them. I have been freezing it in small portions and each morning Ann and Joe pick it up and bring it to the hospital - they are splitting it in half so that Liam can get his share too. They aren't able to actually drink from bottles until they are "technically" 32 weeks, so starting next week maybe they can begin to introduce the bottle. Once they can drink on their own, I believe they can be cleared to go home - that is so exciting! I don't think I will feel like my journey here is complete until they are both home and safe, and the way they are going that seems like it will happen in the near future.
As for me, well, this hasn't been the easiest day. I started having a problem with my incision from the c-section and ended up going back to the hospital to have them check it out today. The doctor said there was fluid under it in the center and had to reopen it, push out the fluid, and stuff it with gauze. I nearly passed out on the table as she was doing this - totally gross! The worst part of it is that they have to send a home nurse out to me so she can teach Brandon how to change the gauze every day for the next week - blech!!!! He is actually out of town for a couple days here, so she will have to come and do it for the time being. Her initial response was "Well, don't you have any neighbors or friends who could learn how to do it??". Ummmmm - no! Can you imagine me asking "Hey, so and so, yeahhhh, can you come over and take out and stuff gauze into my c-section wound for a week??". Yeah, not going to happen. I'm pretty sure Brandon will have a rough enough time - it seems pretty gross to me. I don't think I could put that task on anyone else but him. He has been really patient with me and trying to help out. And I feel a little bad for him, because for now I am spending way more time with my pump than him - lol! :)
