Monday, August 20, 2007

The Triplets





















On August 17, 2007, after 32 weeks of pregnancy, we, David & Dawn Stinner became the parents of triplet boys! Bringing our grand total to 4 beautiful boys! Our triplets were born at Sister's of Charity Hospital in Buffalo, New York at 2:25, 2:26 and 2:28 PM Eastern Time. There were 3 teams totaling about 15 people in the crowded Operating Room during the Cesarean section, through which mom was awake. Dad was there and able to see all the activity and immediate care of each team attending to each baby. Mom was in the hospital the final difficult week in active labor. As each day passed it became more evident she was running out of room. Dad has lived in the hospital room, on the chair, with mom for the entire 9 day stay. The great thing is the free Wi-Fi in the hospital, to stay connected and post this blog while still here.

Baby A (at the bottom of the belly and first to be delivered) was Emerson James at 3lbs 2.3oz and 16in long. Baby B (in the middle of the belly) was Maxim Charles at 3lbs 14.9oz and 16.5 in long. Baby C (Breech, at the top and last to come out) was Alexander Julius at 3lbs 8 oz and 16.375 in long.

All the babies are doing extremely well. They are in the neonatal intensive care unit or NICU (pronounced "Nickyoo") They have feeding tubes down their throat for food which were installed seconds after birth and currently have a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) which delivers air into your airway through a specially designed nasal mask or pillows. The CPAP uses room air which has 20% Oxygen, and will be removed shortly after their respiratory rates drop to below 50 or 60 times per minute. The first day the rates where above 140. This is all to be expected. They began to drink infant formula and mama's milk on August 20Th. They all have pooped & piddled and do not seem to have a hard time sucking as they all love their pacifiers. The doctors and nurses are shocked that we are all doing so well considering they are 8 weeks premature.




Austin is a beaming big brother who can't wait to get his brothers home.




Mom is already having anxiety over leaving them here. However, we understand this is the best place for them. The best case scenario, they could be home in 3-4 weeks; Worse case, they could be in the NICU as long as 8 weeks. Either way we will all be fine. The nurses here at Sister's are excellent, they have been so amazing. Mom couldn't have gotten through the last 7 days here without them. Mom will be going home on Tuesday August 21st so feel free to call or email her.

We are extremely excited, and greatly blessed to have a big family now.

We will take all the help we can get, so call mom. And please, everyone we know and don't know tells us we will never sleep again, so we don't need to hear that comment again.