Baby blues and twins

ksgsmu · January 2015

my babies are 11 days old and amazing. I love them to pieces and have had lots of help but I just feel so overwhelmed and having anxiety and crying etc... I know this is somewhat normal postpartum but just wondering how you ladies have dealt with it.

pillowass · January 2015

Those early days are so incredibly hard. I didn't have PPD with the twins but in retrospect, I think I did have it with DS 1. It's really hard to tease out what is a normal reaction to an incredibly stressful situation versus baby blues/PPD - that line is pretty blurry.

I don't know if this will help you, but the thing that got me through the early days with the twins was the perspective that I had gained from DS1. I knew that "this" was temporary, that the work and sleepless nights we put in right now start paying off with those first smiles around 2 months, and then in fits and starts until they really get fun at around 6 months or so. (Really a year for us, but every baby/family is different.) When you're in it, your only job is survival and it's OK to feel like crap most of the time!

The other thing that helped us was formula feeding from the beginning. I spent the first week of my DS's life in a lactation clinic and my supply never came close to sustaining him, so this time I decided to EFF. I realize this is not for everyone, but for me this was the best decision and made things so much easier.

If you have a postpartum visit coming up, definitely discuss your concerns and symptoms with your OB. I have a couple of friends who took antidepressants in the early months with the blessing of their midwives/OBs and they tell me it really helped and that they were able to wean off fairly quickly.

Hang in there!

BabyKsMommy · January 2015

I would send an email/call your OB so you can have the conversation with them on what is normal and what you may need assistance for.

It is incredibly hard with twins at first. Once you get more sleep it does get easier. But like Monday I didn't get much sleep the night before and I was a zombie all day. Once DH got home I took a nap and immediately felt 100 times better.

Be nice to yourself and don't stress about what doesn't get done that day. Just enjoy those babies.

dal2aus · January 2015

Like the pp's said, talk to your doctor, however the 1st few weeks with twins are freaking hard. I don't think that I had ppd, but I was sleep-deprived, hungry, and totally overwhelmed. I think I cried almost everyday, and I had a very short fuse with my husband. I found that whenever I had some sleep and a good meal, I was in a better position to manage things. If I had it to do over again, I would have enlisted more help from my relatives and asked them to spend more time taking care of me so that I could take care of my babies.

chrissynena · January 2015

Awh hang in there. Like the other ladies said, the first few weeks were really hard. My babies will be 7 weeks on Monday, and it seems to have gotten so much better since the beginning.

Do you have some help? We were lucky that my mom was able to stay with us for awhile. She really helped wrangle DD1 during the day so i could nap if I needed too.

Just remember this phase doesn't last forever.

PeaceofKia · January 2015

Do you have help or anyone who can come help occasionally? I have moments where I feel like crying but then I remember that it's okay to ask for help and I wake DH up and have him help with a baby while I get myself together. I also have my grandmother in town right now who can help with certain tasks. I don't think I'd be as calm as I am without asking for help. The twins are a month old now and have been home for 11 days and I too feel overwhelmed. Creepy Internet hugs to you.

zazu13 · January 2015

I think every new mom (and especially every new mom of twins) feels overwhelmed and cries. That doesn't mean you shouldn't mention it to your dr for possible treatment of PPA or PPD which can be real and scary and needs attention. "Hanging in there" isn't the right course of action if you are truly suffering from a post-partum disorder. Like others mentioned, accept any and all help and definitely talk with your doctor. Hugs!

ksgsmu · January 2015

Thanks ladies... I have a doctors appointment this week and will talk to my doctor. I have great support from family and friends. I am very open about my feelings with my husband and my mother and they are being very supportive. I think part of it is that I had been on bedrest for so long (since 27 weeks) so I feel very trapped at home and like my life is stuck in this very weird place. I know this will end. I know my body has just been through something very traumatic as well and needs time to heal.