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 :)

Also - my friend with the through the night sleeping baby just got back and said she thinks it's because she's EBF and he got bored with the effort of drinking in the night. Oh, just ffffuck off. I'm so sick of hearing the 100 million remedies for night feeding. They want it, they'll get it, no I don't like it, but they were born little and I can hardly grudge them the chance to make it up a bit.
Grr.

twelve I saw that oneborn multiples thing it was quite felt sorry for the mum that lost her twin to ttt.

ceevee your dts are doing amazing! And fab that you had such a good holiday too.

skit no teething advice sorry just all the usual remedies here. I've heard the teething powders are good but so expensive I haven't gone there yet...

beyou they will slee through when ready. You know this anyway! Mostly my dts sleep through until 6.30/7 but a few times a week they wake a little earlier. They are 8 months but they get that bottle and then sleep until 8.30am. Sleep is precious with babies I don't care how we go about getting it!

To thos who said they are glad to have their family complete I can't honestly agree....! I doubt we'll have any more now due to other circumstances though I'm not letting the idea go alltogether (am I mad?!). Yes babies are very very hard but I just feel a little that we may never experience some things again-and wonder if I've made the most of it so far? I suppose I'm thinking if I could do it all again how would I do it? I wouldn't get hung up on routines! and if I had one baby I would carry it alllll day! I wouldn't turn down help. The list is endless....

Hello hello hello everyone. I NEVER have time to post but I do try to keep up.

My two are asleep on my lap, so rather than slide them off and go and clean the toilet and fold clothes, thought I would leave them were they are and actually post!

Beyoglu, I think mine are the same age as yours (nearly 5 months) and are not 'sleeping through'. and yes people gloating saying about their babes sleeping all night annoys me sooo much. your girls will get there, as will my boys

red, have you moved? how is going? what a hectic couple of months you have had. finally in your new home now though I hope. how is you DT with the poorly skin?

good luck for going back to work ceevee! what childcare arrangements do you have?

dream, sorry things are still tough for you. how is the non-dairy going?

happy bdays to little twelves and little dream (belated) !

my two are huge and very cuddly! started solids last week (only one meal) and they love it, and for some reason this has coincided with them wanting to go to bed at 6.30.so all 3 DCs in bed by 7. lush!

harder to entertain in the day now though as what to be 'doing' all the time. hard work!
bugger, DT1 awake. will try to get back later

Hey bigboobs I've missed you! And well done on keeping track of what's going on, I'm totally lost, mainly as I only check mn whilst nursing at night on me new 'smart' phone. I can't bloody type on it as it makes me look like I can't write English. As a touch typer it is verrrrry frustrating.

Anyway. We're all good here. Moved in, DH had actually done a reasonable job getting the gaff set up, except he hadn't hoovered or bought one and what with DT2 being constantly slathered in emollient due to the eczema it meant he started resembling a fluffball. Yuk. He is still REALLY suffering, the steroid cream completely cleared it up. Then we stopped and it all came back again, worse. He's so sweet though and so good natured. I am worrying about the same thing as you dream, as he's also got gunky poo and I keep thinking maybe it is the dairy and it would be awful if it was and I could have made him feel better. Then my rational brain butts in and says only a tiny percent of children with eczema is related to food etc etc etc. Am trying to get referred to a paed to get some more useful advice. Meanwhile, he is sleeping better, but we do still get very long crying sessions at night. Sigh.

beyoglu, I personally threatened by my entire facebook address book with head butting if anyone dared tell me about their child who slept all night, so I do understand. However, as someone who is going through this whole thing for a second time, the positives do really outweigh the negatives. The two things that having more than one batch of kids has taught me is that:
a) children are born the way they are and you can't change them (so you may have one child who is a beautiful sleeper, think you're a marvelous parent ahem and then have another child who you do the same things with and they will not sleep for buggery.
b) having babies is a truly amazing thing, and when you get the chance to do it all over again you really do make the most of it. I've spent a lot more time gazing this time and a lot less reading books or going to baby classes!

baileys, if you're reading, huge congrats on your triplets progress. Sounds brilliant.

claire, how's the house? Happy with the move? Hope the girls are settling in their new school.

Love to all!

Ooh you've made me want to watch the One Born Twins now as I didn't catch it. Is it worth it, or will I just blub the whole way through?

Twin2, I got the black base with sand hoods, so you've reminded me that I must work out how to put the rain covers on properly, in advance of getting caught out.

Ceevee, sounds like your little ones are doing fabulously and 10 months is not late is it. You got to love the HV's haven't you! How have you found stopping breastfeeding? I'm planning on doing so in the next few weeks and am looking forward to it in some ways (shall be burning the nursing bras) but think I may miss it too...? Good luck for going back to work, are you going full or part time?

Can I ask what might be a dumb question but for those of you that bottle feed, how do you do the first bottle in the morning? I'm worried that mine won't be patient enough to wait for a fresh bottle to be made, as they currently enjoy being taken from cot shortly after waking, quick bum change and then in to my bed for their feed.

Bigboobs glad to hear that solids is going well, we've just started too and while DT1 is getting to grips with it and loving most things, DT2 pulls some amazing faces which definitely indicate that he is not loving it.

Mines I don't think we'll have any more but am with you in feeling that I'll probably never be pregnant again, won't go through labour again (which I strangely enjoyed) and won't get to experience being passed my newborn baby, as mine were whisked away to SCBU .

However like you Bigboobs am finding mine hardwork during the day at the moment. They seem to be in a phase of frustration as they can't move, are just starting to sit up but not for long, so are hating just lying there. DT1 is showing signs of having no patience whatsoever - don't know where he got that from .

Red, good to hear you're all moved in. What creams are you using for the eczema? DT2s is getting worse and I've held off using anything other than Aveeno so far but think we might need to.

Right off to search 4od.

Hello again all

I've read the past few days now but not everything, there is so much to get through!

Red welcome! I hope you have managed to settle in a bit? I'll PM you with details of the local twin playgroup. After a mere 2 hour flight to Spain with GPs in tow I am totally in awe of you somehow flying from Canada with baby twins and a toddler! And as for moving house/continents you, Claire and Skitoo are all much braver than me.

My DTS has eczema. We have been using a mild steroid cream, restricting baths to 3-4 times a week, using Oilatum bath emolient and Aqueous cream during bath and Oilatum cream afterwards. All on prescription so all free. And it seems to be working, it has definately got much better.

Skitoo I was very to stop breastfeeding but it just wasn't going to be possible to combine with work. I was a bit sore for the first day or so but its quickly gone away. We had exactly the same morning routine - nappy then into bed with me. So far I have been using readymade formula for their morning bottle, I take two sterilised bottles and two cartons upstairs when I go to bed,they have 5oz each and I use the remaining 2oz on their breakfast. I guess in 7-8 weeks time I can drop the formula and just give cows milk.

I'm going back 3 days a week, but will be transitioning (if that is a word) so starting with 2 days at first. We have a nanny - I just couldn't picture me being able to get two babies fed, dressed and dropped at a nursery before 8am so this way I get to leave them in their pj's. Also round here it is £70-80 per day per child in nursery so a nanny is actually cheaper!!

Its a corporate job so have to look smart - bit of a shock after 12 months in jeans and converse - been manically trying on all my work clothes and shoes to find that nothing fits so have been doing some last minute online shopping! How have my feet gone up a size??

skitoo definitely worth a watch made me feel very humbled and lucky that my pregnancy was uneventful in the whole and my little girls are healthy on the whole :) not one to watch whilst pg i think would add to the worry!!

Bad mummy here i make up all bottles in advance, my mw said she had to give me the most recent advice, however the risk is low and I've been a mummy before?? She also said that there is a guideline that says if you do have to make up a bottle in advance ie for a night feed you make it up as advised then cool it quickly and keep it at the back of the fridge not in the door :)

skitoo the raincovers are tight so definitely try them out

Lovely to hear from you bigboobs

Hey all
The One Born Twins and Triplets wasn't actually as traumatic as I thought it was going to be. Terribly sad for the lady who lost one to TTT, and I had a good blub at bits of the NICU footage (When the lovely DF to the preemies was saying "I'm a father? but I'm not yet" got me good and proper!), but it is interesting and just a sob-fest. Also made me feel a bit better in a way to hear lots of medical professionals saying 'multiples are great - but they're really high risk' as I always feel like a bit of drama llama!

Dream I know exactly what you mean about feeling guilty re the dairy, I thought 'God, we've put him through MONTHS of this'. But you have to try and remove the obvious things first, and there's still no guarantee that if we had gone dairy free earlier it would've worked. I have some cheesy pasta in the fridge I'm tempted to try him on to see if he can handle it now!

HI CeeVee, we keep bumping into each other on other threads! Our HV was very pro-active about the fact that ours didn't have pincer grips, I think given that twins are often born early & late to do things they err on the side of caution re. referring to physio. I wouldn't panic about it, but keep practising with DD when you can. Better to be on the radar for these things than off it!
I remember feeling terribly sad as I approached the end of breast feeding, but weirdly within a couple of weeks I couldn't imagine myself doing it at all. It's like my body had forgotten how. Very strange.
We have had a lovely nanny for a couple of days a week too and it is so much easier than nursery days - she doesn't just look after the babies, she does washing, makes meals, washes bottles, all stuff that has to be done after a day's work otherwise. Will be very sad when she finishes with us in a few weeks time.

Beyoglu we have the snuffle babe stuff too but I think the Karvol plug ins are better personally. They made me sleep well when we had the babies in our room anyhow

Mines & Skitoo I know exactly what you mean about never getting the chance to do it again - or in my case to feel like I've done it properly: third trimester, labour, holding a newborn, bf from day one, all that jazz. And to be honest months and months of the first year are just a blur, and I didn't take anywhere near enough photos or video of them . BUT they are just so awesome at the moment - smiling and giggling and waving and jabbering to each other and having crawling races, I am really enjoying them now when I don't have too much work on anyhow

Hi Bigboobs nice to see you pop in! Yay to the adult evenings again!

Red well done on getting all moved in, am so in awe. Our giant dog sheds a lot so we often have 2 little fur balls crawling around here too!

Think it was Skitoo who asked about bottles? We have always made ours up in advance - its what they did in NICU when they were poorly and vulnerable, so I figure it is safe enough at home as long as you're careful. (During our discharge briefing they basically said 'we're not allowed to advise you to do this, and we don't tell lots of people how we do it, but you're sensible, you've seen us doing it for weeks, so it's fine!). So super-vigilant on hygiene and sterilising, bottles made up with water around 75-80 degrees (we have kettle with temp gauge), then cooled quickly by standing in cold water, then into fridge and thrown away within 24 hours. Never had a problem.

Is that everyone? Oops, quick wave to Twin2 ! LOADS of work to do today so best be off.. a

NOT just a sob-fest

mines, red I know you're right about treasuring the moments... and I do think it would be easier to do that second time round! Every time I get frustrated about sleep stuff I look at the two of them, gaining weight, looking around, doing new stuff every day... and I know we're all going to be fine. I think the whole recurrent mc thing coupled with not really knowing small babies made me feel as though they were just never going to grow out of being these tiny fragile things. Now I've got two robust self-burping 4 and a bit month olds and I can sort of see the light at the end of the tunnel and enjoy them a bit better. mines, I do have some empathy though. I get the shivery horros when I think of having more kids, but even then, yesterday I had to send off the consent form to the clinic for them not to store our remaining embryos any longer, and although I've never been surer of any decision than the one to stop at two children, still it was a bit sad. I guess before I had the girls and before the mcs I could entertain any possible life, lots of kids, no kids, and this is us getting older and the possibilities narrowing down to one life. It's a good life though.

Is that a new series of OBEM? I saw the twin delivery in the last one and I thought "oh my god the obstetrician is holding the second one's head in place there is no way I am doing that" but I did. But I was epiduralled up to the eyeballs while this woman did it on gas and air. Respect.

beyoglu you just made me cry. What a lovely sentiment.

Ps that woman in OBEM - that's what happened to me! My eyes still water.

Just stopping in to say hi. Colds still raging here, plus baby diarrhoea.. causing 57,4678 pooey nappies a day (& night). They've definitely got a virus. Karvol plug in is my only hope.

red, hurrah for your new place, hope poor DT2's skin clears up again soon. Love the fluff ball description :) . So hard about the dairy, I'm still not sure (obviously, we're still on elimination, not dairy challenged yet) but so far so good. Though of course it could be unrelated and he could just be growing out of his reflux. Seeing as its just 1 month its worth a shot I figure. My ex had dairy triggered exczema. He still ate cheese and suffered

I'm with those on the sad to think of never having another baby. Especially as my 3 are only one school year apart so I'll go from a full house to empty practically overnight. I also felt quite emotional reading your post beyoglu about the wide open options narrowing down but its so true.

Oh, and we have no where near enough pics of the boys too...

Err, bit more than a pop on. Got to go, literally getting 3 hours sleep if I'm lucky with my three ill ones. Will my twins be the only ones not sleeping at ridiculous old ages ?!

ceevee can't wait to hear from you.

red I am in awe.

Yeah my ob declared she one knew me in s biblical way. Nice.

beyou now I'm blubbing a little bit what a lovely way to put things!

red I don't remember which woman you mean (didn't see it all) care to share? or dare to share ;)

dream no we're not getting much sleep either (definate karma there regarding my earlier boastful post!) dt2 is waking all the time now and dt1 has a minging teething rash on his face. I have to say though I'm looking forward to them both being at school together the possibilties....

I've had a letter from work regarding my new hours and feel a bit but was so excited they really are better than I could have asked for! 6 weeks to go! I will miss the boys terribly please don't get me wrong but I feel the need to work/family balance works both ways in my instance I feel whilst on maternity leave I lack a bit of drive and motivation as it's the same thing every day returning to work will hopefully give me a bit of a boost as I feel useful to the outside world again! It's not for everyone though I appreciate that and really admire those that are sahm and also work full time as for me these options seem such hard work!

Rah. Shut up Minesa!

red and at your ob knowing you in a biblical way!! You're hardcore. It's true.

I'm sad and tired. Day 5 of diarrhoea for DT2 and day 3.5 for DT1 but now his bottom is like a baboon's arse. Red raw. Cotton wool and water gentle as possible nappy changes are causing him such distress :( :( . He's had 14 nappy changes today, dt2 10, tummies just not settling. I feel terrible for them, and their colds are still raging too.

Respect to you for not being melodramatic over your DT2 who must be worse as its not just his bottom red, I'm hopeless when the children are in pain. Ok at the time for them, but I get weepy when they're in bed...

Hurray for great hours minesa, better than you'd hoped for then?

Yay to the good work hours minesa!

Lovely post beyoglu, I know what you mean - but also I'm kind of glad to have some options ticked off. After not really believing we would get pregnant (not particular problems, just luck/timing!), then all the uncertainty of the pregnancy, then all the waiting in hospital etc, it actually feels ok to go 'OK, that's us now!'. Doesn't mean I don't have a bit of me going 'But what about another....?' though

yes dream cracking hours I'm going to enjoy being part time! Regarding your poor poor dts could it be teething? I know I put everything down to teething but thats cos it's such a pain in the arse if you can excuse the expression. It must be difficult to leave nappies off too if they have diarrea-nappy off is great for soreness but can cause a major clean up operation in my (pukey) experience!

I don't understand the 'knowing you in a biblical way' comment yet it makes me want to cross my legs automatically! (yep I'm a closet blonde).

Had a great evening won a little bit at Bingo which will pay for the next stage car seats they will be required soon though dts not old enough yet they are humungous so whilst I have the moolah will be nice to have them put away ready for when they reach that age-weight off the mind. Plus enough money to have two in my car and two in dh's car if we feel like being extravegent and making life too easy. Will def help with all the toing and froing when I go back to work as dh will be picking them up some days too. I did have a taxi driver shout 'fucking women drivers' at me tonight though-I deserved it a little! .

Crikey, if your car seats are anything like mine that's quite a bingo win! We have a Euromillions ticket somewhere, must root it out - if you don't hear from me, I'm on a private island.

Dream, your poor DS. I assume you've tried Metanium? It's the wonder cream for sore bottoms in this house but we've never had it that bad.

what can I say I'm the bingo queen (that sounded better in my head ?
Ooh just remembered went to tesco this am took twice as long as I should have as everyone was gushing over the dts today! One old lady said she was one of 13 dc's (me- ) said she didn't think her parents had many hobbies! Turned back to see dt2 licking a ladies coat-she was fine about it though!

Oh mines you just made me giggle so much I almost dropped dt 2 off my lap. Congrats on the work and bingo result! Quick go buy a lottery ticket, it's your week.

Ob had to reach in and pull dt2 down to make sure he didn't go for a stroll once dt1 came out. It was an 'interesting' sensation.

dream, really bad nappy rash is awful. God I remember DDI getting to the point since where it was almost weeping. I've tried that metatium stuff, but dt2 can't take it due to his excema so I've stopped using. Best thing I found is just have nappies off almost constantly and make sure they dry off completely each nappy change. And bad nappy rash hurts way more than excema but it isn't a chronic condition. Swings and roundabouts, eh?

red I just can't imagine that! Did you have an epidural? My hospital advised it I couldn't imagine doing 'that' without one! I have bought a lottery ticket today (not a chronic gambler I promise though it was bought with thunderball winnings) odds on I won't win!

dream how are you doing? I feel for you it must be soooo hard plus I get the sense you like sleep? double hard!!!

My dts (dt2) is waking for night feeds regaukarly again. After a 5am feed though they woke at 8.45 today! Cue mummy guilt! But sleep is nice! This will be changing when I go back to work mwah ha ha revenge is mine. Oh my new hours will be Mon-8.30-6.30 (thinking will get bank hols off no time in lieu in that place!) Tues 8.30-3.30 and Fri 2.30-6.30. Expected three late nights so am happy! Will have to leave house 7.30 on just 2 days and Fri pm dh will have them. I'm still bouncing!

Dh has taken dts to rugby again. He says he doesn't care what they like when theyre older but taking 8mo old's to rugby regularly tells me otherwise!

Oh speaking of..has anyone watched MTV The Valleys? I really really don't blame you if you haven't it's dreadful! But if you did....I know Liam fairly well he plays for dh's (rugby) team and dj'ed our engagement. He's a lovely bloke have no idea, not a clue, nada, what he's doing in there with them pile of misfits, degenerates, slags. It's definately not a true depiction of us either. We are rough and ready yes but not that ridiculous! (red knows!)

I love talking to you all you and can't believe I never mentioned this before but was a bit . Last weekend I was out for my friend's birthday and I got so drunk so emotional kept going on and on about unresolved issues surrounding dts birth and early days. This isn't me at all! So maybe it's still a hang up? Am seeing said friend tomorrow. She's gonna take boys swimming with me (whole other issue last time they hated change rooms and screamed and screamed...) so going to have a good chat with her. It made me think of twelve and that she feels still about nicu even though my story is a bit I still feel emotional. I suppose the only way we'll be ok with it is to realise it can't be changed, and move on.

On that depressing note I'm out of here!

Waves at you all girls! xx