Loving the Manning Triplets: 10 Day Update

So much has happened over the past week and a half I can hardly keep up. The kids are growing and changing so quickly. I thought I would give a quick summary of the past 10 days for each of the little ones and then a little update on how the parents have been doing.

Keira Selene:
The first day of her life, Keira was placed on a ventilator to assist her with breathing. She was also given a gastric tube that went from her mouth to her stomach which she was to be fed through. An IV line was run through her belly button to provide additional nutrients until her stomach was large enough that she could get the proper amount of nutrition from breast milk. Finally, she was hooked up to monitors to keep track of her breathing and heart rate. Keira quickly graduated from the ventilator in the first 24 hours and was placed on a CPAP machine which puts a little pressure behind the air she is breathing to help keep the lungs open. The machine looks a lot more serious than it is with a huge mask and tubes coming off of it. My dad referred to them as their "snorkels." By the fourth day, Keira's bilirubin levels had elevated which indicates jaundice (very common for preemies). She was put underneath a light for phototherapy which lasted until day five. For the next few days, there were very few changes, but she progressed on her breathing and the CPAP machine was turned down each day until the pressure it was providing was very low. Also during this time, they increased her feedings of breast milk by 1 mL at each feeding to help stretch out her tummy so she could eventually get off the IV line in her belly button. On day eight, I held her for the very first time. Day nine was a huge day for Keira. She had her CPAP machine removed and a nasal canula (little hoses that go into the nostrils) was placed to give her much lighter air pressure, her IV was removed because she was receiving enough nutrients from milk, and the feeding tube was moved from her mouth to her nose so her mouth is now free to begin practicing for a bottle. Also, we can see her darling little face.

Lincoln Nolan:
Lincoln, like his sisters, was immediately placed on a ventilator after birth. He was given a gastric tube and an IV line as well as monitors for breathing and heart rate. The ventilator was removed quickly and replaced with a CPAP machine just like it was for his sisters. Unfortunately, he did not experience the same success with the CPAP. By the end of day two, the CPAP was removed and the ventilator was replaced. This was not a totally unexpected outcome. It is well known that caucasian males struggle with respiratory issues more than any other demographic when they are born prematurely. On day three, our boy had elevated bilirubin levels that required phototherapy. Lincoln stayed on the ventilator until day four when he was strong enough to step down to a CPAP machine. The next day, phototherapy was discontinued. For the next few days, the doctors and nurses concentrated on gradually stepping down Lincoln's breathing assistance and increasing his feeds. On day eight, he had his IV removed because he was getting enough nutrients from breast milk that he no longer needed supplementation through IV. Day nine, he was held by his dad for the first time. Today, he will finally have his CPAP removed and a nasal canula placed so we can see his sweet face. They will also move the gastric tube from his mouth to his nose so he can practice for the next step in feeding.

Violet Layne:
Violet's road was very similar to her sister's, but our littlest girl has always been just a little bit ahead. After birth, she was placed on a ventilator, had an IV and gastric tubed placed, and was hooked up to monitors for breathing and heart rate. She was taken off the ventilator first and did very well on the CPAP. On day three, her bilirubin levels were high, so she was treated for jaundice with phototherapy. The light was removed on day five. On day eight, her father held her for the first time. The next day, she was taken off the CPAP and switched to a nasal canula, her IV line was removed, and her gastric tube was moved from her mouth to her nose. Day nine, she reached her maximum on feedings (a milestone that should be reached by her sister today and her brother tomorrow), and I was able to hold her for the first time.

So far my recovery has been slow, but good. The first few days after the c-section were tough. I spent four days in the hospital before I was able to come home. If my parents weren't here to help out, I'm certain that my hospital stay would have been extended a few days. Today, I am in the least pain that I have felt in months. I still have pain around the incision and when I move too quickly, but that's nothing I can't handle. I still have a little swelling and the pulmonary edema is still causing some coughing and shortness of breath, but it's improving every day. The day before I went in for surgery, they weighed me at the hospital. At that point, I had gained 77 lbs. I'm sure that number would be higher is they had weighed me just before I went in for surgery, but I'm kind of glad they didn't. Of that 77 lbs, I have already dropped 62 putting me 15 lbs above prepregnancy weight with some swelling that still needs to go down. My joints are so relieved. They could give me medication to make the swelling go down, but that would stop my milk production. So far, I've been able to keep up with feeding all three of my children, so I would prefer to let the swelling go down on its own. I think Ryan is beginning to feel the pressure lift a little as I recover. He was working so hard with full days at the office on top of taking care of his helpless wife. It's so good to have him back.

I want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who offered kind words, prayers, cards, and flowers to brighten up the hospital stay. It means so much to us to have such loving and supportive friends and family. The Manning triplets have truly been born into a fortunate life filled with lots of love and happiness.