**December Snowflakes - 2016**

[Midnight_Fairy]

Mines here. 00:04 today xx

 

[Sapphire86]

Congrats midnight fairy! Can't wait to hear the details once you've had some time to adjust at home.

We're formula feeding here. One of the twins is really tounge tied (as is my older dd) and breastfeeding was not going to work for us and for my sanity I needed to do the same method for both babies. (side note: my tongue tied babies even suck at bottle feeding! It took six weeks before my tongue tied twin could eat an ounce without wearing herself out and falling asleep!)

I gave up pumping a few weeks ago because I was getting no sleep. Even with the formula, I only get about 1 to 1.5 hrs of sleep between feedings. The sleep deprivation was horrendous two weeks ago and I had an infection around my incision so I had a rough Christmas as I felt miserable. I looked so bad at my last ob appt that the first thing my Dr asked me this week was about sleep!

I'm nearly 8 weeks postpartum and feel that I've finally turned a corner. The antibiotics kicked the infection and the babies are falling asleep more consistently after feedings at night so I actually get about an hour to sleep between feedings. Until recently, I only slept from 9pm to 1am while DH took over and then got up for the day at 1am.

Also, I got a Mirena inserted on Tuesday. So far so good! I'm optimistic about it and hope I like it. I've always tolerated bc pills well so I'm not expecting any major reactions to the hormones but you never know.

 

[rose.]

Sapphire well done for managing to breastfeed/pump for as long as you did - I don't think I'd be able to do any bf/pumping for twins, you must be so exhausted! I'm glad they're starting to sleep better, I have so much admiration for you managing to keep up with twins and an older one too!

 

[Loopy Laura]

Sapphire - you're doing amazingly well! I'm not sure I would have been able to even try and breastfeed twins!

Breastfeeding is going well for us but I also have problems with a forceful letdown. Lucy tends to pull off when I letdown but hopefully this will sort itself out. She's gaining weight well though and got to her birth weight within a week.

Sleep is not going well - Lucy was feeding every 30 mins to an hour last night yet she's been sleeping most of the days. I'm so tired as I need to be up for my 2 year old in the day. I'm really hoping we can get less sleep in day and more at night soon as it's slowly killing me!

I'm getting a bit fed up of still being in pain from the c section too. It just makes it so hard to keep getting up at night but I know it's normal and I just need to be patient!

 

[Loopy Laura]

Mines here. 00:04 today xx

Congratulations!

 

[Sapphire86]

Laura, I feel your pain about the c-section discomfort. I started feeling better 5 weeks out after my first. It took until 7 weeks this time because of the late infection. This week I'm carrying carseats and loading/unloading strollers without pain or worrying I'm hurting my ability muscles. You'll get there! A week ago I was still in tears about hurting at night and now I feel much better physically.

I believe the sleep deprivation makes the pain worse and healing slower. I found it frustrating there was nothing I could do to get more sleep. Hang in there mama. It will be better soon.

 

[counting]

Oh dear sapphire...can't they clip her? My middle guy was lip and tongue tied and we had him clipped. Helped so much with everything. It's good for future oral health as well. It's a quick procedure. Less than 15 seconds for the actual clip though it does. Make baby fussy.

Breastfeeding is going really well here, but Fox has a great latch and I've been lucky enough to have the experience of nursing two before him so it's fairly smooth sailing.

 

[counting]

As always if someone would like to join the FB group message me with your particulars

 

[Sapphire86]

I pushed about clipping it but the pediatrician in the hospital nursery, the neonatologist in the nicu, and our normal pediatrician don't like clipping tongue ties. They said they wait until school age to see if it impairs speech. DH is tough tied with no issues so our girls will probably just live with it. Apparently it's not popular in this ares to address it early.

I hope the new year is treating everyone well with their new babies! Mine are 8 weeks tomorrow and I can't believe it. Time is flying ☺️

 

[Jezika]

Congrats, Midnight! Looking forward to hearing the birth story.

Sapphire - I'm in awe of who you're handling everything! You have it waaay harder than I do and sometimes I feel like I'm such a suckie mother for getting stressed out when things aren't even bad. And kudos for attempting breast-feeding twins at all. I always wondered how on earth it's possible to do that and get ANY real sleep.

I'm glad to hear it's not just me who's occasionally having a tough time with sleep. I need to remind myself it's normal and will get better.

I've still not been out the house yet with Tilly, other than a paediatrician and midwife appt. Im kind of scared?

 

[Loopy Laura]

Jezika - you're not suckie - sleep deprivation is so hard and having a baby is a massive adjustment, especially when it's your first! You're doing really well! It is scary the first time you go out but you'll find that once you've done certain things once that it's not scary anymore. I remember being terrified of taking a bus the first time but it was fine. Even if baby screams, people have been there and will understand. I'd encourage you to give it a try as babies will often sleep better when out and it gives you a sense of normality back. But it's totally normal to be scared!

 

[Sapphire86]

Jezika, you're doing great. Don't feel bad.

Until this week I had a legit panic attack each time I thought I needed to drive into town. Like full on crying and heart palpitations. I had my mom drive me last week for my Dr appointment even though it meant 3 hrs in the car for her round trip. I still get heart palpitations, sweaty palms and panicky when I'm out in public. My usually well controlled anxiety is horrible when sleep deprivation is involved.

Don't feel bad staying in and get out when you're close to ready (with another set of hands is best the first time or two.) I think you'll feel more confident and less scared the more you do it. Leaving the house with babies is scary! I thought I'd be prepared doing it for the second time but the logistics of getting out with newborn twins after a c-section with a preschooler are stressful! When you feel overwhelmed with being out with Tilly just remember I'm on the Texas coast looking like a traveling circus with my kiddos and behemoth stroller

 

[rose.]

Jezika you're doing great! I was exactly the same with DS. I always wanted my mum with me if I was going out, as I was worried about managing on my own! It took a good few weeks before I felt confident even going out for a walk, let alone anywhere else. I certainly worried about feeding him out and about for a good couple of months. Once you've done it several times you'll feel more confident about it and it won't seem so scary

 

[Bubbles1088]

Jez, sleep deprivation is killer, and going from 0 to 1 kids is a very rough transition. I promise you aren't sucky! Just keep doing your best. You've got this mama. This goes to all FTMs on here as well...you will get through the newborn phase I promise. It goes by quickly, though it doesn't always seem like it.

BTW if any you are feeling like you may be developing post partum depression, and I'm not saying any of you are but just some words of advice from a mama who has been there...don't hesitate to get help, even if it means a short hospitalization. You don't wanna mess with PPD. If anyone has any questions about it, signs and symptoms, etc please don't hesitate to ask me AND your doctor about it. I'd be happy to help.

 

[rose.]

Hi ladies how are you all doing?

Can't believe my baby is almost 4 weeks old, and will be going in to 0-3 clothes in the next couple of days. She's so much bigger than DS was at that age. She's getting more and more alert every day, her neck is so strong. She's also started being fussy/cluster feeding in the evenings, and slept through once the other night although it was a fluke I think, as since then she's been waking more than before!! The tiredness is starting to catch up with me.

We have finally started to make more progress with our extension and hopefully the muddy trenches will be filled by the end of the week. I am soo excited to get rid of the mud bath which is currently outside the back door.

 

[Loopy Laura]

Rose - that's great news about the extension! We finished our loft extension a week before Lucy we born so I totally understand you want to get the mess away!

That's amazing she slept through for you! We have resorted to co sleeping as Lucy won't stay in her Moses basket longer than about 15 minutes! I'm not sure to be honest how often she feeds as I'm dozy but I'd say every hour or two! She is 4 weeks now. The problem is she poos with every feed so I have to change her about 2-3 times per night which wakes her and is annoying! Looking forward to her pooing less often! Glad all is going well!

 

[rose.]

Ah bet it's lovely to have the extra space

DS used to poo with every feed too! Luckily Alice hasn't started that yet. I definitely think it's a good thing that Lucy is in with you, as she's feeding so often - you'd get so little sleep otherwise. She only slept through once and has been waking again since, but it was a nice surprise - minus the sore boobs from being jam packed with milk!!

 

[tommyg]

Hi
I'm in the same boat just over 4 weeks and just about out of up to 1 month clothes. Sad to see them stacked up for the charity shop.

I'm also looking forward to less poos. He has nappy rash and I am struggling to get rid of it. The constant poos don't help. Last week I changed him, brought him downstairs, stripped him for HV and small poo was in there.

On a happy note, I'm back in my normal clothes. And managed to give a bundle of mat clothes away.

 

[rose.]

How are you all?

Alice is now 6 weeks old and smiling lots! She's still doing well at night most of the time, although last night was our worst for a while as she was up every 2-3 hours. Sometimes she does from 10.30ish until 5am which is amazing. She had her 6 week check on Thursday and all was fine, hoping to get her weighed on Friday and find out how she's doing - I haven't had a chance to get down to the weigh ins with her yet. Her clothes are getting tighter and she is nice and chunky so I am not worried it would just be good to see what she weighs now - I am guessing around 11lbs.

Our extension is starting to come out of the ground now which is exciting. Although the whole garden is now a mud bath not just the extension area, and will be for a long time, so it's not getting any easier yet. I just can't wait to have the extra space for the kids!

 

[Loopy Laura]

Rose - that's an amazing stretch of sleep! Unfortunately Lucy (also 6 weeks) is a terrible sleeper. She's never done over 2.5 hours and that's only once a night. Otherwise it's pretty much every 1-1.5 hours! We co sleep as I just can't handle the wake ups when I have a toddler to get up for.

Otherwise things are good. She's feeding well but getting her to sleep in the day is hard work as well.

Glad the extension is going well!