| Author | |
10 Bright Stars
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 16 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 728
|
| Posted: Dec 22 2008 at 7:14pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
That is wonderful that so many were able to nurse exclusively!! I really did try, but just wasn't able to do it completely. It sure would have saved a lot of money!!!  I also had a lot of trouble with pain from so much nursing, but I tend to go through that with all my babies.
__________________
Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Servant2theKing
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 13 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1505
|
| Posted: Dec 22 2008 at 9:36pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My daughter and I have really appreciated all the valuable input! My daughter is open to doing whatever works best for the babies and their family. Even though she nursed her other two exclusively, she's open to supplementing if that seems best for all concerned. She's very wise and practical, and has always taken things in stride, which is quite a miracle considering she had me for a mother!
Based on some of the responses here, and further research, I was able to order her some preemie pacis (Gumdrop brand), Dr. Brown Bottles (some w/ preemie nipples), and a Moby Wrap (for Kangaroo Care). Since her 15mo was on the small side, she's assuming these two will be somewhat small, especially since she's not incredibly big for carrying twins at this point.
We also had great luck this weekend and found some books at our library bookstore containing infor. on caring for preemies, Kangaroo care, and a Dr. Sears book. We had already gotten her several books on twins at the same library bookstore...St. Anthony has really been working overtime during her pregnancy!
An earlier post mentioned having a good rocking chair for feeding twins...when our daughter visited in Oct. our oldest son gave her my father's recliner, which rocks and has perfect armrests for nursing...it was one of the few items he had requested when we settled my mother's estate this year, but he knew it would be really helpful and meaningful for his sister to have it for rocking her precious babies! I almost cried when they packed it up for the long trip home, knowing how dear the gift was because of her brother's sacrifice, the family history the chair holds and the new stories that will unfold in its arms very soon!
Now, if we just knew of a patron saint who could ensure that we safely make it there in time for the birth...I'm not relishing a ten hour drive knowing she's in labor, especially since she delivered only 1/2 hour after arriving at the hospital with her last birth!
Speaking of patron saints, I've been praying to St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, as well as St. Catherine of Siena (who also was a twin)...does anyone know of any other saints who were twins?
__________________
All for Christ, our Saviour and King, servant
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MarilynW
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4275
|
| Posted: Dec 22 2008 at 10:25pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have a beautiful image of a Madonna carrying twins that a friend had sent me years ago when I had twins. I can email it to you if you pm me - I cannot find it online anywhere. I think it is by Bouguereau. I would post it on my blog - but I think I will scare the wits out of everyone who will think I am having twins again
__________________
Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Angel
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 22 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2293
|
| Posted: Dec 23 2008 at 8:24am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Sts. Cosmos and Damienare the patron saints of twins.
Does your daughter know about the Brewer diet for twins? I wasn't able to follow this exactly, and had to use supplements to get my protein up over 100 g (I think what is recommended for twins is 130 g) but I do think that the high levels of protein and also focusing on Omega -3s were what helped my boys to be a good weight at 35 weeks, in spite of the fact that one of them had an umbilical cord that did not implant correctly (and in spite of all the life stresses that coincided with the pregnancy -- two moves, for instance.)
__________________
Angela
Mom to 9, 7 boys and 2 girls
Three Plus Two
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
10 Bright Stars
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 16 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 728
|
| Posted: Dec 23 2008 at 2:17pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Marilyn,
I would love for you to PM a picture of the twins for me too if you don't mind. I could hang it over the twins bed or something if I printed it out.
__________________
Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
theresa-lynn
Forum Rookie
Joined: Nov 04 2005
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 87
|
| Posted: Dec 23 2008 at 3:04pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My twins were born at 34 weeks at HOME and my dh delivered them by himself (with 911 on the phone). The first little guy was a normal birth, but JP, our second one was breech. All went well thank God.
I didn't know I was having twins until the day before, and didn't even realize I was in labour (it was less than 30 min start to finish anyways).
Anyhow, after 9 days in the NICU, we went home and I was able to nurse both of them exclusively for over a year.
At the begining, because they were little, I had to pump, nurse, bottle feed, clean the pump and then start all over. It was the biggest pain ever so I tossed all the bottles as soon as they learned to nurse properly and never went back.
It's hard the first year but it gets much much easier. Tell her just to take things one feeding at a time. I always nursed them at the same time (with help from an awesome pillow and my dh), and that saved a lot of time.
Don't worry, God will provide everything she needs. It's such a tremendous opportunity for the mom to learn the fast way how to love and give of herself!
Merry Christmas!!
__________________
Blessings,
Melanie
Mommy to dd 8, ds 6, dd 4, dtwins 2, and another due in october.
Our Lady of Tuscany Academy
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Servant2theKing
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 13 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1505
|
| Posted: Dec 23 2008 at 4:23pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Marilyn, the image of the Bleseed Mother holding twins is just breathtaking! Thank you again!
Angela, thank you for the infor. on Cosmas and Damian, as well as the link to the Brewers diet...that's an incredible amount of food for anyone to consume, let alone a mother with two growing babies encroaching on all her digestive organs!
Melanie, thank you for sharing your story...thankfully I homebirthed our last two, so my daughter is quite familiar with all that it entails...just in case!
Thank you all once more for your many words of wisdom and MOST of all for your prayers for my daughter and her wee ones! Don't you just love how Real Learning encompasses so many aspects of our lives!? This
50-something grandmother is still learning something new every single day!
God bless each and every one of you and your families with a blessed, grace-filled, joyous Christmas and a New Year filled with abundant blessings!
__________________
All for Christ, our Saviour and King, servant
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MarilynW
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4275
|
| Posted: Dec 23 2008 at 5:07pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Eight Wonders wrote:
Marilyn,
I would love for you to PM a picture of the twins for me too if you don't mind. I could hang it over the twins bed or something if I printed it out. |
|
|
Kim - please pm me your email and I will email it to you. I would post it here - but I don't know how to - I have it in "My pictures" on my computer.
__________________
Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Nedra in So. CA
Forum Rookie
Joined: Nov 25 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 79
|
| Posted: Dec 23 2008 at 8:42pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
n/a
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Le
Forum Rookie
Joined: June 11 2008
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 91
|
| Posted: Jan 02 2009 at 5:03pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'm sorry I'm just seeing this now and wasn't in time for your visit with your daughter over Christmas.
My twins were born at 34 weeks/6 days. I had preterm labor and in the end my water broke. When my water broke baby A was head down and baby B was transverse. We strongly suspected baby B would turn footling breech once baby A was delivered and we were correct. Both girls were born vaginally in the OR. For baby B they just basically reached in, grabbed her feet and pulled her out, no big deal. Unfortunately not many OBs are trained to do breech deliveries anymore so it can be risky and most will only do C sections if both babies aren't perfectly head down. I got lucky with a really fantastic, well trained, pro-life OB. 
__________________
Becky, loving wife to Chris and mom to Stephen (11/99), Elizabeth (04/01), Catherine (08/04), Natalie & Samantha (10/07)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
BrendaPeter
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 28 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 981
|
| Posted: Jan 02 2009 at 6:33pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My twins were born at 37 1/2 weeks. Baby A was breech so I had to have a c-section. My OB tried doing a version but it was unsuccessful. He said that if he had let me deliver naturally, they would have ended up with locked chins - very dangerous.
I had trouble nursing them initially as I lost quite a bit of blood from the c-section & had a hard time eating & drinking enough myself. I also ended up with an infected incision that had to be re-opened (just on the surface) & cleaned & packed twice a day (thank God dh is a physician!). The pediatrician trusted me as I was an experienced breastfeeding mom. Once I started bringing granola bars & juice boxes to my bedroom to snack on in the middle of the night, I finally started feeling better & was able to exclusively nurse them for the 1st 6 months.
__________________
Blessings,
Brenda (mom to 6)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
juststartn
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 17 2007
Location: Oklahoma
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1321
|
| Posted: Jan 02 2009 at 8:09pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I was induced at 34w1d with mine(ended up with a section thanks to cord/heart rate decels). They were 4#11 and 5#2 at delivery. I tried to nurse, but there were so many complicating issues--they had two weeks of NICU time, with 3 other dc, a DH back at work three days after I came home from the hospital, one car, and no help--which led to me pumping, but they got used to the hospital bottles/nipples, and never could get broken of them (DH left for Iraq when they were three wks old, I still had no help, the three older children, and trying to nurse while having to be up all day with the olders, no way....I just couldn't keep it up).
Sorry I'm not much help. I've nursed my others, but the boys were...definitely a special case. I mean, the boys were home from the hospital for a week before DH left--for what was supposed to be a 15-18 mos deployment...I would have needed live-in help, and there was no one who could/we couldn't afford to hire it out... 
((HUGS)) for you and your dd....
Rachel
__________________
Married DH 4/1/95
Lily 3/11/00
Helena(Layna) 5/23/02
Sophia 4/19/04
John 5/7/07
David 5/7/07
Ava Maria, in the arms of Jesus, 9/5/08
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Pilgrim
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 28 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1286
|
| Posted: March 03 2009 at 12:17pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Mommy of the twins here. I would like to personally thak everyone for their words of wisdom and prayers, they have both been so appreciated.
The twins were born on St. Valentine's Day, @ 12:38 and 12:50 AM. They were both born vaginally, and everything went very well. We had a girl and a boy. Gianna Rose(6lb. 4 oz.) and Jeremiah Joseph(6 lb. 2 1/2 oz.). Born at 37 wks 4 days.
It has been a bit of a rough start, but it could be so much worse, and God even blessed us with my husband being on unemployment during this time, so he is here to help, and is able to bond together with us all.
Gianna had dehydration issues and ended up in the NICU 2 days after cming home. They both ended up jaundiced. So we were going to one hospital for testing Jeremiah every day, and then heading to another one in a whole other direction to visit her, and take her the breastmilk I was able to pump, while still trying to get hiw going with nursing. Which was no small feat with these two in the beginning. They were both so sleepy, it would take us 2hrs at least to finally get them both nursed, and then it would almost be time to start the whole thing over. We were blessed if we got 3 hrs of sleep a day in those first days.
Things are going better now, they are getting better at nursing. Although the boy still has truble staying latched on. It usually takes him 6-10 times of trying, and he finally gets it. I feel so bad for him, I wish I knew what to do to help him.
Both babies are healthy now, though, and we are so grateful, and we enjoy them so much. Twins are an awesome blessing. It didn't feel right having only one at home when she was in the NICU!
Our other two children have adjusted so well to all the changes throughout the pregnancy and these early days. The 8 yo is such a wonderful help, and she loves holding the babies(she does so much better than when our 16 mo ds was littler). Our ds doesn't act jealous of the babies at all yet, and seems to really like them. They are both such good kids, God has really blessed us. It makes all the chaos of twin pregnancy and newborn days bearable!
Just thought I'd give a update, and thank everone of you ladies for your input and advice in recent months! God Bless!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Marie
Forum Rookie
Joined: Jan 28 2008
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 74
|
| Posted: March 03 2009 at 12:43pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks for the update! Its great to hear how you're doing.
__________________
~Marie
DS 2005, DD 2007, DD 2009 and a new little DS 2011 DS 2014
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Le
Forum Rookie
Joined: June 11 2008
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 91
|
| Posted: March 03 2009 at 1:50pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks for the update. I've been wondering about you. I'm glad things are getting better for you and both babies are doing well. Twins are an amazing blessing!
__________________
Becky, loving wife to Chris and mom to Stephen (11/99), Elizabeth (04/01), Catherine (08/04), Natalie & Samantha (10/07)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
robynallen
Forum Newbie
Joined: July 20 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4
|
| Posted: March 03 2009 at 2:29pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Although the boy still has truble staying latched on. It usually takes him 6-10 times of trying, and he finally gets it. I feel so bad for him, I wish I knew what to do to help him.
This may have nothing to do with it but you can take from my experience what you want. I did/do not have twins but I did have a boy who had a hard time staying latched on. It turns out that he was mildly tongue-tied (although severe enough to cause a problem nursing). Once we got that taken care of he nursed like a champ. He would slide right off my breast. He just couldn't hold the suction for more than a minute or two. It was SO frustrating for the both of us. Plus, it was hard to convince the doctor that this was the problem. I knew there was something not right since I had successfully nursed my first 2 children. They do not routinely "fix" children that our tongue-tied in our country. They wait to see IF there is a speech problem. If I hadn't been so persistant I think we would have had to stop nursing.
Congratulations and Good Luck!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Pilgrim
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 28 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1286
|
| Posted: March 03 2009 at 5:19pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
robynallen, thank you for the idea. Fortunately, he is not tongue tied. I actually look for that in each of my babies, my youngest two brothers were both togue tied, and my poor mother did not know it for six months with the first one. She suffered all those months with such frustrations in nursing. What a relief when he got the tongue tie released. It is such a simple thing to clip it, I do not know why any doctor would not do it right away? God Bless!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MarilynW
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4275
|
| Posted: March 03 2009 at 5:42pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Pilgrim - wonderful news - beautiful names - so glad all went well. I have often thought of you when I look at my "Madonna with twins" picture.
I am trying to remember those first few months - my guys were only 3lbs when born and so one came home at 5 weeks, one after 6 weeks - I remember how awful it was to only bring one baby home. They were just under 4lbs when they came home - and it would take us 1 hour to feed 2 oz of milk (I had stopped pumping by then) - so it was one twin, then another twin and then start the next twin again. Literally 24 hours around the clock. My dh was at school and working. He did the shift from 9pm to midnight and then from 5an to 7am. I did the rest. I also had a 2 year old who behaved so well. The first couple of months are a bit of a haze - but as soon as they reached 8 or 9lbs, things got easier.
Enjoy them - even now when mine are asleep I go in and look at these two identical looking human beings and it is a miracle.
__________________
Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Twins-revisited
