The Official Daddies Club

Started by Under Lights, July 09, 2014, 09:02:06 AM

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take_yer_points

Quote from: tbrick18 on July 15, 2014, 08:59:21 PM
Started off in neo-natal high dependancy in the Royal for a little over a week, then they transferred us to Craigavon.
Still in neo-natal, but not high dependancy apart from a few days after the transfer. They spent a further 5 weeks in Craigavon, though one of them had to go back to the Royal for a couple of days for surgery.
We thought they could have got home earlier but they want them to be above a certain weight before letting them go...3lbs I think it was.
I remember when they first started to get fed via tubes, they would get 0.25ml per feed. Over the days it went up to 0.5ml and gradual increments until it got up to 5ml. This was all tube feeds at this point and the wee feckers kept pulling the tubes out.
Then in Craigavon when they tried to stimulate the sucking reflex they used to put the milk into the teat of the bottle and hold it in their mouth.

You learn a lot about how delicate life can be and also how resilient in those circumstances, but without trying to sound sanctimonious, you couldnt really understand the emotions and stress something like that puts you through.

One of the hardest parts was trying to explain it to our other kids, who just wanted to meet their brothers. But, only parents are allowed into the unit, so they had to wait the full 6+ weeks before they got to see them.

I'm going through something similar myself at the minute, though not to the same extent. Twins have been in high dependency in the royal for a week now with only us and the grandparents allowed in. Plenty of progress this last week but still no idea when we'll get them home. Hopefully over the next couple of weeks. Our tube feeds are 2 hourly 25mm and 28mm for the two of them. They're up to 1 bottle to every two bottle feeds today so hopefully push on from there. Both out of the incubators now too but talk this evening that one of them might be going back in.

The people who work in there are saints - can't praise them enough!

muppet

Quote from: take_yer_points on July 15, 2014, 09:34:12 PM
Quote from: tbrick18 on July 15, 2014, 08:59:21 PM
Started off in neo-natal high dependancy in the Royal for a little over a week, then they transferred us to Craigavon.
Still in neo-natal, but not high dependancy apart from a few days after the transfer. They spent a further 5 weeks in Craigavon, though one of them had to go back to the Royal for a couple of days for surgery.
We thought they could have got home earlier but they want them to be above a certain weight before letting them go...3lbs I think it was.
I remember when they first started to get fed via tubes, they would get 0.25ml per feed. Over the days it went up to 0.5ml and gradual increments until it got up to 5ml. This was all tube feeds at this point and the wee feckers kept pulling the tubes out.
Then in Craigavon when they tried to stimulate the sucking reflex they used to put the milk into the teat of the bottle and hold it in their mouth.

You learn a lot about how delicate life can be and also how resilient in those circumstances, but without trying to sound sanctimonious, you couldnt really understand the emotions and stress something like that puts you through.

One of the hardest parts was trying to explain it to our other kids, who just wanted to meet their brothers. But, only parents are allowed into the unit, so they had to wait the full 6+ weeks before they got to see them.

I'm going through something similar myself at the minute, though not to the same extent. Twins have been in high dependency in the royal for a week now with only us and the grandparents allowed in. Plenty of progress this last week but still no idea when we'll get them home. Hopefully over the next couple of weeks. Our tube feeds are 2 hourly 25mm and 28mm for the two of them. They're up to 1 bottle to every two bottle feeds today so hopefully push on from there. Both out of the incubators now too but talk this evening that one of them might be going back in.

The people who work in there are saints - can't praise them enough!

Kids are tough though and never cease to amaze, even at that early stage.

Best of luck to both of you.
MWWSI 2017

take_yer_points

Quote from: muppet on July 15, 2014, 11:09:30 PM
Quote from: take_yer_points on July 15, 2014, 09:34:12 PM
Quote from: tbrick18 on July 15, 2014, 08:59:21 PM
Started off in neo-natal high dependancy in the Royal for a little over a week, then they transferred us to Craigavon.
Still in neo-natal, but not high dependancy apart from a few days after the transfer. They spent a further 5 weeks in Craigavon, though one of them had to go back to the Royal for a couple of days for surgery.
We thought they could have got home earlier but they want them to be above a certain weight before letting them go...3lbs I think it was.
I remember when they first started to get fed via tubes, they would get 0.25ml per feed. Over the days it went up to 0.5ml and gradual increments until it got up to 5ml. This was all tube feeds at this point and the wee feckers kept pulling the tubes out.
Then in Craigavon when they tried to stimulate the sucking reflex they used to put the milk into the teat of the bottle and hold it in their mouth.

You learn a lot about how delicate life can be and also how resilient in those circumstances, but without trying to sound sanctimonious, you couldnt really understand the emotions and stress something like that puts you through.

One of the hardest parts was trying to explain it to our other kids, who just wanted to meet their brothers. But, only parents are allowed into the unit, so they had to wait the full 6+ weeks before they got to see them.

I'm going through something similar myself at the minute, though not to the same extent. Twins have been in high dependency in the royal for a week now with only us and the grandparents allowed in. Plenty of progress this last week but still no idea when we'll get them home. Hopefully over the next couple of weeks. Our tube feeds are 2 hourly 25mm and 28mm for the two of them. They're up to 1 bottle to every two bottle feeds today so hopefully push on from there. Both out of the incubators now too but talk this evening that one of them might be going back in.

The people who work in there are saints - can't praise them enough!

Kids are tough though and never cease to amaze, even at that early stage.

Best of luck to both of you.

Thanks Muppet

Under Lights

Jesus, in light of the stories above I feel bad in saying that I think my LO has chicken poxs today.
No visitors please.

gawa316

We've a 6 week old, very fussy at times. The wife is trying to cut out dairy to see if that makes a difference. Anyway because she is so fussy, we need to rock her to sleep. We've tried putting her down when she is half asleep but every time she will begin to  eventually wake up. Any ideas? We had sleep problems with our other 2 (1st boy was awful) so we don't want baby 3 getting into bad habits (ie getting rocked to sleep) but it feels like we have no option as she is so fussy at times!!

BenDover

Get the app sleepy sounds. Brilliant job

gawa316

Aye we have one of those white noise, lullaby yokes in the room. Good job to drown out other noise but doesn't help her to fall asleep unfortunately.

On another note, it's our middle boys 2nd birthday in a couple of weeks, haven't a clue what to get him. He has a trike, ride ons, play house, kitchen etc. Any ideas?

muppet

Quote from: gawa316 on July 16, 2014, 07:33:10 PM
Aye we have one of those white noise, lullaby yokes in the room. Good job to drown out other noise but doesn't help her to fall asleep unfortunately.

On another note, it's our middle boys 2nd birthday in a couple of weeks, haven't a clue what to get him. He has a trike, ride ons, play house, kitchen etc. Any ideas?

They won't remember, but you will and the photos last forever.

My other half has made some really cool looking cakes which the kids loved and make for great photos.

One of them was similar to this:

MWWSI 2017

CD

I'm lucky enough to have loads of time off this summer and as Mrs CD is on maternity we're able to get out and about loads. Just had two weeks in Donegal with loads of wave jumping, rock pooling, dam building and all the usual beach activities with my our 3 and 4 year old girls. They loved it. Back to base now for a few weeks and was wondering if anyone had any good ideas for great activity days out! I'm going to use https://www.50things.org.uk/activity-list.aspx as a basis for our adventures this year but would appreciate advice from other posters - for example - tayto park? Is it too old for my kids?
Who's a bit of a moaning Michael tonight!

seafoid

Quote from: gawa316 on July 16, 2014, 04:42:27 PM
We've a 6 week old, very fussy at times. The wife is trying to cut out dairy to see if that makes a difference. Anyway because she is so fussy, we need to rock her to sleep. We've tried putting her down when she is half asleep but every time she will begin to  eventually wake up. Any ideas? We had sleep problems with our other 2 (1st boy was awful) so we don't want baby 3 getting into bad habits (ie getting rocked to sleep) but it feels like we have no option as she is so fussy at times!!
it might be another allergy or just that the baby isn't a great sleeper. Our 12 year old still has problems going to sleep sometimes
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

muppet

Quote from: CD on July 16, 2014, 08:17:02 PM
I'm lucky enough to have loads of time off this summer and as Mrs CD is on maternity we're able to get out and about loads. Just had two weeks in Donegal with loads of wave jumping, rock pooling, dam building and all the usual beach activities with my our 3 and 4 year old girls. They loved it. Back to base now for a few weeks and was wondering if anyone had any good ideas for great activity days out! I'm going to use https://www.50things.org.uk/activity-list.aspx as a basis for our adventures this year but would appreciate advice from other posters - for example - tayto park? Is it too old for my kids?

That's a decent list.

(I had to google geocache!)  :-[
MWWSI 2017

CD

Quote from: muppet on July 16, 2014, 08:32:29 PM
Quote from: CD on July 16, 2014, 08:17:02 PM
I'm lucky enough to have loads of time off this summer and as Mrs CD is on maternity we're able to get out and about loads. Just had two weeks in Donegal with loads of wave jumping, rock pooling, dam building and all the usual beach activities with my our 3 and 4 year old girls. They loved it. Back to base now for a few weeks and was wondering if anyone had any good ideas for great activity days out! I'm going to use https://www.50things.org.uk/activity-list.aspx as a basis for our adventures this year but would appreciate advice from other posters - for example - tayto park? Is it too old for my kids?

That's a decent list.

(I had to google geocache!)  :-[
Me too
Who's a bit of a moaning Michael tonight!

tbrick18

Quote from: take_yer_points on July 15, 2014, 09:34:12 PM
Quote from: tbrick18 on July 15, 2014, 08:59:21 PM
Started off in neo-natal high dependancy in the Royal for a little over a week, then they transferred us to Craigavon.
Still in neo-natal, but not high dependancy apart from a few days after the transfer. They spent a further 5 weeks in Craigavon, though one of them had to go back to the Royal for a couple of days for surgery.
We thought they could have got home earlier but they want them to be above a certain weight before letting them go...3lbs I think it was.
I remember when they first started to get fed via tubes, they would get 0.25ml per feed. Over the days it went up to 0.5ml and gradual increments until it got up to 5ml. This was all tube feeds at this point and the wee feckers kept pulling the tubes out.
Then in Craigavon when they tried to stimulate the sucking reflex they used to put the milk into the teat of the bottle and hold it in their mouth.

You learn a lot about how delicate life can be and also how resilient in those circumstances, but without trying to sound sanctimonious, you couldnt really understand the emotions and stress something like that puts you through.

One of the hardest parts was trying to explain it to our other kids, who just wanted to meet their brothers. But, only parents are allowed into the unit, so they had to wait the full 6+ weeks before they got to see them.

I'm going through something similar myself at the minute, though not to the same extent. Twins have been in high dependency in the royal for a week now with only us and the grandparents allowed in. Plenty of progress this last week but still no idea when we'll get them home. Hopefully over the next couple of weeks. Our tube feeds are 2 hourly 25mm and 28mm for the two of them. They're up to 1 bottle to every two bottle feeds today so hopefully push on from there. Both out of the incubators now too but talk this evening that one of them might be going back in.

The people who work in there are saints - can't praise them enough!

I know its stressful but the fact that they are out of incubators and that the tube feeds are increasing in volume are good signs (based on my own experience).
Dont be too concerned about going back into incubators, that happened us too. Ours were in incubators all the time in the royal, and we were never allowed to take them out or hold them but when we got the Craigavon they got out within another week, though one of ours finished up going back into it as he became jaundiced.
From what little you have said it sounds very similar to ours and it all worked out for us in the end so hopefully it will all go well for you too.

tbrick18

Quote from: Under Lights on July 16, 2014, 04:26:22 PM
Jesus, in light of the stories above I feel bad in saying that I think my LO has chicken poxs today.
No visitors please.

No need to feel bad, chicken poxs are a nightmare.
One of ours had them twice! The second time was awful, in his mouth, up his nose....it seems like a minor thing until you see the pain it can cause them.

tbrick18

Quote from: gawa316 on July 16, 2014, 04:42:27 PM
We've a 6 week old, very fussy at times. The wife is trying to cut out dairy to see if that makes a difference. Anyway because she is so fussy, we need to rock her to sleep. We've tried putting her down when she is half asleep but every time she will begin to  eventually wake up. Any ideas? We had sleep problems with our other 2 (1st boy was awful) so we don't want baby 3 getting into bad habits (ie getting rocked to sleep) but it feels like we have no option as she is so fussy at times!!

We always tried to stick to a bedtime routine. Bath-feed-bed. It worked well for our first 3, not so well for our twins, though it's hard to be as regimented when you have more kids in the house and they all need sorted out.
The only thing i'll say is that no 2 kids are the same so what worked for us might not for you. Try something for a while to see if it works, if it doesnt try something else. It doesnt meant there's anything wrong, just that each child has their own preference.