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June 2014 Moms
jaybee11
member
*7/21 Twin Mom Check-in*
jaybee11
member
We haven't had one of these in a while--two babies at once is time consuming, yo. For anyone lucky enough to have their hands free for a few minutes, we'd love to hear how you're hanging in there!
Copied this list from the last check-in, so please let me know if anything needs updated.
@curlylocks3 - Welcomed baby boy and baby girl
@katekat8721 - Welcomed two baby girls!
@xnbride - Team Pink - Still praying for baby Evangeline!
@StacyH0507 - Welcomed two baby boys!
@CAMag - Welcomed two baby boys!
@kmw722 - Welcomed two baby boys!
@Burgie84 - Welcomed baby boy and baby girl!
@anations - Welcomed baby boy and baby girl!
@SandraPB1220 - Welcomed two baby girls!
@sarah_beth2005 - Welcomed baby boy and baby girl!
@katekat8721 - Welcomed two baby girls!
@MrsP419 - Welcomed two baby girls!
@AJC&Maggie - Surprise! Welcomed two baby boys!
@CJNKR2014 - Welcomed two baby boys!
@Quinncat - Welcomed baby boy and baby girl!
@Chrissy1013 - Team Blue
@LegalLadyBug - Team Pink
1) What age are your little ones?
2) Upcoming appts for you and/or the babies?
3) Any updates to share?
4) Go ahead and let it out - how are you REALLY doing?
5) Any questions, insight or tips for other ctwin moms?
QOTD: Are you planning on going back to work, and if so, how soon?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: *7/21 Twin Mom Check-in*
1) What age are your little ones?
6w5d!!! It's going so fast yet so slow...
2) Upcoming appts for you and/or the babies?
Their 2mo on the 7th
3) Any updates to share?
They were both 8lbs12oz at their 1mo. I'm surprised they are staying this close in size!
4) Go ahead and let it out - how are you REALLY doing?
PPD is kicking my ass. Really need the Zoloft to kick in. Also lack of sleep is... not cool. 1hr of sleep in 48hrs... the struggle is real, y'all.
5) Any questions, insight or tips for other twin moms?
Tips on getting them to sleep at the same time? And longer? Anyone?
QOTD: Are you planning on going back to work, and if so, how soon?
Thinking about starting a job with Wal-Mart, just for some me time. Only thinking though lol
1) What age are your little ones? The girls are already two and a half months old--adjusted age 6 weeks. They're getting so big!
2) Upcoming appointments for you and/or the babies? Their two month appointment was just over a week ago. I was worried about how they'd be after their first round of shots, but fortunately they just slept a little more than usual.
3) Any updates to share? In the past week the girls have begun social smiling and a little bit of cooing. They're actually right on track using their adjusted age. While we still have plenty of challenges taking care of them at this age, seeing them actually respond to us somehow makes everything just a little bit easier. I'm trying not to wish away the newborn stage, but I can't wait to be able to play with my babies and see them interact with one another.
4) Go ahead and let it out - how are you REALLY doing? It depends on the day. A couple weeks ago DH was out of town for 5 days straight, and it felt like I was in constant crisis mode. It was basically baby care triage, bouncing back and forth to the one that was currently screaming the loudest. There were some rough moments, but we managed to get through it with everyone still alive and me mostly sane. While I'm not looking forward to him traveling again in the near future, at least I now know it's not going to be the end of the world. Last week FIL and DH's 13yo step-sister visited. I was shocked at how helpful she was with the girls, but having people in my house got old by the end of the week. I've not had a lot of people come by to help out (all of our family lives out of town), and as much as I know I need to let things go and take whatever help I can get, a big part of me just wants to hunker down in the house and not have to deal with anyone.
5) Any questions, insight or tips for other twin moms? Has anyone mastered any sort of tandem carrier? I've tried to figure out how to do a double wrap using YouTube, but it's about impossible to deal with all that fabric and two fussing babies when I actually need to! I'd love to not feel like I'm tied to the couch holding babies when they both need some cuddle time.
QOTD: I'm not planning to go back to work, although some days I really question that decision. I officially extended my leave, so next week I will begin my (unpaid) long-term leave. Technically, this means I could come back in some capacity if I change my mind in the next 14 weeks. I'm finding it hard to make the final break, just in case I decide to head back. But the cost of childcare for two infants and my general dislike for the corporate world has me convinced that's not going to happen. I do miss my co-workers, and there are days that I envy DH being able to escape the endless cycle of feeding, changing, washing... I know this is the right decision for me, but I'm hoping that once we get through the next couple months it will be less of a chore to get out of the house with the girls. I really don't want to become a hermit, and I'm afraid I'm heading in that direction!
1) My babies are (gasp!) almost 11 weeks!? When did that happen? NOT while I was sleeping! (Sorry, bad joke).
2) Upcoming appts: we have weekly PT sessions on Wednesdays and then their 3 month weight check will be August 7. If they are still gaining well at that appointment they will likely come off the Enfacare and switch to regular formula! At their 2 month (well 9 week) appointment Mumble weighed 7#13oz and Hugsy 10# even! My therapy appointments are every other week for now and I have one this week. Lastly, I *finally* got my period so I get to skip the appointment next week to get bloodwork done and Provera ordered. Yippee!
3) Updates on them: they were both referred to PT at their 2 month appointment. Mumble has torticollis on the right side of her neck and they initially thought Hugsy had it as well on the left side but last weeks testing showed no tightness, just those muscles are weak on him. Both have mild plagiocephaly (a flat spot) on those sides respectively as a result. We will be doing weekly appointments for hopefully a few months or less and have stretching and strengthening exercises to do at home every day.
Good news: we are getting smiles from both, their legs are getting stronger and better head support and Hugsy rolled over from tummy to back!
Update on me: I don't know if I included it in here before, so if I didn't I have PPA/OCD. Some days are better than others. I didn't have diagnosed anxiety before and I've always been shy so those two things combined, along with the exhaustion of two babies is making it hard to combat the isolation. I'm going to push myself this week though.
4) How am I really doing? Some days are better than others. We tried on demand feeds last week and it was an utter mess- they weren't physically ready for it I don't think and I felt trapped and like we couldn't go anywhere. I had no idea what to anticipate and after two feedings of one baby crying the entire time the other ate I knew this wasn't for us. Being back on a schedule helps us all to function and it's much better for my mental health to not have those meltdowns for all three of us at once. Plus this way I can plan in some one on one time snuggles with each of them which is so nice.
5) questions or tips?: how does everyone handle nap time / daily routines? I guess this is sort of along the lines of what @CJnKR2014 was asking but I think what I'm curious about is how people are fitting play time/ tummy time in. We typically do playtime before eating because otherwise they spit up a good chunk of their feedings which is no bueno, but it seems most people I see (in general) talking about this do the opposite. My kids don't nap then! And I feel like they will be totally off schedule because I'll spend all this time soothing the first one into napping and the other one will be fussing. Or I won't be able to give as much playtime to the first because I'll be feeding the second.
As for how we got them on schedule the NICU really started for us. They currently eat back to back. We are still doing scheduled feeds so sometimes that means waking them up to eat. If we get off schedule I slowly start moving them closer to their regular times- especially now with the PT because they have to eat a couple hours before it and it's 30 min away. If we are running late on schedule I wake them up and start their exercises and tummy time sooner and if we are running early and they are sleeping I let them sleep a bit longer. We are normally late though
QOTD: I am not going back. They'd have needed me back June 17 and they wouldn't have been home for a month even at that point! Plus there is no discount for bringing a second newborn to childcare! Add in my anxiety, and I think I'd be a mess worrying. I know it was the right decision for us but it was hard and I still miss it. I cried a lot while writing my resignation letters / the goodbye letter to my coworkers. It's hard to pull the trigger on that so be kind to yourself @jaybee11
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I don't know if this is excess anxiety of a normal twin mom thing, but how do you handle this?
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7w5d... how?!
2) Upcoming appts for you and/or the babies?
Already had my PP and their 2 month is the 4th
3) Any updates to share?
They're growing really well and are now 8.25 and 8.40 lbs! The pedi wanted them on Neosure for the first year of life, but I want to get a second opinion. The LCs are all mentioning how fast they're growing (faster than anticipated) and I'm not really sure why we need the high calorie formula at this point.
I have a little PPD going on. I sort of thought I'd get it since I had anxiety/depression issues in the past. I'm still terrified of going on medicine so I'm just working through it at this point. It's mostly driven by both babies crying, I feel overwhelmed and helpless and guilty that I can't be there for both. Then I get pissed when they're happy and in good moods for other people (usually the people keeping them up during nap time, so the girls are then extra happy for me later at night /sarcasm).
4) Go ahead and let it out - how are you REALLY doing?
I have a hard time admitting it, but I'm struggling! I'm still trying to adjust to the fact that my life revolves around babies and their moods and schedules. For instance I wanted to go on a walk this morning. Fed both, got them ready, got dressed... and now an hour and a half later, I'm still sitting on the couch because V has been crying the whole time and only has stopped when I'm cuddling her. She hates car seats/strollers. What do I do? Put her in it and go walk around the block with her screaming? I seriously don't know.
5) Any questions, insight or tips for other twin moms?
Can you guys break down scheduled feeding for me? DH and I were going to try it this morning. Fed one baby at 7:30 and the other at 8:00. By 8:30 the first baby was hungry, so I nursed her a bit. Should I have not nursed and waited till 11am to feed her? Do your babies cry and freak out while they're waiting for their 3 hr meal? Do they eventually stop? I'm wondering if it's like the CIO method where they freak at first and then get over it. If you pump, do you not nurse so you can maximize how much you get at the pump? God so many questions!
I've been feeding on demand if you couldn't tell :P I'm wondering if putting us all on a schedule will help my sanity, or worsen the PPD if they're just going to freak out more.
QOTD: Are you planning on going back to work, and if so, how soon?
Yeah, I have to go back to work. DH works PT and my mom is going to watch them the days he's at work. However, he wants to get another FT job. When that happens, we both can't work FT as we won't be able to swing daycare for two (insanity). So we're going to cross that bridge when we get to it. If my job offered PT and/or if I lived closer (it's one hour commute one way) then I'd love to stay at my job.
However!
Mumble and Hugsy eat at 2-6-10. Given the differences in age, volume, and breast milk vs formula S and V might need to be more often. When we got totally off schedule by trying on demand last week I tried spacing them a bit farther with each feed by trying other soothing mechanisms first (paci, snuggles, swaddling, bouncing). At the next feed they would then take a little more and since they had more in their bellies they weren't ready to eat quite so soon so naturally the interval lengthened and we did the same of offering other soothing first. H was home when I did it so one parent/ soother per baby! We aren't super rigid on the schedule- obviously if someone is hungry we wouldn't make them wait until the next feeding and once on schedule if one is awake but ate second I don't wake the sleeping one to eat and make the awake one wait if that makes sense? I don't feel super qualified to say what to do regarding breastfeeding because I dont want to mess with your supply- hopefully someone else can weigh in on that!- but that's sort of how we ride out te time between feeds when getting back on schedule. It might not happen overnight but the schedule- and being able to leave the house!- does wonders for my mental health.
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On another note, I hate when people compare them too and/or compare them to themselves. They're individuals! I am worried about this for when they get older since young girls self esteem is fragile. When people start to compare them I just say "well you have a broader nose and thinner lips than YOUR sister too"... shuts them up.
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2) Upcoming appts for you and/or the babies? Their two month is on August 7. I already had my post partum visit at 4 weeks.
3) Any updates to share? The babies are still eating about ever 2 hours during the day, sometimes ever 1 1/2 and sometimes stretching to 3. They have been doing longer stretches at night, though! Last night they did a 7 hr stretch! Regardless of how they sleep, we do a bottle for one MOTN feeding, mostly to give my nips a break. If I have time to pump in the AM, I use expressed milk (I can normally get enough for one bottle each in one pumping session). If not, we use formula. DH and I alternate this feed. I am trying to give them more awake time during the day, or even just time where I focus on them after they eat, but it is hard with other kids. They sit in the swing and RNP a lot, it seems. But they also have siblings to help hold and entertain them :-). Oh…and we have thrush. See below...
4) Go ahead and let it out - how are you REALLY doing? Frustrated with this stupid thrush thing! Breastfeeding twins is hard enough, and I have been so grateful that tandem feeding has been going well (though sometimes I do feed them one after the other). But that stupid open crack/blister never healed and I got ductal thrush! It is crazy. I never had the external symptoms…I just suddenly started feeling this burning pain in my breasts at random times. It was not even super painful; kind of like a more uncomfortable and unpleasant version of the let-down pins and needles. I texted a friend to ask her if she thought it could be overactive let down, and she said to make sure it was not ductal thrush. Which I am now 99% sure it is. I am now on 10 days of diflucan and the girls are on Nystatin and we have to sterilize and hot wash everything that touches their lips and my boobies all the time. You know, because I was not busy enough as it is! Hoping and praying only one round of treatment kicks it! Audrey has a nasty yeast infection in her diaper area too so DH and the big kids are out getting Lotrimin.
5) Any questions, insight or tips for other twin moms? If you haven't tried it, try side nursing them one at a time. It is super relaxing and sweet for bonding.
QOTD: Are you planning on going back to work, and if so, how soon? I am back at work, yo! I tried to take a longer maternity leave, but my 4 year old and 2 year old said no ;-) Just kidding :-). I am primarily a SAHM, and have been since DD1 was born, but I do work from home as an online writing coach. I did not renew my contract for this year, so I am not going back to that as of now. But in August/Sept I want to start picking up photography jobs!
@quinncat I hear you on not having time for silly things like showering or eating. When both girls are finally napping, my first priorities are pumping, washing and making up bottles, then maybe getting a load of laundry in. I haven't skipped a day of showering yet, but there have definitely been some times that I didn't get around to it until 11:30 at night. I feel bad sometimes because I want to spend more time holding/playing with the babies, but it's so hard when there are two! I can put one in a carrier and get some cuddles in while I work, but it just makes me sad that the other one is being left out. I know some singletons can be incredibly difficult, but I can't help but think that if I had only had one of these babies, my life would be some much easier.
@MrsP419 I definitely have one baby that is more high-maintenance most of the time, and I do feel guilty that her sister gets less attention. I also find myself trying to make up for it when things are relatively calm. I try not to beat myself up too much; like you said, they do take turns being "the fussy one."
@katekat8721 I hear you on everything revolving around the babies! It takes me hours to get out the door, so most days I just give up and hang out inside. There have been a couple times when I was determined to take a walk, so I ended up throwing whichever baby wouldn't settle down into my Ergo and pushed the other in the stroller. By the end of the walk, they're both asleep. Of course, we have also our moments where I'm cruising through the neighborhood with both screaming at the top of their lungs, but it seems much less loud when we're outside, so sometimes I just let them go.
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