Quads doing what babies do: growing

BY SARA KEDDY

Kings County Register

Coming home is still a guessing game, but the MacKinnons are counting on their quadruplets’ amazing strength and determination.

“It has been a long road for all of the family. Watching the babies each day, missing our son, Matthew (at home in Greenwood with his grandmother), and Christa recovering from the birth has made the past few weeks pass rather quickly,” said Joseph MacKinnon in a release through the IWK last week.

“We are happy to say that the babies are all doing much better and continue to grow and improve daily.”

Joseph, an air force captian at 14 Wing Greenwood, and Christa became the parents of quads January 24 - 11 weeks early when they were delivered in the Halifax hospital. The babies weighed between 2 pounds nine ounces and three pounds two ounces. The twin girls, Julia and Morah have been in better health from the start than their twin brothers, Alex and Ben.

The family extended its thanks to Dr. Michael Vincer and his team at the IWK, and the staff and volunteers of Ronald McDonald House, where the MacKinnon parents have been staying.

“Our babies are growing and getting stronger each day.”

They are being fed mostly breast milk, supplemented with formula via a small tube, which goes in through their nose down to their stomachs. The girls are slowly learning how to feed from a bottle, but it will take a bit of time until they are able to coordinate the suck, swallow and breathe well enough to do all of their feedings everyday.

“Christa and I have held all of the babies now,” MacKinnon said. They are all out of incubators, with the girls in cots and the boys in cribs. They no longer require any IV nutrition or medications. With the exception of Julia, they still require some minor breathing assistance. Morah and Ben each have nasal prongs that supply the air/ oxygen to help them. Alex still requires CPAP (constant positive airway pressure) with oxygen to help him breathe.

“This overall is a dramatic improvement” since word first was reported on their condition, their dad said.

The babies’ weights have also increased: Julia is now 5 lb 7 oz, Morah, 4 lb 13 oz; Alex, 5 lb 0 oz; Ben, 5 lb 12 oz.

“We couldn’t be happier or more thrilled that they are growing so very well.”

Until the babies’ lungs and ability to feed are established strongly enough, all will remain in the NICU. The earliest estimate on a return to Greenwood could be mid- to late April.

The MacKinnons are trying to co-ordinate some fundraising for the expenses of the babies when they come home. There is also a small group of family members and volunteers helping make preparations for their arrival. Interested people may email the family direct at mackinnon_quads@ns.sympatico.ca or send a donation to MacKinnon Family, P.O. Box 641 Kingston, NS; B0P 1R0 or drop off a donation at any branch of the Valley Credit Union for the MacKinnon Quadruplets account.