Preemie 101--At Home With Our Babies

We are getting closer and closer to the time when the boys will get to come home. (We still don't know when that will be.) When that happens, there are a couple of things that all of us need to remember.

1) The boys' immune systems are still underdeveloped, so they are more susceptible to infections than a full term baby would be. That means that we will need to limit visits outside our home to the doctor's office for quite some time. That may also mean that we will need to limit the number of visitors we have at our house for some time, too. (The smaller the group the better.)

2) If you are coming to visit the babies, please stay away if you have a cold or virus or have been exposed to someone with a cold or flu within the previous five days. Exposure to people with infections such as colds or flu may cause serious illness in the boys.

3) Always remember to wash your hands before touching the babies and try not to touch your nose or mouth while around the babies. (I am sure that Isaac will help you remember that!) Again, we need to remember that they are very susceptible to infections.

4) One of the most serious viral infections is the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). RSV is a common viral infection in young children and is often mistaken for a cold or the flu. Although the virus causes few problems in adults and older children, in premature babies, RSV can lead to severe illness, breathing problems, or even death; it is a common cause for re hospitalization among preemies. For this reason, we will need to limit the boys' exposure to young children, especially children who go to daycare or school.

5) The babies may sleep more than a full-term baby when we get them home, but at shorter intervals. This means that if you do come to visit, you will most likely find the boys asleep. Please do not try to wake them!

We are very excited at the idea of bringing the boys home and having you see them, but as you can imagine, we don't want to do anything to hinder their health. Once they are out, we don't want them to go back to the hospital! Hopefully, by following the above suggestions, we can keep the boys healthy and let them become the social butterflies we know they are. (They are, after all, Isaac's children!)

P.S. Click on the underlined words in #4 for more information about RSV. Each link is different, so you might want to check them all out!