Sunday baths

We had a nice surprise when we got to the hospital this morning to find that both Kathryn and James ahd their NG tubes removed! Kathryn was doing well enough feeding that hers was removed overnight, and after James pulled his own out (again), they decided to leave it out unless he needs it again.

We gave them bottles at four of their feedings today (9am, 1pm, 5pm, and 9pm). We don't go in for the two overnight feedings (1am and 5am)... we're getting our sleep while we still can! Kathryn is a real champ with the bottles, but is still having trouble with the reflux and accompanying bradycardias. James is having more difficulty with the bottles. At their 5pm feeding, right after their baths, he was so tired out that he only took half his bottle. He got another chance to escape the tube because that was right after a bath, and those baths really wear them out. At 9pm he did somewhat better, but he still had a lot of difficulty finishing the whole feeding. We're hoping he continues to do well enough to stay on the bottle, but he does need to get enough nutrition and gain weight at the same time.

Speaking of weight, they both gained weight again! Kathryn is up to 4 lbs. 2.4 oz., and James is at 4 lbs. 0.4 oz. The bottle feedings are more work than the tube feedings, and they're no longer on the high calorie formula, so they didn't gain very much this time. We're happy as long as they're on the plus side, even a little bit. They are both getting very close to the 1.9 - 2 kilograms (around 4 lbs. 3 oz.) that the doctors like to see before they are discharged. The weight is not an absolute requirement, but they do have to be eating well from bottles at every feeding, gaining weight consistently, and not having major apnea or bradycardia issues.

Our babies will get their first shot at the "car seat test" sometime tonight. They're placed in their car seats for an hour or so, with the monitors all on, to see how well they tolerate the position they'll be in for the ride home. We'll probably end up going home with them on monitors anyway, but they'll still need to pass the car seat test.

There are several new photos on the week 3 photo page, including their faces with no tubes and tape, and their first baths with no tubes or wires attached (the monitor wires are usually removed for bath time, but the NG tubes and oxygen weren't so they always had something still attached before)!