Hi everyone,
Just wanted to let everyone know that I gave birth to my twin daughters on the 16th of November 2005. Caitlin Marie 2.4 kg and Chloe Amelia 2.2 kg born at 37 weeks gestation.
I wrote here not that long ago as I was in such a panic on how I was gonna cope.
I was booked in to have a caesarian on the 16th of November but I woke up at 2.30am with 2 - 3 minute contractions. They were so painful. My husband rushed me up to the hospital and I was rushed in for an emergency caesarian. It was all just so quick. The girls were perfect and there were no complications.
I am at home now and still working out what to do. the girls are nearly two weeks old and doing well except for Caitlin who has definantly refused to be BF no matter how hard I tried and sitting feeding her for 3 hours plus I just cant keep doing it. I am bottlefeeding her with express milk and sometimes even formula. Chloe is great at the breast, cant get enough of it. The only thing is I'm not really enjoying Breastfeeding. I dont know why, I loved it when I BF my first child but I get upset and dread feeding time. Did anyone else feel this. I want to BF my girls but I dont if you know what I mean. ( Sorry about my rambling ).
My husband went back to work today after having two weeks off and all I have done is cry. I cant stop crying. He was great when he was home and I really relied on him. Im so emotional at the moment and feel down. I am so happy that I have my girls and I love them so much but I feel so down at the moment. Im so sorry for writing such a long letter but I just have so much to ask. Last thing my girls are doing great with there sleeping and feeding but poeple keep saying to me to enjoy it now becasue it just gets worse as they grow bigger. What routines do people go by. As I'm worried what sought of routine to go by when they do get a little older. I greatly appreciate your help and thank you so much for letting me ramble on.
Lisa
Mother of twins Caitlin and Chloe 12 days old
Welcome to the Lo-Fi, text only version of Essential Baby's forums.
The Essential Baby forums cover all areas of parenting and stages development for babies, toddlers and kids as well as parenting lifestyle areas including Family Travel, Finances, Nutrition & Wellbeing, Recipes and more! If you'd like to post and interact with EB's parenting forums read more articles about conception, pregnancy, babies, toddlers, kids or more please visit Essential Baby for the full site experience.
The Essential Baby forums cover all areas of parenting and stages development for babies, toddlers and kids as well as parenting lifestyle areas including Family Travel, Finances, Nutrition & Wellbeing, Recipes and more! If you'd like to post and interact with EB's parenting forums read more articles about conception, pregnancy, babies, toddlers, kids or more please visit Essential Baby for the full site experience.
Full Version: The twins have arrived.
HOME | CONCEPTION | PREGNANCY | BIRTH | BABY | TODDLER | KIDS | LIFESTYLE | TOOLS
Essential Baby > Babies > Twins, Triplets, Quads and More
Essential Baby > Babies > Twins, Triplets, Quads and More
hi lisa
that is exciting news, welcome to your two little girls.
i know how you feel about breastfeeding, these were my first babies and did not attach well. each time i fed it would take nearly 30 mins to attach and then they were past it and i had to go to the bottle.
just do what you can, don't panic, and if you need to have a big cry!!
the best thing i did was to contact a midwife thru wispers cottage in sydney and one came to me to help get the babies into a routine, this was a huge help and i believe has been the main reason why the boys are such good feeders( on the bottle gave up breast feeding after 5 weeks) and then such good sleepers.
take care and try to get some sleep when ever you can.
tanya, noah and caleb
<a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b1.lilypie.com/VAhxp11" alt="Lilypie Baby Ticker" border="0" /></a>
that is exciting news, welcome to your two little girls.
i know how you feel about breastfeeding, these were my first babies and did not attach well. each time i fed it would take nearly 30 mins to attach and then they were past it and i had to go to the bottle.
just do what you can, don't panic, and if you need to have a big cry!!
the best thing i did was to contact a midwife thru wispers cottage in sydney and one came to me to help get the babies into a routine, this was a huge help and i believe has been the main reason why the boys are such good feeders( on the bottle gave up breast feeding after 5 weeks) and then such good sleepers.
take care and try to get some sleep when ever you can.
tanya, noah and caleb
<a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b1.lilypie.com/VAhxp11" alt="Lilypie Baby Ticker" border="0" /></a>
Hi Lisa
First, CONGRATULATIONS! Well done for getting to 37 weeks. How's their timing wanting to come out on the very day you were booked for a CS? At least you know they were ready.
Now, on to you - what you are feeling at the moment is normal, normal, normal! Hormones, sleep deprivation and the stress of what to do with 2 newborns = slightly loopy Mummy. I for one cried a lot over the stupidest little things!
It took me a while to establish breastfeeding and I did have moments of dread as you have described. As the feeding got easier, I enjoyed it more and I really missed it when the girls were weaned at 13 months. In the end, you'll have to be the one who makes the decision whether to keep going. It must be a bit awkward with one breast feeding and one bottlefeeding.
You'll probably find that you'll fall into a routine of sorts naturally, and then all you need to do is tweak it a bit to suit your lifestyle. In the beginning our only routine was feed and sleep at the same time! If you write everything down (eg feed and sleep times as well as settled/awake/crying etc), that can sometimes help to see what your natural routine is and you can go from there.
What are people thinking making comments like that to you? Ignore them. It doesn't get worse, it gets different. Every stage has its joys and its trials.
Ramble on as much as you like Lisa, that's what we're here for. Don't forget to take care of yourself too! Must go, mine have lost interest in Bob The Builder and are pouring their cups of water on the floor :mad: See what I mean about trials?
Nicolie
DDs Paige & Hannah (23/09/03)
Give us a hug Sis!
This message was edited by nicolie on Monday, 28 November 2005 @ 7:10 PM
First, CONGRATULATIONS! Well done for getting to 37 weeks. How's their timing wanting to come out on the very day you were booked for a CS? At least you know they were ready.
Now, on to you - what you are feeling at the moment is normal, normal, normal! Hormones, sleep deprivation and the stress of what to do with 2 newborns = slightly loopy Mummy. I for one cried a lot over the stupidest little things!
It took me a while to establish breastfeeding and I did have moments of dread as you have described. As the feeding got easier, I enjoyed it more and I really missed it when the girls were weaned at 13 months. In the end, you'll have to be the one who makes the decision whether to keep going. It must be a bit awkward with one breast feeding and one bottlefeeding.
You'll probably find that you'll fall into a routine of sorts naturally, and then all you need to do is tweak it a bit to suit your lifestyle. In the beginning our only routine was feed and sleep at the same time! If you write everything down (eg feed and sleep times as well as settled/awake/crying etc), that can sometimes help to see what your natural routine is and you can go from there.
What are people thinking making comments like that to you? Ignore them. It doesn't get worse, it gets different. Every stage has its joys and its trials.
Ramble on as much as you like Lisa, that's what we're here for. Don't forget to take care of yourself too! Must go, mine have lost interest in Bob The Builder and are pouring their cups of water on the floor :mad: See what I mean about trials?
Nicolie
DDs Paige & Hannah (23/09/03)
Give us a hug Sis!
This message was edited by nicolie on Monday, 28 November 2005 @ 7:10 PM
I don't really have any constructive advice, just wanted to Congratulate you Lisa on the birth of your girls! Ours were born the day before yours. I've been extremely teary too since they've been born, at times I've wondered if something is seriously wrong with me because I'll just burst into tears for no reason. I think it's just a combination of crazy hormones and stress, and is quite normal.
Don't be too hard on yourself - your babies are only 2 weeks old! I don't know if you need to worry about routines just yet... but the ladies here are extremely helpful, and never feel silly for asking tons of questions!
Don't be too hard on yourself - your babies are only 2 weeks old! I don't know if you need to worry about routines just yet... but the ladies here are extremely helpful, and never feel silly for asking tons of questions!
Hi Lisa,
Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful babies. I can relate exactly to how you're feeling. My babies were also born at 37 weeks and breastfeeding was a contentious issue from day one, where as with my first child it was easy, relaxing and enjoyable. In the beginning neither baby really attached well, and being smallish were poor suckers. And it seemed that no matter how long he fed for Jack was hungry again in an hour or so. I tried tandem feeding but it made it seem much more like a job than the relaxing bonding time I remembered it being with Kobe. If I fed singly I would be feeding all day. I wavered for 5 weeks, attending breastfeeding clinics and talking to lactation consultants before taking the plunge at 5 weeks and changing to bottles. Just making that decision made me a lot happier. I think in reality I was just daunted by twins in general, the continuing tiredness and dealing with the emotions of an almost 2 year old whose world had just been turned upside down.
Jack and India are 10 weeks old now and it's a different world (well maybe not this week as everyone in the house is sick).
My husband had a month off work and I was really scared when he went back to work and it was hard. Kobe is in daycare for 2 days a week but getting them all there was a huge task in itself, and there have been heaps of days where I have cried and thought I can't do this. But increasingly the good days outnumber the bad, which makes me feel more confident and I'm learning to accept help that is offered and occasionally even ask. I'm so used to being independent and in control this was a huge change but a good one.
I found that day sleeping does get worse as they get older although India and Jack didn't do much else beside eat and sleep for the first 5 weeks. While they can be unsettled during the day now they make up for it at night as they either sleep through or one of them just wakes once. Getting 5 hours sleep in a row also changes your perspective on everything.
The reality is though that I still cry about things and in many ways wish their babyhood away, but i love those little babies so much, just like you love Caitlin and Chloe. Is there someone that can help you during the day when your husband is away? How old is your first child now?
I think we still need to get into a routine but I don't really know how to do it so I was interested to read what tanya said about wispers cottage. I live on the central coast and am wondering if there is anything similar here?
Just remember, you are not alone. I think we ahave all been where you are now and I love reading about the older twins and their family lives it sounds so normal
take care
elke
Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful babies. I can relate exactly to how you're feeling. My babies were also born at 37 weeks and breastfeeding was a contentious issue from day one, where as with my first child it was easy, relaxing and enjoyable. In the beginning neither baby really attached well, and being smallish were poor suckers. And it seemed that no matter how long he fed for Jack was hungry again in an hour or so. I tried tandem feeding but it made it seem much more like a job than the relaxing bonding time I remembered it being with Kobe. If I fed singly I would be feeding all day. I wavered for 5 weeks, attending breastfeeding clinics and talking to lactation consultants before taking the plunge at 5 weeks and changing to bottles. Just making that decision made me a lot happier. I think in reality I was just daunted by twins in general, the continuing tiredness and dealing with the emotions of an almost 2 year old whose world had just been turned upside down.
Jack and India are 10 weeks old now and it's a different world (well maybe not this week as everyone in the house is sick).
My husband had a month off work and I was really scared when he went back to work and it was hard. Kobe is in daycare for 2 days a week but getting them all there was a huge task in itself, and there have been heaps of days where I have cried and thought I can't do this. But increasingly the good days outnumber the bad, which makes me feel more confident and I'm learning to accept help that is offered and occasionally even ask. I'm so used to being independent and in control this was a huge change but a good one.
I found that day sleeping does get worse as they get older although India and Jack didn't do much else beside eat and sleep for the first 5 weeks. While they can be unsettled during the day now they make up for it at night as they either sleep through or one of them just wakes once. Getting 5 hours sleep in a row also changes your perspective on everything.
The reality is though that I still cry about things and in many ways wish their babyhood away, but i love those little babies so much, just like you love Caitlin and Chloe. Is there someone that can help you during the day when your husband is away? How old is your first child now?
I think we still need to get into a routine but I don't really know how to do it so I was interested to read what tanya said about wispers cottage. I live on the central coast and am wondering if there is anything similar here?
Just remember, you are not alone. I think we ahave all been where you are now and I love reading about the older twins and their family lives it sounds so normal
take care
elke
Hi Lisa, my heart goes out to you as I remember feeling the same as you describe in your post. I had days where I would just burst into tears about nothing or everything. Firstly, congratulations for growing such big healthy babies. I had difficulty BF during the first couple of weeks and contacted a lactation consultant through the hospital I had my twins at. She came to my house and was amazing. With her help I got into a routine and felt so much happier. She listened to what I needed rather than just telling me what I should do.
I was so tired all the time that I found a notepad very handy- I jotted down who I BF, on which side and the time. I tried to stick to a BF routine where possible (e.g. every four hours). Perhaps you are not enoying BF so much because at the moment it's very draining and harder work than last time? Having had another (single) baby since my twins it is much quicker and easier with one. I hope that it settles into an easier routine- this happened for me and from about 4 weeks on I found it much easier and less draining.
Make sure you talk to someone about how you're feeling. Tell your DH how your day was and how you are going. It's not easy being a mum to twins and you need support. I was very fortunate to have my MIL come over most days after my DH went back to work and this was a huge help to me. Is there anyone in your family or a friend who can come over and give you a break from time to time?
Finally people shouldn't say it gets harder- I totally agree with Nicolie it just changes. I personally found the first few weeks the hardest by far due to the sleep deprivation and having to be the constant food source! So in my opinion it gets easier- you just need to take care of yourself through this period and post anytime you need to talk or want advice.
All the best,
Maycee
Maycee (36)
DH (34)
Twin boys (4/12/01)
DD (7/10/03)
I was so tired all the time that I found a notepad very handy- I jotted down who I BF, on which side and the time. I tried to stick to a BF routine where possible (e.g. every four hours). Perhaps you are not enoying BF so much because at the moment it's very draining and harder work than last time? Having had another (single) baby since my twins it is much quicker and easier with one. I hope that it settles into an easier routine- this happened for me and from about 4 weeks on I found it much easier and less draining.
Make sure you talk to someone about how you're feeling. Tell your DH how your day was and how you are going. It's not easy being a mum to twins and you need support. I was very fortunate to have my MIL come over most days after my DH went back to work and this was a huge help to me. Is there anyone in your family or a friend who can come over and give you a break from time to time?
Finally people shouldn't say it gets harder- I totally agree with Nicolie it just changes. I personally found the first few weeks the hardest by far due to the sleep deprivation and having to be the constant food source! So in my opinion it gets easier- you just need to take care of yourself through this period and post anytime you need to talk or want advice.
All the best,
Maycee
Maycee (36)
DH (34)
Twin boys (4/12/01)
DD (7/10/03)
Hi Lisa,
Congratulations on the arrival of your little girls
I was reading your post and I really identified with what you were saying. I am only BF one twin and the other is having EBM via a bottle and Nastogastric Tube. I also feel overwhelmed at feeding time and sometimes end up feeding forumla and then feel guilty about it afterwards 
I have chosen to blame it on hormones and a serious lack of sleep (Im happy to lend out this excuse to you also 
) .
Being a twin mummy is hard work - much harder than I had anticipated. Now at almost 5wks we are starting to find our feet and develop a bit of a routine. I am dreading hubby going back to work because I am afraid that I am going to fall flat on my butt - I am sure that there will be plenty of tears when that time comes too! Just remember your doing your best and your body and headspace are trying to return to 'normal' which takes time and patience. I am sure that your a great mummy and your girls are going to love you to death!
All the best.
xo
Congratulations on the arrival of your little girls
I was reading your post and I really identified with what you were saying. I am only BF one twin and the other is having EBM via a bottle and Nastogastric Tube. I also feel overwhelmed at feeding time and sometimes end up feeding forumla and then feel guilty about it afterwards I have chosen to blame it on hormones and a serious lack of sleep (Im happy to lend out this excuse to you also ) .Being a twin mummy is hard work - much harder than I had anticipated. Now at almost 5wks we are starting to find our feet and develop a bit of a routine. I am dreading hubby going back to work because I am afraid that I am going to fall flat on my butt - I am sure that there will be plenty of tears when that time comes too! Just remember your doing your best and your body and headspace are trying to return to 'normal' which takes time and patience. I am sure that your a great mummy and your girls are going to love you to death!
All the best.
xo
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.
Essential Baby is the place to find parenting information and parenting support relating to conception, pregnancy, birth, babies, toddlers, kids, maternity, family budgeting, family travel, nutrition and wellbeing, family entertainment, tips for the family home, child-friendly recipes and parenting. Try our pregnancy due date calculator to determine your due date, or our ovulation calculator to predict ovulation and your fertile period. Our pregnancy week by week guide shows your baby's stages of development. Access our very active mum's discussion groups in the Essential Baby forums to talk to mums about conception, pregnancy, birth, babies, toddlers, kids and parenting lifestyle. Essential Baby also offers a baby names database of more than 22,000 baby names, popular baby names, boys' names, girls' names and baby names advice in our baby names forum. For the latest baby clothes, maternity clothes, maternity accessories, toddler products, kids toys and kids clothing, breastfeeding and other parenting resources, check out Essential Baby.