*Assisted conception ladies due Jan/Feb/March 2017*

[2have4kids]

Ellie he's so angelic! Well done on the weight gain and breast feeding. Sorry to hear about the blisters. I was black & blue with my first, it's all so worth the pain isn't it? If you're exclusively bf-ing just ensure your doc tests you for anemia which is super common post partum. If you're anemic, Finlo may need iron supplements. I was extremely anemic and told to stay on my prenatal vits plus take 150 Feramax iron supps. But they weren't concerned about supplementing babies as they're on partial formula, which is loaded with iron. There are long term consequences for babies in womb and out who don't get enough iron. I hope Idon't seem like I'm ranting about the iron stuff it's just there are waaayy too many ADD, ADHD and learning disabilities kids out there and growing amount of evidence (WHO website) that low iron & anemia in pregnant mothers are linked to this. But doctors rarely test/advise on this unless we ask (I had to anyway at my 6week check up and she was shocked at my numbers despite all the extra iron I took over my prenatal while preggers).

 

[elliecain]

That's really good advice, I'll get the doctor to check that tomorrow at our 6 week check up. I was anaemic after the birth due to heavy CS blood loss and took iron but they didn't recheck afterwards and I did also bleed for 5.5 weeks.

 

[Fern81]

Ellie Finlo is SO adorable. Sorry to hear you have some bf woes but good job for sticking to it!! I'm hoping to breastfeed baby #2.

2have that pic is sooo precious. How is MacKinley with the twins?

Things are still going well here. Ds had his 2nd round of shots yesterday and weighs just over 6kg so he's doubled his birth weight already.

 

[ES89]

I had a baby girl, named her Arya Kimberley Williams weighing 8lb 2oz at 1.34am 💗

 

[elliecain]

Congratulations ES! Any pictures?

 

[2have4kids]

Es congrats! That's a lovely name and great weight. How was the birth/labour for you?

Hi Fern, Baby G is doing great with his weight! How many times are you up at night for feeds, hopefully it's getting less frequent as his tummy expands to hold more food. How are you? I keep getting comments on fb that MacKinley doesn't look like a baby anymore and it really does feel like she's a typical toddler now. She has full on tantrums if she has to leave and doesn't want to, and sometimes if we're up to eyeballs in twin duties. You can't blame her though, she's lost being center of attention to not 1 but 2 other little humans. I take her out all the time though without the twins. We do Gymboree Wed mornings, Saturday we did a walk and coffee/breakfast at the Italian market down the path from our house, today we did an easter egg hunt & petting zoo at a local farm with grandma and we go to the wave pool after supper once/week. She's a well attended to little lady!

Who was it in here that also had gestational diabetes, anyone? My memory is totally shot with the lack of sleep! I'd like to know if anyone else did a 3 month post partum diabetes screen. I was shocked to hear that I'm pre-diabetic! They called me after my test to ask if I was ok. After drinking all that sugar they said my count was 1.7, critically low. Apparently your blood sugar has a quick super high and then tanks super low making you feel faint, with potential heart palpitation or seizures, and spurring a dose of adrenalin when you're prediabetic. I actually never feel too bad, after breaky a bit faint in the shower but that's it. Then as the insulin fails to get produced by the pancreas Blood sugar soars and then the need to start injecting after meals. The doctor said I have to eat small frequent meals, for pre-diabetes, low carb & sugar, high protein (as I always have). I have no family with diabetes, no cultural predisposition, and for my weight & fitness it's surprising. But a friend who's in training to be a doctor said to me we are born with a certain amount of pancreatic cells that produce insulin. Some pancreases used up those cells by age 3, others in the teens but most later in life. Sometimes genetic, sometimes helped by environment (eating too much sugar & carbs and using them all up), sometimes just bad luck. I guess I've got bad luck on this one!! But on a positive note the twins were up past 10 pounds. They're smiling & cooing loads. We're loving it!!

 

[Fern81]

Oh congratulations ES, I actually had a dream that you posted on here and had a girl! I would also love to read your birth story if you would like to share!

2have - G weaned himself off night feeds pretty early on, I think by 6 weeks he would have a bottle at around 7pm, then one at 3/4 am and another at 6/7 am. He quickly dropped the 3/4 am one too and was sleeping through the night at 2 months old. He drinks a final bottle now at around 7pm, falls asleep between 7-10 pm and wakes for another bottle at around 6. He sleeps very quietly so no waking with him. Sometimes I wake up and just feel if he's still breathing! And he falls asleep anywhere; on us, in his carrycot, etc. So we haven't had a bedtime routine. I suppose I have to start implementing more of
a routine as he is at an age where they start noticing patterns & feel comfortable with a routine. However it's been so convenient to give him a bottle and just having him fall asleep cuddled on the couch with dh & I that I've been too lazy to do a whole "bath, bottle, bed, story, song, swaddle" etc with him. I'm going to try getting some kind of routine going, don't know what yet. When I leave him be, he falls asleep happily. When I try to force him down at a certain time and he's not ready, he just becomes upset so idk.

Geez I'm sorry to hear about your possible diagnosis! I had a teacher who told us that because of the shock of pregnancy on her body, her pancreatic cells were damaged and she got diabetes 1. I have no idea if she was correctly diagnosed though, this was 20+ years ago. What a shocking thing to hear! At least you are used to eating healthy and exercising. I really hope you don't get diabetes. Xx oh btw it was Froggy who had GD.

 

[froggyfrog]

Congrats Es!!! Can't wait to see pictures!

2have that's wonderful that your are able to spend so much alone time with dd1! What a lucky little girl! Sorry to hear about your diagnosis of pre-diabetes. My OB wants me to do a three hour test but I honestly don't know how I would make that happen by myself with the baby and nobody to watch him. Sitting at the dr office for three hours fasting with him by myself sounds like a real nightmare! I may just do a week of checking my numbers two hours after meals and turn those in to the dr to see what they think, if they will accept that.

Fern sounds like your guy is such a great sleeper! That's awesome! We do a nightly routine that we really just started about two weeks ago. I only bathe him every 2-3days until he is crawling or scooting. I just wipe his hands neck and face every night. We start at 7pm and I change him into pjs, put some night time lotion on him, let him have a bit of tummy time and then we read a book. By the it's 7:30-7:45 and I nurse him until nine since he cluster feeds at night and start putting him down at nine. It usually takes at least two times to put him down finally. He will wake and I rock him back to sleep. It is really nice because dh and I will have at least an hour of just us watching tv and cuddling before we go to bed. And it gives me some time without a baby attached to me lol. He won't nap without being held during the day so I'll have him with me during his nap and nursing which is much of our day since he is still EBF. But when he is awake and well rested and fed he is good to be put down and entertains himself in the activity gym or bouncy chair. And that gives me a chance to run around to clean and get dinner started. I do try to wear him when I have a lot of stuff t do around the house, but I do have to time that just right, he has to be already asleep or very drowsy before I can put him in. So that means I have to try to put the wrap on before he falls asleep because if I put him down to put it on, it just wakes him back up. Some days I get a bit overwhelmed not being able to put him down, but I just tell myself that this is a phase and I will one day miss holding and cuddling my sleeping baby so I just soak in the moment! I have learned to not have such high expectations of how much I actually get done around the house. Weekends are great when dh is home because I can do other stuff like groom the dogs or clean bathrooms with chemicals that I couldn't do wearing him and really dwearing my feel comfortable while he is awake in case he needs me and I'm covered in cleaners. I could ask dh to do it, but honestly it gives me something to do that doesn't revolve around Gage. I hope it doesn't sound like I'm complaining about being with my baby, I just find those little breaks make me a better mom. I literally have no family or friends around so I'm alone all day every day during the week with him, and he gets all of my attention and energy so it's nice to have and hour here or there throughout the week.

 

[rebecca822]

Congrats ES, what a lovely name. Enjoy your little girl
2have- gosh sorry about the Diabetes, sounds rough! Glad the twins are well. Good for you that you give McKinley her own attention, it's so hard with the twins but nice that you find the extra time for her.
Fern- wow amazing schedule that you've got going! A nighttime routine is great, you'll be happy when you start with that.
Froggy- Gage sounds super cuddly, so glad you're enjoying that special bond with your LO.

Can't believe that we were just starting with the FET last year at this time. I am so so grateful to where we are today with our 3 little kiddos.
The twins are well, they're still a few months behind schedule but they'll catch up eventually.
Nice hearing from you ladies!

 

[Rq120]

Hi ladies,

I hope you are all doing well. I'm back from Mexico and back to work this week.

The wedding was beautiful. The babies did great traveling. The overall vacation was good considering, but it was rather expensive to just take care of two babies in a hotel room for most of it. LOL. You are not supposed to use sunscreen yet and we didn't want the babies to get overheated so we didn't spend a lot of time outside. They would get hot even in the shade with a breeze. We took Claire in the ocean but it was super windy which made for some big waves and we didn't stay in long. Oliver went into the pool but it was too cold for him and he was screaming. We moved him into the hot tub that wasn't hot but warm like a bath and he settled right down. He is so sensitive, especially compared to Claire.

Work is going as well as expected. It's easier since DH is staying at home with the babes. I think daycare would be harder. DH sends me pictures all day of them so I get my baby fix throughout the day. They get up once at night anytime from 2-4 am and DH gets up and feeds them both and won't let me get up since I have to work. They then make it until 6-7am when they want another small feeding. Then they will sleep for another hour or so.

I talked to my boss this week and I'm not going to be able to take my position when I move and work from home in my CURRENT role. However, I am working on transitioning to another role where I could work from home. I'll talk to the hiring manager for that role next week so hopefully I'll have more of an idea then. In the mean time I am apply for jobs in Florida. There is an overnight position open in a hospital that sounds promising if I can't stay with my current company. House goes on the market May 1st.

Claire and Oliver are doing well. Getting bigger and bigger every day. Claire is a little chunky butt!!! Oliver is a little smaller but still following his growth curve. They are so sweet and so independent. They are incredibly good babies and are easy to care for. I get my cuddles but they are just as content in the swing or on their activity mat. Oliver does have a witching hour at night but it is manageable. They have great head control and they LOVE their Fisher Price Sit Me Up seats!

That's our update for now. Life is nice and quiet right now, but it's the calm before the storm I'm sure. Everyone take care.

 

[rebecca822]

Rq I really enjoyed reading your update. You are so blessed to have such easy twins! I'm so glad you had a nice vacation, even if you were indoors for most of it.

Joe and Alisa are doing well. They are gaining nicely and eating well. Joe weighs 10lbs and Alisa 8lb 9oz. We got Alisa's ears pierced last week after her 4 month check up! Although they are not difficult babies they are not super easy. They lose patience with any activity after 10 minutes. Alisa screams a lot! They sleep from 7pm to 1am and then sleep until 6am, so I'm not complaining!

Hope everyone else is doing well!

 

[2have4kids]

Hi ladies, so nice to hear your updates! RQ and Fern they sound like easy babies! Rebecca yes thanks for the reminder, it was last year at this time that I too was gearing up for the transfer. What an exciting thing. Now look where we are!

My milk officially dried up. I'm a little sad but happy to sell a few things. Ie the Halo bassinest and Spectra pump will bring in ~ $500 which I'll use to purchase a baby Brezza to make formula bottles with. Is anyone using this and if so can you tell me if you like it or not?

I'm excited but a little scared, we've booked a vacation to Cancun in Oct. RQ where abouts were you guys? We normalky go to Playa del Carmen but I couldn't fathom getting off a 6 hour flight and having to catch a bus to do another 1.5 hour journey to the hotel. The twins won't quite be walking then, just rolling and crawling. Our resort is pretty family friendly with kitchens and cribs so that's a bit if a relief. I wanted us to go somewhere before we have to pay for all 3 girls' seatsbut before my work starts back up in Jan/Feb next year.

I did manage to get a fun photo of dd and I bf-ing our twins (her twin dolls) before my milk dried up.

 

[Fern81]

Haha 2have that photo is just precious! Seems like MacKinley is integrating well with the twins. Sorry about your milk, well I'm also EFF now due to milk supply issues. At least we live in a time with great formulas.

Rebecca- sorry that your twins are such a handful but it seems like you are sleeping OK. Geez it must be difficult to work and handle all the kids...!

Rq how are you doing back at work? Glad to hear you had such a nice holiday. It's a different perspective with kiddies hey. Much nicer imo .

Yep it's bittersweet to think back on last year this time. I didn't like the ivf process but here I am with my sweet boy on my lap, I love him so much! He recently discovered his voice and keeps making the cutest sounds lol. Also loves sitting up and is starting to get better at tummy time. They grow up so fast.

 

[Fern81]

Hope this works- recent pic of my squishy boy

 

[rebecca822]

Omg 2have that picture is awesome!
Sorry about your milk, but formula works well too
I'm still pumping for the twins and so grateful it's working. I feel sad that I don't nurse them, and I think I'm gonna try to actually nurse them now that they're eating has improved.
I've heard Playa Del Carmen is beautiful, but I totally get you about all the hassle of the extended trip. Wow, can't imagine going anywhere on a plane with the twins. We only once went out with them other than to doctors appointments, it's just too overwhelming!!

Fern baby G is just adorable, I can't believe how much he's doing already! It's sad how quickly they grow up!

 

[Fern81]

Rebecca I'm glad to hear that pumping is going well and that the twins' feeding has improved. Reading all about everyone's twins and living with my sister's 2yo twins, I'm sure I will struggle with twins lol. But my remaining 2 frozen embies are frozen together so I'm between a rock and a hard place; do we put both back or not? How do we even choose. Oi.

I'd love to see pics of everyone's babies

 

[2have4kids]

Fern baby G is adorable! IVF is pretty invasive. FET's are much easier. I hope you find it a cinch compared to IVF then Fern. The stimming and retrieval are the most cumbersome part. Mind you if you have to inject progesterone many peopke find this pretty hard too. I'm pretty ok with needles these days after 6 years of stims Nd Injectible hormones!

You know what I'd do Fern with the single vs double embryo transfer!! i much prefer the risk of twins over failure. But you're speaking to a lady with 5 years of devastating failures and more than 100K in fertility costs. My friend in B&B got twins with her donor Emby transfer too and now she's going back for another double transfer. In fact the multiples boards on FB are chalk a block with double twin moms, I was really surprised! We knew it's going to be a blurry first year and hopefully just chaotic playtime with 3 girls after that.

Rebecca do you think tring just doing things with 1 twin would be easier for you? I usually take a twin with me if they're both up and I'm doing something with Mack. 1 stays home with dad. Today MacKinley had Gymboree class and I wore Teagan through the whole class. I was able to lift and help Mack stay safe as both arms were free and Teagan was really interested in all the action. It was great because Teagan slept like a rock after that. We did a walk to Walmart this evening and Piper came with us. I really like baby wearing and having hands freed up. But someone needs to stay with the other twin. They seem to want to be held all the time and I find that irritating when I have so much stuff to do (passports, taxes, thank you cards, stuff with MacKinkey, cleaning, the list never ends!) baby holder visitors are just the best! We had family over during Easter who drove 8 hours to meet the twins. With 3 baby holders hosting a dinner party was actually enjoyable

 

[froggyfrog]

Hey ladies!!!!

Hard to believe that it's almost a year since our bfps! May 15th was our amazing day!

2have that pic is everything! How adorable! Sorry that your milk dried up. My cousin has the breeza and swears by it, She still lives with my aunt and uncle and even my uncle was showing it to me on FaceTime lol. He was very excited about it and was like "we can get you one of these if you stop breastfeeding!"

Rq sounds like vacation was great. I commend both you and 2have for going on vacation so early. I'm definitely not brave enough for that. I hope that the move goes smoothly for you guys.

Fern, he is adorable! Was a sweet squishy face! I'm with you on twins being scary lol. I know that we will only do one embryo when it's time for another baby.

Rebecca that's great your still pumping, is nursing just too overwhelming? I would imagine working full time with three kids would make it difficult! That awesome you have stuck with the pumping!

Afm, we are doing great! Just bought plane tickets to go see our families in may, I'm a little nervous about the plane ride with Gage, but at least it's only a two hour flight and I will only be going to families houses so not too stressful. I'm pretty certain that I'll only see my baby to feed him lol! Everyone is so excited to meet him! We are still breastfeeding, and it seems to be working for us. Gage has been in six month clothes for a couple of weeks now. He is a pretty big boy! He won't get weighed again until his four month check up but I'm always curious how big he has gotten! He is starting to laugh a little which is adorable
I feel like I spend a lot of time during my day trying to make him laugh because once I start playing with him it is very hard to start! He is a stinker, and does this shy face sometimes, between his bashful face, and his sweet dimples and blue eyes, I think I'm going to be in trouble with this charmer! My MIL came to visit and me and dh went out on our first date since he was born. I have a bunch of milk frozen, but just pumped her fresh bottles to have for that night. It was such a nice feeling to be able to eat without someone on my boob ha! He takes a bottle like a champ, he can wolf down 4 or 5 ozs like it's nothing. Makes me a bit jealous as he takes so long to nurse! I really feel like I will start to pump and give him bottles of BM at 7 months or so and start to wean him from nursing. I have heard that night nursing is the hardest to wean from so I figured i can start with just daytime and then once we get that down we can work on night time. My goal is for him to be exclusive on BM until a year. He has found a love for the moby wrap thank you Jesus! I tried a new way to wear him and he is just so happy and content in it. It makes going out and running errands so much easier. I also can get quite a bit more done around the house. I think that's really it for us! Can't think of much more to update about. Oh, we are looking to do an FET next august. That would put Gage at almost 2 1/2. Ok, heading back to bed, as the boob monster just finished eating! I'll post his 3 month pictures I took on Monday. 3 months sure has flown! Bittersweet really, I love to watch him grow but sad it's going so fast!

 

[froggyfrog]

 

[froggyfrog]

Oh yeah, RQ I just order Gage a sit me up, I googled it after I read your post and it definitely seems like something he would enjoy! I'm very excited to get it!