I think that the most interesting aspect of having twins is it makes you realize there are many things you have no control over. So much of their personalities and traits are hard-wired. Unless you have two kids at the exact same time, you can't see how each has developed into their own person without any help from you.
You can't wonder what you did right with the first child that you must have forgotten to do with the second. You can't pat yourself on the back for fixing your mistakes with your second that you made with the first (even though you can't really recall what you did wrong). You actually have proof that you treated each child exactly the same, fed them the same food, put them to sleep using an identical method, etc. Even though all this is the same, at the end of the day they are completely different people. I have recently discovered, for example, that I have no control over the development of picky eating (Darn!).
So, I say throw out the books! Forget the professional advice! Just love and kiss them and see who they become.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
So much has changed...
It has been a really long time since I made a post. So much has changed.
The biggest news is that the boys now sleep in separate cribs. I never thought it would happen. They always kept to their own sides and never woke each other. Then one day I noticed that Carter would not go down as easily for a nap. Then it happened again, and again - lots of crying before finally falling asleep. After a few days, it was so bad that I finally went back into our room. Gerrit was sound asleep tucked into his corner of the crib. Carter was on the other side of the crib screaming his head off. He looked at me, then at Gerrit, then back at me as if to say, "get him out of here!" The next day I set up a pack and play (our other crib was never fully assembled) and he slept like a dream.
The boys also no longer nurse together. At night I noticed that they were only feeding for a minute or two before stopping. That would have been the greatest weaning opportunity if the pediatrician had not just informed me that my boys were too small and needed to put on additional weight. So, one night I fed them separately, and they each ate for 10 minutes again.
This change in nursing caused Gerrit to have to wait for Carter to finish before he could nurse. The result? He would fall back asleep while waiting - and thus started sleeping through the night. This happily continued for almost two months. Only, in the last month we have been dealing with molars and other teething issues, and are thus up again in the night.
All this change for the boys is leading to some change for us as well. We are finally preparing to move the boys into their own room. Now that we know they can sleep through the night, we are ready to get our privacy back.
It is so strange to look back at pictures and realize how much our lives are changing. Some things get easier (like the boys being able to climb into their high chairs all by themselves), and some get harder (like the boys being able to climb onto table tops all by themselves). Overall though, it gets better every day.
The biggest news is that the boys now sleep in separate cribs. I never thought it would happen. They always kept to their own sides and never woke each other. Then one day I noticed that Carter would not go down as easily for a nap. Then it happened again, and again - lots of crying before finally falling asleep. After a few days, it was so bad that I finally went back into our room. Gerrit was sound asleep tucked into his corner of the crib. Carter was on the other side of the crib screaming his head off. He looked at me, then at Gerrit, then back at me as if to say, "get him out of here!" The next day I set up a pack and play (our other crib was never fully assembled) and he slept like a dream.
The boys also no longer nurse together. At night I noticed that they were only feeding for a minute or two before stopping. That would have been the greatest weaning opportunity if the pediatrician had not just informed me that my boys were too small and needed to put on additional weight. So, one night I fed them separately, and they each ate for 10 minutes again.
This change in nursing caused Gerrit to have to wait for Carter to finish before he could nurse. The result? He would fall back asleep while waiting - and thus started sleeping through the night. This happily continued for almost two months. Only, in the last month we have been dealing with molars and other teething issues, and are thus up again in the night.
All this change for the boys is leading to some change for us as well. We are finally preparing to move the boys into their own room. Now that we know they can sleep through the night, we are ready to get our privacy back.
It is so strange to look back at pictures and realize how much our lives are changing. Some things get easier (like the boys being able to climb into their high chairs all by themselves), and some get harder (like the boys being able to climb onto table tops all by themselves). Overall though, it gets better every day.
Friday, May 28, 2010
How to keep your kids in the tub? YooKidoo!
Recently my boys started to try climbing out of the bath tub. They are not yet big enough to accomplish it , but it was starting to stress me out. My sister in law gave the boys the coolest bath tub toy for their birthday. Not only does it keep them obsessed with staying in the tub, but I no longer have to run a trickle of water for their entertainment. This is also a good thing because it keeps their attention away from the hot tap. The toy is by Yookidoo and is called the Yookidoo Flow 'N' Fill Spout. It uses a battery to recirculate water and comes with three different cups to play with. I can not say enough about how great this toy with. When bathing twins, anything that makes life easier is great!
Oh yeah, and my mother bought them the cutest robes recently. I had received bath robes earlier as a gift, but found them useless to use on a baby that can't walk. But, these robes have also made bath time easier for me now that they are walking. This is because my husband and I used to have to both be present at the end of bath time to pull two babies out of the tub and into their towels safely. Now, with these robes, only one of us needs to be there to pull one out at a time, and send them out the door knowing they are warm and dry. Did I mention they are super cute too?
Thursday, May 27, 2010
The Advantages of Twins
I recently made a list of advantages of having twins for a friend when she was pregnant. (I wish I still had it because it would make this post a lot quicker to write!) She had been a little down after all she heard were horror stories from other twin moms. Why people do this do each other, I will never know. There are numerous benefits to having twins. This list probably isn't long enough!
1. Grandparents can't get jealous of each other because there is one baby for each to hold.
2. Double the snuggles.
3. When one baby isn't sure it wants to eat something, they often do when they see their twin eating it.
4. You become very efficient at everything.
5. You get to dress them alike.
6. They play with each other from a very early age.
7. They are more content to be left alone by you because they always have a companion.
8. They sleep better also because they do not feel alone.
9. It is easier to feed them solid food because you're not left with as many leftovers as when you try to feed just one baby.
10. The dad is a very involved parent.
11. Did I mention double the snuggles?
1. Grandparents can't get jealous of each other because there is one baby for each to hold.
2. Double the snuggles.
3. When one baby isn't sure it wants to eat something, they often do when they see their twin eating it.
4. You become very efficient at everything.
5. You get to dress them alike.
6. They play with each other from a very early age.
7. They are more content to be left alone by you because they always have a companion.
8. They sleep better also because they do not feel alone.
9. It is easier to feed them solid food because you're not left with as many leftovers as when you try to feed just one baby.
10. The dad is a very involved parent.
11. Did I mention double the snuggles?
Monday, May 3, 2010
My new addiction - finding a new brand of cloth diapers...
OK, so my new addiction is trying to find a new brand of cloth diapers to use. Alas, the mountain of BumGenius diapers I bought have not worked out for me. (see earlier post) Turns out microfiber and a super HE machine equals one stinky batch of diapers. So, I am on a mission to find the perfect diaper. Turns out, I need all natural fibers to prevent the stink. So far I have tried GroBaby, Soft Bums, and Bottom Bumpers. I must admit the Bamboo Soft Bums are fantastic. A bit pricey though... so I am still searching. It turns out there are so many to choose from.
As Thoroughly Modern Milly would say,
"Searching. Searching. Always Searching."
"Searching. Searching. Always Searching."
(image is from http://buckingthewave.wordpress.com/)
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Pretend your twins are older then they really are.
Huh? Who doesn't want to slow down time, stop their babies from aging, or prevent their infants from becoming toddlers? Ummmm.... me.
Over the last two weeks my boys have started walking. I have to admit that my joy is for mostly selfish reason. I no longer have to make two trips to get the babies in the car. I no longer have to make two trips to get the boys outside to play. I no longer have to make two trips... oh, you get the picture. I take each one by the hand and away we go. Now, it may take us 5-10 minutes to actually make it across the yard to get to the van, but once we are there - we are gone!
So, Carter was the only one who could actually walk when we made our first attempt at this. Gerrit was held up by his hand as he stumbled along trying to keep up. But, he made it to the van and was soooo proud of himself. Now they are both walking. Today they took my hands and tried to steer me towards the door to go outside. They were most upset when I forced a detour to the living room.
I sometimes wonder am I too lenient? Is my mother reading this and having an internal heart attack? Probably so. But, I think that as a mother of twins you have to let your children grow up faster and be more independent then you ever imagined you would have allowed. Maybe it also stems from the fact that I was not the first born child, and so was left to my own devices more. Who knows?
Over the last two weeks my boys have started walking. I have to admit that my joy is for mostly selfish reason. I no longer have to make two trips to get the babies in the car. I no longer have to make two trips to get the boys outside to play. I no longer have to make two trips... oh, you get the picture. I take each one by the hand and away we go. Now, it may take us 5-10 minutes to actually make it across the yard to get to the van, but once we are there - we are gone!
So, Carter was the only one who could actually walk when we made our first attempt at this. Gerrit was held up by his hand as he stumbled along trying to keep up. But, he made it to the van and was soooo proud of himself. Now they are both walking. Today they took my hands and tried to steer me towards the door to go outside. They were most upset when I forced a detour to the living room.
To get outside you have to go out the back door and onto our concrete porch. There are no railings and there are three large (well worn smooth) stone steps to climb down. After one week of trying to keep them off the porch and carrying them down, I gave up. Yesterday I opened the door and let them crawl across the porch and down the stairs all by themselves. They did this sort-of scraping ,slide down the steps, slither. But, I figured if it hurt, they would complain. Again, I got huge smiles of accomplishment when they got to the bottom, and my life was made a lot easier.
I sometimes wonder am I too lenient? Is my mother reading this and having an internal heart attack? Probably so. But, I think that as a mother of twins you have to let your children grow up faster and be more independent then you ever imagined you would have allowed. Maybe it also stems from the fact that I was not the first born child, and so was left to my own devices more. Who knows?
Friday, April 23, 2010
My "Living" Room
I literally “live” in my living room. It is like the one room command center. With two babies in tow, it just makes life easier. I can’t imagine functioning any other way.
When I was pregnant, I folded all their little outfits into the chest of drawers upstairs. I set up a changing station in their room. I put all their extra things into a multi-shelf unit in their closet. All was a blissful dream of using their nursery and creating this little dream world. As I have mentioned before, their nursery now stands unused. It has become a storage room for all the things they have outgrown. The chest of drawers that I forced my husband to empty of all his clothes now stands empty.
I imagine a world with one child is much different. But, with two, it just never seemed possible to leave one unattended while I schlepped it upstairs to do what needed to be done. After the boys came home, the diaper changing station for the pack-and-play was quickly set up. Baskets were brought downstairs to house their clothes and blankets. The basinet of the pack-and-play became their daytime crib.
Those baskets of clothes still sit in my living room. They now house PJs, tops, and pants. The nicer changing table was moved downstairs. I transitioned the babies from the pack-and-play, to the “drop zone” (see previous post) to a dog bed. Don’t laugh! A large rectangular dog bed makes the perfect baby nap spot. When they wake up, they just crawl off and go back to playing! (They were so used to napping in the same room as me they do not wake up from sounds.) They only started to nap upstairs in their crib at 8 months.
My living room is total chaos. Total and complete chaos. In this room we get dressed and nurse in our rocking recliner. In this room we fall asleep and then get carried upstairs. In this room we play and throw all our toys and books everywhere. In this room we eat at the table and throw our unwanted food on the floor. In this room we snuggle and play. And, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
When I was pregnant, I folded all their little outfits into the chest of drawers upstairs. I set up a changing station in their room. I put all their extra things into a multi-shelf unit in their closet. All was a blissful dream of using their nursery and creating this little dream world. As I have mentioned before, their nursery now stands unused. It has become a storage room for all the things they have outgrown. The chest of drawers that I forced my husband to empty of all his clothes now stands empty.
I imagine a world with one child is much different. But, with two, it just never seemed possible to leave one unattended while I schlepped it upstairs to do what needed to be done. After the boys came home, the diaper changing station for the pack-and-play was quickly set up. Baskets were brought downstairs to house their clothes and blankets. The basinet of the pack-and-play became their daytime crib.
Those baskets of clothes still sit in my living room. They now house PJs, tops, and pants. The nicer changing table was moved downstairs. I transitioned the babies from the pack-and-play, to the “drop zone” (see previous post) to a dog bed. Don’t laugh! A large rectangular dog bed makes the perfect baby nap spot. When they wake up, they just crawl off and go back to playing! (They were so used to napping in the same room as me they do not wake up from sounds.) They only started to nap upstairs in their crib at 8 months.
My living room is total chaos. Total and complete chaos. In this room we get dressed and nurse in our rocking recliner. In this room we fall asleep and then get carried upstairs. In this room we play and throw all our toys and books everywhere. In this room we eat at the table and throw our unwanted food on the floor. In this room we snuggle and play. And, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
How to Go Out and Actually Accomplish Something!
When I was pregnant I dreamed of the time when I would go out with my twins in their double stroller. People would smile as I cruised along accomplishing my errands. That twin stroller, which I made sure turned on a dime and fit through doorways, was my ticket to freedom.
So, my very first trip out I was not prepared for the sheer number of people who would stop me. Literally get in front of my stroller and force me to stop and talk to them. I won't go into details, but it took me an entire hour to buy 3 things. An entire hour. And when you are tied to breastfeeding, those moments between feedings are precious!
I attempted this task a few more times before I realized that the problem was not that I had the most adorable twins on the planet that everyone wanted to see (which is true by the way). The problem was that I was strolling around with blinking lights, catchy music, and a sign that said, "Twins! Come take a look!"
If I was going to get anything done this had to change. Enter the baby carrier. I soon realized that one baby in a sling and one in the shopping cart attracted a lot less attention. Instead of 100 inquiries, I would get about 4. And I had this handy cart in which to put everything! I would carry one boy in a New Natives Sling until about 4 months, and I have used an Ergo since then. The other baby went into the car seat carrier propped in the cart. As they grew, the car seat disappeared and one baby rode in the built in shopping cart seat. I still do this, but I have also regressed. They love to ride in the carts, so I now often put them in the cart seat side by side, or just let them ride in the main compartment. I get a lot more comments again, but it is still better than using the stroller. Even if I am just picking up a few items, I hardly ever use the stroller.
My double stroller still gets plenty of use, and it is always tucked away in the back of my van. But, sometimes the best part of having twins is looking back and realizing how nothing turned out as planned. Instead you get to give yourself kudos for figuring it all out and realizing what a rockin'ly smart mama you turned out to be.
So, my very first trip out I was not prepared for the sheer number of people who would stop me. Literally get in front of my stroller and force me to stop and talk to them. I won't go into details, but it took me an entire hour to buy 3 things. An entire hour. And when you are tied to breastfeeding, those moments between feedings are precious!
I attempted this task a few more times before I realized that the problem was not that I had the most adorable twins on the planet that everyone wanted to see (which is true by the way). The problem was that I was strolling around with blinking lights, catchy music, and a sign that said, "Twins! Come take a look!"
If I was going to get anything done this had to change. Enter the baby carrier. I soon realized that one baby in a sling and one in the shopping cart attracted a lot less attention. Instead of 100 inquiries, I would get about 4. And I had this handy cart in which to put everything! I would carry one boy in a New Natives Sling until about 4 months, and I have used an Ergo since then. The other baby went into the car seat carrier propped in the cart. As they grew, the car seat disappeared and one baby rode in the built in shopping cart seat. I still do this, but I have also regressed. They love to ride in the carts, so I now often put them in the cart seat side by side, or just let them ride in the main compartment. I get a lot more comments again, but it is still better than using the stroller. Even if I am just picking up a few items, I hardly ever use the stroller.
One Year and Counting
The boys had their first birthday on Wednesday. Wow. The first six months were probably the longest six months of my life. Every day was new and different. Then suddenly time went into hyper drive, and here I sit the mother of two toddlers wondering how this day came about so fast. I had been getting a little freaked out lately because I was losing my babies. Being a mother of IVF infants, knowing it will never happen again is a hard pill to swallow.
But, a month ago I was shopping for sun hats at Old Navy and not seeing anything I liked in the baby section. I am not lying when I say that up until this day I had never noticed the toddler boy section. It was on the other side of the store - far away from my baby focused eyes. I only discovered it because I saw a clearance sign and what I knew was a baby outfit. I decided to see what else was on that rack. (Cue the dramatic music...) My eye caught sight of a little t-shirt on a table with Yoda on it. 12-18 months. What??? I checked out another t-shirt. Same size. (Cue some more music...) Wait! All these clothes would fit my kids and they are soooooo cute! Not baby cute, but cool cute! When I got home, I told my husband all about it in a rush of words and excitement. I am sure he thought I was nuts.
Since then, it has been like a whole new world is opening up. We planted flowers in the planters outside together. We figured out how to climb onto the stroller and climb all the way up onto the handle bars (oh yes). The twins now own fun, big boy toys like swings, ride-on-giraffes, musical instruments, and push toys . (P.S. Apparently twin toddlers need two of everything. Sharing is hard when you can't say, "mine!") And, if that wasn't enough, last week Carter took his first steps. Just wait until they are both walking... who knows what we will be doing then.
Watch out world, here we come!
But, a month ago I was shopping for sun hats at Old Navy and not seeing anything I liked in the baby section. I am not lying when I say that up until this day I had never noticed the toddler boy section. It was on the other side of the store - far away from my baby focused eyes. I only discovered it because I saw a clearance sign and what I knew was a baby outfit. I decided to see what else was on that rack. (Cue the dramatic music...) My eye caught sight of a little t-shirt on a table with Yoda on it. 12-18 months. What??? I checked out another t-shirt. Same size. (Cue some more music...) Wait! All these clothes would fit my kids and they are soooooo cute! Not baby cute, but cool cute! When I got home, I told my husband all about it in a rush of words and excitement. I am sure he thought I was nuts.
Since then, it has been like a whole new world is opening up. We planted flowers in the planters outside together. We figured out how to climb onto the stroller and climb all the way up onto the handle bars (oh yes). The twins now own fun, big boy toys like swings, ride-on-giraffes, musical instruments, and push toys . (P.S. Apparently twin toddlers need two of everything. Sharing is hard when you can't say, "mine!") And, if that wasn't enough, last week Carter took his first steps. Just wait until they are both walking... who knows what we will be doing then.
Watch out world, here we come!
Monday, March 22, 2010
I'm Sorry, So Sorry...
Poor kid. There you are changing a diaper, feeding a baby, etc., when the inevitable happens. The other twin starts to cry. Whether for some unknown reason, or they have fallen over and bumped their heads, the wailing begins. Do you rush over right away like the mother of just one child? Do you set your toddler down and rush over like a mother with older children? Or, do you just yell across the room, "I'm Sorry!" as you finish the task at hand. If you are the mother of twin is is likely the last option. Unless you are an octopus with extendable arms this may become one of your most used phrases.
But, I believe that the use of this phrase has created somewhat patient little babes (I know, I know - I am not yet at the terrible twos). After months of yelling "I'm Sorry" across the room and feeling just awful, the other twin will now come over and just rest their head on my leg or knee until I am done.
I'm telling you, this twin raising thing definitly has some perks.
oops...got to run... my twins are screaming their heads off upstairs refusing to nap. Oh well. I can't win them all.
But, I believe that the use of this phrase has created somewhat patient little babes (I know, I know - I am not yet at the terrible twos). After months of yelling "I'm Sorry" across the room and feeling just awful, the other twin will now come over and just rest their head on my leg or knee until I am done.
I'm telling you, this twin raising thing definitly has some perks.
oops...got to run... my twins are screaming their heads off upstairs refusing to nap. Oh well. I can't win them all.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Diapering Twins on the Cheap
The doctor tells you those two little kidney beans on the screen are twins. Whoa! How exciting! Two babies to love, to snuggle, and kiss, and feed… and clothe……and…oh God…diaper. Two babies to diaper at the same time. “Doctor, are you sure?”
I think one of the scariest thoughts about having twins is the amount of diapers you will need. As you peruse the diaper aisles and read your baby books, you slowly come to the realization that you will be spending THOUSANDS of dollars on diapers alone. Yes, thousands and thousands.
What I haven’t yet told you is that not only am I a stay at home mother, but I am married to a math teacher. Yes, that’s right. Math teacher = underpaid, hardworking, wonderful man. Oh, where was I… Right. Thousands of dollars.
My boys are now 11 months old and I have spent maybe 300 dollars total on disposable diapers. Huh? Now here’s the crazy part. If my youngest twin didn’t have such sensitive skin – that figure could be less than $100.
The answer is cloth diapering. The secret to cheap diapering is to buy used cloth diapers on Craigslist, and then reselling them when you are done. I have to admit that cloth diapering is not for everyone. If you are freaked out by poop, then you have no hope. Me, I sing songs about poop all the time, so it is no big deal. (Bumgenius makes a fabulous hose that attaches to your toilet to blast all that poo right down the drain.)
Here is a breakdown of how I did it. Feel free to comment if you need more details.
0-4 months
I bought 40 Kissaluvs contours and 6 x-small Thirsties covers from a fellow twin mother for $200. I resold them as two sets for $100 each.
4-11 months
I bought 40 Crickett’s newborn sized diapers and 6 small Thirsties off Craigslist for $300. (I am currently washing them to resell for the same price).
11 months +
I just bought (gulp) $600 worth of Bumgenius diapers (60 diapers) from two ladies on Craigslist. I think I bought too many, but I plan to sell all the pink ones I got right away. The rest I will sell when I am done.
Ta da! In the end I will have paid NOTHING (or close to it). The reason I have spent $300 in disposables is because I use them at night. Otherwise my little man gets a rash. Oh, and he requires expensive, hypoallergenic, disposable diapers. He would make it cost me something!
I think one of the scariest thoughts about having twins is the amount of diapers you will need. As you peruse the diaper aisles and read your baby books, you slowly come to the realization that you will be spending THOUSANDS of dollars on diapers alone. Yes, thousands and thousands.
What I haven’t yet told you is that not only am I a stay at home mother, but I am married to a math teacher. Yes, that’s right. Math teacher = underpaid, hardworking, wonderful man. Oh, where was I… Right. Thousands of dollars.
My boys are now 11 months old and I have spent maybe 300 dollars total on disposable diapers. Huh? Now here’s the crazy part. If my youngest twin didn’t have such sensitive skin – that figure could be less than $100.
The answer is cloth diapering. The secret to cheap diapering is to buy used cloth diapers on Craigslist, and then reselling them when you are done. I have to admit that cloth diapering is not for everyone. If you are freaked out by poop, then you have no hope. Me, I sing songs about poop all the time, so it is no big deal. (Bumgenius makes a fabulous hose that attaches to your toilet to blast all that poo right down the drain.)
Here is a breakdown of how I did it. Feel free to comment if you need more details.
0-4 months
I bought 40 Kissaluvs contours and 6 x-small Thirsties covers from a fellow twin mother for $200. I resold them as two sets for $100 each.
4-11 months
I bought 40 Crickett’s newborn sized diapers and 6 small Thirsties off Craigslist for $300. (I am currently washing them to resell for the same price).
11 months +
I just bought (gulp) $600 worth of Bumgenius diapers (60 diapers) from two ladies on Craigslist. I think I bought too many, but I plan to sell all the pink ones I got right away. The rest I will sell when I am done.
Ta da! In the end I will have paid NOTHING (or close to it). The reason I have spent $300 in disposables is because I use them at night. Otherwise my little man gets a rash. Oh, and he requires expensive, hypoallergenic, disposable diapers. He would make it cost me something!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
You put your right breast in, you put you right breast out….
Figuring out how to breastfeed two babies simultaneously feels like trying to get two limp wet noodles to act like…I don’t know…non-wet-noodles? Let’s just say that the rules for breastfeeding one baby are pretty much out. Before the boys came I read all about how to co-feed two babies. Looked easy enough…. But, none of the books mentioned how to do the positions with two babies that lack the ability to hold up their heads. It took an EZ-2-Nurse pillow and a lot of blankets to get them into place.
There is a photo of me in the hospital with two babies nursing in the football position. I have the most naive smile on my face. That hospital bed must have been magic, because it was never that easy again.
I am not trying to depress you. But, I do think that learning to breastfeed twins was by far THE hardest and most emotionally trying time for me. Did it ever get easier? Yes. I did need help getting them in position for the first six weeks. But, once their heads were stronger I could manage it on my own.
Here are my stages of feeding:
1. Football hold on the EZ-2-Nurse pillow (that lasted a few days).
2. One baby in the football hold, the second in the traditional cradle hold. The baby in the cradle hold had its feet down the hole between my stomach and the nursing pillow. (This lasted until 6-8 weeks).
3. Double cradle hold (11 months and counting!)
Double cradle hold:
At first I had to figure out how to position the babies by myself. I would lay each baby on the couch on either side of me. Then, I would put the EZ-2-Nurse pillow in my lap. I would place each baby onto the pillow, slide their legs into the hole between the pillow and my stomach and Voila(!) - double cradle hold with elbows supported by my pillow. As time progressed, I was able to push the pillow away, and then stop using the pillow all together. My boys refuse to nurse together anymore during the day. But, at night, it is just the three of us.
Did I mention they hold hands?
(Thanks to my sister for her amazing photo of me: http://sammisofties.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html)
There is a photo of me in the hospital with two babies nursing in the football position. I have the most naive smile on my face. That hospital bed must have been magic, because it was never that easy again.
I am not trying to depress you. But, I do think that learning to breastfeed twins was by far THE hardest and most emotionally trying time for me. Did it ever get easier? Yes. I did need help getting them in position for the first six weeks. But, once their heads were stronger I could manage it on my own.
Here are my stages of feeding:
1. Football hold on the EZ-2-Nurse pillow (that lasted a few days).
2. One baby in the football hold, the second in the traditional cradle hold. The baby in the cradle hold had its feet down the hole between my stomach and the nursing pillow. (This lasted until 6-8 weeks).
3. Double cradle hold (11 months and counting!)
Double cradle hold:
At first I had to figure out how to position the babies by myself. I would lay each baby on the couch on either side of me. Then, I would put the EZ-2-Nurse pillow in my lap. I would place each baby onto the pillow, slide their legs into the hole between the pillow and my stomach and Voila(!) - double cradle hold with elbows supported by my pillow. As time progressed, I was able to push the pillow away, and then stop using the pillow all together. My boys refuse to nurse together anymore during the day. But, at night, it is just the three of us.
(Thanks to my sister for her amazing photo of me: http://sammisofties.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Twins Sharing One Crib
OK. So, I bought two cribs. One sits next to my bed. The other.... well, let's just say it has a nice layer of dust on it. It sits in their equally dusty nursery that my parents worked so hard to finish before the boys were born. Sorry Mom and Dad.
My boys are almost 11 months now, and they still fit well in one crib. I have heard some mothers of twins say they only kept their twins together for three or four months until the twins started rolling into each other. My boys started waking each other up about that time too. My solution was to lay them at opposite ends of the crib- feet to feet. It worked for me, but all babies are different.
Funny thing is they have suddenly started squirming back together the last two weeks. Last night I went to bed to see them lying side by side with their butts in the air. So cute. What made it even cuter was that they were also holding hands. Now, that is something only a mother of twins gets to enjoy.
My boys are almost 11 months now, and they still fit well in one crib. I have heard some mothers of twins say they only kept their twins together for three or four months until the twins started rolling into each other. My boys started waking each other up about that time too. My solution was to lay them at opposite ends of the crib- feet to feet. It worked for me, but all babies are different.
Funny thing is they have suddenly started squirming back together the last two weeks. Last night I went to bed to see them lying side by side with their butts in the air. So cute. What made it even cuter was that they were also holding hands. Now, that is something only a mother of twins gets to enjoy.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Your Cup Runneth Over....My Pump Runs Dry
I am now sitting at my computer ten months after my babies were born. In my freezer lay 5 little plastic baggies with 1.5 ounces of breast milk in each one. 7.5 ounces. That was all I ever managed to get. And that does not include all the empty bags that ended up in the trash after nothing came out.
Unless you have super boobs, do not expect a bountiful supply of excess milk in your freezer when you have twins. Your twins will suck you dry.
Yesterday we went to the doctor, and my boys' weights had fallen. We were advised to supplement. It is like going full circle. We supplemented the first few weeks they were here, and now we are back at it again.
We decided to start with their last feed of the day. Lately it has taken so long that I am kind of glad to give it up. The result? One happy daddy who now gets a chance to feed a tired, snuggly baby. And, one happy mommy whose babies didn't spend a half hour each trying to get the last few drops out.
Now I just need to get that bottle drying rack back from my sister in law.....
Unless you have super boobs, do not expect a bountiful supply of excess milk in your freezer when you have twins. Your twins will suck you dry.
Yesterday we went to the doctor, and my boys' weights had fallen. We were advised to supplement. It is like going full circle. We supplemented the first few weeks they were here, and now we are back at it again.
We decided to start with their last feed of the day. Lately it has taken so long that I am kind of glad to give it up. The result? One happy daddy who now gets a chance to feed a tired, snuggly baby. And, one happy mommy whose babies didn't spend a half hour each trying to get the last few drops out.
Now I just need to get that bottle drying rack back from my sister in law.....
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Cosleeping Times Two!
My 9 month old twins sleep next to me in their crib (and occasionally in our bed). They originally slept in a large cosleeper until they outgrew it. I can’t imagine any other arrangement when it comes to dealing with two babies at night.
The benefits of cosleeping with twins:
1. You never have to get out of bed at night. You simply pull them out of their cosleeper/crib, feed, return them to bed, and roll over to go back to sleep.
2. You will hear them in their early stages of waking up rather then screaming through the monitor. That said your babies are less "awake" when you feed them, and thus return to sleep easier.
3. They can easily be pulled into bed when sick. Depending on your stance about sleeping with a child in your bed, I can say that a sick baby sleeps much better snuggled up to you than alone. I am not sure if it is just me, but my babies (who sleep on their stomachs in their crib) always sleep on their backs when in bed with me. Thus, when they have colds, their noses drain much better. If they are in their crib, they constantly wake up from being unable to breath.
4. You can enlist your husband's help when needed. Enough said. Until about 6 months old, my husband was responsible for night-time diaper changes. Now that they only get one change, we share the job. (What a keeper he is!)
5. Breastfeeding is much easier. This also relates to #2 - only it is much easier for you to return to sleep.
Non-Cosleep process:
You get up, throw on a robe, walk into a cold room, get two babies out of cribs (which logistically is quite hard once they are mobile), breastfeed, burp, return them to bed, go back to your room, and crawl back into a now cold bed.
Cosleeping:
You sit up in your cozy bed. You pull one baby into bed and lay them next to you. You place the other one in your lap. You or your husband places the second baby into position. You breastfeed both babies at the same time while leaning back against a soft pile of pillows already in place. You burp the babies, and then lay one next to you in bed. You then return the first baby to the cosleeper, followed by the second. Finally, you roll over into your warm, yummy bed and fall fast asleep.
6. It is easier to let them cry. Lately my babies have tried to establish 2 am as "play time." This required that I let them cry it out a little for the first time. It was actually easier than I thought, because I could see their sillouettes in the dark and I knew they were OK.
I am a little biased towards cosleeping. Can you tell?
(Thank you to my new twin mom penpal Sarah for inspiring me to write this.)
The benefits of cosleeping with twins:
1. You never have to get out of bed at night. You simply pull them out of their cosleeper/crib, feed, return them to bed, and roll over to go back to sleep.
2. You will hear them in their early stages of waking up rather then screaming through the monitor. That said your babies are less "awake" when you feed them, and thus return to sleep easier.
3. They can easily be pulled into bed when sick. Depending on your stance about sleeping with a child in your bed, I can say that a sick baby sleeps much better snuggled up to you than alone. I am not sure if it is just me, but my babies (who sleep on their stomachs in their crib) always sleep on their backs when in bed with me. Thus, when they have colds, their noses drain much better. If they are in their crib, they constantly wake up from being unable to breath.
4. You can enlist your husband's help when needed. Enough said. Until about 6 months old, my husband was responsible for night-time diaper changes. Now that they only get one change, we share the job. (What a keeper he is!)
5. Breastfeeding is much easier. This also relates to #2 - only it is much easier for you to return to sleep.
Non-Cosleep process:
You get up, throw on a robe, walk into a cold room, get two babies out of cribs (which logistically is quite hard once they are mobile), breastfeed, burp, return them to bed, go back to your room, and crawl back into a now cold bed.
Cosleeping:
You sit up in your cozy bed. You pull one baby into bed and lay them next to you. You place the other one in your lap. You or your husband places the second baby into position. You breastfeed both babies at the same time while leaning back against a soft pile of pillows already in place. You burp the babies, and then lay one next to you in bed. You then return the first baby to the cosleeper, followed by the second. Finally, you roll over into your warm, yummy bed and fall fast asleep.
6. It is easier to let them cry. Lately my babies have tried to establish 2 am as "play time." This required that I let them cry it out a little for the first time. It was actually easier than I thought, because I could see their sillouettes in the dark and I knew they were OK.
I am a little biased towards cosleeping. Can you tell?
(Thank you to my new twin mom penpal Sarah for inspiring me to write this.)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Drop Zone
The drop zone started when I no longer had family help during the day (6 weeks). When I was done breastfeeding, I needed somewhere to lay one down and then the other while still providing an incline. My babes had major spit up issues at the time and had to be upright for at least half an hour after eating. Since I fed them on the couch, the drop zone was built at one end.
I took a pillow to cerate the incline needed, and laid it against the arm rest. Then I folded a quilt into a 3'x3' square and laid it over top. I took a small quilt and rolled it up. I laid that roll under the quilt square at the edge of the couch to keep the babies from falling off. Viola! Instant happy babies!
The drop soon became the place they napped and were read stories to. Over time I removed the back cushion to make it bigger, and built up the bumper as they started to roll. Once they were able to get up on their hands and knees, the drop zone was no more.
While the drop zone is a lifesaver, I feel the need to tell you in really small print , "Do not leave babies unattended. There is a risk of fall, etc....."
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Are they twins??
Question:
Are they twins?
This question is fun for about 1 week after you give birth. Then it gets old. So old, that I no longer use my double stroller to go shopping anymore. If I do, I would never get out of store! (Cute old grandpas who grab my babies' toes are the exception. I will stop for them any day.)
Answer:
Hmmm.. Let me see...two babies in a grocery cart. Same age. Same size. Exact same outfit.
No, I found this other one in the dairy isle and I thought I would take it home with me.
Oy Ve!
Are they twins?
This question is fun for about 1 week after you give birth. Then it gets old. So old, that I no longer use my double stroller to go shopping anymore. If I do, I would never get out of store! (Cute old grandpas who grab my babies' toes are the exception. I will stop for them any day.)
Answer:
Hmmm.. Let me see...two babies in a grocery cart. Same age. Same size. Exact same outfit.
No, I found this other one in the dairy isle and I thought I would take it home with me.
The Ultimate Question: How to Schedule Two Babies
I think the greatest worry to a parent of twins is how to get and keep them on the same schedule. I have had a few days where the day or night schedules were totally off. Let's just say that that it was not a pretty sight. The one rule that has always held true for me is that you can not stall a hungry baby to wait for the other twin to want to eat. If one babe is hungry, then the other one must eat too. If the second baby is asleep you wake him/her up. Even if the second baby just takes a nibble that is OK. Over time they learn the routine and become synchronized.
Cruel you say?? No! Here is the hidden benefit no one mentions. Your babes get so used to being roused from sleep, that it doesn't bother them. This means that taking them from the car, waking them up to transport them home from a friends house late at night, etc. is a piece of cake. I think too, that by dictating a schedule for them, they also learn to follow all (ok, most...) of your requests and cues.
I once feared that I was preventing them from learning to sleep through the night. What if one baby was ready for it? What if they were each ready to get up just once, but at different times? So, I tried just feeding them individually at night (around 8 months) to see what would happen. Hell on earth. Enough said.
The last piece of advice, stick to it! From day one, or any time they get off schedule, stick to your guns. It may take a few days or a few weeks, but it will be worth it. For your sanity’s sake and that of your family – don’t give up. Synchronized twins = One Happy Rested Mama!
Cruel you say?? No! Here is the hidden benefit no one mentions. Your babes get so used to being roused from sleep, that it doesn't bother them. This means that taking them from the car, waking them up to transport them home from a friends house late at night, etc. is a piece of cake. I think too, that by dictating a schedule for them, they also learn to follow all (ok, most...) of your requests and cues.
I once feared that I was preventing them from learning to sleep through the night. What if one baby was ready for it? What if they were each ready to get up just once, but at different times? So, I tried just feeding them individually at night (around 8 months) to see what would happen. Hell on earth. Enough said.
The last piece of advice, stick to it! From day one, or any time they get off schedule, stick to your guns. It may take a few days or a few weeks, but it will be worth it. For your sanity’s sake and that of your family – don’t give up. Synchronized twins = One Happy Rested Mama!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Where to Begin...Power to the Pacifier!
Let's just say I am a little obsessed with binkies. Anyone who chooses not to use them must be insane. My sister-in-law recently had a baby and asked when mine first started using pacifiers. Being that the first month after the twins were born is a total blur; I just looked through my pictures and had the answer. My twins started using their binkies at two weeks, and were addicted by two months. I swear that the binkies are why they are happy little boys who hardly ever cry. Do I worry about still using them? No. They only use them now at nine months when they are tired or cranky. They can go the whole day without putting one in their mouths. However, if binkies abound, and are in easy reach, they will use them more.
I love Soothies. I decided to use these because they are shaped like a nipple and will fall out of their mouths once they are asleep. At first, they needed the binkies to go to sleep. Then over time, because they fell out, they started to spit them out once they were about to crash out. The other binkies that are shaped to fit the mouth are more likely to remain in their mouths as they sleep. I would think that would lead to a more intense addiction.
Looking back at my pictures it is funny to see how these binkies look when they first used them. I think they took up half of their faces! It is no surprise that the main image on this blog is of Carter and Gerrit sucking away on their little binks.
I love Soothies. I decided to use these because they are shaped like a nipple and will fall out of their mouths once they are asleep. At first, they needed the binkies to go to sleep. Then over time, because they fell out, they started to spit them out once they were about to crash out. The other binkies that are shaped to fit the mouth are more likely to remain in their mouths as they sleep. I would think that would lead to a more intense addiction.
Looking back at my pictures it is funny to see how these binkies look when they first used them. I think they took up half of their faces! It is no surprise that the main image on this blog is of Carter and Gerrit sucking away on their little binks.
Juggling Twins - I Can Do It!
Since having twins, I have looked for web sites and blogs that could help me navigate the world of raising twins. I found that too many sites refer to having twins as chaos, insanity, etc., as if raising twins is some crazy nightmare experience that one has to survive.
So, I decided to create a blog that is focused on just offering the tips and advice that has worked for me. I won’t post about the events of my day. Frankly, it's just not that interesting. Instead, I will post about the things I can’t live without, how I have handled specific events, etc.. I will also ask for your advice – hey we’re not all perfect! (Did I mention that I can take two 9 month olds out shopping, eat in a restaurant and drive ½ hour each way without much trouble? I must be doing something right…)
People often make comments to me that my life must be so hard, double the trouble, blah – blah – blah. My response is always that I don’t know any different. It just is what it is, and I love it. It is my life. It is not insane. It is just a little more of a juggling act.
So, I decided to create a blog that is focused on just offering the tips and advice that has worked for me. I won’t post about the events of my day. Frankly, it's just not that interesting. Instead, I will post about the things I can’t live without, how I have handled specific events, etc.. I will also ask for your advice – hey we’re not all perfect! (Did I mention that I can take two 9 month olds out shopping, eat in a restaurant and drive ½ hour each way without much trouble? I must be doing something right…)
People often make comments to me that my life must be so hard, double the trouble, blah – blah – blah. My response is always that I don’t know any different. It just is what it is, and I love it. It is my life. It is not insane. It is just a little more of a juggling act.
A little bit about me...
I guess you could say we are a family built through science. I used to work in the Biotechnology field, but left it to stay home and raise organic vegetables and start a family. Raising the veggies was the easy part. Having children ... not so easy. After years of dissapointment, and a bit too much poking and proding by doctors, we finally did it. In Vitro Fertilization was the answer for us. Sometimes I look at my boys, and I hear that song, "wierd science.." running through my head. In a way, it couldn't be more perfect. Thank goodness for modern medicine. Now, let the real fun begin!
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