Benton Parker. His second week.

On Sunday, May 3rd, our little Benton man got to come home from the hospital.  This was a bit of a surprise to me because he had not gained weight yet.  He weighed 4 lbs 13 ounces at birth and the day he came home he weighed 4 lbs 7 ounces.  But he was eating great and they said as long as I took him for a weight check within 48 hours he was good to go.  

 

I was nervous to bring him home because he was so little!  I took a couple of pictures to show just how little he was.  

I had NO clothes that would fit him.  My friend Keisha did a little shopping for him so we could have something to bring him home in.  Thank you!  This little gown was perfect and he has worn it many times since...so soft.  The twins "going home" outfits just now fit and they are 5 weeks old!

Blakely was at home but she didn't know we were coming.  She came out of the house and was so excited!  My mother in law took these pictures of us at our front door.  I hate these pictures.  I wanted to cry when we were taking them and I really didn't want to take them at all.  We were missing our Emery and it just felt wrong.  

The same thing goes for the day before when Blakely's cousins came to visit Benton in the hospital.   They were taking pictures of the grandkids and I just wanted to scream.  THIS IS NOT ALL OF THEM.  THIS PICTURE SUCKS.  PLEASE STOP (before I cry again).  

Anyway, Blakely was thrilled to have us home.  She wanted to hold him and snuggle with me and play with her babies with Benton all at the same time.  

 

It felt really really good to be home.  I was still in pain and I was swollen up like you would not believe but at least I could walk around my own house.  That was the first time I had been able to do that in almost 2 months.  I went downstairs into the twins room and just wanted to hang out in there.  It isn't finished but I had not even seen it with the bedding on the beds and the new rug in there.  Me and little Ben man just played in his room, organizing clothes and taking pictures of his tiny little self.  

 

 

feeding her baby...

My mother in law stayed with us those few days we were home.  She took B to school and picked her up.  She also stayed with Lonnie when I went to visit Emery and she went with me to Benton's first check up.  

car seat love...  :/

He weighed 4 lbs 7 ounces when I brought him home from the hospital on Sunday and on Monday afternoon he weighed 4 lbs 9 ounces and was doing perfect.  I took him back for a weight check on Wednesday and he was 4 lbs 12 ounces.  My tiny growing boy! 

I was set to go to ACH Thursday when I got the call that Em was ready to start learning how to breastfeed.

ONE WEEK OLD

The pediatrician talked to me and I told her I definitely wanted to exclusively breastfeed if at all possible.  Benton was doing great nursing and I wanted to continue that with him as well.  She explained that we had 2 options.  

Option 1.  They could see about transferring her back to the hospital where I live.  They would talk to the pediatrician here about her care and what the plan needed to be.  I could "room in" like I did with Benton.  This sounded like a good option mainly because she would be close to home.  There were a few problems with it though.  I wasn't sure they would let me room in and bring Benton with me which we had to do since I was nursing him as well.  And also she would need to be in the nursery which is separate from any room I would be staying in.  I wasn't sure they would let her stay in my room all the time.  She also needed to be continually monitored and they would probably want to do that in the nursery and not in my room.  

Option 2.  She said I could bring Benton and move into a room at ACH.  I didn't even know this was an option so it caught me off guard.  They have an area of the NICU just for babies like this that are learning to eat and grow.  The parents can come stay to nurse or just to learn how to take care of their baby before they are sent home.  I had a couple of concerns...mainly was it smart to bring my healthy but tiny newborn son into a hospital? GERM CENTRAL.  She said that was always a concern but this area is not for "sick" babies who are contagious and most of the babies in the NICU are not sick like that anyway.  I also didn't know how long we would be there.  A few days?  Weeks?  She didn't know...all depended on how well Emery took to breastfeeding.  

After talking with her for a while and with Lonnie we chose option 2.  Two main reasons for this.  

1.  The same doctors would be taking care of her.  They knew her and knew about her breathing issues and we just felt more comfortable at that point keeping her in the same place instead of changing her care up completely.  

2.  The lactation help there is amazing.  I had already talked to a couple of the lactation nurses and they had helped me tremendously.  I felt like we were going to need their help even if Emery did great.  

So instead of going to visit Emery on Thursday I stayed home, showered and packed enough stuff for Benton and I for a couple of days.  On Friday, May 8th, we moved into the hospital with Emery!  

Reunited!

Lonnie had worked all week so he had not seen Em.  He was really happy to get to finally hold her.  It was his first time because when he was with her the first few days she could not be held. 

All the nurses and techs were excited to meet Benton as they had heard about Emery's tiny twin brother who was doing so awesome.  There were some rules but the nurses helped me out so much while we were living there.  I could not leave him in the room like I could Em since he was not a patient.  So I was supposed to take him with me if I ever left the room even for a minute.  But every single nurse was fine if I left him to take my pumped milk to the milk lab about 15 steps away from my room.  Or to run the get water...about 10 steps form my room.  They offered to watch him while I went to the cafeteria but I never took them up on it.  I was so freaked about germs I didn't want to leave my little area.  I always made Lonnie or whoever was with me go get food!  I also had to bring my own diapers and wipes for him of course but they brought in a second bassinet for him to sleep in.  

The first day or two was kind of the getting used to everything period.  I got to nurse her 4 of her 8 feedings per day.  She had a tube from her nose into her tummy (NG tube) and that is how they gave her my pumped milk after she nursed.  We started weighing her before and after nursing sessions and that nearly drove me crazy.

I am almost caught up on the hospital posts.  Yay!  Up next is our 11 day stay at ACH while Emery learned how to eat!  SO many details that I want written (typed!) out because it was a crazy time.  Then I promise more fun stuff soon!