So far, Ava has been doing wonderfully! She has been breathing without any assistance or supplemental oxygen since she was ~24 hours old. She is being fed through a small tube and is tolerating her food very well. She is a bit jaundiced (very common and expected with a preemie) so she has to be under a UV light for a few days to help clear the jaundice. We have been able to hold her and cuddle her every day. The NICU encourages "kangaroo cuddling", which is cuddling the babies skin on skin. This has proven to be very therapeutic for the babies and seems to help them to thrive and even leave the hospital sooner :) Though the therapeutic benefits for her mom and dad are astronomical as well!
Elliot has had a rougher time than Ava, as he continues to require a respirator to assist with breathing. He has been doing well with the respirator though, and he was just started on tube feedings today. He is also under UV lights for jaundice, as was expected. We were very encouraged today as we were finally able to hold him for the first time (3 days after his birth). It's a bit scary due to the breathing tube and his many wires and accessories, but we hope this will help give him a boost to start breathing well on his own soon.
Here are a few more pictures. We will have to add more photos of Elliot soon. We have not taken many photos of him since the camera flash is very disturbing and we are reluctant to do anything that disturbs him as it can affect his breathing. We will take more as he progresses!
Mommy and newly born Elliot
Bittersweet homecoming
Daddy reading to Elliot
Mommy and Ava
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