Twins update...

I have been inspired by Michelle D to record the development phases and other cool info as the twins grow...so have used her fab template with a few changes as we go along...I have been wanting to start recording all their amazing developments and I don't want to forget a thing!

 

Age: Birth age = 9 weeks old. Corrected age = 4 days old.

 

Height/Weight: Well okay...I haven't measured their heights but on Monday, Finn weighed 3.5kg and Rebecca just short of 3kg.

 

Developmental notes: I have been thinking a lot about how being prem has affected their developmental progress.  If we consider that their corrected age is actually only 4 days old, they have achieved some newborn milestones already weeks ago yet they have already been here for 9 weeks.  For eg - they have already unfurled their limbs and can straighten out completely. They have also already been exposed to so many sensory experiences that a newborn is not normally exposed to, and not all of it positive if one considers the NICU experience - noise, bright lights, injections, etc - how does this impact on their sensory development?

Eating: Mostly exclusively breast milk, with 2 formula feeds at 10pm and 2am. They are on 7-8 feeds per day at 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6-7pm (split feed or two depending), 10pm and 2am.  They sometimes wake before feeds starving and crying for food...so we try to hold off a little but if they cannot be soothed, we feed them early and then try to catch up later in the day otherwise the routine goes completely wonky with one eating an hour before the other etc! I am starting to take eglanol now to increase my milk supply as I cannot commmit to exclusive breastfeeding and dont want to live at my pump - both the only ways to increase milk supply!  So hoping the eglanol with increase it enough to keep up with their demand for the next 6 months. Expressing breast milk and bottle feeding is working well, however they do get a little confused between the style of sucking at the breast and then the bottle. Despite this, I am hoping to still breastfeed as often as I can, even if only as a top up or for comfort and closeness early in the mornings and late at night.

Sleep: They generally stay awake during the feed and a while after, falling asleep about 1 1/2 hours after the feed or so. At night however they tend to go straight back to sleep unless uncomfortable in which case they can be crying and awake for hours. Generally they sleep about 10 hours during the day and 6 hours during the night...but often it is less!

Favorite Things: They aren't really at the stage of having favorite things, but they kinda like their boppy pillows sometimes. They LOVE their bathtime and chilling out in the water. They like being massaged. They love comfort breast feeding, but want bottles for fast food!

Dislikes: Mommy trying to make them latch on when they are starving and want instant gratification from the fast flow of the bottle. Being put down for a  nap when they don't want to go to sleep! Passing winds - makes them so uncomfortable and painful for their little bodies sometimes.

Their Accomplishments:  They are growing so beautifully and doing so well.

Our Accomplishments:  Being such a great team. There is no one else I would want to be doing this with other than my DH.

Sleep: DH and I share night duty (2am feed and on duty in the bedroom with the babies) on Mon, Tues, Wed and Thurs.  On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays we are both on call with the babies and share the night feed. This way, we each get 6 hours sleep every 2nd night and on shared nights, feeds go quicker and we share who gets up to deal with a miserable tot. It seems to be working but it's luck of the draw as to how much sleep you actually will get when it is your night.  If they aren't niggling, you could get up to 5 hours sleep.  Sadly, this is rare as they make a lot of noise and have been so niggly that you don't get much uninterrupted sleep.  Oh I am hoping for a good night tonight!!!

 

Looking forward to: Them passing this colicky phase!! It is so tough having to watch them writhe in pain red faced, screaming and arching their little backs trying to get the sore wind out.  Shame man.

Mommy musings:I still sometimes can't believe they are really here. All that kept me going after yet another failed cycle was hope that I would one day be a mother. I knew it was meant to happen. It just took such a long journey and it seems strange somehow to have finally reached the reality of having not one but two beautiful babies. I am so so very grateful that we didn't give up.