Happy 4 Week Birthday

The triplets are 4 weeks old today and the biggest news is that they have told us that if everything keeps going as planned that Beckett may come home as early as Sunday. They are taking 5-6 feedings by bottle or breast and need to be taking 8 feeding for 24-48 hours before they can go home. Also, they can't have any episodes of bradycardia (low heart rate) or apnea (long period without taking a breath) withing 5 days of discharge. For example, Beckett hadn't had any bradycardia or apnea since June 23rd and then he had an episode last night which bought him another 5 days. Eloise had an episode last night and Adeline had an episode on the 4th so for Eloise that is going to be what keeps her in longer even though she is a ferocious eater. For Adeline, she feedings are going a little slower, she only takes 5 a day while they others are at 6. Taking one home before the others is going to be a challenge and we really thought we had another 2 weeks or so this was a huge surprise that it is going to happen so soon. A happy surprise but really puts us into panic mode. That means we would take him home after just 4 1/2 weeks in the NICU and we thought they would be there for 6-9 weeks.

Beckett- 4 lbs
Eloise- 3 lbs 8 oz
Adeline- 4 lbs 8 oz

As you can see, all three were in a crib together a few days ago and then Beckett wasn't able to hold his temperature so he went back into the isolette today for 24 hours. They usually like to position them A, B, C but since Beckett was a little cold they put him in the middle of his two firecracker sisters so it is Eloise, Beckett and Adeline. Normally they don't go into an open crib until they 1800 grams which is about 4 lbs but Eloise is a hot tamale so I guess they made an exception.

Here is Adeline taking a bottle. Don't worry, in real life her ear is not pointed and she normally doesn't look like a character from Star Trek.


Another picture of the three together. This time it is Beckett, Eloise and Adeline.


This is a picture of Eloise after her bath with Beckett looking on in envy. He hasn't been able to get a bath in a few days because he is too cold so he smells just delicious. I gave Eloise a mohawk using baby lotion as gel.
Other than the normal preemie issues of bradycardia and apnea they are doing great. All the nurses call Eloise "the powerhouse" because she sucks down her bottles in minutes and breastfeeds almost her entire amount which is highly unusual for babies at this gestational age. Normally at this age they take 10-12 ml of milk by breastfeeding. Today she took 27 ml and probably would have done more but I stopped her because I had other babies to feed.

The infected IV site in Adeline's turned out to a contagious so all the babies are on contact isolation. The infection was treated and is gone but ALL the babies are on contact isolation meaning that everyone entering their little pod and having contact with the babies have to gown and glove. It is really a pain in hind end and very hot especially when it is about 100 degrees outside, I'm carrying about 30 extra lbs of weight and my hormones are going crazy because of all the breastfeeding. They are not contagious but it is policy that once they go on contact isolation they stay on it until discharge and to protect the other babies. I'm pretty upset about the whole thing because it started from her IV site but there is nothing we can do about it and just be happy when they all come home and we don't have wear the gowns.

I'll leave you with one last picture of the little pumpkins all lined up. Again, Beckett is in the middle of his two sister so they can help to keep him toasty warm.

Here is another quote from Rich when he walked into the bedroom when I was pumping.

"It smells like breastmilk in here."

I don't believe him. If anything it probably smelled like stinky pugs because both of them were in the bedroom and unlike Beckett, going for a long period of time without a bath does not make them delicious.