Suntanning Sweet Hearts

After Collin and Carte were born, we noticed that they were both a little "yellow" - Collin more so than Carter. When the boys were discharged from the WSCU (Women's Special Care Unit), their Bilirubin counts were good, but we were to keep a close eye on them and have them "suntan" when possible. If you don't have kids - this simply means stripping them down to their diapers & laying them on a blanket in the sunshine!

On Friday, the boys had their very first check up appointment. It wasn't quite a week (Sunday being one week), but Monday is Memorial Day and our Dr. wanted to see the boys sooner because of their possible Jaundice.

First of all, both boys are doing great :) They are weighing in right where they were when they left the WSCU (two days ago)...

Collin was 5 lbs. 8 oz. and 18.5'' long (yes he was 17'' long when he was born, but the nurses explained that the machine they use to measure (in Pediatrics) is more accurate than the method they use after birth. So he was probably 18.5'' long at birth. His head measured 31.5'' in circumfrance! There are lots of connections going on in that sweet head of his!

Carter was 4 lbs. 14 oz and 18'' long (same thing about the measuring). His head measured 31'' in circumfrance :)

Our Dr. ordered a Bilirubin test to be done...Collin's results came back just below their "admittance" stage, and Carter's was even lower than Collin's. She didn't want to admit them yesterday, because she wanted to try and see if they would go down over night. Apparently 4:00 PM is a high point in the day, so she was hoping they would be lower in the morning.

Saturday morning, Josh and I took both sweeties to the hospital & Grandma Lynn & Larry came down nice and early to be here for Callie! We were brought back into WSCU to have their feet pricked and tested. Their cries were HORRIBLE - usually, you don't hear this shot the first time, because it is done in the nursery after they are born...but we heard it, and boy was it sad.

Soon their test results came back...Collin was at a 20.1 and Carter was at 18.5. Having a Bilirubin score of 18 or higher means they need to go under the lights :(

Yes - I started crying. I know they are going to be okay, and I know so many people have had their own children be put under the lights...but you know what, these are MY children and I want to be able to love them and cuddle them whenever I want to - and when they are admitted to be under the lights for 24 hours, I can't do that :( Luckily I am nursing, so I can love and cuddle them while I'm nursing.

So here I've been all day - sitting in the hosiptal room, just hanging out! It's too hard to take a nap, because I have to be there for a diaper change, feeding, comforting (without being able to hold) and anything else that comes up. I took a little nap, but it was interrupted by a little boy who was hungry.

One of my favorite nurses is back tonight and she brought in another tanning blanket so I can still Tandem feed throughout the night. I've been working so hard at getting these boys on the same schedule and being alone tonight, I will need any support I can have :)

I told Josh to stay home and give Callie some extra love and attention. And he can get a whole nights sleep! Secretively - that means that I can have more naps and not feel so bad about being extra lazy :)

I will tell you this much - I feel like Super Mom...seriously! Because I have been working so hard at getting them on the same schedule (Yes, that means I wake a sleeping baby - but MAN it is nice to get it DONE!) - I feed them, change them and yes - clean up their spit up - which is VERY frequent...but you know what, I love it, because that means I am taking care of my two boys - and I wouldn't have it any other way :)

Here's hoping they can come home in the morning. Their Bilirubin counts need to be below 17...COME ON BOYS :)