Blueflower's long awaited twins!

[Blueflower]

Hi! My TTC journal was called 'Getting Pregnant against the odds, twins please!' my Pregnancy Journal is called 'Blueflower's long awaited Pregnancy Journal!' & now finally I get to do a Parenting journal!

Quick background: didn't get the chance to start a family until I was a bit older, tried naturally for 9 months before seeking help. Lots of tests, referrals and waiting then started private treatment at a local clinic. Clomid & IUI unsuccessful, IVF #1 unsuccessful, IVF#2 with different drugs unsuccessful, IVF#3 with immune protocol unsuccessful. We always had plenty of embryos but none implanted. IVF#4 in London with embryo screening, all were abnormal so no transfer. Adopted a cat! IVF#5 back at the local clinic with donor eggs finally successful! Took nearly 5 years!

Pregnancy went well, no major concerns but I got extra appointments as I was high risk. (Cat went missing when I was 16 weeks pregnant though and still hasn't returned. ) Had C Section as Twin 1 was breach and now we have our beautiful boys! A dream come true!

 

[lisey]

Amazing to see your Mummy journal xx

 

[Papermoon]

I found it! Cool.

 

[Blueflower]

So am currently in bed with the twins on their feeding cushion! Jacob finished a while ago but is still here for a cuddle. Robert is on but still asleep so I am taking the opportunity to drink tea from a flask DH made and eat a jam sandwich he prepared before going to work!

I hope they will both sleep in a bit so I can get a shower. My friend is coming to meet them later and help with the formula feed and give them lots of cuddles. She is also bringing lunch, hooray! She has a 9 year old who is at school, he was also ivf. Hope we have a nice day without too much yelling!!

 

[Jasmine111]

I have just joined this section as well, it's amazing watching our ivf miracles grow isn't it �� Xx

 

[Papermoon]

Are you able to tell them apart Blue? Or do you use like a piece of yarn or something?

 

[Blueflower]

I have just joined this section as well, it's amazing watching our ivf miracles grow isn't it �� Xx

It is! How are you all?

Are you able to tell them apart Blue? Or do you use like a piece of yarn or something?

They aren't identical, Jacob has brown hair and a narrower face, Robert has fair hair and a wider face & is bigger. I heard people with identicals put nail varnish on the toes of one twin!

I'm finding it really tricky juggling 2 babies! If I feed them separately it takes ages especially if they cluster feed. Just eating and sleeping are impossible sometimes! I have a tandem cushion which works well if they are very hungry but otherwise they fall off or fall asleep! It can take 2 hours for them just to get 10 then 5 minutes each and then by the end of 2 hours I get up to go to the loo and they demand some more!

Been doing an average of 9 breastfeeds each a day plus 3 bottle feeds (recommended by midwives to keep their weights up.) Formula does give me a bit of a break sometimes as they usually sleep for longer afterwards but not always! I make sure I still feed them myself at least every 3 hours to keep the supply going. Some mornings or evenings I am exhausted and just want to rest but they scream when I put them down and don't want DH which upsets him.

I do enjoy breastfeeding when it works and want them to continue with it if possible!*Also don't want to complain as I always wanted twins!

 

[Jasmine111]

I've developed an over active thyroid ☹️️, but apart from that I'm fine. My little one is three months old already xx

 

[Blueflower]

Oh no Jasmine. How is the feeding going at 3 months?

I feel I have turned a corner with the feeding. Having a break from them helped me to look forward to feeding them rather than get annoyed when they keep coming back for 2nds & 3rds. After that though I do top up with formula otherwise I'd go mad!

 

[Jasmine111]

I switched to formula feeding quite early one, the birth really took it out of me. It helped that the other half could feed as well so I could get some rest. I lost confidence in breast feeding when she lost a lot of weight after her birth. Xxx

 

[Blueflower]

Robert lost 14%of his birth weight and we had to take him to the hospital, it was really worrying and some of the midwives made us feel bad about it.

 

[Jasmine111]

Similar to me, she lost 16%, spent two days in hospital. Good job I'm not breastfeeding as you can't with the thyroid meds I'm on xx

 

[Papermoon]

Oh no Blue! It is not your fault! T.J. has lost some weight too but the doctor said it's normal. My real milk is coming in now so hopefully he will start to put the weight back on. Don't let the midwives upset you!

 

[Blueflower]

It's ok that was on Boxing day, he's a little chunky monkey now!
I wonder what they will weigh at the 6 week Health visitor check!

 

[Blueflower]

So, my new job involves working nights and being topless haha!

Feeding is still so tricky even though I feel more positive about it. Feeding separately takes ages and one is often screaming, tandem works well if they are both very hungry but it's not as comfortable, they roll off the cushion, stretch their legs so can't always fit on, get too hot, fall off, fall asleep and need winding which unlatches the other one! They often come back for 2nds & 3rds before I've even eaten which is exhausting, sometimes after an hour or only half an hour. Breastfeeding groups say it's to keep my supply up and keep feeding them!

Formula top ups usually fill them up if they have been cluster feeding, aren't satisfied and I am exhausted but it's so hard to tandem bottle feed on my own what with burping and keeping them in position! One at a time is ok if one is asleep but that's rare!

My mum comes to help a couple of days a week but is quite draining herself and it puts me off when she watches me breastfeeding! I use a scarf but it makes us all too hot and bothered and the boys fall asleep and fall off which adds to the stress! Had to send her out the other day!

I hope it gets easier! DH goes down to 4 days a week next week, phew!

 

[Loubalouba]

Sounds very full on Hun! Have u got a good feeding pillow to support them both during feeding? I don't really have any advice other than keep going it sounds like u r doing a fab job! Can't be easy with two demanding feeds, are they putting on weight ok? Are u expressing too? You could express and store more and then your mum can feed one with a bottle and you feed the other? I am probably not helping, hope it all settles down a bit for you xx

 

[Blueflower]

Wow I just don't have time to post on here! They weighed 8lb 15 &9lb 2 at the 6 week appointment, births have been registered and they met their cousins yesterday! So nice having DH home one day a week!
I made an 'intense grandma screen' to block out my mum but she is now doing less and less to help and getting annoying. Might have to reduce her visits!
Anyway they are 8 weeks old today!

 

[Loubalouba]

Oohhhh so cute! Great weights! Can't believe they are 8 weeks old today! How is the breastfeeding going? I am not surprised u don't have time to post Hun xx I hope you are enjoying your new life as a mummy xxx

 

[Papermoon]

So cute, they're doing good!

 

[Browneyed Girl]

They are absolutely gorgeous! I'm surprised you have time to post at all with two babies to look after. Glad all is going well and if reducing visits from your mother will help then do it, you've got enough going on at the moment xx