The under/over/around 1 Twins thread for support, tips on how to survive and enjoy twin parenthood!

[DreamingOfPeace]

BB3: dcda non id girls Sept 2011 (plus ds)
TwelveLeggedWalk: DCDA DD and DS 14.09.11 (PFBs)
Tiggersreturn twin boys (?!) (plus ds age 5)
Wherearemyearplugs twins (plus ds)
Ceeveebee b/g twins 21.11.11, PFBs
minesapintofwine: non-id boys 02/02/2012. dcs 1&2/pfb on good days.
ClaireMarathonFeeder: Boy/girl twins born 08/02/2012, no3&4, dd1 (2001) and dd2 (2004)
rednellie nonID boys 13.03.2012 + DD 03.02.10
Lemele: id boys (plus ds)
Skitoo : DCDA Non ID Boys, 01.04.12 DC 1&2
DreamingofPeace: dcda non id boys, 4.4.12 DC 2&3 (DD Sept 2010)
beyoglu: dcda non id girls 21.4.12
Bigboobsatlast ID twin boys 30.04.12 DC #2&3 (DD Feb 2010)
Scollister mcda girls 3.5.12 plus DD age 4
Twin2makes4 mcda girls plus 2 ds,age 8 & 4

Again, sorry for mistakes, doing this from my phone!

Settle in ladies :)

Today, without forethought or planning, I gave the dts banana. They wolfed it down, DT1 had hold of the spoon and cried for more repeatedly. What have I done.... They're only 18.5 weeks, I've bought nothing ready, pureed nothing ready... I just needed to get them through til bathtime but didn't actually think they'd eat anything, maybe just taste it. Oh blimey, how to make my life harder. Only half a small banana between them both and i don't believe it'll make them sleep better but there's always the hope .

Another full family day out today. We're doing better now, kind of, on a good day.
In awe of your hosting ceegee, I couldn't cope!! Have you seen any of the Olympics?

Oh boo to loss of routine Claire, I'm impressed you do so well by yourself.

And me too, hang on by a fingernail, takes a tiny thing to cause utter bedlam, multiple children crying and a very stressed mother in this household. I just find screaming babies so stressful...

Rubbish, did the thread wrong, the stats list should have gone in the message bit....

If anyone feels like starting another to do it right, feel free

Hi dreaming, just marking my place

Feck it dream, looks good to me :)

Maybe your DTs are going to settle right down now - maybe solids are the key!

I ran into another twin mum in town tonight, hers were born the week after mine but almost exactly same gestational age. Tiny when born, and still way littler than the girls... but they sleep from 9pm till 5am. When? When??? Ladies, will ya sort it out already? I have high hopes as DT1 has started taking a 180ml feed at 3pm or 6pm so I think she's now taking enough calories in the day... dunno about DT2 but she tends to wake when her sister wakes so suspect she would sleep through the night by now anyway...

Thank you for starting a new thread dream after I filled the old one

Looks fine to me too

I wrote a whole post for the other thread but it was quite whingy. Have a DH with a leg in plaster and feeling a bit fed up about that though he is a bigger help than he should be. Credit credit to the mnetter with the DH with the broken neck you are awesome! Was talking to you all too.

But then I found this thread....awwwww....here we go again!

(wonder what will happen next :) )

Marking my place.

Holiday = lovely.
Nightimes = awful
DD = back to biting BIG TIME. Dh and I are both sporting various bruises and the twins both have swollen noses from various attacks. Am putting it down to her life being turned upside down. She keeps asking if we can go home and where her toys are

But we're having fun, the beach is the best place for a toddler - no one tells you to be quieter or not spill things. Also DD LOVES BBQ's we've discovered so she's eating really well. Small victories.

mines - one massive benefit of a wooden floor is that later on when you're toilet training you wont have a pee smelling carpet It's worth the bruises now, I promise!

Well hello there shiny new thread . Thanks Dream. Don't worry about the stats, they can always be reposted periodically to help us brain drained ones!!

Dream, can't believe your little men gulped down the banana, maybe it's the solution to their restlessness? I've been thinking about it and prob need to do some reading up but am going to try and hold off until we get back from holiday mid September.

Red, glad your having a good holiday but sorry to hear of the other problems. How longs the holiday, when do you return to the UK?

Mines, what happened to DH, how did he do that? Crickey, can understand your feelings, I'd be lost without my DH, when I'm losing it he restores normality.

Hope everyone has had good weekends, we're just firing up the BBQ for last time before weather turns miserable this week.

Whispering it as hoping it's not really happening but we might be experiencing a little bit of that 4 month sleep regression . Last couple of nights we've had a few wakings, with last night being DT1 which is unheard of. Hoping that they've just been spooked for some reason and that we're not going to see lots of disturbed sleep. To eliminate it being them clashing heads, they've gone in to separate cots tonight for the first time - my little boys are getting bigger....

skitoo stupid thing really. He did it at rugby about 2 weeks ago and only decided to go to hospital on Friday. Turns out he's got a very very small minor break (so he says ). He's not too happy as has been walking and working with it and now hard to do either. Well he can't work at all as he is a forklift driver and they have no other duties as he is not allowed in factory without steel toe caps. He has been doing so much for me though Ive barely noticed the difference to the help with dts. I am worried though as he really shouldn't be doing as much and have told him countless times to let me do it (him just being home this week to occupy dts whilst I clean etc will be marvelous!) We're both just worried about the money as only gets smp thats a whole other whinge thread but it's the main thing thats the bother. I can manage on my own as I always do anyway in the day and am more than willing to do bathtime alone as long as he's 'just there' but I need money to pay the bills fund my lavish lifestyle. Hurumph!

red where are you on holibobs too? I'm off to Cornwall in a few weeks looking forward to that. We went to Aberystwyth today a good drive from here but met another twin mum who's dt girls are the same age. The thing is..on comparison to mine they were tiny but I've never mentiones here that folk keep commenting on my weightydts. They are big for their age but I don't worry as I can't starve them! Me and dh are tallish and dh is on the hefty side but in a good way (he's a big bloke!) one man told me they were robust but followed it up with flatteries so that was ok. They will lose it when they get about I'm sure these babies have endless supplies of energy already. Anyway...she seemed like a nice lady. Love meeting other twin mums (beyou read your post too).

Is anyone watching the closing ceremony? I've ended up on mumsnet so....

Can't believe I am posting this but can I join?
DTrips are 3 days old. Born at 34 +1 weeks, weighing 5lb, 5lb 9 1/2 oz and 4lb 10 1/2oz.
Not quite sure how to describe them on here, DD1, DS2, DD2 or just DT 1,2 and 3
All in normal cots, currently being tube fed until they start showing signs of wanting to bf. No health issues identified as yet, but all a bit sicky if fed too quickly.

I am off home tomorrow am, but back daily. Live 45mins from Hosp, so until I can drive it is going to be tough, as they are likely to be here for another 2-3 weeks.

To be honest main stress point at the mo is DS1, had been fab at sleeping, but since I have been in hospital for 2 weeks he has gradually got worse at settling at night and is up at crack of dawn. Hoping that me being at home will help, as until then I was primary putter to bed as DH worked away all week, so only saw him at weekends.

bailey welcome and congratulations! Triplets! Wow you are so so so (x3 see what I did there??) lucky. I would call them Dtrip 1, 2 and 3. Glad to hear they are well and that you are too :). They are really great weights too aren't they?

Is your dh going to continue to work away or will he be home to help or will you have other help? I'm a teeny bit jealous dts get so much attention but you'll be like the main attraction/superstar forever!

Please ignore all whinging I just did I love having more than one baby at the same time and with an older dc you will already know what to do. How old is your ds? Hopefully he'll settle again.

Will be looking out for your triplet tales...

Congrats baileys, so glad your triplets arrived safe and sound. What a joy! i can't wait to hear how you get on. Hope DS settles too, my DD got a bit unsettled with sleep too, but she's fine now.

We're on holiday in Tofino - which is the westernmost bit on Vancouver Island. There's nothing between us and Japan basically! It's a big surfer dude hang out, but we're mostly picking up rocks to look at crabs, eating nice food and getting too much sun and sea air. Lovely. We rented a cabin and it's great.

Back to the UK this week. Can't believe it. Am scared and excited all at once. We're being picked up by a VW transporter taxi thing and heading straight down to my folks in West Wales. I can not wait.

skitto - sleep regression is the pits. I've just come to accept it now. We do everything 'right', they have a wonderful daytime routine and naps, they have had a bedtime routine since birth and we don't turn lights on etc etc at night, but they still wake up at least 3 times between 7pm and 6am. I've just sort of accepted it now, but I do get a bit angry in the middle of the night. Although, I realised how touchy I was about it the other day when my mate who had a singleton around the same time said about him sleeping through. I think I may have growled...

mines sorry about your DH . Bloody rugby, it's not good for you sport. I keep trying to tell people that.

Congratulations baileys!

Hooray, welcome baileys!! I vote dtrip 1,2&3. Glad they're all doing well. I hope they're home with you ASAP. Is your sister going to be helping??

Can mine be having the sleep regression from their already rubbish sleeping?? DT1 was up more times than I can count last night and he just will not settle and still doesn't self settle. DT2 is up twice now too. I feel sick and headachey with tiredness already.

Someone tell me to get my sh1t together will you? I as really down/desperate feeling last night... my DH and mum were at the Olympics Sat and Sun while I looked after the terrible twosome, including doing the 6.30pm feed and settle to bed. Saturday was OK but Sunday was bad - they were both crying together and I was doing the thing of starting to comfort one only to have the other start again etc etc. DH came in just as I had got DT1 to stop crying and was calming DT2 so not doing too badly but it just took me back to the early days when they used to cry and cry and I didn't know what to do. DH took the girls last night and I should have had a decent night's sleep but was so hot and I have the start of a sore throat, and then this morning the girls have been fretful (because of the heat I guess, plus not being swaddled as it's too hot) and I've been up and down a couple of times. DH off to work looking like a wreck.

It's all OK but just... is it ever going to get much easier? It has been better with their night feed times getting more regular etc and we've been coping. But it only takes a bit of hot weather or a minor illness and we're almost broken again. DH did the night tonight to let me watch the Olympics closing ceremony but once again I went to bed early in the hope of getting some sleep only to lie awake counting the months till I can go back to work. At the moment I can't imagine enjoying anything other than getting away from the wee ones. God that sounds so bad but it's true, I've been trying not to think about it for the last 16 weeks but I bloody hate this, I so hope that it gets better once when they are older.

beyoglu, it is fun once their up and moving, DD is better company every day (& I loved her company anyway)

But I'm with you. I'm suffering. I'm exhausted. I'm sick of screaming babies, I'm sick of refusal to settle at night, I'm sick of endless, endless night wakings. I'm being horrible to Dh- because he can't read my mind half the time. I've had enough too and am desperate for it to get a bit easier... DT1 is by far and away the most difficult baby of any of my three, day and night.

BUgger, wrote a whole post on the other trhead without noticing it was full! Here it is anyway!
ceeveebee I am in awe! WE've only had guests about twice since our DTs were born, once including some lovely childless friends of ours whom we managed to burn dinner so spectacularly for that we ahd to go out and get fish'n'chips, and then the Dts woke approximately 700 times that night, right next to their spare room...

And yes to Claire re the raspberries with food. I am trying an 'I am Not Amused' face, but I don't think it's working I'm also not very good at it when they start having 'conversations'.

I have 2 nights on my own this week, having had DH out doing sport all weekend. I feel I have earnt major payback the following week!

Missing the Olympics so much, have even had to do some parenting today

Well done Dream on starting this one and massive congratulations bailey, amazing weights, amazing they're straight into normal cots, just amazing all round, you must be over the moon!! Have some for being a superstar already!

And a to beyolou. It does get easier, then it gets harder, then it gets more fun, then it gets different... it just keeps changing to be honest and it's all about trying to keep up and enjoy the moments you can, and not kill yourself about wishing away the bits that NOBODY could enjoy. Of which, frankly, with twins there are many.

We went out for dinner with friends on Friday and ever since DS has woken for a night feed at 3am (I swear he KNEW I'd had wine and would struggle to get up!), while DD has thrown in some 1.30-2.20 partying jsut for good measure. THe difference now is that I can pop them down with some entertaining toys, or stick one in the jumparoo and one in the walker, and gibber on the sofa with a cup of strong coffee for a few minutes. Stay strong, even if they don't magically start sleeping 7-7 you'll get there!

Hi all, back to usual name now Olympics are over. Will finally get my house back tomorrow when DM goes (but she helps so she's ok!). Tip of having guests - make them bring their own bedding and towels, make them camp in the garden, and they have to make my breakfast for me!! We went to the hockey, didn't take DTs as the inlaws were here so easier to leave them - sadly though we were away for 6 hours and I really missed them- how will I cope when I go back to work in 7 weeks!!!

Welcome baileys I am in awe!! Fantastic weights and hope you get to take them home soon. Do you have help lined up?

Am a bit worried about DTD again - she took ages to roll, she can sit up well but won't bear weight on her legs when I try to stand her up - she's 9mo tomorrow - do you think this is worrying or just a bit behind? That's the problem with twins, can't help comparing them

Also wondered whether those with older DTs had any tips re keeping them safe now they are mobile and a bit big for bouncy chairs -any such thing as a toddle chair with a harness? I am thinking of when I do Bathtime, as soon as I put one down they roll onto the stone floor!! Or at bedtime the other night when DTS did a poo explosion and DTD vomited almost simultaneously - I didn't want to put either in cot in that mess so ended up putting one on a towel on the floor between my legs while dealing with the other. Maybe I should get a small playpen in the nursery?

Dream how were DTs after their banana? Are you going to wean now? Might make all the difference to nights

Red enjoy your holidays and the move back home - are you going to stay in Wales for a while before moving to kew?

Have a good day all xx

Oh forgot to mention my bad mother moment - on cycling race weekend when we had 20 people staying, DHs cousin made me a bacon and egg sarnie which I ate while holding DTD on my knee - didn't realise the egg was runny and when I bit into it the yolk ran all over her head and onto her face.. And I said, 'quick someone get a babywipe camera'!!!! In front of 20 people!

Hello - thanks for the new thread Dream, and the stats change all the time so no worries where they are! at least we have some sort of record we can all refer to when we can't remember the age of our own other peopls DTs and other DCs.

Welcome Baileys, glad you have found us. How are the Dtrips? What help have you got at home? Still can't believe the weights - you did amazingly well.

CVB - so did some one take a photo of the aggy moment?! post it on here please 20 people? Bloody hell thats a big ask even if you do get some help and your brekky cooked for you. Don't worry about DTD , my limited knowledge is that they don't worry about weight bearing until at least 1 year - but I know what you mean about comparing them - I do it all the time. I was wathcing them breath the other day to make sure DT1 was not breathless!!

Beyoglu, don't feel bad. IT IS TOUGH! and we all have moments days / weeks when we really don't know our arses from our elbows and doubt everything we do. But you are doing everything you need to to care for your DTs and it will get easier I hope - I find it hard too and always feel guilty about lack of attention to either of them - just left for large chunks of the day :( :(

So Dream - how did the4 bannana go down? have you given more food? Let us know!

Good luck Red - things will settle down againb when you are at your mums I am sure.

Things are a bit tough here at the moment. Night times have takena step backwards thanks to a horrible horrible cough in DT1. I have taken him to the GP twice and they want to see him again next week - he does not have a temp and is still feeding fairly well so GP not particularly worried, and they said it may be reflux???? Does this give a horrible mucous-y cough?? Anyway, prescribed Gaviscon so will see if this helps. He is not too bad during the day but in the night and first thing in the morning he coughs / cries / screams / sobs / throws up for about 30 mins - its heart breaking :( Needless to say I am up and down and rocking and consoling a lot in the night. I am knackered.

The DTs can't be doing too badly though as they are HUGE! Must get them weighed properly, but going by our scales they are approx. 16lb which puts them around the 95th percentile I think!!!! Not bad for 36 week-ers. So something is going right I guess.

Another reason why things are tough is that my Dsis has really upset me. She lives abroad but is currently here in the UK for 5 weeks (only 1 week left). I have seen her ONCE and thats only because I did a 4 hour round trip with the DTs to see her. She is now staying less than an hour away but does not seem to want to come and see me and apparently there is no room in the house they are staying in for us :( AND she knows I am worried about DT1 and he has been to the Docs a few times and she does not even ask how he is. REALLY PISSES ME OFF (sorry). She just lives in a another world of money and live in maids / nannies, but no excuse for being thoughtless if you ask me. Sorry, had to get that off my chest. It just really upsets me that she can't be arsed to see me or my DCs but has plenty of time to see her DHs family and friends. OK, rant over.

Sorry to those I have missed, got to fly - parents coming and I need to at least make an attempt to sort the house out at least put dirty nappies in bin

Hi all,

I feel a bit better today- DT1 was still up at 9:30, 11:40, 1, 3, 5:30 for the day but asleep in between, albeit in my bed from 3 but miles better than the previous night.... Interesting about the cough bigboobs, DT1 has coughed most of his life, at his 6 week check they queried croup, hv always mentions it, it sounds very chesty but he's mostly well with it. More reflux here too maybe..?? And that waking pattern is his norm. I hope your DT improves soon, its horrible and worrying when they're not great.

I can't help but compare mine strength wise. DT1 can wriggle round 180 degrees, on his tummy he can lift his head really high and lift his legs up, I'm sure he probably has the strength to roll but he isn't yet. DT2 can only very, very briefly lift his head from his tummy and can't move at all like DT1... Neither gets half enough tummy time though, I confess...

The boys are loving grub. Today I made them baby porridge with ebm not water to add calories. Two hugely heaped dessert spoons of porridge with 1.5oz of ebm, on their fourth ever offering of food, and they wolfed the lot and DT2, who I didn't think looked ready for weaning, cried so much for more I made another bowl up for him . So its fair to say they're enjoying it. And ?? coincidence or not, but the last two nights when I've been braver and just fed them however much they've wanted (ie loads) DT1 has settled in the evening miles better. He actually settled at 9:30 last night without a feed- that's a first. still had all the bloody others though

bigboobs that'd rile me so much about your dsis. I'd expect a lot more effort from her/ mine. mines fairly useless at coming, but to be fair does work a lot of weekends/ nights atm but is at least useful when she's here. Her loss missing out on your beautiful children. I bet your scales are over estimating BTW, mine did when I tried that with DD once and then had her weighed. My boys are 14lb 15 and 14lb 3 so DT2 finally catching up- I'd not had them weighed for half their lives when i took them

Still impressed at the hosting ceevee and i miss my DD if a grandparent takes her out for the morning!! Love the egg story :)

Forgotten the rest, will remember soon as I've posted no doubt

Oh, and for baileys, hope your trio as doing well

I don't know how you lot have the energy (or the time) to read and post on here as you do! Oh and welcome baileys, fab weights, thinking of you as your little ones are in hospital - always going to be a difficult time, but sounds like they're doing well :)

Seems quite a lot of us have been struggling lately beyoglu. As someone said, it seems that with twins (& triplets, I presume!) you're just about managing and things seem ok but even the smallest things seem to tip you over the edge :(

I've been on the verge of tears a lot this last week and just have NO energy, physical or mental, but can't really place why. Just from being busy I guess, and all the lack of sleep building up, up, up. Can't help thinking forward to when they're two/three rather more frequently than is normal, I'm sure

Oh and we've regressed gone back to feeds every 3 hours during the night, sometimes even closer together, and waking up more frequently than that after 5am. I tend to just feed them when they wake and put them back in their cot now; I was putting off their feeding til 4/5am with use of dummies and co-sleeping but I felt like I was sleeping worse. Thing is now they seem to wake more - and you always examine the data and see how you can improve things, don't you?!

Baileys - huge congrats and how great are those weights, all bigger than my 2 were!! Having been through the special care bit myself, it's tough but they are in great hands and ours were home before we knew it. Funny to think back to those days when we tube fed them just 7ml of milk!

Beyoglu, sorry you're having a tough time, be assured that we all have those days/weeks. I had a complete meltdown last week and had the same thoughts, about it being easier to go back to work but since then I've had some much better days with them. It is blody hard work and think others have summed it up, in that it does get easier but then you go through another shtty period so it gets harder again, it just constantly changes. That's my limited experience so far....

Mines that sucks, how long will he be in plaster for? And how big are your little porkers then? I love how chubby mine are now seen as they were scrawny little rats when they were born.

Red, holiday sounds awesome, am v.jealous! DH and I have been lucky enough to travel quite a bit since we've been together but obviously won't be indulging in that passion for quite a while now eh! Enjoy the rest of your break and hope the journey home is good .

Dream, how were the boys after their big feed up? Have you given them any more?

Twelve, hope the solo nights have/go ok. I've still not been brave enough to tackle one on my own. Am hoping that when they can sit up on their own then the whole nighttime routine will be easier and DH might be able to resume his normal work commitments.

CVB, can't believe you had all those guests. Please share the eggy pic!

Bigboobs hope the gaviscon helps, poor little one. Sorry that your Dsis is adding to your problems, families are just a nightmare aren't they. My DB hasn't even been to see the boys yet and he lives less than 2 hours away. I am so p*ssed about it but it's been too long now, so he can bugger off if he's planning a visit any time soon.

Please don't stone me but the sleep regression wasn't that. It appears to have been disturbance from clashing of heads, which putting them in separate cots seems to have sorted. Hope I don't regret writing that.

x-posts dreaming, massive fingers crossed for weaning being a huge help for sleep!!