Christopher passed his car seat challenge with flying colors so last night, Todd & I got to "room in" with him. It went OK - not horrible but not great. We got to the NICU around 8:00 pm and spent some time with Kendall and fed Christopher and then got checked into our room around 10:30.
They have been fortifying my breast milk to add more calories and they lowered his powder to 22 calories so his feeding schedule changed from every 4 hours to every 3. So, he ate at 9pm, 12am, 3am, 6am and 9am before we left this morning. The nurse came in a few times to check his vitals and his temperature and he seemed cold - his temp was hanging around 97. Todd said he thought the room was chilly. So, we double swaddled him and added another layer of clothing to try to get him back up again. I think that had a domino effect on his feedings because we had a hard time waking him up to eat. He was so cozy in his double burrito wrap. He did OK with his 12 and 3 am feedings but not so good with the last 2. He didn't finish either bottle.
I was feeling a little stressed this morning because they have conditioned us so well about the importance of getting those bottles down within a certain timeframe. I just kept envisioning having to put him back on a feeding tube. The nurse was very encouraging this morning and said we're doing a great job and told us not to get discouraged. She said preemies go through spurts of eating and it's not unusual. He's had a big 2 days between the circumcision and learning how to breastfeed and then yesterday, he had his hearing test and his Hepatitis B shot.
So, we left him this morning and I'm thinking his homecoming will probably get delayed by a few days. He didn't gain any weight yesterday so unless he really picks it up today, I'm thinking it will probably be Tuesday or Wednesday now.
On the brightside, Kendall has caught up. She has had 3 really good days of eating and gained 3 ounces. She also passed her car seat challenge last night so there's a possibility they could come home together.
I'm still really struggling with how to feed them when they are home. Last night, I breastfed Christopher for the 9, 12 and 3:00 feedings and he did pretty good. He was slow and took about an hour each feeding. And then I had to turn around and pump for Kendall which added another 20 minutes to the total "feeding time". So, by the time I got done, I had about 45 minutes before I had to start it all over again. I only got about an hour of sleep last night and I know I can't keep that up. For the last 2 feedings, I requested bottles to try to give myself a break and Daddy fed him but I still couldn't sleep. First-time Mama jitters, I guess.
I hate to throw in the towel on breastfeeding but I'm really tempted to pump only. I guess my philosophy is that I'd rather they get the breast milk and it doesn't matter how they get it. My supply is barely keeping up with them so I suspect I'll have to supplement with formula anyway.
Mothers of twins - I need some guidance here. What worked for you?
8 comments:
I'm not a mom but just wanted to say how wonderfully you are handling all this. It sounds like some marines training camp from hell!!
have you considered a night nurse to help with the night feedings? I have a dear friend that did that for the first 6 months (the night nurse came in 3 times a week) and she said it saved her sanity.
Good luck and the little ones are adorable.
EB
Mine were in the NICU and I tried the whole breastfeeding with them there. I wasn't able to do it every time, so I pumped. Once they both got home one latch on better than the other so I still pumped and gave him formula for him. Then I seemed to almost just always pump having the same philosophy as you. As long as they are getting it. Well I was so tired and pumping took 20 minutes and I hardly even got any. After a month I gave it up and decided that I needed some kind of sanity and sleep and many babies are formula fed and are fine. So my suggestion, if you are making enough, pumping is just fine. It would have been so much easier with just one, but we have 2 and we have to do what we go to do to survive and not go into Post Pardum! Good luck> I hope my advice helped some how. Another advice. Get out of rocking them the sleep by 3 months. It will kick you in the butt in the end if you don't do it like us. Mine are 10 months and still waking up through the night. UGH!
Hey, that last post by Sammy was actually me. My friend use my cmoputer and she was still logged in under her account on GMAIL, so it said Sammy. I was utterly confused when I saw it. Take care!
I found your blog from Tubeless in Seattle.
I dont have twins but my youngest 2 are only 8 months apart. My son was a 29 week preemie so I had to pump to start. It seemed that it ended up just being easier. You can pump in a much shorter time and its done and over with. That way you at least can keep yourself on a schedule and others are able to help you do feedings. They are still getting the nutrition they need. This will also help you so you dont feel like all you do all day long is nurse.
You are doing great. It is so easy to get discouraged, but some day you will look back at all of this and have gotten through it!
I pump and am SO glad we do. It really is hard to breastfeed both babies. The bottles allow for Daddies and other family members to help more and give Mommy some breaks. We are also supplementing with formula as my boys are taking 4 oz. each a feeding. Your babies are doing so well.
I am not a mother of twins..but I am a mother of three..
GOOD for you and GREAT for your babies they are getting breast milk..I don't think it matters how they get it..or even that they only get breast milk..the important thing is that they get some breast milk..
Flu season is here..your milk has so many things your babies need that no matter what the formula companies try and tell/sell you..your breast milk will be SO MUCH better for them..it helps them fight off things that their immune system can't yet...keep giving them breast milk..even if it is pumped and only one bottle of it a day..!! Studies show that is has long term effects on their health also..babies who were breast fed, even as little as three months have a significant lower rate of childhood cancers..that alone is reason enough to give them breast milk!!
I am a mother of twins - I pumped for 4 weeks, got hardly a thing and stopped because I was getting stressed. Stressed mother = stressed babies
My babies are formula fed and are doing very well (15 weeks today)
Hi there! I don't know you at all...and truthfully, I'm not even sure how I stumbled across your blog...but I just had to comment!
I am the mother of 10 month old identical twin boys. They were born 6 weeks early and spent about a month in the NICU. I really, really wanted to breastfeed, and tried in the NICU...but it was a struggle. One of my sons came home before the other one - so to try and breastfeed him, yet pump enough for his brother....well, it was just exhausting!
I decided it would be a lot less stress on ALL OF US for me to just exclusively pump instead. I pumped often at first (like every 2 1/2 hours) - but I was able to produce enough to feed them exclusively breastmilk for the first few months of their life.
I stopped pumping when the boys were about 9 months old because my production went way down. They now drink formula and are doing great! They are 26 pound boys now and have been sleeping through the night since they were three months old.
I would LOVE to email with you, chat with you, etc. about this more if you want. Just let me know!
Take care and good luck! Having twins is AWESOME! Don't let anyone tell you different! :)
Beth
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