Honestly, around that two week point I was praying that time would go faster. We were having a hard time adjusting to caring for two "preemie" newborns, Si had gone back to work, my milk had fully come in so I literally was the milk cow between breastfeeding every 2 hours and pumping, and I was getting maybe 2 hours total of sleep a night. The babies weren't putting on as much weight as the pediatrician and home nurse wanted, and I felt like I wasn't doing a good enough job caring for my babies.
What a difference two weeks can make! The babies are more on a schedule now - feeding every 3-4 hours during the day, and making it nearly every 4 hours between feedings at night. I am exclusively breastfeeding, except one Neosure bottle a night for Brianna, and two for Olivia (so dad can help with the girls in the middle of the night too). They are getting a bath every night - usually between 11 PM and Midnight - then they are both getting a bottle and they will usually sleep until 3:30 or 4 AM! We both get up and feed them when they wake up, then they are usually good to go until 7-8AM when Si leaves for work. Definitely more manageable. AND, we are probably getting 4-5 hours of sleep a night. DEFINITELY an improvement from the maybe 2 hours I was getting before! I can't wait until we sleep through the night, but I can be a bit more patient now and enjoy watching them grow up now that I'm not quite as sleep deprived.
We had our last home health visit with the visiting nurse, and the girls are doing GREAT! For the last two weeks both of the girls have gained a beautiful amount of weight - between 8 oz-10 oz each, each week! Brianna is up to 7 lbs 7.5 oz, and Olivia is up to 7 lbs 6.5 oz! We are almost the size of an "average" newborn now - woo hoo!! We are still wearing newborn clothes and diapers, but I suspect our time is now pretty limited in them. . .maybe a week. The girls are starting to grow up so fast!!!
Oh, and do they have their own little personalities or what?!
Olivia is quite the social butterfly. She LOVES to chat it up with whoever will listen! She "talks", or coos, or mumbles while she is awake, while she is sleeping, while she is playing, and while she is feeding. She is going non-stop! And the faces she makes! Cracks me up!!! I suspect she will be our little drama/speech queen. She always wants to be first, and definitely enjoys being the center of attention. In the last two days she has started holding her head up more, and is pushing up with her feet trying to stand on us. No little one, you don't get to be mobile yet!! This little daddy's girl is full on personality and life =).
Brianna is our more reserved little lady. She is patient, and more calm than her sister. Unless of course she is getting her diaper changed or getting a bath. . .then it is game on and she can scream like no one's business! She has already managed to roll over, although we didn't actually witness it. I put her in her crib on her back last week and I came back in an hour later to her on her tummy! She has been able to roll from her back to her side since she was a week old, but all the way over? That's just nuts! I suspect Brianna will be our more athletic little one. . .she always has her arms flailing as though she is swimming, and she has kicking down pat too! She is most excellent at kicking off her blankets, then crying because she is cold. We have learned that we have to swaddle her pretty darn tight. This little momma's girl is a cuddler who LOVES to breastfeed =).
As we are more on a schedule now I hope to be able to go back to following all of my fellow bloggers, answering emails within the same week they are received (not kidding - sad!), and providing updates and pics on this blog. We shall see! I am totally on my own during the day with the girlies now, so I'm hoping to be able to maintain my sanity while attempting to return to semi normal life. . .wish me luck!
The sleeping will get easier. At 9 weeks, our girls are down to two night wakings (between say 9pm and 7 am). Of course, we're not breastfeeding so your mileage may vary. Good job mommy! I hope you can start getting more sleep soon! I personally feel that if you can make it through the first month with preemie/newborn twins, you can do anything.
ReplyDeleteWow Stephanie - that's great! I would be thrilled to be that lucky! LOL@ mileage may vary - it's true though - I've noticed that our girls sleep longer after formula feedings too=). And the first month really is HARD - I wholeheartedly agree! It's a testimony to our strength isn't it? We can do it!!
ReplyDeleteThey are gorgeous! Life with twins does get easier I promise! Mine are at the 3 month mark now and giving me between a 5 to 7 hour stretch of sleep every night now. I feel like I've died and gone to heaven! Good luck! Love seeing the photos!
ReplyDeleteGo YOU! I hope to come see you tomorrow! What are you up to? And just so you know sleeping through the night is considered 12am-5am so if they are going 5 hours - you're practically there! We were able to let Adam sleep as long as he wanted which was never more than 6.5 hours and that was awesome! We're back to triple feedings during the day and every 4 hours at night until he starts to gain. He actually lost a few ounces this week so we are checking in every other day with the docs and hopefully will switch his reflux meds soon. I miss your faces!
ReplyDeleteYour post is soooo sweet! I can hear the smile and the energy coming back!
I love the one where they are "plotting!" They are simply adorable!
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