Beautiful Babies Due in 2011 (Combined Group)

[baby_blu73]

Blair - CONGRATULATIONS! How scary, yet absolutely wonderful at the same time. Those are great weights for just shy of 33 weeks! Harper is my FAVORITE girl name! Emory is a beautiful name, too! Your girls are GORGEOUS, momma!!! I'm so very happy for you! Welcome to mommy hood, TWIN mommy hood at that!!!

Ashley - I just LOVE the pic of Athena on your ticker, sooooo sweet!

Kat - Had to let you know that I LOLed at your Halloween candy story. Preggos and bags of chocolate are a dangerous combo!

Between the boys and work... my brain is fried! Who all do we have left that are still waiting for their LOs arrivals?? Kat, Alisa, Mamaboo... who else???

[Sdtryingagain]

Blair-- so happy for you! They are just perfect!!

[kjm1824]

Blair. The babies ae beautiful. They look so healthy and big for GA. Great job! Praying for short nicu stay!

[to_have_fun08]

Blair and SD - CONGRATS to both of you on your beautiful babies.


Looks like my baby boy will be here on 11/11/11, well unless Jake makes a jailbreak before then. I had an u/s last week and baby was measuring 7lbs11oz. he gained almost 3 lbs in a little over 3 weeks. So OB thinks he will be a big baby and recommended a c-section. I was kind of torn at first. Kind of felt like I was cheating in a way. Then started to think about all the people that started with being induced and then ended up with a c-section anyway, so i said OK to the c-section. Least now i have the birthdate that i have been saying i wanted for him. Plus i get an extra 2 weeks paid with a c-section. Now i am freaking out. Can't believe my baby will be here next week.

[katie99]

Crashing for Chris

Thats great news that Jake will be here next week! He's a great weight too. I'm so excited for you!! I had a c esction after being induced and only getting to 5cm dilated after 13 hours of labor and 2 epidurals. I was pretty scared to have a c section, but it wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. Whatever you do make sure you get up and walk even just a little bit as soon as they'll let you - trust me on this one. The longer you wait to get up the worse its going to hurt plus you'll feel so much stiffer and you're not allowed food until you have some bowel sounds either. I love the birthday your baby will have! My Ryan turned 1 today and I'll tell you Chris - you wont believe how fast the time goes!! It feels like we just brought him home recently - how has it been a year already? Girl, strap yourself in because once that little one is in your arms your lives will never be the same and in the best way possible. It took us both a long time to get here, but we did it!!!! I wish you the best girl. Much love - xoxoxo I'll keep checking in to hear how you're doing..

[Sweetpea614]

Chris awesome news. What a great day to have him

Here are some updated photos of me that I just took.

[Sweetpea614]

oops sorry they are so big!

[nwquiz]

sweatpea=girl you are so small. i think am twice that now. lol how do you do it? looking good.

[margi26]

SD: Congratulations!!!! And so fabulous that you went all natural...I am so impressed. Can’t wait for photos of your darling Darius!

Blair: You did so awesome!! And fabulous weights on those beautiful girls. My twins were born at 3w3d, feel free to ask me anything if you have any questions. Praying for a short and smooth NICU stay. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE on them--is my advice. Do as much as they let you and that you are able to do. I did diaper changes, temperature taking, bottle feedings (once started) and lots of kangaroo care time. I really think that how active I was with them helped them come home much sooner than initially suggested.

Chris: 11/11/11-so cool for a birthday. I understand your feelings exactly--I so wanted a vaginal delivery, but when things got moving fast, all I really wanted was for my babies to be healthy and safe. Can’t wait to hear about your birth story...and so soon!

Ashley: Athena is a beauty (I don’t need to tell you, though, do I?)

Gina: How crazy all that snow in October!? Can’t wait to see photos of Will and Wyatt this weekend.

Ryann: LOVE the ladybug and Tigger. Your two are so adorable I always smile when I see them. And what a cute pumpkin idea!

Crissy: Wow. Thanks for sharing your birth story. So glad all is well...and Sage is utter sweetness (love the name too, btw).

Anna: Paul is such a sweety!! And a blessing indeed. I am sorry that you are a bit overwhelmed--especially with poor furbaby troubles. Seeing all these photos and births makes me choked up too. It is surreal, in the best of ways. Last year seems so far away--all of our struggles, losses, fears, and heartbreaks. Now, the utter joy is so amazing. And so wonderfully multiplied.

Mellow: How are things with you? And dear Marlo?

Nwquiz: How are ya, girl?! Feeling ok? You are almost to 32 weeks!! Getting ready to meet your LO?


Rio: Things settled down any? You poor thing....your doggie issue sounds difficult. Hope they are doing better. And that you are better. Nothing worse than a UTI--owee!! How is work going? Lizzy adjusting? You?

Kelley: Thanks, yes indeed I am holding them ALL I want and it is wonderful. Sofia still has some bradys, but they are getting much less infrequent which is great and a relief.

Stephanie: Aw..sorry about Brady and Jaxon’s colds. Sounds very miserable. Humidifier help any? Hope they are feeling better soon.

Kat: You cracked me up with candy story. In fact, makes me crave some chocolate myself....please take care of yourself. That health stuff sounds scary. And you look great!!

Amanda: Maribel is so precious! Those cheeks are so sweet, and her big gorgeous eyes...

Mamaboo: You hanging in there? Not much longer now for you...

Kelley, Stephanie and Annashope: Thanks for the advice regarding the bottles. The pediatrician actually suggested we get size 3 nipple, which is the faster flow. It seems to have helped-Levi is now drinking more and in less time.

AFM: Wow. First, can I just say how happy and joyful it makes me feel to look at all the beautiful babies we have from this very special group of strong women. I know I had a “moment” a few weeks ago after my babies were born, but really. It is so amazing, so wonderful, so surreal. Looking back on all that we have been through, individually, and collectively and to see this group now. We are all so blessed and I personally am so glad that I found this site and all of you over a year ago when I was feeling so down and like this day would never come. Then there were more tries...then our trip to Cali. I felt that I always had so much support, love and prayers from y’all. Anyway, I just want to say as this year rounds up with the last few babies being delivered from our “group” how thankful I am to each and every one of you for the support and care during stages of ttc, loss, feeling defeated, and then my pregnancy, and now these early days of motherhood. (((HUGS))) to all of you from the bottom of my heart.

How are Sofia and Levi? They are doing wonderfully. They are such wonderful bundles of joy. More than I could have imagined. I am completely and utterly exhausted, but wouldn’t change a thing. Sofia is “plumping” up (5 lbs 3 oz!!) and Levi is gaining, but a bit more slowly (he is 4 lbs 11 oz). We switched to a faster flow nipple and I think that will help. I am trying to breastfeed, but that is going more slowly than I had hoped. Having trouble getting them to latch on “properly” and to be willing to work at it as the bottle is so much easier.. But I will continue my efforts--I am determined to BF these two! (Just bought Jack Newman’s BFing book, so hoping that will help me). Both of them have reflux, so we have started on zantac which seems to help some, but not 100%. Again, I am exhausted, but happier than I could have imagined.

[margi26]

Photos:

[baby_blu73]

Margi - Sofia and Levi are absolutely gorgeous!!! I just wanted to share with you what I had to do in order to "BF" my latch issued twinkies... I pumped and bottle fed BM to my boys since they were "tongue suckers" and were tearing me up. Of course we had to supplement formula from the beginning. Being able to actually see in ounces how much BM they were eating was very helpful. We were only able to do this for a little over six weeks (because of my job) but it was a successful method in my opinion. Best of luck!!! I just know you three will figure out what works best for you. Oh, and yes, we have a vaporizer (I think...) and it really helps them breathe at night.

[blairwh58]

Margi- those babies are too cute! I'm glad they are both gaining weight and getting bigger. How much were they when they were born (I couldn't remember snd am on my phone)? And how long were they each in the nicu? Can tou tell me what they started on (oxygen-wise)and how they progressed the first few days? I asked the neonatologist for an estimate on how long we should expect, but that's rheir million dollar question. He said they normally say around due date, but 3-4 wks is avg time. I feel like they are doing pretty well though- room oxygen, just increased amt of feedings and switched to some btl feeds. I'm really hoping they have a short stay.

[LYD10]

Margie, try Prevacid instead of Zantac. My DS was on it and his reflux was 100% better. Zantac i was told is not as good by my pediatrician. also we put book under the head of his crib and he slept on incline a bit.

[margi26]

Stephanie: Thank you for sharing your experience. You pumped and bottle fed for 6 weeks?! Awesome. I am at 4 weeks and I am really getting exhausted. Thus far I have been able to pump enough so that we don’t have to supplement, but they are increasing what they eat almost daily so not sure how much longer I can keep up. I am home for 12 weeks (at least--going to try to see what we can manage financially) so maybe with the extra time things will click with them. We shall see! I am going to keep at it as long as I can.

Lydia: I will ask my pediatrician for sure! Thanks. I so hate seeing them spit up...especially since it often comes out their little noses. Ick.

Blair: Your girls will do great! They look so big and so strong. Mine were much smaller than yours--because of my Pre-E, plus a knotted cord, neither gained much weight the last 3 weeks of my pregnancy and went from the 58th% to the 14th. They were born at only 3lbs9oz and 3lbs6oz. They were on forced O2 for 12 hours and then room air. They had tube feedings and IV feedings for 4 days and then we started bottles. They also needed the light treatment for 2 days. They slowly increased their feedings and did great. What took a while was to get out of the incubators. Their low weights made it a bit longer to be able to maintain their own body temperatures. However, all the NICU nurses we had were so impressed with how quickly my two developed and grew. There were babies around ours that were larger and still on tube feedings. Our little Sofia had the bradys that I told you about and that delayed her discharge. Levi was discharged after 2 weeks and 2 days, and Sofia would have been another week or so, but because I was willing to take her home with a monitor she was discharged at 2 weeks 4 days. Best of luck to you.....ask lots of questions and like I said, hold them as much as you can. That kangaroo holding has been demonstrated to help preemie babies develop. ((HUGS)). I know the NICU experience is tiring indeed, but so worth it as you will have your beautiful baby girls home with you soon.

[kjm1824]

Margi - Your babies are just gorgeous - looking at them makes me remember mine when they were that little and realize how much they have grown. So glad to hear you are doing so well. It is very tiring but so worth it. Your babies are growing so well. Both my babies latched well but I too have found bottle feeding is easier. I pump a lot and during the night they get bottles. During the day I try and breastfeed them a couple of times but they get so comfy and fall asleep too soon so I end up giving them a bottle an hour later anyway. I have decided that all that matters is that they are getting the breast milk - doesn't matter the way. I am still able to supply about 75% of their feedings with BM but I had to start supplementing 2 weeks ago. You do what you have to. One thing that is amazing is breastfeeding them both at the same time - it is the cutest and sweetest thing. I hope you are able to manage that at some point - when the get a little bigger it will be easier (about the 6# mark).

Kat you look great. I hope you are still feeling well. When are you going to the hospital?

Chris - congrats on your birth plan that is a great date for a birthdate. I hope all goes well for you.

Blair - thinking of you and your NICU journey. I agree with Margi, hold and do all you can with them. Listen and learn as much as you can from the nurses - they are so wonderful. We were also always asking when they would go home, they just started laughing at us and giving us the long story - when they gain enough weight, regulate their temp, eat well, etc... I found I just rejoiced in their small accomplishments and soon they were home. They are such a good weight hopefully everything else will improve quickly and you will be home in no time. Mine were in NICU for 13 days.

AFM - I have had a pretty bad week. I was fighting a clogged milk duct and over the weekend it got much worse but with it being the weekend I let it go. Monday I started on antibiotics but I was in so much pain Monday night I called in the morning and went in to see my OB. He sent me right away to a breast surgeon and he had to cut a nickel sized hole in my breast to remove the infection. It is about 1.5 inches deep. I have to get the dressing changed 2 times a day - packed with gauze. Painful but overall much better than before the procedure - yes I was awake for it - not fun at all. I am still able to breast feed and pump. Then yesterday I developed a 102 degree temp. Went back to see doctor would healing well but I needed a stronger antibiotic. I feel better today but still tired and sore. I have wonderful friends that have rallied around me and helped out. So word of advise - dont let a clogged duct go too long, bad things can happen. You just get so busy with twins you dont take the time to take care of yourself. I have beat myself up a lot about this.
The babies are great. Growing like weeds. Ella is 8 pounds now and Hunter just 2 ounces less. Still eating every 3 hours and in the evenings more often then that, I guess they want to catch up fast. I really need to post some pictures.

Hope everyone else is doing great!