Jacob and Sienna continue to progress extremely well without any hint of a speed bump. The heavier bragging rights has changed on a number of occasions and Sienna has been placed on her first diet as she progressed too fast during the week and managed to advance 120grams in two days, which her care givers saw as being a bit excessive for such a small lady.
During the week both kids have progressed into cots and no longer need there temperature regulated to the same degree.
Each day they become slightly more active and on occasion slightly more audible as there strenght grows.
Michelle has started teaching them how her portable milkbar works but it will be sometime before the kids master this new fandangle. Children don't develope the suck,swallow and breath reflex untill around 35 weeks but there's nothing like a headstart.
Sadly our flat at the hospital is needed for bigger and better things and Michelle and I once again reside at the farm with michelle traveling each day to spend time with our kids.

sunday 22nd nov

The kids have taken off in the weight stakes.Both Sienna and Jacob have now past their birth weights and are looking to break the 100grams increase over two days. We have been close with an 85 gram increase but no one has made triple figures yet.
The fridge at neo natal now resembles a milk bar with 20 bottles stored in the fridge for future parties.
Michelle and I have been watching antenatal class mates come and go and it is slightly frustrating watching them leave for home knowing we are still a wee way away from making that step ourselves.
Both Jacob and Sienna are doing exceptionally well and its a credit to the staffs constant care and attention that this continues to happen without any setbacks. This week both of the kids had eye checks performed much to the distress of their mother. Both had no complications and impressed all those concerned.
The kids have also had some new company in the last few days with another set of twins sharing their room although they hope to head home around Wednesday.

What a day!

Today has been a big day for our wee monsters.
Firstly Michelle has been asking the staff if she can start transporting her milk by truck to the kids as the containers supplied are no longer sufficent (she filled the bottle today).During her afternoon nap Mum was woken by a phone call explaining that the kids would soon be changing rooms. With much gusto Michelle headed down to make sure nothing went wrong during this large journey(across the hall). All went well in this large expedition and the new view has done wonders for all concerned.
Sienna has also changed her taste in decor and has been supplied with a different isolette.
Jacob has also had a change.His monitor which keeps an eye on his vital signs has been given the heave ho and replaced with one that keeps an eye only on his breathing.
What we have since found out is that the room, monitor and Isolette are needed for a new admission.
Jacob and Sienna are also no longer top of the heap and have progressed down the nurses board which means they should not be needing as much attention as those above them.
Today was also a milestone for the family with the first person other than Michelle or myself to hold the babys.Paul,Michelles dad celebrated his birthday and rather than buying a flash shiny present Michelle took the easy and cheaper option of using her new additions as a present for her dad.

Isolettes

These are the incubators that Sienna and Jacob are being cared for in.
Both Jacob and Sienna have their own personal Isolette although they have been in the same one on occasion for a catch up on all the goss. The floor or bed is raised slightly at the head end and the kids spend the majority of the day sleeping in their "nests". The nests are soft cotton beds with slightly raised sides so the kids feel secure.
The temperature is regulated accordingly as Jacob and Sienna are unable to regulate their body heat, just like most newborns.In the last few weeks of gestation all kids spend this time producing a layer of fat under the skin. Because Jacob and Sienna were in a hurry to meet Mum and Dad they bypassed this faze and are now in catchup mode. As this layer is put on the temperature is slowly decreased each day and the kids supply there own heat accordingly.The temperature and temp history from the last few hours is also recorded on the blue monitor.
The pillows are made from a silicon jelly so they mould round the monsters heads and distribute the weight evenly. Because their bones and skulls are so soft it is possible for flat points to develop and the nurses do a fantastic job rotating each body to eliminate this problem.
The isolette has the ability to supply oxygen to the kids and the air is moved round at a gentle rate.
The "port holes" are for easy access without a large temp drop from opening and closing the main door and the doors fold down to allow Mum access to tend to their needs. At some stage over the next few weeks the isolettes will be kicked to the kerb and Jacob and Sienna will graduate into cots.

The race is on.

Both Sienna and Jacob have platoed and now the race is on in gaining weight. After Jacob being initially shown up by his sister at birth in this department he has pulled out and passed Sienna on the way to reaching a weight where the proud parents can take him home. What Jacob may have overlooked is he won't be leaving without his sister! Sienna has taken a more lady like approach to the task at hand and after a more conscienious start is now progressing well. Sienna has shown in her recent tests to be low in sodium and her feeds have been cut back slightly to not put pressure on her kidneys. Sodium is being administered and she should be back up to speed soon while Jacob continues his bull at a gate approach.
Michelle (Mum) has had a busy few days preparing meals every two hours and coming to terms with her interrupted sleep. While she is discharged from the hospital she remains confined to the institution under the role of boarder and spends her day having skin on skin time with the two wee monsters and tending to their cleaning!!. There have been a few outside excursions and she returned home for a few hours yesterday to be totally pleased with the state of her house and commented how clean and organised it was during her absence?????

The roller coaster ride of one week!

What a week! On Tuesday we celebrated Sienna and Jacob's one week birthday with two cakes.
The care that our two wee monsters are receiving from the dedicated staff in the Neo Natal Unit is tremendous. Not only do the staff tend to the childrens needs but the care and support shown to Michelle is also terrific. While this experience is totally new to us both, being prewarned by the staff as to what to expect emotionally has also been a great help.
Sienna has started out early in the latte stakes and at the moment gets a daily shot of caffeine which acts as a stimulant. This is very common for prem kids. Jacob is a "steady as she goes" kind of chap and doesn't see the point in fandangle caffeine fads. Both kids have now started to increase in weight and will be asking for the keys to the car in no time.
Michelle has done extremely well and has managed to supply for both scallywags which is no mean feat after the initial shock of an early arrival.

We have arrived!

After a few false starts over the last month, on Tuesday 3rd November 2009 Sienna and Jacob decided it was time to join our family. Jacob, being the true gentleman that he is allowed his sister through the door first but decided the sun roof version was more his style.
Sienna Grace Pirie tipped the scales at a bustling 1505g (around 3lb 6oz) and Jacob William Pirie tipped the scales at a slightly more modest weight of 1495g (around 3lb 3oz).
Sienna started with high standards in the Apgar test with a personal best of 10/10. Jacob however struggled to come to terms with a points system and decided 8/10 would be his limit for his first day.
Even though very tired, a bedridden Mum was wheeled down to the Neo Natal Unit by a proud Dad for the first family gathering and photo. A very exciting and proud moment for us with our beautiful babies both healthy and happy.
(Photos: Sienna has the dark hair).