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hobbitmom
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| Posted: May 28 2007 at 9:54pm | IP Logged
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My sister just had her twins last week, her first kids. Our mom and her mil have been taking turns staying at their house to help. Later this week I'll be driving down (she's about six hours away) to help too in whatever way I can. I'll be hampered a bit by dh being away on a business trip and ds being only 2 (and also by starting my third trimester...) so I'm not sure how I can best be of use to her.
The plan right now is for my dad to watch ds while I help my sister in the mornings, doing the laundry and cleaning and cooking and other household things like that which have fallen by the wayside since the twins came home. She did mention that she's not eating very well right now, since no one has time to cook!
So does anyone have suggestions on healthy breakfasts and lunches, crockpot dinners, and good-for-you snacks that I can make in bulk for her? She does have some food restrictions: she eats no meat except chicken, and she can't have dairy or anything spicy.
Is there any other way I can make her more comfortable, or even to just help behind the scenes? She's so stressed and tired right now, especially since her dh has already gone back to work and so he can't really help at night. I'm hoping to plan out what I'll do and what I'll need to do it before I go down there, so I can make best use of the time.
Thanks!
Amy
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juststartn
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| Posted: May 29 2007 at 10:32am | IP Logged
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Wow, I had some suggestions til I read her dietary requirements. Having just had twins myself a little more than 3 wks ago, I can understand the "no time for anything other than mere subsistence' life...lol. Plus I don't WANT to eat 90% of the time...if I drink the water I need to drink for nursing purposes, I am not that hungry. And if thinking about eating is hard, then thinking about making anything is also hard, lol.
Oatmeal is a good breakfast--you can make it more nutritious with dried fruits and such. Muffins with fruit and nuts that can be frozen, popped out of the freezer when needed, microwaved for a few seconds to thaw, and then, presto, relatively instant breakfast/snacky thing...
As far as main meals, maybe marinating and cooking a lot of chicken breasts, cooking up a lot of boneless skinless breasts and chunking them up for easier use in recipes...Things that will make meal prep easier (cause lots of times, its just the prep that takes so much time/energy/thought that wears you out.
I make a pasta dish with chunks of chicken, and usually something like bowties, or something similar...toss the two with a pre-packaged sauce mix one buys at the grocery store. Serve with a salad and some warmed bread, and you've got a good meal...and leftovers, hopefully.
HTH
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
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JennGM
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| Posted: May 29 2007 at 10:44am | IP Logged
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I wish I had some suggestions. I don't do freezer cooking very well. I'm mentally trying to plan what to do before this baby comes, because we have ingredient/allergy restrictions, also.
I do make stews and soups that I freeze, but in the summertime that might not be so desirable. If she wants soup, that would be a good option to do some chicken soup, chicken gumbo (non-spicy), and freeze in portions that she can take out easily for lunch.
And how about chicken spaghetti? Would she tolerate that? Make extra marinara sauce to freeze, and freeze the chicken pieces as suggested?
This isn't freeze ahead, but very practical for hands-free cooking. I've mentioned before my mom's easy bake chicken. All of my sisters get this meal when we come home from the hospital, and it's our easy meal. Take a whole chicken, remove insides, rinse, add Lawry's salt (and I add garlic powder) all over, place in aluminum foil, put in pan and bake for a few hours at 350. Served with rice there's a nice gravy, and makes great sandwiches and leftovers.
I also have a covered stoneware pan from Pampered Chef that I don't even do aluminum foil now, just plop it in and bake. My sister uses the same stoneware dish in the microwave and it's done in 30 minutes.
It's not too hard to do non-dairy, except that you won't be able to do casseroles and cheese dishes. Substitute margarine for the butter, and there are other milk alternatives for small amounts.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Maturemomg
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| Posted: May 29 2007 at 10:58am | IP Logged
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Buy her a bunch of better quality paper plates and cups and napkins. Go disposable for a while.
Trail mix/Gorp is a great healthy snack, keeps well, fills you up.
Lots of good recipes out there for chicken stuff- also vegetarian without dairy. Crock pot and other wise. Rice dishes/casseroles are good.
Lots of work to cook and the debone a chicken- I'd buy chicken breasts (spendier, but time saver).
There is a good freezer cole slaw recipe (search for that and the word recipe on-line).
Sandwiches don't have to have meat- we make avacado, tomato, onion, spinach sandwiches with mayo. Lots of options.
How old are her other kids? That makes a big diff. If these are her first, it is much easier than if she has a 2 and 4 yo.... And she NEEDS to follow new mommy rules: sleep when babies sleep, stay in bed as needed, wear your nightgown all day for the first few weeks, DRINK like a gallon a day, let housework go.
Yours in Christ,
Kathy
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mellyrose
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| Posted: May 29 2007 at 1:29pm | IP Logged
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My mom and SIL left yesterday after spending a week with us to help out after Lydia's birth (born just over 4 weeks ago)
It was a huge help to me just that they were HERE (they live in WI, we're in AZ) -- I was able to sleep when the baby slept while they entertained my 2 boys which was wonderful. My mom also prepared 3 meals a day for us all and did all the clean up.
One thing that she made and left extras for me was breakfast burritos. She used sausage, but you could make them with shredded chicken as well. She scrambles up eggs with meat and cheese and diced potatoes, wrapped in tortillas. They freeze well and I have a few dozen in my freezer right now. I can just pop them in the microwave for a quick meal.
It's wonderful that you're going to help her out. I'm sure just your presence will be a great comfort to her.
Melanie
Mom to Colin (6), Nate (5), and Lydia (4/29/07)
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Mackfam
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| Posted: May 30 2007 at 7:55am | IP Logged
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Do as much of the cooking/shopping at your home on your turf before you go. It's always harder to cook and organize with your kids at someone else's house.
Bring a bin with your cleaning supplies too, then you won't have to bother her for anything. You can just get going, and perhaps the visual of a tidied bathroom and kitchen will lift her spirits and make her feel like she's not drowning in all the undone stuff.
I was going to suggest blueberry oatmeal muffins cause they're a great substitute for any meal. I make mine with whole wheat flour. But....they call for milk (you could probably sub soy milk) and an egg?! Not sure how you'd sub for an egg. I think the idea about just getting a big bag of chicken breasts is a great one, cook them up, maybe marinate some, and freeze them in individual portions for her to just take out of the freezer and add to a salad or pasta dish. Whole wheat toast and some sugar free jam would be a good snack for her. It could be time for some really healthy convenience foods. Maybe just spend a day stocking her pantry and freezer.
When you're in that fog, and utterly overwhelmed, it is impossible to see the simplest of solutions. But you'll be able to see them for her. Be on the lookout for ways to make life seem do-able. If you notice some things happening with predictability, point them out. Then perhaps start linking them up with meals or naps that follow feedings. I'm not advocating a forced routine at all!! Hopefully, you'll be able to point out the natural rhythm of her days so that she'll be able to start visualizing her days in smaller chunks like getting from here to a nap - then from nap to a meal - and so on. At some point she's going to have to stand on her own, and she will need your help to see that it's doable!
Good luck and God bless!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Anne McD
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| Posted: May 30 2007 at 10:44am | IP Logged
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Although it really is more expensive, just after the baby is born, I like to have fruit that the supermarket already cut up and peeled for me. Just keep it in the fridge and eat regularly.
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Anne
Wife to Jon
Mommy to Alex 9
James 8
Katie 6
William 3 1/2
Benedict Joseph 1
and baby on the way! 10/14
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: May 30 2007 at 12:47pm | IP Logged
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Before I had my daughter, I made a few big batches of Mexican Chicken for the freezer: just cook up some shredded chicken breasts, diced onions, pinto and black beans, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth in a big pot. Let it simmer until beans and onions are soft and broth is almost absorbed, and then season to taste (cumin, salt, and pepper). Pop it into ziplock bags and stash it in the freezer. This is a flavorful but not spicy dish, and it can be eaten a dozen ways: warmed in the microwave, on top of tortilla chips, in a quesadilla, as soft-taco filling. It's full of protein and with a salad, is a great one-dish meal that can be reheated easily and quickly. It was a lifesaver when we brought our little one home.
I also second the suggestion of fresh, pre-cleaned produce. It's so nice to have a healthy snack ready to go in the fridge.
And maybe some special beverages? It's so important to keep hydrated during the post-partum period, but after nine months chugging water, I was ready for something different. My mom brought by seltzer water and some yummy organic juices, and I was able to make spritzers. Just a little luxury I appreciated.
Blessings,
Celeste
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: May 30 2007 at 1:39pm | IP Logged
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Oh--another thought. Although I don't technically have twins, my babies are just three months apart (one was adopted, one is biological). The most trying part of having two babies is when they're both crying--it's very hard to comfort two at the same time. One only has so many hands! I have found that while anyone and everyone is more than willing to hold a happy or sleeping baby, they hand the baby right back over to me as soon as he or she starts crying, even if I already have my hands full trying to comfort the other or rock him or her to sleep. I'd gauge your sister's feelings on this, but to have had an extra set of willing arms when both of my littles were in tears would have been a real help. Maybe offer to rock one while she cares for the other if they're both upset. Or if she prefers to calm them both herself, then be available to grab whatever she needs for her since she'll have her hands full.
I definitely would prefer someone to cook or clean for me while I cuddle my babies, but when they're both worked up, it's another story! 
Celeste
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hobbitmom
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| Posted: May 30 2007 at 6:29pm | IP Logged
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Thank you, everyone, for the suggestions! You've been really helpful. I feel like I have a better idea now how to help her... now if only my ds2 will cooperate! 
Amy
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Topic: Care and feeding of a new mom
