April & May 2008

Vlada · Post by **Vlada** » Sun May 04, 2008 10:07 pm

Hello ladies,
Mandy,
I hope you rllittle one will arrive soon!!!!!

Babyb, thanks for the advise! i finally figured out ( I think) what was wrong, she was not eating enough!
In the books they say 10 to 15 min on each breast, i was doing 10 min and she likes doing 20 min on each breast and then i have to hold her for about 5 min, so she can fall asleep in my arms and only after all that i can put her in the bassinnet , she wakes up every 2 to 3 hours to eat at night, but she doesn't scream like she used to ( hopefully i have not just jinxed it), also she sleeps quite a bit during the day too

Good luck to all of you ladies!!!!
Vlada

woodcliff · Post by **woodcliff** » Mon May 05, 2008 10:46 pm

Mandy, best of luck to you in your deliver!!!! VERY SORRY your sister won't get to see your newborn ... that stinks!

BabyB: wow, so happy your doula worked out...and you sound like you've got a good routine going on...best with Halen and Asher ...you must be soooo tired!!! But so happy that they are doing well...

Vlada, your girl sounds angelic...how lovely...

Rebecca, Kipatte, Kelley (?), Cocoa (hope you're well), Croella...WISHING YOU WELL...

My babies are nowhere near sleeping long stretches...I just go with it..it'll be awhile. My trouble is I hate the night nannying business but NEED someone to get up with the babies cuz I can't go for 2 hr sleep stretches, at that...and my hubby's career is demanding and he's not about to get up either...and we have NO FAMILY HELP...you ladies with moms helping out are so lucky. We are pissing through $$$ just on help...but we have no choice...I'm still pretty beat and just a trip to Home Depot yesterday knocked me flat all day today...I can't wait to get into shape...

Best to all of you
xxoo
xooo

woodcliff · Post by **woodcliff** » Tue May 06, 2008 2:35 pm

PS: apparently the babies went from midnight to 5:a.m. between feedings...light at the end of the tunnel?

xxoo to all of you

Mandy J · Post by **Mandy J** » Wed May 07, 2008 10:41 am

Just another update:

I went back to the midwife yesterday, she was concerned that my BP had risen again so referred me to the OB at the hospital. So I've just returned from there!

She did another membrane sweep, and said that everything is looking 'favourable' with my cervix now soft and the baby lying central, so hopefully the 'sweep' will be enough to set off labour - hopefully today! But if nothing has happened by Friday I will be admitted for an induction.

The weather is so beautiful here right now, that I don't even mind not having the baby until the weekend when the weather is meant to get horrible again!

I am so close now....nervous....but can't wait!

Everyone has gone very quiet on here now, I guess you are all up to your elbows in dirty nappies/diapers and enjoying the joys of motherhood. I hope we all keep in contact later!

Mandy
x

p.s. WC: has your monster nanny gone now?

Vlada · Post by **Vlada** » Wed May 07, 2008 9:47 pm

Mandy good
luck to you!!!
Vlada

woodcliff · Post by **woodcliff** » Thu May 08, 2008 12:51 am

Darn, Mandy...I tried posting twice and lost the messages!
I am wishing you well...you have a great attitude...I'll be thinking of you this weekend as you hold your lovely baby!

Mary #$% poppins is still here...call me a wimp, as I am...I figure she'll get tired of me eventually...
The other 'helpers' are so terrific...but I'm tired of them too...as I feel more rested, I plan on getting rid of most everyone except some PT help...I want my babies to myself! (Yes, exhausting but they are mine!)

BEST to all of you ladies

robinsonpr · Post by **robinsonpr** » Thu May 08, 2008 6:42 pm

Hello everyone!

Me and my little ones are doing OK, just v v tired.

I am feeding both on the boob (at the same time....geez), and they both appear to be feeding well. But what about all this 20 mins+ for feeding? My boys are lucky to suckle for 10 mins, and they just stop after that, presumeably because they've had enough. They seem to be contented after feeding and they are both gaining weight (both 6oz above their birth weight at 3 weeks old), regularly filling nappies, so I guess they are getting enough. But everything I read about breastfeeding talks about 15-20mins on each boob for ONE baby....so I'm a little baffled how mine are satisfied with just 5-10mins on one boob. They are still quite small (6lb6 and 5lb8) so maybe they just don't need much? They are feeding around every 3 hours.

I'm having a bit of a nightmare with Jack...he's been really restless in the night. Sleeps fine during the day (pretty much ALL day) but is a little horror at night....sounds like he is in pain with wind. I do get wind out of him when I burp him but he still cries and appears to be in pain. He also sicks up frequently. The doctor says it sounds like colic, and I've also been reading all about reflux which sounds like it could be the cause. Anyone have experience of these problems? I'm using infacol for colic but hard to say if it's making any difference.

Anyway am sooo tired from trying to console Jack late in the night, so I'm going to try and grab some sleep before all hell breaks loose again tonight.

Here's a pic of my little lads!

Hayley xx

Mandy J · Post by **Mandy J** » Thu May 08, 2008 7:42 pm

Hayley, your little boys are just soooooo gorgeous!

I can't help you with any of your queries, I hope you get some advice, but just had to comment on how cute they are!

Mandy
x

woodcliff · Post by **woodcliff** » Thu May 08, 2008 8:28 pm

Hayley! Your boys are gorrrrgeous...
Wow that you are up with them all the time...I could never do that, and won't be up for it until they sleep at least 4 hrs each...in the interim it's night nurse city at my home so I can get sleep. Hats off to you...

I think your boys sound perfect...I hate all of the 'advice' out there...re: everything from BFing to sleeping to eating ... etc. If your boys are healthy and pooping and eating, they're prob. getting enough...they'd scream with hunger if they did not!

No advice on the crying...How about walking into the bathroom and turning on the tap water or the tub? Running water calms my babies during the witching hour (dusk)...I hope Jack does not have colic...but if he does, you'll find a way to deal with it! (slitting wrists, I hear, helps

)...no, seriously, driving in a car, etc...helps.

best to you

Mandy...YOU TOO

Vlada · Post by **Vlada** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:13 pm

Hayley,
You little ones are soooooo beautiful!!!!!
Vlada

kipatte · Post by **kipatte** » Fri May 09, 2008 1:01 pm

Stephanie is doing great. We just received our dogs yesterday from the U.S. (6 mo wait to bring them over via U.K. rules) and our pack is back together at last. (Two Maltese) Stephanie does not notice them but my female dog loves watching her. My male dogs ignores her.

Up too much at night (every two hours) but hubby is doing 2 of the feedings which is helpful. I slept through my turn this morning and he did it for me. I didn't even hear her cry. We have the bassinett next to our bed.

Haley your babies are so cute. Are they identical twins? They look it to me. I missed that post if they are.

Mandy good luck to you! I know you can't wait and it will be so wonderful I told my dr. if I could do it again I would relive the first week. It was fabulous, hospital, c-section and all.

Vlada... my little one fusses just because she wants to be held. We hold her almost all day. I need to figure out how my sling works!

Woodcliff.....the help thing is funny. I figured out the only help I wanted was help in cleaning my house!

Cocoa, glad things are well with you. Hope to hear about your heart and that everything is okay.

What a miracle it all is!

K

Babyb · Post by **Babyb** » Sat May 10, 2008 12:17 am

Sorry I have been MIA. Mandy, it is Friday so I'm assuming you have already had, or are in the process of having, your little one. Good luck!

I am so very tired these days and don't understand totally as I have a lot of help. My doula is wonderful! Last week I was using her for 13 hours (night shift) which allowed me to sleep and my DH was getting up at 6:00 am for the morning feed while I slept in. As far as most new moms go, I think I 'm getting quite a lot of sleep at night and yet I feel tired ALL THE TIME! I am on boob duty throughout the day, though and perhaps that is the culprit. I haven't managed to breast feed both boys at the same time (Haley, what is the secret?). In fact, my boys aren't always consistent about taking to the breast. If they are tired, I have to resort to the bottle instead. So, I feed one for 15-20 minutes, then the next for the same amount of time, then I pump for another 15 minutes. By the time everything is said and done, I've spent over an hour prepping/bottling for one session. I then have time for food, shower or a tiny nap (only 1 per break) before I have to boob all over again. IS ANYONE ELSE GETTING SO TIRED THAT THEY LITERALLY FALL ASLEEP SITTING UP AS THE BABES ARE ON THEIR BOOB(S)? I find myself dozing off with the boys as they get too comfortable on the breast. Where's all my energy?!

My stomach seems to be going down, but I'm not really shedding tons of weight. I have another 20 lbs to go before I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Lost about 20 lbs in last 2 weeks since birth. Afraid that the weight loss will begin to slow now. I was hoping to lose more up front

C'est la vie

That's it for now. Best to all the new mommies and mommies to be.

Babyb · Post by **Babyb** » Mon May 12, 2008 2:10 am

Just wanted to drop a note and say HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all! I had my baby naming/blessing at my house today and received lots of mother's day cards -- feels great!

woodcliff · Post by **woodcliff** » Mon May 12, 2008 2:48 am

Ditto on the Happy Mother's Day! My MIL came here, saw her grandbabies for the first time...it was so nice for her...

Baby B...Give it time...Just think of how long you were pregnant, and with twins...energy gets zapped but it will return at some point...
I have help 24/7 and I'm normally quite tired...I get more sleep than most twin moms, but I get wiped out so fast, and I tend to overdue things now that I feel better (to challenge myself, then I REGRET doing so)...

I only put the babies on the breast 2-3 times a day (diff baby each time) more for their comfort (and mine)...and to keep the milk coming in...it always makes me almost pass out, BFing is exhausting...oxycotin (?) that kicks in, same as what happens when you get tired after sex. So no surprise you're wiped out or want to sleep while BFing ... I could not do it.

I love having the babies on my own, for sev hrs 'between shifts' but the sad reality is that I'll still need at least one FT person once the babies sleep through the night...it's just a lot of work and I could never do it FT...but I am in the nursery most of the day anyhow with the 'help'...joy of 2 babies!

How long do your babies go between feedings at night? xxoo

robinsonpr · Post by **robinsonpr** » Mon May 12, 2008 1:13 pm

Babyb not sure there is a secret to getting both babies on at the same time...I do need my DH to help me though. I need 2 hands to get them latched on, so I get the first one on, then my DH hands me the 2nd one and then he holds baby 1 to make sure he doesn't come off while I get number 2 on! Because they aren't feeding for long (10 mins) it's all done and dusted quite quickly.

However, I've noticed that giving the babies a dummy (pacifier!) seriously affects how good they are at getting on the boob. One of mine loves a dummy when he's distressed but I think it was really confusing him so I've had to stop giving him it because he started struggling to latch on properly.

BUT...having said all that I think I am going to have to go to bottle feeding. The babies are getting bigger now and I just don't think I'm producing enough milk for them both. Last night I fed them both and they were both obviously still really hungry afterwards. I kept trying to get them back on but my boobs just felt empty so I don't think they were getting anything. In the end I got my DH to make up a 4oz bottle which I shared between them and the bigger one was STILL hungry so he got another oz. They both went to sleep no problem after that for 3.5 hours.

Then this morning I had a similar thing, so had to throw in another emergency bottle feed. I know they say that breast milk is produced as required, but I just don't think there's enough for both of my little ones. I don't really want to chop and change with bottle/boob so looking like going to have to be bottle. I've fed them both exclusively for 4 weeks now so they've got all the good stuff.

And to be honest I'm not really enjoying bfeeding anymore and my nipples are really sore. So probably time to hang up my hat. I mean boobs.

And an update on Jack and his unsettled behaviour.... we ended up taking him to the ER on the recommendation of the local doctor, who wasn't convinced his behaviour was colic. The hospital diagnosed a condition called REFLUX, which basically means stomach acid flows back up the throat like heartburn. So no wonder the poor little mite was crying alot. They prescribed infant gaviscon and he seems a bit better now. And he's not sick after feeds anymore!

Hope everyone else is ok!!!

Oh my babies tend to go about 3 hours between feeds at night...they sometimes wake up before that but will go back to sleep on me or my DH (bad habit I know....).

Love to all,

Hayley xx

April & May 2008

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