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 :)

How we all doing ladies?

dream, I'm kind of in the same situation in that I'll just about break even when I go back to work but shamefully that seems like a good deal to me, unless the small ones get a whole lot easier to cope with soon!

Getting blooming cold isn't it? Thank god the wee ones seem to have mastered the art of sleeping in a stationary buggy so now I can go and have tea while they're taking their afternoon nap (I try and get out in the afternoons at least).

We're good here - had a couple of nights where boys have only woken once between 6 and 6. Feels like a massive step forward. However one slightly annoying knock on effect is that my periods have started again. Obviously that one feed I've dropped was enough to get my body working. Grr. Id almost forgotten about periods. I feel very washed out...

I'm enjoying the weather although it does mean adding about 20mins to our routinefor getting out of the house!

red I was kind of glad to see my period this week as it was a little bit late and I'm a bit forgetful with my pill. That won't be happening again! Ironic after all them years of wanting to be pregnant!

Ah getting out of the house. Some days a doddle some days a mare. This am the lovely dts who are crawling everywhere now managed to pull the cables and the sky card out of the box. Thankfully I manged to put it back right whilst they laughed at me until I reminded them that if that happened there'd be no igglepiggle or rastamouse (and am very glad they didn't delete my sky plus collection!!!). DT1 has manged 3 poos already today, two of them between one feed! and we're low on nappies. The logistics of it all!!! I was still in my pj's until 10 o'clock!

I wouldn't change em for the world what a cliche but it's true.....

Hello! After 10 weeks in hospital we are finally bringing our twin boys home today. I thought I'd wave to everyone now as I fully expect that the next time I make it onto the thread I will be in a blind panic about something or other. Please feel free to send me your survival tips. Here goes!

there congratultions on bringing them home you must be so relieved. Come here as much as you can we all help each other out! As for survival tips I'm no expert just winging it all the way! But it seems to work....

Wow red not bad! Over here, DT2 is sleeping from 11 till 6 but DT1 is still taking that 3.30am bottle - now down to 60ml so hoping she'll give up over the next couple of days...

Periods are rubbish. Despite bottle feeding mine didn't kick in till 3 months after the girls were born. Blooming IVF. Now I'm sure I'm becoming anaemic again... it would help if I ever ate anything other than toast probably.

OMG mines every time I feel like I'm on top of things you reveal a fresh horror. They messed with the Sky box? They can't do that! Not allowed!
Do you find there's a lot more poo now they're on solids? I seem to be doing poo checks at 20 minute intervals.

Congratulations there, that's great news! Yeah what mines says, it's pure trial and error with me but these girls will see you right :)

Hello everyone...how are we all?! I've not been on here in ages... wish I had the time/energy to read all your posts, but i trust we're all surviving?!

My DTs are now just over 7 months now and little devils cuties. Wriggling around lots; eating all sorts; still not sleeping much... not sure what else to report really. Still breastfeeding - though they won't ever feed together. Any times they did seem to have been flukes, although nowadays they feed for ten mins in the evenings and basically a minute or two around breakfast and lunch, but never really any more. Trying to get them used to the bottle so it's an option for us but all they do is roll it around their tongue, chew it, or retch! Generally they just don't drink very much anymore tbh...

Things are very busy here, not much time to myself or anything as I'm sure you can all relate to! Still not moved house yet, it was supposed to be 3 weeks ago but then there were some 'unforeseen delays'... of course, we'd already transferred our phone/internet/post, so been without those for ages now!

Hello lemele, I was wondering where you'd got to :)

Busy here too, if I manage a bath in the evening that's the most 'me' time I ever get. Mine are still terrible sleepers too.

Weaning is marginally better. Both super keen to feed themselves but rubbish at it. They can grab the food alright, and stuff it in, but then proceed to just gag and choke on it and vomit hugely everywhere. I've tried sweet potato/veg 'chips' and sticks (vomit ++), broccoli (they hate it), cheese for DT1 (ok) bread (ok) , but basically DT2 eats bread, DT1 cheese and bread, so hardly a balanced diet... I'm stuck with what to do to progress blw style weaning too. DT2 loves Ella's Kitchen, he will eat all the none dairy ones. DT1 is not that into spoon feeding. Gah.

DT2 much, much happier dairy free again which is great, kind of. He's sleeping better and smiling and giggling, no crying so we'll wait til 9 months now to give it.

congratulations thereis, it must be wonderful to get them home. Hope they're settling in at home well and sleeping for you!

minesa, it took me 2hours 40 minutes to get my three up, dressed, fed and out the house the other morning. Can't wait for DD to be able to do a bit more for herself & eat her breakfast without being spoon fed too She can feed herself, but would happily get down after about 3 mouthfuls. She's trying hard to put trousers on, which is fab, but determined not to use the potty . She's only 25-nearly 26- months though so i know I just need some patience. Will make it so much easier though

And how rubbish about the Return of the Periods rednellie.

Oh, must dash again- will I ever fully finish a post again?!

Hey dream, I give the small ones sticks of bread dipped in Heinz jar of mush of the day pureed healthy home-cooked meals, and they hold the bread and lick it off/gum the bread. So they're not doing the chewing but they are doing the picking up and handling food IYSWIM?

Weaning continues apace here... DT1 dropped the 3am bottle last night and DT2 is now refusing the 11pm bottle as well as the 3am! That makes it sound like I got a good night's sleep but unfortunately we messed with DT2 at 11pm, tried to get her to take the bottle, and she went back to sleep grumpy and woke at 1am and 3am. This is the second time we've done this and now we have learned our lesson - she's getting nothing at 11pm unless she's crying for it. And although DT1 didn't have the 3am bottle, I still went down and made it for her - then put it at the door of their room, went back to bed and woke at quarter to 6 as usual. Still no sound from upstairs! So I think (ha ha, watch me tempt fate) they are on the best way to doing an 11 till 7 stretch tomorrow without any grief, which would be the first time ever, and would be on my OH's watch. Typical!

Hey all. Blimey, been quite a week.
Last week the Dts were getting grumpier and grumpier, DS was amazingly clingy at nursery settling days and playgroups... lots of screaming, tantrums over meals etc. Was starting to question my sanity. MIL decided to come and babysit so we could get a break and go to see Bond - cue MASSIVE massive vomit everywhere from DS. I was partly fed up at the timing - nanny had left, supposed to be joining new nursery, cleaner on holiday, first night out in MONTHS - and partly thinking 'Ohhhhh! That's Why!"
So, a week of D&V x 2, rejuggling childcare every 10 minutes so I don't miss deadlines (wonderful wonderful nanny ended up coming back for 2 days the week after she was supposed to finish ). Not one I want to repeat in a hurry.

The clingy thing has been confusing me, because they were so so good at going to nursery/strangers at groups etc beforehand. They spent 2 months in hospital without me when they were born so I thought they weren't bothered! Presumably feeling under the weather will have made it worst. They have had a nanny since they came home pretty much - either to hold/feed them for a couple of hours so I could eat/shower/sleep in the early days, and then for 2 full days a week when I went back to work around 9 months, they love her and were bonded to her, but DS still had a mini meltdown whenever he saw me in the day.

They also went to nursery 1-3 days a week from around 9 months, depending on how much work I had on and initially seemed fine. I guess the changes in routine probably haven't helped, but they were ok, then DS started getting more and more upset at each drop off. So next week we'll try starting the new nursery again, have to say I am dreading it now.

We're back to square 1 on weaning again now too, and the washing machine is practically smoking! PAss us a

Hello...

Hello

Bloody hell twelve
I think separation anxiety is worse around 9-14 months, I read that, plus when I was looking round nurseries they were warning me about settling in being harder (if I'd done it she'd have been 13 months on going). And don't be ridiculous, hospital or not, they're your babies, you've been s constant presence in their lives and their key figure, and of course they'll miss you/ worry about you going, the same as any baby. A nurse is a nurse and will care for them, but babies know their mother, and know who loves them. That's my opinion anyway. Separation anxiety is why DD has never gone to nursery. I have chosen to be present, or have family as carers while she was under 2. Pure luck I could do it, as i was lucky enough to get pregnant with the twins when she was just 10 months so my parents agreed to cover the 3.5 months I was at work between my pregnancies/ Mat leaves. It eased when the boys were born for me, so 18, nearly 19 months, but is back with a vengeance now at nearly 26 months . I'm trying to avoid being manipulated by s bossy toddler, like if she's trying to insist mummy gets her down from her highchair not daddy or something ridiculous, but if she seems genuinely distressed not being defiant I don't force the issue. So I'm not much help, but sure your ds is just going through the 'normal' developmental anxiety... Unless it could possibly be just the new nursery? Why did they change nursery? Good luck for next week!! And I hope the food situation is better quickly (I hate weaning, so hard this time, refusing spoons but vomit/ gag/ choke profusely feeding themselves finger food still)

Hello BB3, how are your beautiful children doing?

Had twins group today. I was late- takes me forever to get my three out the house now weaning hell has commenced... We are going to add it to the tamba list, hopefully. The childrens centre will advertise it locally for us. Yay! Only 3 of us there today, but huge hailstorms here-marble sized hailstones and bigger!, traffic hell with a 10 car pile up on the motorway making town ferociously busy etc and so 3 others we had rounded up to come dropped out.

beyoglu, good idea, I'll dunk them some bread. Fingers crossed for sleeping through for you!!!

HELLO BB3! Sorry had to shout as felt very over excited seeing you. How's everything going?

Welcome there's and congratulations.

twelve - our worst patch of separation anxiety was when Dd was 18months and then when the twins were born. I just gave in to it and she always got better. Good luck!

YAAAAAS SECOND NIGHT NO 3AM BOTTLE!!!!
On dad's watch, naturally. DT2 had a bit of a whinge at like 4am but went back to sleep on her own.
dream mine have gone right food-refusy the last couple of days as well. I've moved them back to the bouncy chairs in case it's that but I think we're just going through the 6 month wonder week - according to the book it should peak this week (lucky me). DT2 is all, no no no I feed myself and then she gets annoyed when the spoon arrives at her mouth empty. I've got to get some more Ella's - those ones stick to the spoon quite well so they can wave it around a bit and when it gets to their mouth there's still some food on it! So not all in my hair/on the walls/hidden in their pockets like the bit of carrot I only discovered yesterday when I saw it floating around in the washing machine

Hey, it was really quiet over the weekend... everyone's ignoring me because I bragged about the night bottles, I can tell :)

DT2 is really testing the old self-settling stuff. At 3am she whinged for half an hour, and she did that the two nights before as well. I'm not going to call it crying - it never really works up that much, and I think she's basically still kind of asleep. It wakes me and DT1 up though. I'm glad we're doing CC because honestly I wouldn't know how to comfort her on this one. Really hope this is just the 6 month wonder week stuff (according to the book this week is the killer one so lucky us) and she starts waking up more quietly!

How you's all doing?

hey everyone! i know some of you from my numerous questions before i gave birth.....so now they're here i'd like to join the thread if that's ok!!

DTs were born 5 and a half weeks ago, birth was pretty horrendous as was the stay in the hosptal (i live in france and they are not v pro breast feeding and they spent the whole time trying to force bottles on me) but the twins are doing great and had really good birth weights (DD 2.5kg and DS 3.2kg)

they are adorable but it is bloody hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! am totally sleep deprived and zombie like, ready to kill mil and looking forward to lots of chat and support on this thread

Hi everyone. I am finally ready to join this thread. It has been manic since getting the DTs home.

nancy my DTs are also 5 weeks old. Hopefully we can share tips/ideas.

DTs born at 34+5 by emergency section as twin1 had lost her fluid. DT1 (Georgina) was 5lb7 and DT2 (Megan) was 6lb1.

Beyoglu hurrah for twins sleeping through...I can only dream of reaching that stage!

Hope everyone is well :)

Welcome nancy and garden you will gets loads of support on this thread!

garden your dts were amazing weights! Mine were only 5lb9 and 5lb15 at 37 weeks and I was chuffed with that! they are chubsters now though.

beyou yes hurray for twins sleeping through you made it! It's hard when they whinge in the night though isn't it it's not like getting a full nights sleep anyway! O and I was very at the sky box incident. Don't they know that tv is my escape! I had to laugh at another thread on mnet, that I was too terrified to post on. The op asked how long dc's watch tv for and there were answers like "half an hour a week" "we don't like tv" "we don't have a tv". I was too scared to tell the truth to those precocious so and so's. If the tv ain't on in my house it's broken! Or the cables and card have been pulled out by the boys.

twelve so I take it you never made it to the cinema? Horrific sick is just that...horrific. But at least you know the problem now and well...4 year old vom is probably worse .

Speaking of sick..I spent the entire weekend puking after my 'friend' poisened me with a chicken curry. She doesn't know this btw. Anyway I was glad it was weekend as dh did more than the lion's share I just couldn't function. Fell sick now just at the thought of being ill and alone with them! Arrggghhh!

Also, dts are doing my head in sleepwise. They can't much be arsed night or day in fact am back to cc for naps today with dt2 (who at one point was standing up in his cot! ). At night however me and dh relentlessly feed to sleep knowing it's not the thing knowing it's not good or right but carrying on regardless. All this right on the brink of me returning to work. Thanks guys.

They merrily cruise round everywhere and eat everything in sight when awake so you'd think they would sleep forever after that!

Mid-post. Have had to get dt2 from his non-existant nap. He woke dt1 up who I hope is going to go back to sleep. Thought he may sleep on me but know he is laughing loudly and typing on the keyboard. In fact he wants to say something.

zq1ed3csdxz.

There that's what he thinks bloody kids.

Ah yes, tv. I too used to be a smug parent who never let DD watch tv and then I had twins and all that went right out the window! At least since moving back we've got cbeebies rather watching every episode of pingu ever (Canadian tv not soggreat)

We've had a shit week. We went down to my parents and all 3 kids had horrible cold. DD had it the worst and basically had temp all wweek, ate nothing and was beside herself. Trouble is I'm not very good with ill people at the best of times and that combined with me being under the weather and just basically at the end of my tether meant the proverbial hit the fan.

I've managed fine until now looking after the 3, but not having had anything close to a full night sleep for over 10 months and doing it solo (well, with DH but ykwim) has finally finally cracked me. There's nothing anyone can suggest as I've just got to carry on, but I'm feeling pretty right now.

On a more positive note - welcome garden and never. (Ps hope you don't get put off by the moaning! I'm not that miserable normally! )

Hey nancy and garden! What great weights for your babies both of you :)

Hey mines the grizzling was 20 mins last night, down from 30 the night before so I'm calling that progress! DT2 just whinges but then DT1 starts yelling and for a while it feels like they're both going "shut UP!" "no, YOU shut up!" etc till they fall asleep.

red, mines, we're still camped out in the kitchen for now while the girls can't crawl but soon moving to the living room and the temptationn t put on the telly will be massive. I've sat with DT1 watching the last 10 mins of Casualty when she woke up early from her nap and she was looking at the screen all happy and surprised like , why didn't you tell me??? This is great!

red, I had the illness can't-cope crisis too, when my DD had the temp of 39.6 for 5 (5!!!) days before a chest infection was diagnosed, boys so wheezy with colds they were on inhalers, me exhausted to the point of tears at the drop of a hat. Then it improved a bit, then the first day DD was well enough to walk a bit again (she spent a week being carried/ cuddled/ not weight bearing or walking) we went to the ducks and she'd lost weight, was wobbly and fell and split her head so I'd to take them all to A&E and have her head glued. And had a real :( can't do this and look after them all moment. But you are amazing with your three, they'll get over this cold, as will you, and things will look brighter again.

How's your DT2's exczema now?

I do no tv until after tea, but my DD gets obsessive about it and the tantrums with it going off aren't worth an easy 30 minutes iykwim! So its easier not to put it on.

Welcome garden and Nancy and I'm off without writing all I want to as usual ...

oh god, sorry everyone's been ill, sounds horrendous!!

mine had a cold last week (their first!) and it broke my heart to hear them wheezing and coughing! seem to have recovered now though!

i'm breastfeeding them and i often feel like i don't have enough milk - my boobs tend to be full in the morning but as of the afternoon they seem pretty empty. they're putting on weight but they always wanna feed loads late afternoon / evening and i feel like they're not getting much milk at all. did / does anyone else have this?

Hi Nancy, absolutely. Mine and reds are (before weaning anyway) exclusively bf and i was always like that. I really struggled earlier on with near constant feeding from 3/4pm til 11 ish. Without help with my DD I wouldn't have managed I don't think. Mine were also very 'colicky' though, which passed for one but the other is probably cows milk protein intolerant- been very miserable with a recent dairy challenge anyway. So I'm not sure if their cluster feeding was worse because one always had reflux/ tummy ache. But afternoon/ evening cluster feeding is very normal. And even knowing I would be.constantly making milk and that feeding loads is just the way of establishing your milk supply and there'd be enough (and successfully ebf my DD) i still worried there wasn't enough milk. You're doing a great job! If they seem happy between feeds and are having wet and dirty nappies I'd say they're getting plenty of milk.