Monday, January 25, 2010

Acid Reflux- GERD

When Logan was about two weeks old we noticed that he was spitting up A LOT. Not just a little here and there, but, rather, it was gurgling out of his mouth like a leaky water faucet by the ounce. He was a trooper and it didn't seem to bother him at first. As the next few days came he progressively got more fussy and very uncomfortable. It was as if he was trying to turn his head so far one way or the other to try and escape the burning that was going on in his throat. His formula was continuing to gurgle out of his mouth to the point that after one feeding his burp cloth was soaked in formula from him spitting up and some projectile vomiting was starting to take place. At this point I began to worry and I knew that something more serious was going on. I made an appointment and brought him in to see the pediatrician. After describing what was going on to our pediatrician and an exam she diagnosed him with acid reflux (GERD) and placed him on Zan.tac. The Zan.tac seemed to help for about five days and then he started getting really fussy and upset again. I brought him back to the pediatrician and she placed him on Prev.a.cid. During the first 10 months of his life we tried so many things to help relieve him from the burning in his throat and to try and stop him from spitting up so much. There were times that we would go to feed him his next meal when he was eating baby food and he would spit up a lot of what he had eaten three hours earlier. At this point we were encouraged to get him on solid foods as soon as we could. Needless to say, he was on Prev.a.cid until he began eating solid foods exclusively at 10 months old. The Prev.a.cid did not stop his acid reflux, but did neutralize the acid so that his throat didn't burn as it was coming back up.

I noticed last week that Caden and Colton started showing the same signs of acid reflux that Logan did. When we went for their weight check last week I asked the nurse practitioner if she would note in their chart that we were concerned about acid reflux with them. I explained that if they started to show signs of discomfort that I wanted to be able to call and ask for a prescription and not have to bring both of them back in for another office visit.

The last three days and nights both Caden and Colton have been showing signs of discomfort from their acid reflux by doing the same things that Logan did as a baby. Both of them are really irritable after they are done with their bottles and at night they are having difficulty breathing and settling to go back to bed after the middle of the night feedings. We have also noticed an increase in the amount they are spitting up. For example, this afternoon I fed Caden and then propped him up in the Bop.py seat right next to me. About 30 minutes after he was done eating about an ounce of his formula came gurgling out of his mouth. This happened after I burped him three times while he was eating his three ounce bottle.

This morning I placed a call to the pediatrician to request a prescription for them. When I called this morning the triage nurse explained that their regular pediatrician and the nurse practitioner were not in the office today, but that the nurse practitioner did put a note in each of their charts about the acid reflux. She forwarded their charts to another pediatrician and he was willing to call in a prescription for Zan.tac for Caden and Colton without requiring us to bring them in for another office visit.

I so did not want these boys to have the horrible acid reflux that Logan did. As a parent I felt horrible watching Logan spitting up so much and I hated giving him medication every day. Every time I layed him down for a nap or bed I worried that he would choke and I would go check on him constantly while he was sleeping. There were many times that I would get him up from his nap and he would have vomit all over his face, in his nose, eyes and ears. And when we would leave the house I always had to make sure that I had at least two blankets and three burp cloths with me so that I could keep him clean and so that I could lay him down and not worry about ruining someone else's furniture and carpet.

Here's to hoping we all get a better nights sleep tonight and that my little boys throats are feeling better after we begin the medication.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Two Week Appointments

Yesterday Caden and Colton had their two week appt at the pediatricians office. Our regular pediatrician was not in the clinic since he was rounding at the hospital so we saw the pediatric nurse practitioner. I felt okay with this because we had gone in last week for a one week appointment and our regular pediatrician was able to meet them and do their first appointment. He wanted us to come back this week for a weight check. Caden's birth weight was 7# 1oz and I am happy to say that my little chunky monkey little boy is up to 7# 3oz two weeks after his birth! Colton's birth weight was 6# 14oz and I am happy to say that my little hungry chow hound is also up to 7# 3oz.

Their little personalities are really starting to show this week too. Caden is more relaxed and reserved and is ever watchful and listens when his younger brother Colton is crying. He seems to look at me with an expression that says, "Mom, why is he crying again?" His expressions are so funny and remind me so much of Logan. Logan has always made funny faces about things and every picture I have of him, even now as a five year old, he has a different expression or silly face.

Colton seems to be a little more high strung. He isn't a fussy baby, but when he wants something, we sure know all about it. He doesn't seem to have the patience for things like Caden does. When I sit them next to each other he is the one that is putting up a fuss about something and then when he is done speaking his mind he gently places his head on Caden's shoulder as if to get support and lean on his older brother.

Logan is adjusting really well. He gives his brothers gentle kisses on the tops of their heads and this week has been giving them the most gentle hugs too. On Sunday we had a fun day out and on our way home in his soft, tender voice he said, "Mom and Dad, I just love my brothers so much! They are so cute, aren't they?" It melted DH and my hearts! He is so loving and is able to share his love with his brothers in a way that is so fitting and right. How does he know how to do this?

I also had a two week check-up with my OB yesterday. Since we were at the pediatricians office for the babies we brought them along to my OB appt. When we walked in with the babies all of the girls there were so excited. A lot of them came out to the lobby to chat with us and hold them.

My incision is healing well and my OB said that overall I am healing well. She said that for only being two weeks out from my c-section date my body is ahead of schedule in terms of getting back to where it was before I was pregnant. According to their scale I only have 10 pounds to go before I am at my pre-pregnancy weight. I would like to lose 15 pounds, but for right now I will settle for getting rid of my post-twin pregnancy bloated belly:) Once the spring comes I will be putting the babies in the stroller and heading out on walks.

Every thing else is going well. Caden and Colton are good sleepers and wake up usually two times/ night to eat. We feed them and put them right back to bed. DH is amazing and pitches in just as much as I do. I love that we are really working together as a team to make sure that all of our boys are taken care of. Logan is a good helper too and we are able to give him little projects to help include him.

I have so many things that I want to post about, so stay tuned!

Also, if you could head over to kayjays site at A Miracle to Come and give her some encouragement I would greatly appreciate it. She is on hospital bed rest with her twins after having a tear in her amniotic sac.
http://amiracletocome.blogspot.com/

Monday, January 18, 2010

Pictures Galore

Here are all those pics I have been promising! :)


Logan hanging out with me while I am on hospital bedrest



34 weeks gestation in front of the hospital Christmas tree



36w5d gestatoin before Caden and Colton were born



DH and I before my c-section



Happy Birthday, Caden (top) and Colton (bottom)!



excited Big Brother Logan coming to meet Caden and Colton



gentle kisses as Auntie Coley and Grammy look on



cuddling brothers- Caden (L) and Colton (R)



checking each other out



Caden hanging out



Colton hanging out



Daddy doing a double feeding



Colton (L) and Caden (R) hanging out

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Wedding Dress and Viagra

Last night DH and I were in bed watching TV. There was a gal who was going to pay $6,000 for her wedding dress. My own wedding dress which was a fraction of that cost is currently under my bed and has been there for the last 6.5 years since we got married. I also still have my Vi.agra in the fridge from my last IVF cycle that produced Caden and Colton. Here is my conversation with my DH:

DH: What are you going to do with your wedding dress?
Me: What do you mean?
DH: Now that we have three boys it isn't like they are going to wear it someday.
Me: I know, but I thought I would get it cleaned and put it in storage.
DH: Why? Don't you think you will get rid of it someday?
Me: I can't get rid of Vi.agra in the fridge, what makes you think I can get rid of my wedding dress?

Too funny! For some reason, that Vi.agra has a sentimental piece of my heart as does my wedding dress!:)

I am hoping to post pics of my boys tomorrow.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Welcome Caden and Colton!

On Wednesday, January 6, our baby boys were born! After three and a half years our dreams came true. Here are their stats:

Caden David born at 9:56am weighing 7#1oz measuring 20 1/2" long.
Colton Louis born at 9:57am weighing 6#14oz measuring 20 3/4" long.

Caden just because
David after my Dad
Colton after my sister Nicole
Louis after my DH, his dad and his grandpa's middle name

On the day of my c-section my liver enzymes were completely in normal range and my platelets were still low, but high enough to be awake during the c-section. My DH and Mom were able to be in the surgery room with me to witness the birth of these two little angels.

Once I have had a chance to reflect on the day of their birth I will do a whole post on it. For now, I am just trying to absorb being a mom of two newborns and time for reflection is not in my vocabulary right now:) I will also be posting pics sometime soon also.

One good thing that happened last night, on our second night home, is that both boys slept from 9:15-2:15 and from 2:45 to 5:45. Ahhh, sleep was so wonderful after the first night home did not go so well.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

A Letter To My Son

Dear Logan:
Mommy was in bed last night thinking of you and the joy you have brought to my life over the past five years. When you entered this world on December 1, 2004, we were immediately blessed and so thankful to have you. Looking at you for the first time is a sight I will remember forever. After laboring for 36 hours and pushing for three of those hours, I was never so happy to lay my eyes on you after you were delivered via emergency c-section. You were a trooper the whole time I was in labor and never showed any signs of stress. I had already waited nine months for you while you were in my belly and then with the long labor and delivery, well, I just couldn't wait any more. The nurse held you up to my face so I could kiss your sweet, plump little cheeks several times and then you were whisked away to the nursery with Daddy close behind. As I was in surgery recovery I kept asking how you were doing. By the time I had gotten back to our room, you were gone with Daddy to have minor surgery. Again, I had to wait to hold you in my arms. When you were finally placed in my arms it was nothing short of the best feeling in the world. From that day on you have blessed Daddy and I in ways that are unimaginable.

The first time you said "mama" and "dada" and "i love you" brought so much joy to our hearts. And when you come up to me out of the blue and say "give me a kiss and hug" completely melt my heart. At five years old you are so loving, expressive, funny, happy, smart...and the list could go on. I am so thankful that you have Daddy's funny, silly personality and my thinking skills. I am so proud of you!

During the last 3.5 years I have been trying to give you, Daddy and I a gift. The gift of a sibling for you to share with, a partner in crime. It makes me sad that for 2/3 of your life I have been trying to complete our family. For every tear I cried and failed procedure, you have been the ray of sunshine to pull me through. Because for every tear I cried, I was 1,000,000 times more thankful to have you. For every star I wished upon to have another child, I thanked two stars that I already had you. You have kissed and hugged me when I was crying, not knowing what else to do, but knowing intuitively that I needed you close to me. How could you know this? Every time I cried and you asked, "Mommy, what's wrong?". I responded by saying, "I am just so thankful to have you". And I am. More than you could possibly know.

I have enjoyed watching you bond with your brothers in my belly for the last months. You are constantly asking about them and often come up to my belly to give them hugs and kisses. You yell into the microphone, my belly button, "Hey Brothers! I can't wait to meet you!". It brings a joy to my heart that can't be explained.

In four short days your brothers will arrive. Our family will change. As happy as I am to be adding to our family, I am sad. Sad that I won't be able to spend as much time with you. You are my first born and we have spent the last five years together, without interruptions. You are growing so big and I can't believe how fast the last five years have gone. Thank you, Logan, for being such a blessing to Daddy and I. We love you with all of our hearts and are so thankful that we have you. We can't wait for you to meet your little brothers and to become the big brother that we have been waiting for.

Love you to pieces,
Mommy