Moms of multiples check in?

persephonerose

I don't know about anyone else but I am struggling to stay sane. 

How are your multiples doing?
Any tricks or tips you want to share with the rest of us?
How old are your multiples and does it seem to be getting easier?

And just for fun, here is the result of our one month photo shoot today.

ANGnJON

I agree it is very trying at times to keep it all together! And unlike you I don't have a toddler to chase after, so kudos to you @persephonerose‌!

How are your multiples doing?
They are doing fairly well considering! At their 1 month check up they were both coming in just under 6 lbs, which makes me super happy! They were so tiny, so it's great that they are growing & don't seem as fragile anymore!

Any tricks or tips you want to share with the rest of us?
The only tip that has really helped me is tandem BF! It has definitely saved my sanity! These kids love to eat & that was literally all I was doing! Now I try to tandem nurse as often as possible & it has aloud me a few moments here & there to do something other than BF.

How old are your multiples and does it seem to be getting easier?
Alexandria & Andrew are 6 weeks 5 days old already! I don't think it's gotten any easier because they want to nurse all the time & sleep so little. They both have acid reflux & gas issues. They are both fussy & needy (Drew more than Alex) due to previous issues mentioned. They want to be held constantly & don't sleep or nap very often. Please don't think I'm complaining, I'm simply stating the reality of my twins. But ya know what, I wouldn't change a single thing! We tried for 9 yrs & finally our wishes came true! I love these two more than anything & I will take all of it, the good, the bad & the ugly!

Our one month pic looks quite similar, lol! (I hate that it always post sideways, sorry!)

persephonerose

@AngnJon I am really impressed you are able to tandem breast feed! When I click on your picture it comes up the correct way but the thumbnail shows sideways.

persephonerose

As usual I posted and was not able to get back to answer my own questions!

How are your multiples doing?
They are doing very well. Gaining weight which is reassuring. They also seem to have gotten over their congestion finally but still have goopy eyes.  I do find that my girl, Katherine is more demanding. She is my screamer. While Nathaniel is more laid back.  She also eats way more often than he does, but he eats more per feeding.

Any tricks or tips you want to share with the rest of us?
The one thing that has made our life easier is we bought a small microwave and fridge for the second floor. I keep it full of breast milk bottles and formula bottles for the day and snacks for myself and the toddler.

How old are your multiples and does it seem to be getting easier?
The twins are 5 weeks and 3 days old now.  Some days seem easier, some harder. DH is working from home so if he is not busy we split the twins and he takes one down to his office while I deal with the toddler and other twin. I do think life will be a lot easier when I stop pumping. It takes a lot of time, but since I can only do it until January I am really trying to take advantage of it to give the twins the most breast milk I can.

BabyBsOven

Glad to see this was started back up! I need tips and tricks

My twins are good. Both boys are growing great. We think Kane has a cow protien allergy so he's on a different formula than Silas but both are gaining weight. Right now we are dealing with peely skin but that's it.

My only tip is gas drops! I found that putting them in the formula instead of giving it before or after a bottle has worked a lot better.

The twins are 6.5 weeks. It is getting a little easier because we are getting into a routine. I was lucky to have my husband home from work for the first 4.5 weeks and my MIL stay for the week my husband went back but I wasn't able to get on any kind of schedule. Now that I'm home by myself with the twins and a toddler, a routine became essential and everyone is on board the boys are about 30min apart on feedings so I can get all feeding done in an hour and have another 2 hours to get other stuff done (diapers, toddler, play and talk, clean, cook, etc) before the cycle starts again.

Kudos for everyone that is breastfeeding or pumping. I tried pumping for the 4 weeks my husband was home but knew I would never have time once he went back to work, and we suspected the allergy in Kane and I don't have the discipline for an elimination diet. I really wish it had worked out and want to cry I'll never know a successful BF relationship. Keep on ladies!!

Aurora1181

Hey ladies- I'd like to join in.

My twins are 3 months actual, six weeks adjusted. They're doing well! Our girl is over 10lbs and our boy is about 12lbs. They eat about 3-4 oz every 3 hours. I'm EPing which is so freaking hard, and we supplement with formula. I'm still trying to get them "back to the breast" but it's tough.. today my boy has been glued to my breast, it feels like, and when he isn't, i'm pumping. It's just easier to give them bottles..

The sleeping has gotten better- they sleep from around 10pm-1am and then until 5am at night. That four hour chunk of sleep is awesome!

No tips or tricks here. Once we started our boy on Zantac, things got a lot better. Much less screaming.

I'm going back to work in one week.. so nervous about that! DH is staying home with them for the next couple weeks until Christmas break (i'm a teacher) and then they'll start day care in January.

I love love love double baby snuggles.

persephonerose

ginabina11 said:

I'll join! How are your multiples doing? Good! Growing like weeds. I have a follow up for Lucy next week for a slight case of hip dysplasia. I'm thinking she's going to have to wear a sling for a while to correct the issue. Any tricks or tips you want to share with the rest of us? Bottle props have saved my sanity!! How old are your multiples and does it seem to be getting easier? They'll be 8 weeks(!!!!) on Monday. Pic is from right now, all four of my kiddies are sleeping and I'm bumping for the first time in forever

The triplets are so adorable!  What kind of bottle prop are you using? I am having a hard time with trying to tandem bottle feed and I feel awful leaving one to cry while I feed the other so I end up doing this crazy rotation feeding. Let one eat for a few minutes, put him down, let her eat, put her down to go back to him. 

persephonerose

Aurora1181 said:

Hey ladies- I'd like to join in.

My twins are 3 months actual, six weeks adjusted. They're doing well! Our girl is over 10lbs and our boy is about 12lbs. They eat about 3-4 oz every 3 hours. I'm EPing which is so freaking hard, and we supplement with formula. I'm still trying to get them "back to the breast" but it's tough.. today my boy has been glued to my breast, it feels like, and when he isn't, i'm pumping. It's just easier to give them bottles..

The sleeping has gotten better- they sleep from around 10pm-1am and then until 5am at night. That four hour chunk of sleep is awesome!

No tips or tricks here. Once we started our boy on Zantac, things got a lot better. Much less screaming.

I'm going back to work in one week.. so nervous about that! DH is staying home with them for the next couple weeks until Christmas break (i'm a teacher) and then they'll start day care in January.

I love love love double baby snuggles.

I am jealous of your sleep! That is amazing that they are sleeping so well for you. Pumping is extremely hard work, and you are trying to nurse too and supplementing! We tried that for a few weeks in the beginning when DH was off work, but once he went back to work I just couldn't manage it with my toddler. So we are pumping/supplementing. 

persephonerose

BabyBsOven said:

Glad to see this was started back up! I need tips and tricks My twins are good. Both boys are growing great. We think Kane has a cow protien allergy so he's on a different formula than Silas but both are gaining weight. Right now we are dealing with peely skin but that's it. My only tip is gas drops! I found that putting them in the formula instead of giving it before or after a bottle has worked a lot better. The twins are 6.5 weeks. It is getting a little easier because we are getting into a routine. I was lucky to have my husband home from work for the first 4.5 weeks and my MIL stay for the week my husband went back but I wasn't able to get on any kind of schedule. Now that I'm home by myself with the twins and a toddler, a routine became essential and everyone is on board the boys are about 30min apart on feedings so I can get all feeding done in an hour and have another 2 hours to get other stuff done (diapers, toddler, play and talk, clean, cook, etc) before the cycle starts again. Kudos for everyone that is breastfeeding or pumping. I tried pumping for the 4 weeks my husband was home but knew I would never have time once he went back to work, and we suspected the allergy in Kane and I don't have the discipline for an elimination diet. I really wish it had worked out and want to cry I'll never know a successful BF relationship. Keep on ladies!!

In the NICU they had the twins on a great schedule, they ate 30 minutes apart and had a 3 hour rotation.  Once we got home that all went to hell   Our twins are also on different formulas and it makes things interesting trying to make and keep track of which bottle belongs to which baby.

victoria+james

persephonerose said:

BabyBsOven said:

Glad to see this was started back up! I need tips and tricks

My twins are good. Both boys are growing great. We think Kane has a cow protien allergy so he's on a different formula than Silas but both are gaining weight. Right now we are dealing with peely skin but that's it.

My only tip is gas drops! I found that putting them in the formula instead of giving it before or after a bottle has worked a lot better.

The twins are 6.5 weeks. It is getting a little easier because we are getting into a routine. I was lucky to have my husband home from work for the first 4.5 weeks and my MIL stay for the week my husband went back but I wasn't able to get on any kind of schedule. Now that I'm home by myself with the twins and a toddler, a routine became essential and everyone is on board the boys are about 30min apart on feedings so I can get all feeding done in an hour and have another 2 hours to get other stuff done (diapers, toddler, play and talk, clean, cook, etc) before the cycle starts again.

Kudos for everyone that is breastfeeding or pumping. I tried pumping for the 4 weeks my husband was home but knew I would never have time once he went back to work, and we suspected the allergy in Kane and I don't have the discipline for an elimination diet. I really wish it had worked out and want to cry I'll never know a successful BF relationship. Keep on ladies!!

In the NICU they had the twins on a great schedule, they ate 30 minutes apart and had a 3 hour rotation.  Once we got home that all went to hell   Our twins are also on different formulas and it makes things interesting trying to make and keep track of which bottle belongs to which baby.


Obviously I don't have multiples, but regarding the different formulas and which bottle goes to which baby... Have you considered color coordinating the bottles? Katherine could have pink while Nathaniel has blue (or whatever colors you choose). If the bottles themselves aren't colored you could tie ribbons on them once they're washed then just grab one of each color. Or if you have a label maker you could put their names on them.

Aurora1181

victoria+james said:

BabyBsOven said:

Glad to see this was started back up! I need tips and tricks My twins are good. Both boys are growing great. We think Kane has a cow protien allergy so he's on a different formula than Silas but both are gaining weight. Right now we are dealing with peely skin but that's it. My only tip is gas drops! I found that putting them in the formula instead of giving it before or after a bottle has worked a lot better. The twins are 6.5 weeks. It is getting a little easier because we are getting into a routine. I was lucky to have my husband home from work for the first 4.5 weeks and my MIL stay for the week my husband went back but I wasn't able to get on any kind of schedule. Now that I'm home by myself with the twins and a toddler, a routine became essential and everyone is on board the boys are about 30min apart on feedings so I can get all feeding done in an hour and have another 2 hours to get other stuff done (diapers, toddler, play and talk, clean, cook, etc) before the cycle starts again. Kudos for everyone that is breastfeeding or pumping. I tried pumping for the 4 weeks my husband was home but knew I would never have time once he went back to work, and we suspected the allergy in Kane and I don't have the discipline for an elimination diet. I really wish it had worked out and want to cry I'll never know a successful BF relationship. Keep on ladies!!

In the NICU they had the twins on a great schedule, they ate 30 minutes apart and had a 3 hour rotation.  Once we got home that all went to hell   Our twins are also on different formulas and it makes things interesting trying to make and keep track of which bottle belongs to which baby.

Obviously I don't have multiples, but regarding the different formulas and which bottle goes to which baby... Have you considered color coordinating the bottles? Katherine could have pink while Nathaniel has blue (or whatever colors you choose). If the bottles themselves aren't colored you could tie ribbons on them once they're washed then just grab one of each color. Or if you have a label maker you could put their names on them.

We totally do that! Our girl has pink and our boy has blue. we also use painters tape and a sharpie to label them sometimes (like if it's the bottle with the vitamin or something). Painters tape comes off the bottles easily. We have been using two different formulas too- Neosure for the girl to help her gain weight and Enfamil Gentlease for the boy for his reflux. We just decided two days ago to put them both on the Enfamil.. it was just too confusing and one time we accidentally switched them and that led to our boy's reflux being horrible.

Aurora1181

persephonerose said:

Aurora1181 said:

Hey ladies- I'd like to join in.

My twins are 3 months actual, six weeks adjusted. They're doing well! Our girl is over 10lbs and our boy is about 12lbs. They eat about 3-4 oz every 3 hours. I'm EPing which is so freaking hard, and we supplement with formula. I'm still trying to get them "back to the breast" but it's tough.. today my boy has been glued to my breast, it feels like, and when he isn't, i'm pumping. It's just easier to give them bottles..

The sleeping has gotten better- they sleep from around 10pm-1am and then until 5am at night. That four hour chunk of sleep is awesome!

No tips or tricks here. Once we started our boy on Zantac, things got a lot better. Much less screaming.

I'm going back to work in one week.. so nervous about that! DH is staying home with them for the next couple weeks until Christmas break (i'm a teacher) and then they'll start day care in January.

I love love love double baby snuggles.

I am jealous of your sleep! That is amazing that they are sleeping so well for you. Pumping is extremely hard work, and you are trying to nurse too and supplementing! We tried that for a few weeks in the beginning when DH was off work, but once he went back to work I just couldn't manage it with my toddler. So we are pumping/supplementing. 

They are definitely getting better at sleeping, but we still have rough days. Pumping is horrible, but they are terrible nursers, so that's all I can do for now. I go back to work a week from tomorrow, on Dec. 1st, so we'll see how long I can keep this up. They get 8 bottles a day and 2 of them are formula. It's allowed me a little leeway and less stress with the pumping. I still pump for every feeding, so 8x a day, but they're only getting breast milk in a bottle 6x a day. Does that make sense? I can't even imagine trying to manage the twins AND a toddler! Major props to you.