Surviving NICU part 8: Caroline and Sophie

Caroline and Sophie Engler

When Jennifer Engler found she was expecting multiples, this Registered Nurse knew that could ultimately land her in the NICU. Along with her husband, Joe, Jennifer prepared for the arrival of their babies, but with a much deeper knowledge of what was to come.

Her goal was to make it to at least 35 weeks. This is a big goal for any mother carrying twins and many are lucky to make it to 32. The Engler twins did make it to 35 weeks weighing it at; baby A, Caroline, 5 lbs. and baby B, Sophie, 4 lbs. and 3 oz. These are healthy weights for twins at 35 weeks gestation. Any baby born before 37 weeks is considered premature and this sends them directly into the NICU. Caroline and Sophie’s first stop in the big big world was NICU.

Behind the glass of a hospital room, that they had occupied for three long weeks, sat the Englers. With the birth of their two beautiful little girls came an ice and snow storm like you have never seen in Evansville, Indiana. Power outages stretched through the city and everything was at a standstill as January in one fell swoop, unleashed full blown winter. This is where the story begins as I had the privilege of interviewing this mother of twins, like myself.

Though being pregnant with multiples normally results in an extended stay in the NICU, did you truly believe you would end up there?
“My goal for the entire pregnancy was to make it to at least 35 weeks, and I was truly holding out hope that if I could make it that long with the babies, surely they might not HAVE to be in the NICU. I knew, as a nurse, that it would not be the end of the world if they were, but the idea of avoiding it all together and just being able to take them home when I wanted was so much more appealing!”

I know you are a RN, but did you prepare yourself for the stay?
“Once we knew that our doctor could deliver at either hospital (St. Mary’s or Deaconess Women’s Hospital), we decided to tour both labor and delivery units and both NICU's. We were confident in our decision after our tours, however, plans changed for us when I went in to my 32 week appointment and was found to have elevated blood pressure and protein in my urine (signs of pre-eclampsia). I was sent directly to the triage/observation area for some overnight testing and ended up staying in the hospital until the babies were born and admitted to the NICU. Of course, we had decided to deliver at the other hospital and were now sort of stuck. But, it all turned out very well and we had a great experience.”

Was NICU anything what you expected?
“Yes and no. Being a nurse, I knew about the NICU routine, precision, and rules. So, I knew what to expect in general. But, being a new parent made the experience something different entirely. I understood all of the medical lingo and knew every risk and implication related to prematurity and the treatment of its related issues, however I nervously asked a million questions every time I was in there...and most of the time I could have answered my own questions, but I persisted in asking. I sort of developed an ego check system that kept me confident in what I already knew, but allowed me to remain humble enough to learn from the NICU nurses. This attitude, I think, improved my experience overall.”

What week did you deliver your twins?
“At 35 weeks on the nose! I had been getting 2-3 biophysical profiles of the babies each week while in the hospital and also some fetal Doppler studies. The Doppler’s showed that my elevated blood pressure was causing some growth restriction for my twins, especially baby B. At the start of week 35, I had the testing done and my doctor decided it would be best for me and the babies if we delivered that day!”

What kind of equipment was used for your daughters?
“We were extremely lucky that our girls did not require much medical intervention at all. They were in warming beds the first night, and one of them had an IV the first night, but after that, they were in open bassinettes. They did have nasogastic tubes for feeding up until their last few days in the NICU, but that is pretty low tech. Luckily, they had no respiratory problems and minimal temperature regulation issues; their only problem was feeding and that could easily be remedied.”

Did you have any trouble feeding your twins? Did they require feeding tubes or anything?
“Yes, as a matter of fact, that is the only reason they were in the NICU. They didn't really have a drive to feed and had to be persuaded. We made good use of the nasogastric tubes they had, though they often pulled them out and had to have them put back down. I wanted to nurse them but they weren't ready for a few days, so we did a lot of kangaroo care and had many consultations with the lactation nurses. “
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Surviving NICU part 1
Surviving NICU part 2
Surviving NICU part 3
Surviving NICU part 4
Surviving NICU part 5
Surviving NICU part 6
Surviving NICU part 7