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Ali and Sam’s Hospital Stay

In my last post I wrote about Ali and Sam’s birth story.  The rest of the stay at the hospital was mainly uneventful, with one small exception.  (You can read Ben’s birth story here!)

After Meo, Omi, and Ben left for the evening, Pat and I were finally taken down to the mother baby floor.  One thing I really like about the hospital I delivered in is that each room for the mothers after birth are singles only.  There is no need to worry about sharing a room or the cost of getting a single room.  This is extra nice not only for the privacy, but it means that Pat can spend the night there with us.  Each room has a chair that pulls out into a cot or sorts.  It probably isn’t the most comfortable bed in the world, but it is nice that he can be there with us.  Honestly I think it’s probably as comfortable as the hospital beds.  Those aren’t my favorites, but what can you do.

Once we got settled into our room I sent Pat out for more food.  After a day of labor and no food, I was hungry!  Yes I had eaten shortly after I had the girls, but I wanted more.  This is part of why I really appreciate Pat being there and being able to spend the whole night at the hospital with us.  Now, I do think the woman has a harder time when it comes to having kids, for lack of a better descriptor.  We have to actually, you know, have them.  But it isn’t super easy for the guys either.  I barely leave the room once we are out of the delivery room.  Pat has to go move the car, run and get food, get things from the car, put things into the car, etc.  He is super busy running all around while I kind of just chill in our room with the babies.  Even after having kids in the same hospital in just 2.5 years, I still have no clue where anything really is.  Pat is the one who knows how to find everything.  And yes, he was super needed when he brought me a frosty at 9pm that first night, 🙂

It’s annoying to be group B positive and get the antibiotic, but I have to say I like that we get to stay in the hospital for 48 hours.  That first morning after birth is busy!!  We had the pediatrician checking the girls, the birth certificate lady asking questions, the tech drawing my blood and doing vitals, the lactation consultant helping me position the girls, and the newborn photographer taking pictures all that first morning.  Talk about a lot of people to see in a short time!  Through out the course the girls also had their hearing checked.  Sam had to spend a little time under the heat lamps since she had a hard time keeping her temperature up.  Both girls had to get their blood sugar checked before every feeding for those first 24 hours.  Their poor little heels were so beat up!  I felt terrible for them.  They were troopers about it though.  I can’t imagine getting all that stuff done and leaving the hospital in 24 hours time.  It was nice to not have to rush anything.  It also gave me more time to talk to the lactation consultant about positions and feeding the girls.

The day kind of flew by with all the visitors in and out.  That late afternoon Meo, Omi, and Ben came back to visit us.  Ben was so cute.  He brought the girls and me each a chocolate rose.  Sadly I didn’t get a picture of him,  but he came in carrying the little bouquet of flowers so proudly and handed them to me with a big smile.  I love my little man!  Once again he wasn’t too keen on getting to know his sisters.  But he did enjoy sitting on my big bed and eating some snacks we had.   I of course loved having all my babies back with me.  I missed Ben so much, but he was obviously so happy with Meo and Omi.  He had no problem leaving with them again.  In fact, he was super sweet when they left.  Pat and I stepped into the hall to say goodbye to him, and Pat started to walk to the door holding Ben’s hand.  Ben led him back to me and put Pat’s hand in mind.  Then he ran back to Meo and Omi, grabbed both of their hands, and started leading them to the door.  He knew his daddy had to stay with mommy a little longer, and he was going to take care of Meo and Omi for us.  It was just the sweetest thing ever.  He really is the best little guy and I am so blessed to be his mother,

The only ‘excitement’ we really had happened that night.  Around 10pm I was sitting holding Sam and Ali was asleep in her bed.  Pat had stepped out for a moment.  Two nurses and a doctor I didn’t know stepped into our room and told me that Ali had a blood sugar reading that was too low, so they were taking her to the NICU for observation and to keep checking.  Apparently the nurses took an extra reading they didn’t need from her and it was a few points below what it should be.  Of course I was instantly confused by what was going on.  I mean, I had thought the girls were fine, and now some doctor I had never seen before and a couple of nurses were taking my baby.  Pat stepped back into the room, and they kind of explained what was going on.  Honestly the doctor did not have the best bedside manner about the whole thing.  Pretty much I felt like we were told we are taking your baby now, bye.  When I asked questions they made me feel like I didn’t want to take care of my child.  That is not true, but I did want to know the what and the why of what was going on.  Add to that I was wondering why they didn’t seem concerned about Sam at all.  Sam didn’t get the extra reading taken, but shouldn’t we worry about her too?  Apparently not.  Only Ali had to go.  This was an early experience with not being able to be with both children at once.  Pat stayed in our room with Sam, and I went to the NICU with Ali.  All they did there was check her blood sugar again, have me nurse her, and then we supplemented with some formula.  Then they wanted her to stay there for a  bit for observation.  The nurses in the NICU were very nice.  Both girls needed to do car seat tests, so they brought Sam down and got her started on hers.  This was nice because Pat could be there with us.  The doctor did finally come back and tell us that since Ali was born so quickly she didn’t get the full protection of the antibiotics.  The low blood sugar was possibly a sign she had contracted the group b strep and needed 48 hours of antibiotics herself.  This was very confusing to Pat and me.  I mean, yes Ali was born quickly, but it was an induction.  If the actual induction was started too early, that is a problem.  We were in no rush to get things going and should have waited for a full course of antibiotics.  But the thing is, we both knew I had gotten two complete doses of antibiotics.  As I mentioned in the birth story, the antibiotic burns.  I know I was getting it.  Plus, I had gotten it with Ben, so I remembered how it worked and what was supposed to happen.  (Additionally all the IV bags were from the pharmaceutical company I used to work for.  I had tested each and every one of those types of products.  I am not a doctor of course, but this means I am very familiar with identifying what was being put into me.  I didn’t confuse the little antibiotic bags with great big hydration solutions.)  The doctor went back to check my chart again.

While the doctor was checking up on our version of events, Ali was started on her car seat test.  Pat and I hung out for a bit, just kind of watching the girls.  Finally the doctor came back and told us our version of events matched what was in the chart, and pretty much Ali was fine.  We were thoroughly confused at this point.  Ali’s blood sugar had come back up, she didn’t have any group b concerns, and she was free to leave when the car seat test was done.  Basically they chalked up her low blood sugar to her being born a little early.  I wonder if it was a volume issue.  I was nursing, but my milk hadn’t really come in yet.  I think she just wasn’t getting enough to eat because my body wasn’t fully making enough for two.  We supplemented both girls with some formula while we were at the hospital to make sure they were getting enough.

So after all that, Ali spent about 3 hours in the NICU and then we were told she was back under the supervision of the regular pediatrician.  While I am glad they were looking out for the girls, it was frustrating to be up so late and have so much confusion only to be told everything was fine.  That doctor never came back to talk to us again.  The whole situation was annoying, but it made me so happy that our girls were healthy and didn’t actually need to be in the NICU.  The last thing you want to hear about your newborn baby is that something is wrong and that they can’t stay with you.  I was very happy to have us all back in our room for the night.  I am also very grateful that we have things like formula.  Yes, I think breast milk is best.  And I am thrilled I was able to nurse Ben and am currently able to nurse the girls.  But the girls needed that help I couldn’t provide and I am so happy they got it.  Since that one low blood sugar reading neither girl has had a problem.  And once my milk came in they have been nursing and growing well.

After the late night events, we were happy the second day at the hospital was quieter.  We had a few more visitors, the doctors and pediatrician (who did say Ali was just fine) mainly.  Then we were free to pack up and head home!!  I was so happy to be heading home.  Meo and Omi still had Ben as it was nap time, but I couldn’t wait to be a family of 5 under our roof.

Besides the NICU confusion, the stay was similar to when we had Ben.  Pat and I amused ourselves by how different we were this time around though.  With Ben, any sound he made was met with both of us trying to jump up and get him.  With the girls we quickly knew the difference between general baby grunts and noises and distress cries.  With Ben we wanted to do everything ourselves.  I didn’t let nurses change his diaper, I didn’t want anyone else dressing him.  With the girls- anyone who wanted to change their diapers could.  (We might have suggested they change the other girl if a nurse changed one;) ) I think that’s true of all non first time parents, right?  We know that diaper changes don’t mean we are more bonded with our babies or better parents.  And we know that there are so many diaper changes in our future, any we can pawn off are good. 🙂  A nurse wanted to fix their swaddle?  Go nuts, I was happy to have an expert do it.  Overall I felt more relaxed this time around, which was nice.  With three kids I know there is going to be a lot I can’t control, so it felt nice to start off a little less stressed and worried this time around.  I am no expert, and I worry plenty about all three kids.  But I know now what are the most important things and I am focused on those.  Are all three kids fed?  Clean?  Warm enough?  And most importantly, have I loved them with all I have?  If I can do those things everything else will work out.

A couple of hospital pictures:) We didn’t take a ton.  Mainly we used the few peaceful times to hold our new little loves.

man with newborn twin snuggled together
Sam and Pat snuggling.
Man sitting on floor with toddler son climbing on him
Ben was up for a little wrestling while he visited.
man helping toddler boy try to fit in baby car seat
He tried to sit in his old car seat.  It didn’t really work. 😉
mom snuggling newborn baby
Ali (I think?) and me cuddling.

Kim

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A complication free twin birth story: Ali and Sammy
Ali and Sam's birth story
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Kaitlin

Sunday 14th of July 2019

With my first pregnancy I had groupB strep. I was in labor 18 hours and had penicillin the whole time I was at the hospital. Doctors said my daughter looked great after I gave birth . And then out of no where a doctor we didn’t know came in and said Exactly “ sometimes baby’s with heart defects and such have to go to the NICU and we are going to have to take your daughter right now” . That they needed to run some test and a nurse would let us know when we could come see her. I cried hysterically. What they didn’t say is we think it is group strep b related. My husband goes back to check on her (my epidural hadn’t worn off yet) and asked the nurse is she going to be okay? They said yeah she just needs antibiotics because your wife’s water broke and she had group b and was in labor way to long. I can totally relate to you. It was so terrifying. Hadn’t heard of anyone having a bad experience with a doctor trying to explain to them why their child was going to nicu until your blog.

Kim

Sunday 14th of July 2019

I'm sorry you had to go through that! It is so scary to have a child in the NICU and to have a doctor just walk in to take your new baby and not explain everything is the worst. Fortunately for us, the NICU nurses were amazing and actually listened to us and explained what was going on. I'm sorry you had to experience that fear as well.

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