Katherine and Madeline turned 2 months old on Sunday! At times I can't believe they are two months, but it also seems like forever ago that they were born. I'm a little late on posting for their birthday. The stomach virus hit me in the middle of the night Thursday, and Matt Friday morning. I haven't been that sick in forever. Thankfully my parents were in town and were able to help with K and M. If they weren't here, I don't know how we would have made it. We were all very worried the girls may get sick. My dad dropped off a bag of masks, gloves, and cleaning supplies to help! Matt and I were masked all day! ;) Being sick with babies helped me to truly understand what it means to be selfless...all I wanted to do was take my achey, nauseated self and sleep all day. But, I had two babies who relied on me no matter how I felt. It took until about Sunday for both of us to feel better and be able to eat. Praying it doesn't hit again!
Katherine:
-7lbs 4oz!
-Still wearing newborn diapers and clothes.
-You tend to lean towards being a little dramatic, but we love you all the same!
-You HATE clothes being put on over your head!
-Started rolling over from belly to back more...but you often cry once you do it! (see just a little dramatic)
-Lifting your head for longer periods
-Noticed light more lately...you just stare all day at it
-If you get fussy, you calm easily when we walk around
-You like to sit elevated (probably due to reflux)
-Starting to respond a little to faces and voices...waiting for the smiling to start!
-Eating great! You have become a better eater than your sister these days. You eat about every 3 hours during the day.
-Usually a good napper. You hate being swaddled for about a minute, then calm down
-8lbs 2oz...you made it on the regular growth chart in the 5th percentile!
-Starting to grow out of newborn clothes. 0-3 months are still pretty big though
-You are very laid back...and cannot be rushed to do anything
-Rolled from belly to back several times...but again you seem to be in no rush...
-Lifting your head better lately...you bob a lot when trying to hold it for a longer time. Dad says you are dancing! ;)
-You love looking in the mirror on the play mat. This week you have started making more noises when looking at it.
-I've gotten a few smiles out of you!
-Staring is your thing! The past few weeks you have watched people more
-Feeding has been an issue the past week. You started taking drastically less over the weekend, but have gotten right back in the swing of things...again...you can't be rushed!
-Not the biggest fan of taking a nap in your crib! You like to let us know you are in there!
Sleep: Oh sleep...I miss you! We have had some good nights and some not so good nights. They go down at 8:30...we have made it to 3, but at the earliest 1 some nights. It is SO hard because you will soothe one baby, and get them to sleep...then inevitably the other baby wakes not long after. The mental battle of what is "right" to do wears me out. Matt and I have both just prayed diligently the past few nights that we would have wisdom in how to handle twins! Again, it is hard for me because there is no formula of getting them to sleep through the night. I do have to remind myself to keep in perspective, that they are 1 month adjusted age. Still working on getting them to keep a paci! ;)
Feeding: My milk supply initially was wonderful! While K and M were in the hospital, I pumped every 3 hours. I froze a large amount of milk. I would pump around 10 oz per session. When I started to have to be at the hospital for feeding time, my body/pumping schedule got off. I didn't see a huge drop until the first weeks the girls were home. I think it was a combination of stress, lack of fluids/foods, and my body trying to adjust. We were just giving expressed milk in the first weeks, and I was producing enough to get by each day. Slowly my supply kept dropping. At my 6 week appointment, I was prescribed a medicine to boost it again...it worked for the days I was taking it. Then the stomach bug hit...I became so dehydrated and couldn't keep fluids down the first day. My production is almost gone...After shedding a few tears over it, I started the medicine one last round to help. Again, I didn't think it would bother me much, but it has. It breaks my heart that I can't supply for Kate and Maddie. We were just starting to get the tandem feeding down too! ;) I'm praying that the medicine in combination with breastfeeding a few times throughout the day will help! If not, we will use up the frozen milk and supplement with formula. I've yet again had to realize that I can't control everything! :)
So so proud of you! And your little cheekers! Oh I wish I could see them in real life and just hug your neck. Having the stomach bug with two toddlers was hard. I can’t even imagine having it hit with the two littles. I remember those nights (and still have a few here and there) of crying out for wisdom. I think the mental strain caused more fatigue for me, too!!! Even though things aren’t going how you planned (do there ever???), it is encouraging to see your heart for the Lord’s will no matter what! You’re rocking at being a twin momma.
ReplyDeleteI have twins that will be 5months old the 23rd. I have had supply issues from day one:( My boys were born 10 weeks early. So I was pumping every 2 hours to only get 45cc combined from both sides. It was ok because they were so little 2lbs. 2oz and 3 lbs. and they weren't getting much through the ngtube. So I started putting them to breast when they were 3 weeks old. Luckily they both knew what to do with not one issue. I would feed them and then pump and get out the extra. We then noticed they weren't gaining weight quick enough so I cut back to nursing them every other time. My milk SLOWLY increased. I tried Reglan and didn't feel comfortable with the side effects so I stopped. Tried all the herbs and natural things with no increase. I also got stomach bug while they were in NICU and had barely any milk. Had to use what little I had frozen. We kept doing what we could and then when they were 6 weeks old we came home. I started nursing at every feeding. I also started Domperidone and saw great results. Didn't have to supplement once with formula until they were 3 months. 1-2 ounces a day. I wanted to get my supply up so I asked doctor for Domperidone and they said it was no longer allowed to be compounded. I was crushed. I kept putting them to breast every 1 1/2-2 hours and will say after 3 weeks of hard work, with no drugs or vitamins, I am exclusively breast feeding again. Do NOT give up. I feel like they key is the babies going to breast. My left side will not let down to the pump at all now. The boys are now up to 13lbs and I have been able to nurse them at the same time since they were 6 weeks old. Football hold is the only way to do it when they are tiny. Now that the boys are bigger we can do it all different ways with the help of a pillow!! Good luck. You can get your supply up again, do not give up. I will be glad to give you my email if you have any questions for me.
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