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Servant2theKing
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As I posted earlier, our daughter is expecting twins. She's finding conflicting information on the average birth expectancy for twins...anywhere from 35 weeks to the full 40 weeks. When did those of you who have had twins deliver? Right now, she's in good health and still able to do most of her normal activities. We're trying to project a possible timeframe to travel to be with her family, to help out. We realize there's no exact science to this...as with all pregnancies...the babies will come when they're ready, huh!
Another question...did any of you deliver with one baby presenting breech? Right now, one of the babies is head down, the other feet down...she's currently at 29 weeks.
Has anyone here had experience with baby bottles that are good for colic, particularly Dr. Brown's bottles? Our daughter breastfeeds but wants to have bottles ready for the times she's able to pump, especially in case tandem nursing proves difficult for mom and/or babies. Their 15mo was smaller at birth, had severe colic and had issues of gagging with larger nipples (when they had to use bottled breastmilk for rare occasions she had to be away)...she's looking at any options that can help in case either of the twins have similar issues.
TIA for any advice or ideas.
Signed, Slightly Anxious Long-Distance Grandmother!
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Michaela
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Servant2theKing wrote:
| When did those of you who have had twins deliver? |
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Servant2theKing wrote:
| Another question...did any of you deliver with one baby presenting breech? |
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I had a c-section with my twins at 38 weeks because both were breech. We were hoping for a VBAC, but my doctor told me he wouldn't do it (find another dr) when he saw one baby breech. About 34-36 weeks, both were breech.
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Angi
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Mine were born at 35 weeks, but I have a history of preterm labor with all of my pregnancies. Baby A was vag, baby b was c-section, due to being a double footling breech. I knew that my doc would not deliver a breech, but stuck with her anyway. I would change to a doc that delivers breech if I have another child.
My little C could not nurse due to a birth defect, so she was bottle fed for 6 weeks. We just used the ones that we got in the NICU - basic bottles with Nuk nipples I think. Once she latched on, she and her twin nursed for 2 1/2 years.
Also, for my girls, cutting all dairy products out of my diet cured the colic.
HTH
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MarilynW
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My twins were born at 31 weeks - but they were monoamniotic and monochrionic (plus I had preterm labor) - so I knew that I could deliver any time after 24 weeks. They had to be delivered by C section as their cords were entangled. The type of bottle you buy will probably depend on if they are born early or not - I can't remember what we used - the lactation consultant in the NICU advised us.
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crusermom
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My little brothers were twins - born at term with one breech. My mom had a regular (well, sort of) delivery and the twins came home from the hospital with her. They weighed over 7 pounds each. I say the delivery was sort of normal because of the position of the babies they did not know she was having twins until the first was born, and then the doctor did some fancy trick to get the breech one out. My Dad was not present so we had to take the OB's word for what happened.
Will say a pray for your daughter and her babies!
Mary
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kozimom
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My twins were born at 36 weeks. Baby A was breech but was delivered vaginally after my dh convinced the OB that I could do it. They were both over 7 lbs.
I had a lot of trouble nursing them - not sure why exactly....sniff, sniff.....still a sore spot with me - but we ended up using playtex nursers with the plastic liners. These helped both babies to be the least fussy. And also, with the bottle feeding they had to be on a 3 - 4 hour schedule or else they'd be extremely fussy and "refluxy".
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mimmyof5
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My twins were born at 39 weeks. One was 6.8 and the other 6.4 lbs. Actually, it was an easy labor and delivery. This was my 4th pregnancy. We went home the next day. And I was 40 when they were born.
I think it's awfully hard to judge; my pregnancy/delivery was easy yet my good friend was on bed rest for a couple months w/twins and ended up with a C-section. All her other pregnancies had been easy.
Your dd will be remembered in our prayers today.
Janet
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Erin
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Haven't had twins myself but my cousin here has. One twin was breech the other head down. She has had a few breech, although last baby they told her if she presented breech again they would give her a c-section, litigation. 
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Genevieve
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Mine were delivered 38 weeks with one breeched and ended up with a c-section. I would say you never know about a breeched baby; Mine flipped up and down. The morning before, breached. The afternoon after, head down. And morning of, breached. :) So I would say make sure to check even just before a scheduled c-section.
I was pretty large towards the end of my pregnancy and at the start of my third trimester, I made my last journey on a plane. It was okay, just found walking in general tiring. My doctor advised no more long trips after that though.
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Rachel May
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Servant2theKing wrote:
When did those of you who have had twins deliver?
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I started pre-term labor at 26 weeks, was hostpitalized for the last time at 29 weeks, and was induced at 35 weeks. In hindsight, I think the pre-term labor was due to dehydration. However, even though the babies were small (5#6 and 4#4) they came home with me. They nursed and bottlefed beautifully, but we didn't have colic problems. We used Avent bottles.
Praying everything goes smoothly!
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10 Bright Stars
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I had a c-section at 39 weeks with both twins being breech. I think you CAN deliver with one baby breech, especially if it is the 2nd baby, BUT, like my doctor said to me, if it is safer for the babies to be born by c-section as their can be complications with a breech delivery, why not just do the c-section? I had NO trouble with the c-section at all, recovered well, and went on to deliver another baby the following year with a VBAC with no trouble at all.
I liked the Aventi bottles for the twins. I nursed and we supplementd with formula. (first time I ever used it, so that took some time to get used to, but this allowed Dad to take a larger roll in helping etc.) Also, when I would go to pump, I thought, I could just be nursing since with twins you are ALWAYS nursing at first. I mean.....ALWAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So, there really isn't a lot of time TO nurse unless she gets luck and has really sleepy babies! Mine were always crying and crying! So, I had to just use the formula to supplement. I could see the pumping working later on maybe? Perhaps someone had better experiences with this??
Tandem nursing is easy once you get the hang of it. Lots of pillows, sitting indian style on a bed with pillows under both babies resting on your legs. I even got to the point where I could be hands free this way and read a book!!!! Then, a rocking chair with big, soft arms is good too. You do sort of have to manuever them in ways that you don't normally do with "little babies". You have to get used to picking up one, positioning him/her and then picking up the other with just one arm/hand. Odd and a little scary at first, but then you gain confidence!
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Tonya
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I had a c-section at 38 weeks. One of mine was breech and the other transverse so there was no other option. I was a little relieved, actually, because my doctor's wife had just delivered twins, one vaginal and the second had to be delivered emergency c-section (and that was my worst nightmare as I have difficult labors and deliveries anyway). There are a time for c-sections and my delivery was one of them.
Just one note on tandem nursing. I took me a while (about a month) before I could successfully tandem nurse. One of my babies had trouble latching on and he needed individual attention. As Kim said, that meant that I was ALWAYS nursing for those first few weeks. Honestly, if I had been blessed to have twins again, I probably would have supplemented with formula. I was so exhausted that it took me a long time to recover. I was such an advocate of nursing that I think I made things very tough on myself (and the rest of my family!)
Prayers for your daughter,
Tonya
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Michaela
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The EZ nurse pillow was a blessing for me.
I doubt I would have hung in there as long as I did without it.
It's not the answer for everyone though, I bought it as a baby shower gift for a mom expecting twins. She never used it.
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Servant2theKing
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You ladies are a godsend. We're traveling to visit my daughter on Christmas Day and I printed up all your answers to take along. So many words of wisdom here. Thank you all! Have a blessed, grace-filled Christmas!
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EmilyC
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My twins were born at 37 weeks (though I went into labor at 35 and they were able to stop it). One was head down and the other breech. I delivered in the OR, and as soon as Robbie was born, Riley flipped head down. I was very grateful to not have to have a c-section.
I didn't nurse the twins--I tried, but they wanted to nurse every 30 min, and I was completely exhausted. I ended up getting sick and told dh to just give them some formula. I felt guilty at first, but honestly, looking back, it was definitely a good thing (for my sanity--I had ppd) that I stopped killing myself trying to nurse.
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10 Bright Stars
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I think it may be a tall order to try to go the nursing only route with twins too. Has anyone done this successfully? I nursed all of my children soley prior to having the twins and thought I would give the nursing only a try with them too. They wanted to nurse CONSTANTLY. Not only do you have the feeding for feedings sake with babies, but then there is the comfort nursing that all little babies want/need too. So, if I were to have nursed to feed them, and then nursed for comfort as much as they wanted, I think I literally would have nursed ALL DAY. Also, I found that I would nurse one on one "side" and then one twin on the other and then the store was empty so to speak and they were both still screaming!!! There was a good supply, and maybe if I had kept at it, it would have been enough eventually, but as tired as I was and with a household with numerous other children to care for/homeschool, I just had to supplement with formula etc. Maybe others have different success stories, or I can see if working if these are the only children to care for etc.
Also, it got to the point with my husband and I as far as needing sleep desperately that he would take "his" twin into our room at night and give her formula and I would take my twin, the one who wanted to nurse all night, into another room to sleep. It was the only way we could sleep for awhile in the beginning. "His" twin seemed to take the formula and she would sleep for several hours without interuption whereas "my" twin HAD to sleep right next to me and nurse or she would cry. I remember one night I felt guilty about the twin that didn't get Mom at night/nursed and I asked him to switch. He came in about a 1/2 hour later and asked for "his twin" back! It was funny! I always made sure to give the twin that had the formula at night all of the morning feedings/attention to try to balance it. Or, if I nursed one twin, I would nurse the other twin the next time. (i.e I would switch off.) It was also helpful that the younger kids could help feed the babies since it is a bit if a juggle with two babies. I did tandem nurse too which is easy once you get the hang of it.
It is a very fun adventure and your daughter will get into a groove soon enough!
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Michaela
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Eight Wonders wrote:
| I think it may be a tall order to try to go the nursing only route with twins too. Has anyone done this successfully? |
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I nursed Nathan & Olivia for two years. No supplements the first six months, then I added solids (baby food). Like I mentioned in an earlier post, it wouldn't have happened without the EZ nurse pillow and a schedule.
Nursing wasn't hard for me, it was trying to give Nicholas the same attention he had before twins. (ex. Letting him sit on my lap as I read book after book to him.) I couldn't do it, and it literally broke my heart.
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Angi
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I nursed my twins for 2 1/2 years. One twin had expressed breastmilk for 6 weeks due to a birth defect, but neither had formula. It is very doable. We did not use a schedule, but we did use a paci for a few months. I mostly comfort nursed, and only used the paci for when I was cooking dinner, at Mass (cant nurse 2 discretely ), in the car, etc.
HTH
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Angel
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Just seeing this, so I'll chime in, too... My twins were one breech/one vag, and I delivered by c-section at a little over 35 weeks. The boys were 5 lb 4 oz and 5 lb 8 oz, breathing on their own, no NICU stay. We went home together. I only nursed for 3 weeks because my boys were VORACIOUS eaters, and also one twin had latching issues, so wasn't gaining satisfactorily and I was in constant and extreme pain. I hoped to be able to nurse/supplement, but after a brief period, the boys just refused to nurse anymore. So they were bottlefed, using Dr. Brown's bottles. I was very disappointed, but... it was the best decision for our family.
I think it's definitely smart to have bottles on hand... my dh had to run out to buy some, as we didn't have any bottles in the house. (I'd nursed my first 3 children exclusively). I do know people who have successfully nursed twins, but I would tell your daughter that if it doesn't work out, it's ok. The key thing is survival!
I was on modified bedrest (recliner rest, I guess. ) starting at 33 weeks due to increased contractions. My dh took off the first week, and then my mil was able to come up to help the second week. We had no idea how long she would have to be there, but it turned out I delivered a week later anyway.
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mimmyof5
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Eight Wonders wrote:
| I think it may be a tall order to try to go the nursing only route with twins too. Has anyone done this successfully? |
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I nursed my twins for 2+ years. I had to start supplementing the younger of two around 9 mos. She wasn't able to keep any solids down due to an esophageal stricture which wasn't diagnosed until she was 15 mos. Before I started supplementing she would nurse every 45 minutes or so. Frankly, I don't even remember much of anything from about the time she was 6 mos until her surgeries at 15 mos.; I rarely got an hour's uninterrupted sleep. We won't even talk about the schooling that didn't happen...
However, if it hadn't been for her medical condition, I think it would have been doable, hard but doable, and well worth it for me. But I loved nursing; it was my favorite time and it now provides my happiest memories from when they were small. All that said, I can see where it might not be in the best interest of the rest of the family with the lack of sleep and everything that comes from that.
I would certainly encourage any mom of twins, who wants to nurse, to give it her best shot. We had a great Mom of Twins group here plus the lactation counselor from the hospital was a great help. Tandem nursing didn't come naturally for me, but she helped me along.
Blessings,
Janet
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Twins-revisited
