Nov/Dec 2009 Babies

aims327 · Post by **aims327** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 5:06 pm

Cynthia - Pumping is going ok I guess. I'm not pumping enough to have both of them on breastmilk 100% and keep my sanity. I'm going to continue pumping for as long as I can though. Ren can't keep formula down so breastmilk is better for him with his low weight. Piper seems to throw breastmilk up so I guess she does better with formula. The real test with pumping will be when I go back to work on the 4th.

aspotoftea - That's so cool our twins share the same birthday! I was only 35 weeks when I delivered. I went into labor earlier than expected. You did really good carrying them til 37 weeks especially with their weights. I can't imagine carrying twins that were both in the 6lb range. Ren, my son, was 3lbs 4 oz and Piper, my daughter, was 6lbs 5 oz at delivery. As far as feedings, I had to pump from the start since both of them were in NICU. When I was able to try Piper at the breast, she screamed. She didn't want anything to do with it, so I kinda gave up. I haven't been able to put Ren to breast very much because of his weight. I have to keep track of how much he's eating. Since I have to go back to work soon anyway, I see no point in continuing to work with them on latching on.

Their sleeping hasn't been too bad. They seem to think their day starts at 6am. Sometimes they sleep really good in the crib and other times not so much. Ren does better sitting up with his reflux but will lay down after his stomach settles a little.

I'm so glad you joined the thread. It is really helpful talking to others with twins.

Tara2009 · Post by **Tara2009** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:20 am

Hi Ladies,

Very happy to read that everybody is doing great with the feeding and sleeping schedule.

I am still struggling to get into a schedule. I am producing only about 1.5 ounces of breast milk at a time, so I combined it with 2 ounces of formula for Faith. She was doing good for a few days, but then started throwing up one day. When I called the doctor, she said cut down the formula to one ounce since I might be over feeding her. So I cut down the formula to one ounce. Now she is not throwing up, but she gets hungry more frequently and starts waking up every hour for feeding. So I feel like feeding her 24/7 and I am so sleepless and exhausted!!

I have to figure out a way to balance between BF and formula.

Also I have a question: Faith's doctor said she can give her the vaccines only after she completes 6 weeks, although some of my friends's newborns had their first vaccines after 4 weeks. What are your thoughts?

Tara.

aims327 · Post by **aims327** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 7:56 pm

Tara - My babies' doctor isn't giving them their shots until they are 2 months old. Seems like it varies. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

cymplicity27 · Post by **cymplicity27** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 3:28 am

Tara, my babies aren't getting their vaccines until 2 months either. We also had the problem with Joslyn spitting up/vomitting. Initially I think DH was forcing her to drink too much. We cut back the amount we were giving her and it got better. Still occassionally she has her days where she vomits (projectile vomitting almost all that she drinks) about 2 - 3 times. Now we burp her after about every 1/2 oz and try to keep her upright for about 20 minutes after she's done eating. For the most part it works, but she still has her days. At least it doesn't freak me out as much as it use to. The pediatrician says as long as she still seems happy and is growing, all is well! Wow, speaking of, she just threw up on DH

Hi Tea! So glad you joined us! I've been thinking about you. Neither of us have much time for emailing anymore obviously

.

Nicole, so sorry you've had to deal with PPD

. I hope things are going better for you.

AFM, things are going well with the twins...I guess, lol. I'm almost completely weened off of the pump and they are getting almost all formula. I had to switch Chaz over to the Gentlease Enfamil because he was so gassy and fussy. It works wonders! I actually have a happy baby now without the grunting and whining

.

Now, if we could just get this sleeping thing under control!! They can NEVER have a good night at the same time. There is always one fussy baby that refuses to go to sleep and pretty much keeps me up all night. DH is still getting up with me and taking one of the babies but he always seems to conveniently get the "good" one

Tomorrow will be my first 24 hrs alone with the babies. DH is going back on shift tomorrow. Lord help me...

Tara2009 · Post by **Tara2009** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:57 pm

Anybody hear from Dys and Trying? Hope they delivered and doing well.

Cynthia: I too switched to Gentlease Enfamil for Faith, and the spitting seems to have reduced. But she is passing smelly gas quite often. Not sure if it is the formula or something else.

I guess Faith is growing! She was taking only 2 ounces, now she has gone up to 3.5 ounces!! So far she has been a very quiet girl, but I dread what is coming!!!

Tara

cymplicity27 · Post by **cymplicity27** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 4:24 pm

Tara I remember those days with Joslyn. She was so quiet and slept so much we were asking, what's all the fuss about...this is easy! Now, the child is never happy, lol. Her favorite spot is on someone's chest and she's only content anywhere else if she's in a deep sleep and doesn't realize where she is

. Have you looked into Enfamil A.R.? I think it's specifically designed for spitting up. I would like to use it for Joslyn, but our pediatrician wants her to stay on Enfamil Enfacare since she's considered a premie. If you stick with Gentlease, Target makes a sensitive brand that's exactly the same and MUCH cheaper! They probably have a version for the A.R. too.

Well breastfeeding ladies, I'm totally off the pump so it's straight formula now. I tried at least and they did get some liquid gold for the first month of their lives

. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulder honestly. One less thing to squeeze in throughout the day.

Happy New Year everyone!!

aims327 · Post by **aims327** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 1:36 am

Hi Ladies. I hope you had a great New Years! My hubby had to work New Year's eve so I spent it with the twins and with the in-laws. I was introduced to a card game called Phase 10. It was so much fun!

Anyway, the twins are doing great. I worry about Ren all the time with his weight. He is 8 weeks old now and still only eating 2 ounces at a time. Every time I try to increase it, he throws it up. I can tell he's growing but he is still so tiny. I'm guessing he will weigh a little over 5lbs this week at the doctor. Piper has no problems eating. Piper is like Joslyn, Cynthia. She is happiest when being held. She hates the crib, so I have to get her in that deep sleep before I lay her down in it. She also loves to sleep propped up on a nursing pillow. Ren mostly sleeps in a swing. It helps with his reflux.

Cynthia, what time do you put the twins down for bed at night? I try to get them in the crib at the same time every night but it seems pointless with them eating every 3 hours. Ren usually ends up back in the swing and Piper on the nursing pillow.

Tomorrow is going to be so hard. It's my first day back to work. I just want to stay home with the twins. I'm really grateful that my hubby will be watching them instead of some day care, but still doesn't make it easier to go back to work. I'm also still pumping breastmilk. I still can't get a supply to have both on it 100% but it seems like my supply has increased the last couple days. I'm hoping I will be able to continue pumping since I go back to work.

Tara - What Cynthia sound about Target formula being cheaper is right. Piper is on Similac advanced and I bought Target's version for $17 (40 ounces).

Well, ladies, I better find my work clothes in my closet. Talk to everyone again soon!

Tara2009 · Post by **Tara2009** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 9:21 am

Cynthia/Aims - thanks for the info on the formula.

Aims - I hear you on returning to work. I am returning by second week of February and I already dread the day. I have to leave Faith in a day care. Still looking for a good one.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year vacation!!

For the first time after 3 weeks, DH and I took Faith to a restaurant last Friday and she behaved so well. Also we went to a New Year party at a friends house on Saturday. I gave her a warm bath at home before we left and so she slept like a log for 4 hours!!

Her gas problem was bad for a week. She was passing smelly gas quite often, and I was so embarassed to take her out. But Mylicon seems to work. I haven't tried gripe water yet.

She also has a lot of nasal congestion. Her doctor asked me to use the saline nose drops and then extract the mucus. It seems to work well.

Tara.

cymplicity27 · Post by **cymplicity27** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 2:56 pm

Amy, DH was also working New Year's Eve. I spent it alone with the twins. We usually put the twins to bed when we go to bed, so somewhere between 10:00 and midnight. They will sleep hard around 8:00 but like you say it seems pointless to move them from the boppy or the swing to the crib just to pick them up in another couple of hours to feed them. Once we put them to bed they do pretty well. Chaz grunts for about 15 minutes and then falls asleep. I just can't get him to sleep more than 3 hours yet! Joslyn takes in less but sleeps longer so I just don't get it. Are your babies smiling yet? Mine aren't. They still look at me like I'm crazy

I return to work January 25th. Amy let us know how your first day back went! Like Tara, my two will be in daycare. It's my job's daycare and is right across the street from my office. I'm still not looking forward to leaving them though. Well, part of me is looking forward to the break during the day but I know the guilt will kick in at some point!

Tara, we also use Mylicon after each bottle. My pediatrician isn't convinced that it works but told us if we think it makes him feel better to use it. I really can't tell but when he's grunting and looking uncomfortable I don't know what else to do but burp him more and give him the drops

Has anyone used Nestle Good Start? I got $15 worth of checks to use but I don't understand their brands. They don't seem to have a high calorie formula for Joslyn and I need the sensitive formula (for gas and fussiness) for Chaz. Similac and Enfamil has this info clearly on the label. Not so much on the Nestle. I'd hate for these checks to go to waste

Tara2009 · Post by **Tara2009** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 9:25 pm

Cynthia,

My baby smiles now and then when she is sleeping, but she hasn't smiled AT Me yet

T

cymplicity27 · Post by **cymplicity27** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 9:30 pm

Tara, we only get the sleep smiles too. We wonder what in the world they could be dreaming about to make them smile that we aren't doing! Lol

Tara2009 · Post by **Tara2009** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:02 am

Cynthia - my mom used to say that the angels and Gods talk to the babies in their sleep and that's why they smile!!

Tara

aims327 · Post by **aims327** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 3:00 am

Cynthia - My first day back to work was so hard. It helped that my husband was taking care of them instead of a daycare but I missed them so much. My day seemed to go on forever. Since I hadn't worked in 43 days, I'm required to have a competency assessment before I can work independently and I haven't had that yet. So, I filed and organized papers all day.

Piper and Ren have smiled at us. Ren started smiling at us from the day he was born. Piper is just now starting to smile at us.

Tara - Do you still work at Red Cross?

Tara2009 · Post by **Tara2009** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 2:54 pm

Aims - yes, I still work at the Red Cross in DC.

Tara.

aspotofTea · Post by **aspotofTea** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:57 am

Hi ladies!

We are all very busy with our babies no doubt. Hope the new year has started out well for you all.

Well, it must be the girl twin Cynthia and Amy, because Violet is the same way. in fact, I'm "on shift" right now. Violet will NOT go into her crib before 1 or 2 in the morning. She isn't awake- she is asleep in her chair, but if you put her in that crib, she wakes up and starts howling. I'm not sure why, because eventually she does go into her crib and sleeps until morning. So my husband and I take turns being "on shift" with her, while the other sleeps. Then we change shifts in the middle of the night and I get to have uninterrupted sleep while he gets up if they need anything from 3 am to 8am.

We started a regular routine with them- 930 baths, then bottles/feeding, then I read to them for a bit. Fox goes into his crib around 11 pm and sleeps like a champ, waking only to feed. He can go 5 hours without waking up, but since I'm up I usually get him up around 4 hours and feed him. We are hoping his sister starts doing this sometime soon.

I"m still pumping for Fox and breastfeeding Violet, but I've been really worried the last few days, I think my supply is not keeping up with their growing appetites. It sucks, I wanted them on 50 breastmilk and 50% formula, but I'm not sure how long that is going to last.

V smiles at us all the time. Fox smiles sometimes, but he's our little grump. He doesn't fuss much anymore than is normal for a newborn, but he grumps- sits in his chair and sorta scowls and looks around. It's funny. But he's a happy baby overall, just not generous with his smiles yet.

Monday they go to the Dr for the two months shots. Oye. I'm pretty damn sure I'm going to cry right along with them. I told my husband he has to be the one at the table with the one getting the shot. I'll be in the corner holding the other one!

Tara I'm curious about how your girl handles extracting the mucous and what you use to do so. Violet seems to have a very similar problem, so we use the saline drops and she is ok with that, but once we try to suck out any mucous, she freaks out. What do you use with Faith?

Cynthia and Amy, are you able to keep your twins on the same schedule when it comes to feeding?

Hope all the babies are doing well!

Nov/Dec 2009 Babies

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