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Multiple births

When do you start showing with twins? What is life with twins like? Join the conversation on our Multiple Births forum.

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Under 1s twin post-natal group? Should we have one? Who's in?!

999 replies

PeelingmyselfofftheCeiling · 08/03/2012 22:12

The antenatal group is nearly full, any graduates fancy joining forces to compare

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pigcon1 · 20/05/2012 20:49

bigboobs like ceeveebee we woke them to feed them in the first weeks, if they fell asleep part way into a feed (ff/ebm) I changed their nappy to wake them up and encourage them to finish the feed, appreciate the difficulty of doing that if breastfeeding.

Good luck tomorrow - weather forecast is sunshine this week.

rednellie · 21/05/2012 05:00

Good luck bigboobs, hope the blighter has put some weight on. I know what a worry it is. You sound like you're doing brilliantly. Oh and my two have only just started really properly smiling in response to me and being 'awake' and alert. It's lovely actually, as its meant DD is really getting into them - she does a dance show for them in the mornings. Incredibly cute.

twinnies, I weaned DD off the night feeds by being incredibly cruel! Grin I basically set aside a week where DH did all the night waking and he would just go in, stroke her back and give her a kiss or whatever until she calmed down, then he'd leave her room. He'd go back in after 5 mins or whatever and keep doing it till she settled. For two nights it took him an hour each time, but after a couple of days she got used to it being him and then started settling quicker and quicker until she didn't call for us at all. It's not a method for everyone as you a) need a very understanding and willing DH and b) the whole crying thing is pretty tortuous and I do sometimes wonder whether we did it too young (she was 9 months), but you know what? I was knackered by that point and needed my sleep and that's what I got. I carried on bf her until she was 21 months, by then it was just first thing in the morning and then she stopped mainly I think cos I was pregnant and the milk probably tasted weird.

bigboobsatlast · 21/05/2012 08:26

Thanks rednellie, will. update later. miraculously had a good night last night- my fussing between feeds, just straight back to sleep. trying not to get my hopes up it will happen again!

Happy Monday, off to make coffee (jug of)

bigboobsatlast · 21/05/2012 15:29

Twin1 only put on 10z since birth (3 weeks today).... off to the Docs later to get him checked as HV thinks he may have a chest infection :-( Really worried now and don't understand the weight thing as drinking well and not pooing - so wheres it all going?

tiggersreturn · 21/05/2012 16:27

Bigboobs have you checked temperature? I don't know what dt1's birth weight was but hypothermia can be a cause of failure to gain. It was for us and it was my bigger one who got it (all 5lb 2) of him

claireinmodena · 21/05/2012 16:48

Oh bigboobs Sad.

Hope they find out quickly what the ptoblem is. I think it may be that if the body's fighting off an infection it needs more calories?

Good luck, let us know how you get on

DreamingOfPeace · 21/05/2012 18:12

I hope he's ok bigboobs, or at least that the doctor is very helpful and gets him sorted. the hv may be wrong and it may all be normal for him?! My 5lb 10 DT was often cool and i kept having to do skin to skin to warm him up and he was slow to gain and lost weight initially.

Very jealous of your sleeping success. I have had no improvement in sleeping. They're 7 weeks on Wednesday, fret, cry and feed all evening up to about 11-12, then often only sleep 90 min to 2 hours still, re-feed and are a nightmare to settle again for the rest of the night. I'm exhausted... And they're either asleep or awake and crying or feeding, still never calm.

How're yours doing Claire?

pigcon1 · 21/05/2012 18:30

bigboobs sorry to read that, hope you get to the bottom of it soon.

claireinmodena · 21/05/2012 21:20

Not great dream only just managed to put dtb down and its 10pm! Been trying to do bath time routine toughly same time (but dont manage everyday, just too stressfull), with mixed results. They often fall asleep on the boob, I put them down only for them yo wake up again between 15-30 mins later and then its really hard getting them down again Sad

Aaargh he's awake again! Just given him his dummy, fingers crossed...

Sooo, we also had a horrible weekend, they were cranky throughout and to top it off sunday morning we had an earthquake, no dsmage to our house but quite scary. I couldn't sleep afterwards snd kept thinking how on earth could we take 4 kids to safety with just the two of us.

i am exhausted for not getting enough sleep and the physical effort of rocking, lifting, winding, carrying one or the other all day long. My wrist and back are sore!

And I feel I really shouldnt whinge because my other kids are older and hlping a lot and am still getting more sleep than some of you except the last couple of days

Apologies for the me me post, not in a good place tonight. And I can hear dtg now awake.. It's just relentless!

Welcome to the new ladies!

rednellie · 21/05/2012 21:27

bigboobs - am sorry to hear that, hope you get some useful help. Let us know how you get on. xxx

claire, agh, sounds like you're having a rough evening...rubbish news. And also crap about the earthquake. I often have panics about how to get them all out of the house if there was a fire or something. Ugh. Horrible.

Nothing more to add from our end, just hope everyone gets a bit more sleep.

DreamingOfPeace · 21/05/2012 22:06

claire, sounds rubbish. and just like mine . The lack of evening is depressing I think, as it means you have no time just to yourself.

Why won't these blooming babies just settle and sleep?! (Neither of mine anywhere near asleep at 10pm here... )

pigcon1 · 22/05/2012 09:13

Claire dreaming the sleep deprivation is so crippling; I had 'it's you or me buddy' thoughts with DT1 at five months and eventually called a hospital psychologist for advice, things are much better now.

You have probably already tried this but I did find swaddling helped at the beginning.
Wasn't having to contend with earthquakes too..

silverangel · 23/05/2012 08:24

Dreaming, just realised you're only at seven weeks. Just a thought but we gave up on routine of any sorts re bedtime until they were about 18 weeks (10 corrected). I found I was spending all my time running upstairs trying to settle one or both and it was really stressful so, we let them sleep downstairs in their carrycots or sat them in their bouncers and rocked them so we could at least eat dinner and chill out for a bit. They would then settle in their cot after the 11pm feed and generally go till about 3.

All good here, although Sophie has had a horrendous eczema flare up - they had egg for the first time and think it may be related to that (I was apparently exactly the same as a baby) and Alice is on anti-b's for a chest infection although fine in herself, bless her.

Twinnies - good to hear from you, you're doing well to keep going with all that on your plate!

Bigboobs - hope you get the little man sorted asap.

Claire - earthquake sounds scary! Hope you manage to get some more sleep.

Hi to everyone else and hope youhave a good day (and night!). We're going to enjoy the sunshine today - finally!!

ceeveebee · 23/05/2012 11:49

bigboobs is 10oz not about normal? Usually babies lose up to 10% then gain 4-7oz per week so if twin 2 was back at birth weight by week 1 then 10oz is about right isn't it?
I just looked in my red books as off to the weighing clinic. My DTS lost 6oz week one, was 14oz total gain over 3 weeks
Anyway hope the doctors appointment went well

Original poster
PeelingmyselfofftheCeiling · 23/05/2012 13:06

Hello everyone, hope everyone is enjoying the sun. Got a nights sleep last night for the first time in almost a week, dont know what's got into my two. Think their eyes are bigger than their stomachs and they eat too much and get tummy ache, greedy little piglets that they are!
I have 4 weeks left before I start work and I have no idea whether I'm going to be snowed under or we're going to starve, so hard to plan! Any other freelancers in the same position? With 1 I reckon you could catch up when they nap... With 2 no chance!

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bigboobsatlast · 23/05/2012 19:27

In hosp with dt1. Ambulance here this morn as he stopped breathing. Worst day of my life. He now had lots of tests and is all wired up. Tests inconclusive so far but being treated for infection. So worried and hate hate leaving dt2 and dd at home. Really pissed off with gp who 2 days ago dismissed all my (and health visitors) concerns. 1 oz in 3 weeks, cough and constipation and he just said 'see how hevis on Friday'. Now we are here :-( he has stopped breathing twice more since being in but stable now.

rednellie · 23/05/2012 19:36

bigboobs, OMG, I'm so sorry! Are you OK? Have you got anyone with you? You must be so worried, but I'm sure he's in really capable hands.

Anyway, I'm thinking of you, too far away to offer anything more, but wish I could come and give you a hug. xxx

DreamingOfPeace · 23/05/2012 19:42

Oh my god bigboobs, don't worry about your DD and DT2, they'll miss you I'm sure but they'll be fine and you can't be in two places at once. Your poor, poor DT2. Is it good they haven't found anything conclusive? I mean, if its caused by an infection is that the easiest to treat? You poor thing, you must be worried sick. I'm thinking of you and your family and hoping he gets better soon and they find out why he stopped breathing quickly. Xxxx

ceeveebee · 23/05/2012 19:49

Oh my god I am so sorry, you must be so worried, but he is in the best place now. I hope he gets well quickly and he can come home very soon. Am thinking of you all xx

(Sorry about my pp too I misread as 10 oz not 1 oz)

pigcon1 · 23/05/2012 21:51

bigboobs poor DT1 and poor you, what a shock and worry, hope he's feeling a bit better soon.

Original poster
PeelingmyselfofftheCeiling · 23/05/2012 21:56

Oh god BB, I hope you're doing ok. Thinking of you both.

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Original poster
PeelingmyselfofftheCeiling · 23/05/2012 22:56

Just want to say if you're too busy to post obviously that's understandable, but equally if you want to vent go ahead. I know how hideous it is to be separates from one twin, staring at O2 monitors. Hope you get some rest tonight and everyone has a good night.

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claireinmodena · 23/05/2012 23:30

Oh no bigboobs, so sorry! Must be very scary for you and your family. Hope dt1 gets better very soon.
Thinking of you.

bigboobsatlast · 24/05/2012 02:06

Thanks everyone. he seems a bit better and they have stopped the fluids as he is feeding well. still on o2 for now and of course on lots of monitors but no 'episodes' (as the docs are calling them) since about 3pm. this afternoon. i am feeling calmer now and dh is bringing dt2 in for the day tomoz. I can't get out of my head that dt2 is going to be poorly in the same way as they are id?? but he has put on weight and no cough so probably me being irrational??

thanks for listening. sorry to panic people. in rl I have to be strong and positive and needed to vent on here how scared I was. I thought I had lost him :-(

rednellie · 24/05/2012 03:30

bigboobs - we're all here for you. God, we all know how long and tortuous just even being pregnant with twins is, so to have this so soon after they're born must be proper horrible. Don't worry about panicking us - that's what this whole mumsnet thing is about ain't it? Being able to have a moan and a bitch and a sob. Glad you'll get to have DT2 with you tomorrow and that things are improving. I'm sending all my thoughts your way.

I should think your other boy will be fine - as you said it's always been DT1 who's been poorly and not putting on weight and DT2's been fine. So don't worry too much - you're in the right place now anyway if anything were to come up.
xxxxxxx