Twin grandchildren

Faye I had an introduction to tiny babies when one of my twin daughters produced her twin boys three years ago, and they were 3lbs 14ozs and 5lbs 3 ozs. They only stayed in hospital for a week, and although the smallest baby was sent to Special Care, he was returned to the ward 10 minutes later, as he was fine and fit to be discharged at that weight, which scared the heck out of me. The first few weeks were when I did all my worrying - they were frighteningly small.

The girls that my other twin daughter now has are minute, but do have some fat on them and are gradually looking more like the smallest of my grandsons when he was able to go home. Every ounce they gain is celebrated, and when I look around the Special Care Bay Unit and see babies of 1 lb 6 ozs that were born at 26 weeks, I feel so fortunate that Polly and Alice are growing. They will most likely go home when they are around 5 lbs.

It really does put everything into perspective when you see these tiny babies and the dedicated nurses and doctors who have attended to their every need.

Have just seen this thread, Carole, very many congratulations on the latest twin additions to your lovely twinny family! You must be aching to hold them

Glad to hear that the babies are doing so well. I agree that it's really quite inspiring to see the love and skill of the nurses in Special Care unit. My GD was a couple of weeks prem but suffered a collapsed lung within an hour and was in neo natal care for just a week. We were encouraged to stroke and pat her through the 'portholes' of the incubator and it was wonderful to see her brought out for cuddles. Now, although she is still small, she is a fit and lively 15 month-old. It is scary when such little folk come home but it's amazing to see them thrive. Good luck to all of you - looking forward to regular progress reports!

Glad to hear your little GD is fit and well em. My little GDs are in such good hands, but I'm wishing the next few weeks to be past so I can just hold them and help my daughter do all the mundane things that we usually think nothing of when new babies arrive.

One important task while she was still in hospital was to dash out to buy some tiny sleepsuits and vests. They didn't last long as she started to grow out of them but it was worth the extra expense to see her looking neat and tidy. If we'd put the bigger size on (the ones we had all organised) she would have looked a bit pathetic so the extra shopping plus some frantic knitting of tiny size cardi's was time well spent. (Boots had the best range for tinies.) The fact you've had twin experience will certainly stand you in good stead!

em we've been doing a bit of that - at the moment, they're too small to fit in anything and stay in minute nappies as the nurses need to check their little bodies at a glance. The smallest size baby clothes from Boots and Mothercare will fit them by the time they are due to go home - both could go camping in one sleepsuit at present!

I must say I'm very impressed with the beautifully made crocheted and knitted blankets that are in every baby's incubator. There are some caring people who make exquisite bedding from 2 and 3 ply wool in lovely baby pinks, blues, creams and whites. Soothing music is played in the nursery and the lights are kept low. The babies look so comfortable, floating on little cocoon mattresses as though they are on holiday.

Hi Carol, my twin grandsons were also born 10 weeks early, and came home last weekend. Its really opened my eyes to the brilliant work done on the special care baby units. It can be three steps forward and one backwards at times, and its odd finding out that blood transfusions and resuscitation are 'normal'. I saw them twice in scbu. Yours seem to be growing well, and its great you have seen them without masks on. Just wait until you see them both being held by one parent!
I am just dying to be able to hold them. My son and his partner want to have time at home on their own with the babies for a week or two, and also have to factor in three sets of grandparents (and two 'step' grandparents).
Its really hard being a long way away, and feeling that if I ring, I am getting in the way (only rung twice, but that was probably too often). I have 4 step grand children, all under 3, but this is so different! So gransnet (which son suggested I joined) is great.

Oh twinsgran thank you so much for posting - this is just what I need to hear. It's been such a rollercoaster, with the babies both having infections, one a lumbar puncture (nothing found) and the other an attempted lumbar puncture which wouldn't work, but fortunately no ill effects. One baby had a swollen arm and it was thought she may have an abcess, but it turned out to be a leaking IV tube. That's gone now, thank goodness. They are 4 weeks old today and both have gained 1 lb in weight. Polly, the larger baby at 3.1/2 lbs has gone into a warm cot instead of her incubator today, and is taking breast milk by bottle, which is wonderful to see. Alice, at 3 lbs, is jigging around in her incubator, undoing anything she can (heart monitor found grasped in her hand the other day, when it went silent!) and constantly being put back on her cocoon mattress when she has slid to the end of her incubator.

It's quite daunting to walk in the nursery and see your grandchild having a brain scan or x-ray, but the hospital is really on the ball, and it's all good news so far. The babies already bring great joy to our family, and I phone or see my daughter every day for an update. I get to see them once a week, sometimes more often, and that's because I live 5 minutes from the hospital.

Please don't think you're getting in the way. I tend to text my daughter first, in case she's busy, and a few minutes later she'll phone back, so I know I can relax because she's found a few moments for a chat. If she doesn't respond, I phone SIL and he will talk to me instead. They both know they'll be even busier when the babies come home, but the warm support of mum/gran is so comforting when you're dashing round with demanding babies. Thanks again for posting

My little twin grandaughters have now grown to 3 lbs 4 ozs and 3 lbs 15 ozs and both are out of incubators and in their warm cots, feeding for themselves and enjoying mum and dad cuddles several times a day. I feel like doing cartwheels of joy. We can look forward to them being home before Christmas, when they have put on some more weight and are consistently maintaining their body temperature, putting on weight through their own efforts at feeding, and show no signs of breathing difficulties for a sustained period. All looking good and what a grateful family we are for the care and dedication of the special care unit.

What a treat it will be for the twins to be home for Christmas. So pleased for you and your family, carol .

Carol that is great news, the best Christmas present you could have wished for.

Good news Carol so pleased for you

Great news, Carol. Please don't overdo the cartwheels!

It's good to hear that news, carol. xx

Carol Polly and Alice...such beautiful names for your wee darlings. A wonderful Christmas gift for all the family. Here's a big bunch of

Christmas blessings to your wee angels. Such good news for you and your family (and for us too).

Lovely news - what a wonderful Christmas present when they do make it home!! Tiny bootees ready for Santa?

Yes, two tiny ones next to daddy's size 12s! x

Such fabulous news today. The babies have been weighed and Polly has reached 4 lbs 2 ozs - she has celebrated with her first bath. Alice is now 3 lbs 8 ozs - she's on her way to doubling her sugar bag birthweight of 2 lbs. Both babies will be put on a demand feeding regime in the next few days and when they've cracked it, they can come HOME!!! I really must try to contain myself - they'll dread me coming through the door in floods of tears (of joy, of course). x

Lovely news, carol.

"enjoy"

That really is great news Carol.

So happy for you Carol

That is priceless news, Carol. I hope Polly enjoyed her bath!

Fantastic Carol so pleased for you all