Ready for Take-Off!

Aubrey and Avery are now 5 weeks old (37 weeks gestation). Aubrey weighs 4 pounds 15.9oz (missed the 5 pound mark by 0.1oz!!) and Avery weighs 5 pounds 8oz (exactly 5 1/2 pounds).

The past few posts have relayed the message that babies usually are able to coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing, which is necessary for successful oral feeding,typically between 34-36 weeks. We are learning a valuable lesson that this isn’t necessary about “our” timing, but the girls have landed and are on their own timing. While we had high hopes that our babies would be ready for take-off this week and really progress in their bottle feeding, we are still waiting for that “light to turn on,” as we say in NICU lingo. While we are still not on full oral feeds, both girls have advanced on their oral feeds this week, now at 3 bottles and one nursing time per day (total of 4 oral feeds). We hope that they will advance quickly so that they can come home.  Both girls are learning how to nurse, which is an awesome experience for me and an opportunity that I had been really looking forward to as a mother.   

November 17, 2011 was World Prematurity Day to raise awareness for preventing premature births. It will always be a memorable day for me as a nurse and as a mother of premature infants. The hospital celebrated in numerous ways to recognize the families of premature babies, including giving each patient a purple onesie with our hospital emblem—the face of a Woman (representing the Woman’s Hospital of Texas). Below are a series of photos of the girls sporting their World Prematurity Day outfits.

Since there is not a lot to report (we honestly are really waiting for the girls to take-off with bottle feeding), I thought I would make-up the short blog with a few more pictures (seriously, that is the best part anyway)! I also included a picture of our new helicopter, painted with the Woman’s Hospital emblem—this “bird” will be waiting for me when I get back to work…isn’t she pretty?! While she is ready for take-off, my girls are still on the L-Z!

Avery:

Here is our typical Avery--legs all stretched out and relaxed.

Sweetly sleeping--once again, not bundled up in her bed!

My favorite picture of the week--Avery giving me a great smile!

Such a sweet baby!

Big yawn for baby Avery.

Sleeping peacefully--this is her before bottle feeding--hmmm, no wonder why it is going so slow!

Avery in her purple World Prematurity Day outfit. She actually looks like her sister in this picture (one of the few pictures where they look similar).

Avery sneaking a peek!

Another sweet picture of Avery.

Aubrey:

Aubrey showing off her purple World Prematurity Day onesie.

What a precious, sweet face. Her chin and lips have always been some of my favorite features on her.

Hi momma!!!

I'd rather be sleeping than smiling for a picture!

My favorite Aubrey photo of the week.



Pretty in pink. 

 This photo and the next one capture part of Aubrey's personality. This has not been a "one occassion" type event--this sometimes happens more than once a day! She is so busy all the time, she wriggles right out of her boundaries, bean bags, positioning aids and does her own thing. I love her personality!

This is what I look forward to when I return to work after my maternity leave. Notice the Woman's emblem painted on the side of the aircraft. Can't wait to have the best of both worlds--be a momma to our girls and make a difference in the lives of other babies and their families so they can have their sweet success stories like we do.