Life with twins 3

[GibberingGinger]

Like some sort of film sequel, or a royal dynasty, welcome to Life with twins III, a thread for general discussions and sharing experiences of having (or expecting) twins.

BB3 I agree there, we don't know any differently! There have been so many times when DH and I have (quietly!) tutted over friends with only one baby (first time parents) moaning about how tired they and how they never have any free time, yet in the next breath one of them is out at the gym or having drinks, or both of them are having another night out. I think I'd be happier to accept the help offered from family more if we only had one- maybe because I see these two as such alot of work and feel we're the only ones who can do it right and that I would be be up all night worrying the twins just wouldn't cope without me , I won't be accepting offers of having them stay overnight for a very long time yet (although my parents are itching to have them stay overnight... must be flippin mad!

Mum I do like the look of the Cosatto pushchairs, have read some good reviews about them fitting through doors etc, which is a definate bonus! Regarding the reins.... yes, I think you are probably mad but as mine are only 8 months I couldn't say for sure!

Polka you are mad, I only wish I had offers of help and family babysitters!
Unfortunately it's only me and OH, his sis is a scatty moo, left DD with a very sharp kitchen knife and walked off once! And doesn't believe their bear dog will eat attack DD even though it will.
And grandparents are too old to babysit.

I have a cold just hope it doesn't turn into anything worse!

How's everyone else?

Hello everyone,

Hope everyone is doing well :)

I need help from all you exsperienced twin mummy's.

Ok I was a bit smug for a few days thinking I had this twin thing down to a tee!!! And well they are just making me aware who is boss.

They have turned into screamers!!! I'm exhausted .. It seams when they are awake they just cry????

I'm so tired :(

Any words of wisdom? Or have you been there and come out the other end.

These are n

Hi xkaty much sympathy. It's been a while (mine are now 20 months) and to be honest the first 6 months is a bit of a blur with hindsight. I would make sure they are not hungry (could be a bot of a growth spurt). Otherwise it might be worth getting a swinging chair for them - mine didn't really like bouncy chairs, but the swinging chair was a godsend. The other thing I used to do a lot was put them in the pram and go for a walk. Even 20 minutes round the block would make the wailing seem less consuming - well for me anyway - the twins would still be wailing! Fingers crossed it's just a phase and they settle back into happy babies again soon.

Mum, quite possibly mad! Or maybe yours will be laid-back, biddable toddlers. Or maybe those twin reins are easier than handling two on seperate reins. Ds2 starts running as soon as his feet touch the floor, generally in the opposite direction & it's difficult when you have a `hold' on them that moves, rather than being a solid link like a hand. Our two learned quickly that the reins meant they wouldn't hit the floor too hard so play at being daft and their speciality is dangling like puppets on a string on the end of their reins. I did do enjoy taking them out using them when I have lots of time and don't need another pair of hands for other stuff. I do find the buggy a whole lot easier though.

Good luck Katy. I had one who screamed whenever awake for the first 6months & that was hard going at times. I agree with Chesti - if I knew they were fed / clean etc I'd just put them in the buggy & get out & about. That generally settled him, but just being out of the house made things seem so much better (mostly..... but sometimes you don't need to be told by randomers that babies need feding/are tired / have lost their non-existentdummy either).

Thank u, today has been soooo much better.
I think maybe it was a growing spurt (I hope)

I have managed to give the house a tip to bottom scrub and get out for a long walk which has made a massive difference to my mood :)

Glad you had a better day xkatyx

ALL They say boys are more boisterous than girls so maybe I'll soon be wondering why on earth I wanted them walking!?

My DD (5 going on 16!) is really miss know it all, she's been telling me off and generally acting like the adult! Sounds funny but it's quite frustrating having a disobedient 5yo waggle her finger in your face telling you what she's going to do (ie not go to bed because she told me she's playing)!

And baby G has had a high temp for 2days which could be down to teething (hes on tooth no.7!) and he seems to have a cold so off to the Drs tomorrow...
On the contrary baby A is on tooth 5 or 6 and is doing fine...just loves to bite anyone who comes too close!

Don't think I'll get much sleep tonight, G is all bunged up..

How is everyone else?

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing well and surviving

Sleep situation still hasn't improved. Up silly times with them and still wanting milk in the night. I have come to the conclusion that my DD just hates sleeping full stop and is going to be an all night party animal when she's older

Does anyone have those bath seats/twin seat thing for the bath? Looking at getting some but unsure which one.

Mum how is baby G- any better?

How is everyone doing?

Hi everyone,

DH is going to be working nights next week so bath time on my own.

Just woundering if there is a easy/quicker way them doing one at a time? At th moment we are bathing them in the sink in our room sorry don't wake dd up

Thanks Polka he's much better, but his brother had the worst of it last night (blocked nose and generally upset because he couldnt bf) but apart from a cough they both seem fine today, no blocked noses anyway

Sorry to hear about your sleepless nights! Have you tried giving them a formula feed at night? My FB used to sleep 7hours straight if I gave her a FF before bed, you might want to try the hungrier baby milk though? If all else fails you may end up just co sleeping with them until you feel refreshed enough to try again or until they're ready to sleep through? I'm waiting til my boys are ready to sleep without needing milk nevermind sleeping alone! I have a long journey ahead of me! But for now they can just stay with me.

Re bathing I still do mine one at a time in their foldable baby bath (pointless it being foldable because I never fold it as it requires blowing up! Wish id known that before buying it!)

How is everyone else?

Hello! Look at my big fat smiley face. It's been a week now that DD has been SLEEPING. Polka, it can happen, it's a dream come true...

Two things changed - one is that she started rolling herself over and curling up on her side or on her tummy instead of staying flat on her back where we put her. But the thing that made an immediate and drastic difference is that we, er... switched the tiny orange nightlight off. Yep, that was all it took. After ten months of broken nights, we switched the frigging nightlight off. Instant sleepy, snuggly, not-waking-up-much-and-easily-settled-when-she-does baby. Oh, how we kicked ourselves as we cried happy tears of joy. It's early days and it might just be a phase, but she really seems to have changed. Time will tell...

DH usually home for bathtime, and doing it on my own is always chaos - because I'm a bad mummy, I sometimes skip a proper bath just the one night for one or both of them if they're being tricky. A good thorough bum wash will do in a tight spot, I feel. Don't have the bath seats as they're generally very good when they're in there, it's the one left out going mental in the bedroom that makes it difficult!

Foxtail you give me hope!! That's fab! Frustrating with regards to the nightlight situation though! DD prefers sleeping on her side and her tummy as well which seems to help her sleep more deeply until she wakes up and screams the place down she refuses to be put on her back now. Problem is that she wakes up on her tummy in the night and gets really upset, as if she's forgotten how to roll back over?!

Going to buy some bath seats later, think it will help me bathing them together and they can have a splash together. Agree with the one left in the bedroom going mental, mine do this as well.

Mum glad your boys are looking better. My two are on follow on milk now, DS eats well in the day but DD isn't as good with solids, often ends up with extra milk to compensate at the minute. DS has been in our bed most nights recently at some point as he does sleeps much better with us. DD doesn't seem to benefit as much, and I worry about how much she moves around, so she's usually in her cot next to our bed with us jumping to her every command

Hope everyone has a great weekend

Excellent Fox!

Polka maybe get a bed guard for your bed?
Baby G is coughing abit now, hopefully that will stop soon.
DD has a birthday party to go to tomorrow so I popped into 'Birthdays' and thought I'd get my boys their card now but they have no twins cards! Scandalous.

Maybe Card Factory will have some....

Hi everyone,

I've only just found this thread so wanted to say hi!

My girls are 6 months now - they were 9 weeks early and survived surgery for TTTS so they're little fighters! All going well so far but I'm reading back over the threads with interest for tips and ideas.

Hope you all have a good weekend x

Hi and Welcome Silverangel and congrats!

Boys still have a cough, G puked up last night because of it and looked to do it again a little while ago but never did. I'm abit wary because the last time they had a cough/cold it turned out to be bronchilitus! I'm sure it's not that (again) - just can't help but worry!

DD had a great time at the birthday party (at Partymans World) I wouldn't go there unless it was a party though, they charge £20 to get in! and it's not much different to wacky warehouse IMO except the latter is busier, better and less expensive!

How's everyone else?

Hello,

My girls have a cold :( there only 5 weeks old (que freak out)
Ahhhhhhhhh. They sound like little piggys!

I'm sure we are in for a bad night!!

We should do a night thread to chat when we are doing feeds/night wakings :)

Saying that though they went 8 hours straight last night.

Silver- your little ones found like amazing little fighters :) my singleton was 6 weeks early, and that was bad enough!! Must of been vert stressful.

DO YOU REMEMBER ME ....???!!!! x so sorry I have been busy with life in general... we have moved house.... twins are now nearly 10 months !!! got married.... sister has been very poorley, and I have just been generally mentally busy no time in the day..... but fancied chatting and linking in again on here I think the last time was hen the boys were around 4 months !!! so no doubt there are LOADS of people on here I dont recognize..now I have some time in the day / evening before I go back to work........so a big hello... !!!! xx :)....... x hope everyone is well.....

Hello Hippy3 welcome back!

xkatyx don't worry too much, my boys got a few colds early on from DD catching colds from school, keep an eye on them but it shouldn't last more than a week, if you're worried pop to the Dr for a check up. Hope they're better soon!

HIPPY!!!!!!!!!!! Hello! It's been ages. Mine are coming up 11 months now, we were on here at the same time when they were little. Congrats on getting married, that's lovely news. How are your little guys doing? We're great here, DD now sleeping through (FINALLY), and finger food the big new craze.

Hi yep mine are sleeping thru have been since 6 months!!! 12 hours ..all of a sudden they just started to go thru the night and have been ever since. I turned a corner when that happened.( we do have the occasional night wake normally due to teething/ illness or something similar. )... they are also really mobile and love the food it all seems to have gone so quickly from the first few months when I seemed to be worried about everything and now they are just to very full of life little boys, who make me laugh every day. And I love them a bit more each day.....!! am now dreading going back to work, if you had asked me about that a few months ago I would have called you mad...part of me couldnt wait to go back !!

Yeah we decided to get married after 8 years together, It was all very informal and perfect and just immediate family..have the honeymoon (although how much of a honeymoon it will be with my two??) booked for May/ june this year !!
apologies for those of you I dont know , havent been on here for months , and I have seen how large this thread is and dont know if I have the stamina to read thru all the posts !! so sorry......x !!!! x xx I am sure I will be bale to keep up with the jist.......

Hi Hippy I remember you from when I was pregnant, my boy/girl twins are 8 1/2 months (I have namechanged since then and only recently started posting again!) Welcome back

Usual rubbish sleep here Mum I have the bed pushed up against the wall at the mo. I have one of them in bed at all times at the moment (last night was DS for first part then DD) I just want them to sleep through most of the night in their cots in their own room, please God!! I know it's our fault, it must be?!

Oo ditto polka

Re sleeping - I doubt it's your fault, all babies are different, some sleep others don't! Mine seem to be slowly dropping feeds at night? Maybe it's just a phase but hopefully they'll sleep through without bfing and that will be my cue to put them in the cots.

Have you spoken to a midwife about the sleep issues? Don't know how helpful they'll be, I don't have much confidence in these 'professionals' myself.

Polka I had the same prob with my singleton bubbas, ( mum of 5) including the twins.

So the whole sleepless nights aren't new to me.
Please remind me how old your twins are?

Are they still feeding in the night? If so is it just comfort or actual hunger?

I'm no way a pro at this at all but It seams anyone with a baby has me on speed dial for sleeping advice ( I think cause I have so many kids I have learnt from all the mistakes I have made)

Mum I spoke to the Health Visitor a couple of months ago- she said I needed to keep them awake by gently flicking their heels so they would go into the cot awake and not fall asleep feeding or being rocked. I responded that I am too bloody knackered to keep them awake and need them to sleep as they can't self settle ( DS managed to do it a few times when younger but when DH took over his routine by himself due to DD having bad colic and only wanting me, he got into the habit of rocking him to sleep and not leaving them room until he was fast asleep and this has stuck fast)

katy thanks would appreciate any thoughts/advice from you and anyone else! (twins are 8 1/2 months) DH and I both feel that when they cry we should be there for them, which is why when we have tried leaving them for a minute, timing etc we find it too hard to do as they get hysterical. Really hysterical. However, this is really hard on us now- there is only so much broken sleep we can take. We had DD in bed with us last night as she is abit poorly and would cry whenever we tried to put her back in her cot (They are both in our room in their cots).

They both go down around 7ish, sometimes need a few attempts getting them settled in their cots. Often hear from at least one of them a couple of times before we go to bed (10ish usually) They have a feed at bedtime, then 2 more- often around 10-11, then 4-5, although varies. Seems to be genuine hunger as have alot of the bottle and will not settle without it, although of course could be habit. It is only in the past couple of months they have dropped down to this. Although, I can sometimes get them to go longer if they are in bed with us, but not always- they can get very upset and then drain a bottle. They often wake inbetween this needing to be picked up (DD especially- DS can be better and sometimes comforted in cot) and cuddled back to sleep. I know they have the wrong sleep associations now, the problem is how to stop these? I was considering trying a Gina Ford type routine with them and seeing how we get on- is it too late to do this? Often have nights where DD is wide awake at 2am or 3am and it's a nightmare trying to settle her again. Other nights where we are up every hour and it is very difficult to get them back onto their cots (this is why we started with some co-sleeping)

Sorry for epic post and any mistakes, awful headache

I'm just off out at the moment, but I def can offer done advice for you.
I weaned to have faced all of what you are saying with my kids and have come out the other end with fantastic sleepers :)

When I get twins settled tonight I will just run through some bits that really helped me, and hey you can only but try anything.

:)