Update for 04/03/07 through 04/07/07

This weeks not too many things have happened. So here is an overview:
Feedings
The kids are all continuing to tolerate feedings and are all growing. The amounts per feedings have increased. Alex is now getting 54cc, Liz is getting 47cc and Zach is getting 44cc. They are all still working on getting the nippling thing down. Alex is suppose to be nippled at every other feeding, Liz is at twice a day and Zach is at three times a day. Depending on how awake they are at feeding time, how much stamina they have and if they show the cues for wanting to be nippled depends on how well they do. All seem to be great at the sucking part and are good at the swallowing and breathing. They are working on their endurance. This is something that the doctors, nurse and us have no control over. They are all breastfeeding well when given the opportunity. In fact, I breastfeed both boys at the same time, which they did great!!!
Monitors
As you know both of the boys are connected to the monitor that monitors heartrate and respiration. Liz is also connect to that as well as monitor for percent of oxygen in the blood and the cannula. Good news for us this week was she was weaned off of her oxygen. So she is on room air and is at 1/4 liter flow. Basically, she is at 21% oxygen which is what we breath in normally (room air) and just gets a puff of air. She is doing great. She gets a little extra flow during feeding but is turn back down when finished. We still do not know if they will come home on monitors. We will not know until we get closer to getting them home.
Homecoming
Many of you have asked us when they are coming home. Unfortunately, we do not know. We would love to say this week but we don't know. We have been told for the last couple weeks that it might only be a week but so far this has not been true. When we first started this roller coaster ride, they told us they would be home by the original due date, which at that time seemed so far away. I told Jeremy the other day that that does not seem so out of the question anymore. Like everyone else (even more) we want to bring them home. As some of you may have noticed over the last week or so, we may have been a little short with each other and sometimes others. We do not mean to be short with anyone, but we are extremely frustrated to say the least. Our nurses have told us that it is prefectly normal. We see our kids on less and less support yet still cannot take them home. Unfortunately, the ball is in the kids court. They have requirements to meet that we cannot force them to learn. We would love to be able to give the good news of their homecoming but at this time cannot give you a date. We look forward to that day and have our fingers crossed that it will be SOON!!! Again we apologize if we have been short with any of you. We hope you understand.

Love, Jen