Size comparison

I know I already posted this pic of Avery but I just wanted to show you her size at 25 weeks (1lbs8oz 12.5 inches long) compared to Reagan born at 32 weeks (3lbs 11oz and 18 inches long)

Those 7 weeks make a HUGE difference. That is why doctors try to do everything to keep the baby cooking in the womb. After my pre-term labor with Avery, they decided to watch me much closer with Reagan. I was taking vaginal progesterone suppositories, weekly progesterone shots (Makena), and had a cerclage because my cervix kept shortening. Then I was on bed rest and finally on hospital bed rest for 3 weeks. I also received steroid shots to help Reagan's lungs if she would arrive early. No matter what they did, Reagan decided she had enough and wanted to come out and see the world. 

You could see Reagan's cute little face because she didn't need any oxygen. She was super long for being 8 weeks early!

Here are Avery's little foot prints. 

Here are Reagan's 

Size difference when Kangarooing

Reagan

Kangaroo Care (skin to skin)

One of the best things about having a child in the nicu is the time you get to do kangaroo care. Kangaroo Care or skin to skin is very important when babies are in the nicu.. It was one of my favorite things while the girls were ithere. Sometimes they wouldn't cooperate and their alarms would sound (A's or B's... Apneas ..cessations of breathing or B's...bradycardia...when heartrate slows to 80 beats per minute or less). Most of the time, kangaroo care improved their statistics.

Here is a little more about kangaroo care from Cleveland Clinic :)
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/12578-kangaroo-care

This is the reason why Kangaroo Care is done. (From Nationwide Children's
https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/health-wellness-and-safety-resources/helping-hands/kangaroo-care-for-your-infant)

Kangaroo care is a special way for you to hold your infant that gives the baby skin-to-skin contact (Picture 1).  The baby wears only a diaper and is held close against your chest.  Since your infant already knows you by your scent, touch, and the way your voice and heartbeat sound, he or she is most comfortable close to you.  Both parents can do kangaroo care as often and as long as possible throughout your baby’s stay in the hospital.

Reasons to do kangaroo care

Kangaroo care is good for mom, dad, and baby in so many ways.  Some of the ways kangaroo care can be good for your baby and for baby’s parents are:

• Mom makes more milk and has a better chance of breastfeeding
• Baby stays warmer and body temperature is better
• Baby has improved heart rate and breathing rate (vital signs)
• Baby has improved weight gain
• Baby cries less and has lower stress levels
• Baby has improved sleep
• Baby and parent bond more
• Baby has decreased pain and risk of infection
• Baby has better brain growth and development

I believe the below photos are the first times we got to do that with each baby.

 This was the first time I got to hold Avery skin to skin. It was definitely nerve wracking but also amazing. Look how little her head is!

One of my favorite pics of when Avery was in the nicu,, the little arm (while being kangarooed) and the heart necklace :)

Another one of my favorite pics to show just how small Avery was...she was covered with a blanket right after this pic was taken. I just wanted to take a pic really quick to show her size

All snuggled with Daddy

 Daddy got the kangaroo with Avery two hours this day!! She was loving it (and I am sure he was too).

Even though Reagan was much better off (being born at 32 weeks instead of 25), we still did kangaroo care with her )   Look at that little pouty face! She would soon be all smiles in the nicu

Look at those little "elf" ears. They eventually became more rounded on their own

First time Holding the Girls

Like I said in the previous post, some people don't get to hold their babies for hours, days or weeks after they have them.

With Avery we didn't get to hold her until she was around 10 days old. We just happened to be at the hospital when they were changing out her isolette. Let me tell you how scary it was the first time we held her. She was a pound and a half and 12.5 inches long (an inch longer than a Barbie doll) and had all sorts of wires attached to her. I never really held babies before (besides my niece a few times) and I didn't want to mess anything up. The nurses were there to get everything situated and Tim and I finally got to hold our baby girl. You can tell how nervous we were.

We got to hold Reagan right when she was born and then after they got her situated in the nicu.

Reagan was 3lbs 11oz and 18inches long when she was born so she was a little more "sturdy". LOL She was 8 weeks early but almost the length of a full-term baby.  We had all the experience holding Avery in the nicu so we were much more comfortable when Reagan was born.

Tim face-timed Avery so she could see her new baby sister!

First Family Photos

First family photo. Tim missed the birth of Avery because I had her so fast (45 minutes after my coworker dropped me off at the hospital). He was still in his plumbing source uniform.

Reagan's birth was much slower. My water started leaking (PPROM- preterm premature rupture of the membranes) and I went to the hospital. I didn't have her until a few days later. She was almost an emergency c-section 3 different times because her heart rate kept dropping.

This was our first Family of Four photo :)

Avery was so excited! One of my favorite pics

The NICU isn't all that bad

The nicu isn't all that bad. Look at all of these pictures of Reagan smiling while in the nicu. She was the happiest baby!

NICU Awareness Month

September is NICU Awareness Month so I will be sharing random pictures that pop up on my Facebook memories.

I have said before that I wouldn’t wish the nicu on my worst enemy. It can be a scary and depressing place.In a way, people with babies in the nicu have suffered a loss. The loss of a normal pregnancy, not being able to take your baby home when you get discharged, not being able to hold your baby when they are born, sometime for hours, days or even weeks.

 The nicu was our home away from home for a combined 173 days (132 days for Avery and 41 days for Reagan). We were there every single day. I went back to work two weeks after I had Avery so I could save my time when she finally came home from the nicu. Tim and I were both working full time, then driving the 45 minutes minutes each way to the hospital. It was exhausting! We also never knew what we were going to find when we arrived. The kids could have been having a really good day or a really bad day. It is full of ups and downs.

But, it is also an amazing place and I feel lucky we got to be part of that special group of people. No one knows what it’s like unless you have experienced it for yourself. At times it sucks, but at times it is incredible.  Not everyone gets to see their child develop outside of the womb and it’s truly amazing.

(Most of these pics will be of Avery because she was born Aug 30 and the pics show up on my Memories on Facebook but I will go back and get some of Reagan as well)

Avery a few days old, compared to Tim's hand

So many wires and tubes and monitors

Avery's tiny footprints. This was when she was almost a week old

She was born so early she was still covered in lanugo(hair) all over and her one eye was still fused shut