They released me on Thursday and I've been going up to the hospital everyday since then to feed Braden and be with him in the NICU. Here is the cute name tag that the nurses made for his isolette. He looked like a giant compared to the babies on each side of him. Each was under 2 pounds and had long stays and hurdles to overcome. We feel so grateful and lucky. Six days is nothing compared to those little ones.
His bilirubin count was high so here he is sunning himself under the blue light and working on that not-so-yellow look. Extra "top off" meal and snuggle from dad.
There might be some red in that blondish hair. (A girl can dream, right?)
He got the final OK to go home today. So we went and picked him up around 4pm. Sarah was very upset that we wouldn't let her put Braden in her doll stroller. I think the busy NICU might seem quiet compared to what he's about to experience.
I went up to the NICU to check on him before going to sleep tonight. He is doing well, staying pink warm and continuous breathing. I got to hold his hand and talk to him before he drifted off to sleep. They are watching him for infection, jaundice and a little bit of a swollen head. Tomorrow I get to hold him. He will probably be here at least a week. It gives us time to actually find the newborn clothes we saved and get his swing and other equipment set up. And the big thing; buying a car that actually fits three car seats.It's just going to be hard when it comes to nursing and going back and forth between the hospital and home. Oh, and taking care of the twins. We did this before with Matthew home with us and Sarah still in the Special Care nursery. We have such incredible friends and family that I know it will somehow work out. So please say a prayer for our little guy to get strong and come home soon.
Meanwhile, the twinners are partying at home with Nana:
Update: They moved Braden from NICU to Special Care this morning and he is in the exact same "parking spot" that Sarah was in 2 years ago. I got to hold and nurse him and they are pleased with his progress.
Exactly the same as two years, two months, 4 days ago:
Heat wave- check
35 weeks, 5 days of pregnancy-check
Dr's appt day before for strep test-check
Same hospital-check
Same Ob on call- check
Same weight- check
Yep, body says it's time to have a baby.
I was going to post about getting settled into our new house and all the unpacking and set up we were trying to accomplish before this little guy arrived, but he decided to follow the trend of his big brother and sister.
Luckily, Louis and his father got the nursery painted and the crib assembled weekend before last.
Thank goodness! And Louis' mom helped me unpack and empty more boxes. (Thanks Nana and Grandpa!) Dresser still hasn't arrived so we will improvise for awhile.
So, yesterday during the kid's music class at church I started what I thought were contractions but hoped it was false labor because we are not ready to have this baby. They increased and got painful after we got home. The dr. said to come in so they could check me. Louis happened to be working at home so we loaded the kids in the car and drove to the dr's. Yep, I was in labor and having the baby that day.
Luckily, our babysitter Whitney, aka"The Baby Whisperer" who the twins adore, could watch them until Louis' mother could get here from Folsom. (Nana rocks!)
We got to the hospital sometime after 4pm and little Braden Thomas was born at 11:02pm. I did a VBAC this time which is soooooo much better than a c-section. Louis' dad (a dr) was working in Salinas and he drove up and could be here to give support and see grandchild #8 being born. (Best Grandpa ever!) The same dr from our ob practice that delivered the twins also delivered Braden. We never get the dr, nurse photos with the babies because we keep having preemies who get whisked off after being born.
Braden weighs 6 lbs, 2 oz. No height info yet. He was blue coming out but the NICU team was right there and tubed him and took him to the NICU. Louis saw him last night before he went home. My awesome friend Erin is a nurse here and checked on me last night and then on her way home today. She was able to take me to see him this morning. (Thanks, so much Erin, love ya!)
Braden was pink, warm and BIG, compared to the twins. They are monitoring his breathing and watching him for infection, so we won't know for a day on two when he is coming home.
Well, I'm tired and going back to sleep. Here are some pics Louis was able to take today.
Our new place features two fruit trees in the backyard, including a lemon tree and a pear tree. The lemon tree is bearing fruit and this bunch was picked just yesterday. The fruit is in great shape, and I even ate a lemon straight off the tree - tart, but very good! So we plucked a few dozen and are making lots of lemonade. Anybody want some lemon meringue or lemon cheesecake?
His bilirubin count was high so here he is sunning himself under the blue light and working on that not-so-yellow look.
Extra "top off" meal and snuggle from dad.
Sarah was very upset that we wouldn't let her put Braden in her doll stroller. I think the busy NICU might seem quiet compared to what he's about to experience.
