Twins Born at 27 Weeks {A Mother’s Story of the NICU and Coping}

My twin boys were due August 28, 2012. They were born June 1, 2012, 13 weeks early.

I had a doctor appointment that morning. I was so excited because it was an ultrasound appointment and I was going to get to see my little boogers. I met with the doctor after the appointment and he kept me a little longer because he was afraid that I had twin to twin transfusion. They tried to hook me up to heart rate monitors but said I wasn’t far enough along for them to work…. So he sent me on my way and made an appointment for the following week.

By now it was 10:30AM and I was supposed to be at work at 8:30AM. I grabbed my lunch on the way but I wasn’t able to eat on the way because I had to update my husband, my mom, and my mother-in-law. I worked the drive-thru so I was busy all day long and I ate in between customers. I didn’t get to sit down much, we were just really busy. I was lucky and got off at 5:00PM because I had to work Saturday. I went to the bathroom before I left and noticed something wasn’t right. I called my husband and he said that once I talked to the doctor to let him know and if he needed to he would be on his way.

My mom came because mother’s just worry too much. And we had to wait on the doctor. I couldn’t tell you what we were talking about but I just looked up at her and said my water broke. Her first comment was “Are you sure you didn’t pee your pants?” I laughed then and I still laugh now. I wasn’t able to call Jason because once I told the nurses my water broke all hell broke loose. So I text messaged Jason that my water broke. That’s not something that you want to text by the way, and he followed it with a phone call. I wouldn’t let him drive so I called his parents and I wouldn’t talk to his dad because I didn’t want anybody to be upset or rush or anything like that. So I told his mom to calmly go pick up Jason and we worked out arrangements for Jager (our dog) and that everything was okay.

The plan was to make it to Roanoke Memorial and stop labor. That didn’t happen. By the time we got there it was too late to stop it. We were prepped and I was taken in for an emergency cesarean. At 11:13PM Parker Lewis cried out. At 11:15 p.m. Jacoby Lee cried out as well. I didn’t get to see Jacoby but I was able to kiss Parker on his way out of the room. It wasn’t until the next day that I was actually able to see them both up close and touch them.

The next day everything was put into perspective. I received a call that Jacoby needed to be intubated. He was tired and wasn’t strong enough to breathe on his own. I finally was able to go see them and they were so small. Granted, they were big for 27 weekers, Parker was 2lbs 13oz and Jacoby was 3lbs 2oz, but still so tiny. It’s amazing that they were still able to function. We were informed that we may be qualified for the Ronald McDonald house, since we were an hour away from home. Which meant that Daddy would go back to work and I would stay. Here our new family was, and we were going to have to be separated for who knows how long. We had to take a class on how to handle and take care of our preemies. It was all so overwhelming at first. But with the right nurses, we started feeling like we could handle it. They showed us, comforted us, and became our friends. They took care of our boys, but they also took care of us.

Jacoby was able to come off the ventilator in less then 24 hours but any intubation causes damage to the lungs. He struggled with coming off his CPAP and ended up coming home on oxygen. Parker was able to come off his CPAP quickly only to go back on a few days later. He did this twice and the third time was able to stay off it. He developed an infection in his belly but with some antibiotics and stopping his food we were able to clear it up easily. They both had PDA’s (an artery in the heart that closes closer to 40 weeks) but with the proper medicines they closed on their own, not needing surgery.

 We were finally able to come home July 31, 2012, one day shy of 2 months in the hospital. Both boys came home on heart monitors and Jacoby came home on oxygen. I won’t lie, I won’t sugar coat it. It was hard. My mom stayed with me during the day for the first week and my mother-in-law stayed the second week. After that, I was on my own until after my husband or my mom got off from work. I breastfed at first, but I had to also had to supplement because they needed more calories.  It seemed like all I got done was feeding and changing diapers. So I would pump before time for them to eat and I just mixed it in with the formula. It made life a little easier but pumping for a year was hard. I kept with it though, I knew they needed the breast milk. In September, they both had to have hernia’s repaired. After that, they both were able to get rid of the heart monitors and Jacoby came off his oxygen! I finally didn’t have babies on a leash!

They have come a long way, and they have hit their milestones pretty close to when they should have. We had a developmental doctor’s appointment a couple weeks ago, and they said they were all caught up and advanced in some areas! It felt so good to hear something so positive!

It was a long 2 months but I actually enjoyed the experience. I knew when I went into labor that they were going to be fine. Call it mother’s intuition, but I just knew. I’m so glad for the experience because I wouldn’t know all the things that I know now without the in NICU.

I’m so thankful for these two and I love them dearly. It is hard to believe but today is there due date. They should have been a year old, but they are almost 15 months! They are our miracle babies! We love our Parker Lewis and Jacoby Lee!

*The first picture is Parker playing with bubbles. The second picture is Jacoby and the third picture is the first time I was able  to hold both of them. They were seven days old. Jacoby is on the left and Parker is on the right.