Dearest babies,
YOU’RE HERE! You are actually here!!! So let’s tell the story!
You guys arrived via planned cesarean section on March 1, 2019! Katherine Melissa came first at 7:15 AM weighing 5 pounds 2 ounces and measuring 18 inches long! Elizabeth Susan arrived at 7:16 AM weighing 6 pounds even and measuring 18 inches as well! The doctors let Daddy and I meet each of you in the OR before you were off to the nursery to have some extra checks and oxygen.
Having a c-section was nothing like I expected, although I can’t put into words exactly what it is that I did expect. I was strapped to a table, numb from the chest down, and I was SO NERVOUS; that is until they brought you to the other side of the curtain. You were here! And you look nothing alike! We later found out that you’re definitely fraternal twins as you have different blood types. When the doctors told Mommy that you were both headed to the nursery due to having some low oxygen saturation, that just made Mommy more nervous. Thankfully my own mom, your grandma, was able to watch from outside the OR. I was VERY scared so Daddy stayed to hold my hand and grandma came to the nursery to keep you company until Daddy could be there.
Once they got me sewed up and transferred to my room, the nurse from the nursery came in to talk with me. She let me know that it could me 3-5 hours before I was able to see you since I couldn’t leave my room until my spinal block wore off and the nurses were sure I was okay. That news was heartbreaking because I needed to know you were ok, I needed to hold you! Thankfully, we’d gotten a fancy new camera in preparation for your arrival and Daddy came in right after the nurse left to show me the 100+ pictures that had already been taken of the surgery and you guys in the nursery.
Elizabeth was the first out of the nursery after only an hour. Mommy got to hold and snuggle you! Then, Katherine came in after another hour and a half – again, to snuggles and loves! Both of you immediately made moves to latch and breastfeed. I was so happy! We’re still working on breast feeding, and we’ve been doing some supplementing to make sure you guys are getting enough food. In fact, that’s what I’m doing up writing at 5 AM. Tonight, when you and I (and Daddy!) woke up for your 3 AM feeding, Mommy couldn’t get back to sleep and the 6 AM feeding that’s going to happen very soon, seemed like not enough time to get some sleep. I keep doing this from time to time – I think Mommy is a littttttle sleep deprived.
We spent 4 days in the hospital total. Sometimes, and I was told to expect this, twins’ hospital stays are a little longer than moms for a variety of reasons. Since you are both sugar babies, meaning Mommy had gestational diabetes (woof, we’ll write about that someday), the doctors warned me that you might need to stay longer to have your blood sugars monitored, to get your weight to have a maintain or gain (all babies lose weight initially but sometimes sugar babies lose too much), or perhaps other issues that may arise. To all the doctor’s and nurse’s surprise, you were cleared to go home with us when I was released! You just keep beating the odds and surprising everyone!!
We are home now, and doing feedings every 3 hours. We’ve made it through a whole night and day and now we’re closing in on another night. Daddy and I made a deal to hopefully allow ourselves to get a little sleep tomorrow, so we will see if we can make that happen!!
We love you so much munchkins!
❤ Mommy and Daddy
The Koep House 