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

[PeelingmyselfofftheCeiling]

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

Yes peeling, the on/off is tricky, I get dp to help me with in the night so the babies don't get too disturbed .During the day I have a stack of pillows directly to one side of me, to balance one baby on whilst I pick up the other. But this is getting dodgy now they are starting to roll. Will have to rethink that one.....
Would be interesting to know what bfeeding arrangements other people have....?

Hi Janberry, this thread is getting busier!
I tandem feed sometimes but need both hands to do it so prefer to feed them individually when there is time (like first thing in the morning when one wakes up before the other). Could never get to grips with the feeding cushion so just just hold them in my arms in an upright position, I do this either on the bed or a sofa and just lay one twin either side then pick them up, latch on and away they go!

Hello rets! I also have over enthusiastic PILs, have been known to snatch a feeding baby from my arms to 'have a cuddle', and nearly every time they 'go to check' on sleeping babies they miraculously wake up and need holding. They arrive for a week on Thursday to 'help' so getting ready to bite my tongue...

Well I thought their colds were getting better but now Roddy has a phlemy (sp) cough and keeps bringing back his feeds, all over our bed this morning so off to the doctors for us again.

Hi ladies!

Wow...lots happening here and not read through everything!

Those of you who had a bad weekend re sleep...you're not the only ones! We're the same, Esme sleeps all night long and Clara is still waking past 2am for boob/comfort.

We're all over the place today too, we usually have a pretty steady routine but they both decided at 6 they were awake for the day!

silver and those of you who are properly established on solids....what is your typical feeding routine like now?As is times?

someone mentioned breast pumps?... i bought a medala pump in style advanced, i figured with having the babies in NICU it would be worth buying in the end (it can be cheaper to rent but i used mine for 4months so it paid for itself in the end)

ceeveebee was only going to ask how other people tandem feed now that they're bigger...i do the same thing as you now! Anyone finding it hard to tandem feed now that they are bigger?! I am!! Hope the babies are better soon, poor things!

Rets....poor you! so sorry you missed the first spoonful.

PIL are a handful eh? Myself and DH had a row a few weeks back when MIL showed up at 8am (i didn't know she was coming!!)to come and 'help' for the whole day, she left at 6pm.... MIL overload..

We are off to hospital today, final check up with a cardio specialist for Esme,fingers crossed we get the all clear!

Got to run, Clara is giving out!

Moring all,

Hope you had a better night BB3 - and fun in Transitland!

Twinnies - our day now is like this:

7am - wake up, downstairs for breakfast and then bottle, finished by about 745.

11am - 7oz bottle

1pm - lunch

3pm - 7oz bottle

5pm - tea

6.30pm - 7oz bottle

7pm - bed

Must go - need to sort the bottles for 11am! Thanks for all your advice re formula, am going to go for aptamil and see how we go.

Hey Silver, that's really helpful, am very impresses by your morning efficiency. Any tips? Think thAt would prob take me over 2 hours!

Eek, silver that is a lot of feeding times! I naively was hoping that when we go onto solids, it would replace some milk feeds not add to them (currently we have 5 feeds a day, every 4 hours from 7am to 11pm). This would seriously interfere with my social life which currently all takes place between 1and 3pm! Do they have any long daytime naps?

I managed to tandem feed until they were about 3.5 months (which left both hands free for iPhone!!), but as they got bigger found I had to stop. If one baby stopped feeding and needed winding, the other would also stop, and then not restart! So I feed individually now, not too bad in the night, as feed the one who wakes first, then wake the other to feed after she's settled. In the day it can get desperate at times, so if needs be I feed one for a couple of minutes to settle her, then the other and then do a proper feed! This was when I found at least one bottle of formula a day was good, to feed them together again (have them lying on the floor propped by a cushion!). As for routines, we've only been on solids got the last 2 weeks, but it goes a bit like:

7ish wake and bf, then awake time
9ish breakfast (baby rice for now) then sleep in pram for about 30 mins
12ish bf then cots (1-2 hrs, we're getting there!!)
3ish bf
5 ish tea, Ella's kitchen at the moment, short nap in pram
6.30ish ff & bed
Midnight bf
4am ish bf
It all sounds much better than in practice! But that's what I'm aiming for! :)

Thanks weddinggirl, that's so encouraging! It is taking literally hours every evening to get 18 month old DD to sleep. I look back on my almost-smugness thinking 'at least we have a child who goes to bed well and mostly sleeps through' when I first found I was pregnant with much regret after 5 months of hellish sleep!!!! Note to self: everything is a phase, even good sleep!! I do think she knows something is up, but is too little to understand, so I am now going to live in hope that like your DD she'll actually improve once the babies are here.

23 days til my twins arrive and I can join you all properly!

It is a lot of feeding times and does sometimes feel like a never ending merry go round of feeding! Some of the mums at the twins club I go to are doing it GF style - half a bottle or BF, then solids, then the other half milk feed at btreakfast, 11am feed and 5pm feed. I haven't tried it like that, I just sort of fell into doing it the way I am.

Naps are not going so well - they have a long sleep from about 1115-1230 sometimes longer but it has never ever been in their cots. Really need to start working on that but then I don't want to have to stay in the house after 11. also I'm reluctant to change anything while they're sleeping well at night.

As for morning efficiency Ceevee - I seem to have two complete ganets, its the only reason its quick!

It is a lot of feeding times and does sometimes feel like a never ending merry go round of feeding! Some of the mums at the twins club I go to are doing it GF style - half a bottle or BF, then solids, then the other half milk feed at btreakfast, 11am feed and 5pm feed. I haven't tried it like that, I just sort of fell into doing it the way I am.

Naps are not going so well - they have a long sleep from about 1115-1230 sometimes longer but it has never ever been in their cots. Really need to start working on that but then I don't want to have to stay in the house after 11. also I'm reluctant to change anything while they're sleeping well at night.

As for morning efficiency Ceevee - I seem to have two complete ganets, its the only reason its quick!

Damnit! Mine do not take after their parents when it comes to earing... Dd is slowest feeder in the world EVER!

Eating...

I'm with you on the nap front silver I just can't seem to do cot naps. Currently it's a combo of 9am nap in their chairs (that's going to have to change given they are going to grow out of them very soon) and then 2 more both in the pram. I can't seem to get them to nap together unless I take them round the block which is a royal pain.

Anyway, day 2 of carrots. DS going great guns, although I'm slightly worried I've overdone it, I think they're supposed to have a couple of teaspoons? Half a carrot more like it and then he was crying for more. Should I be strict with portion control or just let him eat as much as he wants? He's at the 50th centile right now. DD just looks totally bemused but probably did the requisite couple of teaspoons.

twinnies love your names! I wanted Clara but it was vetoed - boo!

Ooh. More pear on the inside than the outside of both Dts!!

I have a travel cot downstairs like this which they nap in. Usually 1 hr morning about 9am, 1-2hrs lunch (1-3pm) and 30mins afternoon (whenever they are tired). It can be rocked by shaking it (not sure you are supposed to but it seems to work!) which works a treat for getting them both to sleep. Best naps are in the pram though!

Think I would like to try and do bottles+solids at the same sittings if poss. Do you think this could work?
Bf at 7am
Breakfast at 8am
lunch at 11.30+bottle
Tea at 5pm
Bottle at 7pm

Is it possible to do just one BF? Do you think thats enough milk?

Will see how it works out in real life though!

Oh and re the breast pump question, I hired an ameda pump hospital grade. It is very quick and quiet. I expressed 2-3 times a day at first to make milk for night feeds, and with this it only took 10-15 mins.

I bought the Medela double pump, which was great and better than the hospital ones, I just didn't get that much use out of it as not much time to pump, what with bf, making and washing bottles, and all the rest of it!

Hi - marking my place. Had my twins just over 9 weeks ago and unfortunately lost track of the ante-natal thread as it moved much faster than I was able to keep up with these 2 LOs!

Hi raven! How are you?

Just popping in to say hi quickly then going back to catch up on the posts from today (although I've just got into bed and dh is getting Ayse down so there is every chance I may fall asleep as soon as I post this!)

Oh, how exciting to see you here raven

I seem to still be lurking here pre-emptively... (Gratefully reading all breast pump comments, thanks everyone)

04:00 am. Nice to know some of you may also be awake with your babies now, though I know you'd rather be asleep- feeling of comradeship (spelling?!) just a very quick one, babies fallen asleep looking beautiful. Ah, it's not so bad having twins, infact isn't it amazing!
ceeveebee think I,d like to try feeding them upright like you say as they both bring lots of the feed back up, especially dt1, no idea how she puts weight on. But maybe will have to wait till they can sit up? Can yrs sit up yet?

Anyone think I should get any medical advice on all the puking, or are you getting told its just what babies do? PS. They're 11 weeks old and born at 38 weeks. Going back to bed now. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Hi Jan, you're right it is amazing having twins! I never thought I wasa particularly maternal person, yet I'm loving every minute (even being up at this time of night!! :o). I think it is well worth getting some advice about the puking - even if they do only end up saying it is just what babies do. Mine haven't been very sicky babies (now 5.5 mths), so I can't really give you any other advice! Right, off to feed dt2 now, sleep well! X

Hi janberry, no, mine can't sit up yet. When I feed them, they each 'straddle' one of my thighs and I have my hand under their bun, then I lean back slightly (usually on a sofa or sat up in bed) so they are kind of lying on me but quite upright, iyswim?

My two have not been sicky babies either, except that Roddy has been coughing a lot as he has a cold, and has brought a few feeds back in the last couple of days. I took him to the doctor but he just said its because he has lots of phlegm and can't give him anything, poor mite!

Ooh, 100 posts..... NOW!

Re. The puking, how frequent is it? Reflux can be screaming, or 'happy vomming', but if they're not distressed and gaining weight it's unlikely to be treated IYSWIM.

Hello! Just making my mark too! I have id twin girls; Freya and Isla. They are 15 weeks (8weeks corrected) old.
We had a good bedtime routine sorted now I'm lucky if they go 2.5 hours between feeds.
I'm absolutely exhausted. My OH is due home at 1 today so will be catching up on some much needed sleep.....hopefully!
Anyone got any good tips, advice re day time routines. Am sort of winging it at the moment. They are still quite sleepy babies so they tend to nap after every feed at the moment for maybe an hour, hour and half.
My girls are real beauties and it's hard to lose it at 5am when they are just beaming back at me but man no one prepared me for this!!!