LifeLovePassion Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 Precious! Congrats! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longtime Lurker Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 What beautiful babies! Congratulations! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 24, 2023 Author Share Posted February 24, 2023 Thanks y’all 🥰🥰🥰 DD was pretty emotionally wrecked to be discharged today and have to go home without them but I have a feeling they’ll be home in a few days 😊 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 I’ve got to come back and read the story when I have a minute, but I just wanted to say that they are beautiful. I can’t imagine 2 at once!! Double the snuggles though!! Enjoy!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easypeasy Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 My gosh, they sure are beautiful. I saw the picture and thought, "Those girls are the most identical-looking twin babies I have ever seen!" If you hadn't known beforehand, you'd sure know with one look at those faces! 🥰 Congrats to your DD - I hope she has a speedy healing process and has those babies home in her arms quickly. Congrats, Grandma Ann.without.an.e! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 I just read through the birth story. So glad her induction was a success! Induction makes me so nervous. Sounds like she really wanted to avoid a csection too. Too amazing. I’m so glad she was able to push them out at the last minute!! So glad they are here. I pray they are out of the nic u soon. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popmom Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 I guess I missed previous posts about this! Congratulations! They are beautiful!! My first borns are identical twin girls! Have mercy! Goodness. It was challenging for sure. Mine were more premature--lower birth weight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 Congratulations! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 24, 2023 Author Share Posted February 24, 2023 (edited) 6 hours ago, popmom said: I guess I missed previous posts about this! Congratulations! They are beautiful!! My first borns are identical twin girls! Have mercy! Goodness. It was challenging for sure. Mine were more premature--lower birth weight. Oooh how did we miss each other? Identicals are so much less common and have a totally different thing going on. DD has read up on it to try to be prepared for the uniqueness that comes with so much sameness. How old are your girls now? Could you ever get them to sleep in separate beds? Did they do that thing where they thought they were one person before a certain age? Did they often have the same dreams at night? I could ask a bazillion more questions. It’s hard to find moms of identicals to ask the crazy stuff to 😂 I need to know more lol Edited February 24, 2023 by Ann.without.an.e 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indigo Blue Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 Congratulations, Ann! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 24, 2023 Author Share Posted February 24, 2023 To update - Things are looking pretty good today. They are doing their little premie car seat safety test and if they remain stable they may be able to come home tomorrow 💕💕 21 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybee Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 So adorable!! And those little toes.😭 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 Oh my goodness grandma, can you take all that cuteness and sweetness?! I'm so glad they are getting their baby footings and improving. ❤️ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 24, 2023 Author Share Posted February 24, 2023 59 minutes ago, Jaybee said: So adorable!! And those little toes.😭 I mean… is there anything cuter than baby toes 🥰 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 25, 2023 Author Share Posted February 25, 2023 (edited) Are y’all tired of baby pics 😂 Edited February 25, 2023 by Ann.without.an.e 22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 @Ann.without.an.e never tired of baby photos! Thank you for sharing! ❤️ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Marmalade Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 They are absolutely precious! Thank you so much for sharing them with us- I'm glad I popped in for a moment while the pictures were still up. I have identical twin sisters and everything you hear about them is probably true. The bond they share seems truly magical at times. My mom really worried about getting their identities messed up as babies, so she painted the big toenails on one sister for a long while until she was certain she could always tell them apart. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybee Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 So sweet! One of mine sucked two fingers, and the other one sucked her thumb. It was a good way for others to tell them apart, lol. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grace Hopper Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 (edited) 25 minutes ago, Lady Marmalade said: They are absolutely precious! Thank you so much for sharing them with us- I'm glad I popped in for a moment while the pictures were still up. I have identical twin sisters and everything you hear about them is probably true. The bond they share seems truly magical at times. My mom really worried about getting their identities messed up as babies, so she painted the big toenails on one sister for a long while until she was certain she could always tell them apart. A friend of mine had identical twins about the same time I had my fraternals. I asked her how she told them apart, commenting I’d have to use nail polish. It’s the eyebrows, she said. Her babies had eyebrows that looked different from one another. So I guess there’s always a clue in there for the one closest to them, mom and dad. Anne these are truly gorgeous babies. Hope your dd is feeling well. Edited February 25, 2023 by Grace Hopper 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popmom Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 (edited) 13 hours ago, Ann.without.an.e said: Oooh how did we miss each other? Identicals are so much less common and have a totally different thing going on. DD has read up on it to try to be prepared for the uniqueness that comes with so much sameness. How old are your girls now? Could you ever get them to sleep in separate beds? Did they do that thing where they thought they were one person before a certain age? Did they often have the same dreams at night? I could ask a bazillion more questions. It’s hard to find moms of identicals to ask the crazy stuff to 😂 I need to know more lol I don’t mind questions! They are 25! Hard to believe. As infants I put them in separate cribs when they were newborns because they started to disturb each other. When they were preschoolers through elementary school, I would put them to bed at night—separately in their twin beds. After I tucked them in, one would go get in bed with the other. 🙂 I don’t think they ever thought they were one person. I don’t remember them ever having the same dreams either. They did have their own language briefly while toddlers. This was in addition to English. lol They actually spoke their first English words pretty early—10 months. In the beginning I had to write down every time I fed or changed one—and which one it was. Otherwise I’d put a baby down, turn around to throw a diaper in the pail, and immediately forget who I had just fed. I was so sleep deprived. At birth they had a significant enough of a weight difference that it was easy to tell them apart. As the smaller one caught up, sometimes the only way I could tell was by looking down the back of their shirts. One of them had a strawberry mark on her back. 🙂 Is your dd nursing? I did. Not sure I recommend it lol. I stressed about trying to switch nurse at first. And rotating who nursed on what side. It was ridiculously confusing, so each baby had a book. So one was always nursed on my left and the other always on the right. No switch nursing. I had a very strong let down, and they were very efficient nursers. They rarely nursed actively for more than 7-8 minutes per feeding. Oh—and I never was able to nurse them both at once. I tried, but it was super difficult. Plus I couldn’t focus on how much they were getting, whether one was falling asleep on me, etc. How is your dd doing? Is she able to sleep? Edited February 25, 2023 by popmom 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Beautiful babies! I hope your dd gets to bring them home soon. Congratulations to your family! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eos Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 13 hours ago, Ann.without.an.e said: Are y’all tired of baby pics 😂 Umm, never. Like rain after drought! 4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 25, 2023 Author Share Posted February 25, 2023 11 hours ago, popmom said: I don’t mind questions! They are 25! Hard to believe. As infants I put them in separate cribs when they were newborns because they started to disturb each other. When they were preschoolers through elementary school, I would put them to bed at night—separately in their twin beds. After I tucked them in, one would go get in bed with the other. 🙂 I don’t think they ever thought they were one person. I don’t remember them ever having the same dreams either. They did have their own language briefly while toddlers. This was in addition to English. lol They actually spoke their first English words pretty early—10 months. In the beginning I had to write down every time I fed or changed one—and which one it was. Otherwise I’d put a baby down, turn around to throw a diaper in the pail, and immediately forget who I had just fed. I was so sleep deprived. At birth they had a significant enough of a weight difference that it was easy to tell them apart. As the smaller one caught up, sometimes the only way I could tell was by looking down the back of their shirts. One of them had a strawberry mark on her back. 🙂 Is your dd nursing? I did. Not sure I recommend it lol. I stressed about trying to switch nurse at first. And rotating who nursed on what side. It was ridiculously confusing, so each baby had a book. So one was always nursed on my left and the other always on the right. No switch nursing. I had a very strong let down, and they were very efficient nursers. They rarely nursed actively for more than 7-8 minutes per feeding. Oh—and I never was able to nurse them both at once. I tried, but it was super difficult. Plus I couldn’t focus on how much they were getting, whether one was falling asleep on me, etc. How is your dd doing? Is she able to sleep? She is doing pretty good. Still a little sore and weak. She didn’t sleep well the last month or so of pregnancy because she’s petite and it was a lot of baby lol. So I think she’s happy to be able to have the pressure off her hips and be able to sleep some. She’s been wondering how to keep it all straight - the books and the babies. Maybe she should just do that? Assign each one a different book? That’s a thought. DD was hoping for a small birthmark 😂 They are only 3 ounces apart so size difference is negligible. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 25, 2023 Author Share Posted February 25, 2023 Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers Guess who is heading home?? 🥰🥰 22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Yay! That is so exciting! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 25, 2023 Author Share Posted February 25, 2023 On 2/24/2023 at 2:02 AM, Elizabeth86 said: I just read through the birth story. So glad her induction was a success! Induction makes me so nervous. Sounds like she really wanted to avoid a csection too. Too amazing. I’m so glad she was able to push them out at the last minute!! So glad they are here. I pray they are out of the nic u soon. What is funny is that I quickly read your birth story while at the hospital and had never heard of anything like that. I didn’t even really get to respond on that thread because I was tied up. But when the nurse told me what dd did I literally turned your name into a verb mentally and said “wow, she Elizabeth86’ed it” 🤣🤣😅 1 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 2 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said: What is funny is that I quickly read your birth story while at the hospital and had never heard of anything like that. I didn’t even really get to respond on that thread because I was tied up. But when the nurse told me what dd did I literally turned your name into a verb mentally and said “wow, she Elizabeth86’ed it” 🤣🤣😅 That is hilarious. It must be contagious. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 1 hour ago, Ann.without.an.e said: What is funny is that I quickly read your birth story while at the hospital and had never heard of anything like that. I didn’t even really get to respond on that thread because I was tied up. But when the nurse told me what dd did I literally turned your name into a verb mentally and said “wow, she Elizabeth86’ed it” 🤣🤣😅 that is hilarious! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 4 hours ago, Ann.without.an.e said: She is doing pretty good. Still a little sore and weak. She didn’t sleep well the last month or so of pregnancy because she’s petite and it was a lot of baby lol. So I think she’s happy to be able to have the pressure off her hips and be able to sleep some. She’s been wondering how to keep it all straight - the books and the babies. Maybe she should just do that? Assign each one a different book? That’s a thought. DD was hoping for a small birthmark 😂 They are only 3 ounces apart so size difference is negligible. We used fingernail polish religiously before we could tell them apart. With mine, birthmarks didn't show up until they were older. Maybe it was because they were preemie, but we noticed that one had a birthmark on her leg at about 2 months. They were tiny- when they filled out, after I quit using the birthmark to tell them apart, the birthmark had moved. I about had a panic attack when I couldn't find the birthmark on either one- had they been mixed up? Who would know? But then I found it (correct baby) on the other side of the leg and an inch or so down! I didn't know birthmarks could move like that. As for nursing. We did one at a time and no keeping track. Baby cries? Baby 1 nurses on one side. Baby 2 cries while baby 1 nurses?- she has to wait her turn (babies cry- it happens) and then gets the other side. A few hours later- whoever cries first gets whatever side I feel like. It doesn't actually matter- no need to keep track. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 26, 2023 Author Share Posted February 26, 2023 She’s been home and she’s having such a hard time nursing. They are a month early so that is one factor. But also they had to have bottles in nicu so I think they got used to that? They can latch but they don’t hold a latch well. Also dd is just so stressed that they won’t get enough and their glucose will crash. It is stressing her out 😭 1 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 My husband’s sister’s twin daughters were born in 1997. She used bracelets/anklets to distinguish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eos Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 7 hours ago, Ann.without.an.e said: She’s been home and she’s having such a hard time nursing. They are a month early so that is one factor. But also they had to have bottles in nicu so I think they got used to that? They can latch but they don’t hold a latch well. Also dd is just so stressed that they won’t get enough and their glucose will crash. It is stressing her out 😭 Does she have any lactation support, other than her awesome mom? She can dribble in a tiny bit of pumped milk or formula as they nurse (or use a lactation aid tube) to keep the calories flowing, which may help them keep latched and nursing. Is she eating and drinking a lot? 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSera Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 8 hours ago, Ann.without.an.e said: She’s been home and she’s having such a hard time nursing. They are a month early so that is one factor. But also they had to have bottles in nicu so I think they got used to that? They can latch but they don’t hold a latch well. Also dd is just so stressed that they won’t get enough and their glucose will crash. It is stressing her out 😭 Seconding the lactation aid to get enough milk in a shorter time and keep it flowing. Do you know if the hospital was using premie bottle nipples? Those have a much slower flow and can be helpful in making the transition. Dr Browns are the ones I’m familiar with. If she’s willing to do the lactation aid though, that’s an even better route. Having you around to help clean it after use will help make that more doable for her. They should get stronger the more they practice and have more stamina as they get bigger. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 26, 2023 Author Share Posted February 26, 2023 2 hours ago, Eos said: Does she have any lactation support, other than her awesome mom? She can dribble in a tiny bit of pumped milk or formula as they nurse (or use a lactation aid tube) to keep the calories flowing, which may help them keep latched and nursing. Is she eating and drinking a lot? 1 hour ago, KSera said: Seconding the lactation aid to get enough milk in a shorter time and keep it flowing. Do you know if the hospital was using premie bottle nipples? Those have a much slower flow and can be helpful in making the transition. Dr Browns are the ones I’m familiar with. If she’s willing to do the lactation aid though, that’s an even better route. Having you around to help clean it after use will help make that more doable for her. They should get stronger the more they practice and have more stamina as they get bigger. I think she’s making enough milk and she’s been pumping. It’s just they don’t want to stay latched at all. It’s taking forever and then she’s feeling really unsure if they’re getting what they need? Where does someone get other lactation support? They used bottles in nicu to help transition. I’ve told her that her only job babies, I will cook and clean so she can focus on that 💕 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 10 hours ago, Ann.without.an.e said: She’s been home and she’s having such a hard time nursing. They are a month early so that is one factor. But also they had to have bottles in nicu so I think they got used to that? They can latch but they don’t hold a latch well. Also dd is just so stressed that they won’t get enough and their glucose will crash. It is stressing her out 😭 No need to worry. My advice is just pump for now. My oldest was born at 36 weeks and he couldn’t latch on for anything, so I pumped and bottle fed. I was 💯 sure he would only ever take a bottle, but my dh encouraged me to try again at about 6 weeks. Ds latched straight on and we never had a bottle again. 😂 So there definitely is hope! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eos Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 24 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said: I think she’s making enough milk and she’s been pumping. It’s just they don’t want to stay latched at all. It’s taking forever and then she’s feeling really unsure if they’re getting what they need? Where does someone get other lactation support? They used bottles in nicu to help transition. I’ve told her that her only job babies, I will cook and clean so she can focus on that 💕 If they are getting 5 -8 wet diapers/day, (hard to tell with disposables) their poop has changed over from meconium to mostly little yellow curds, her milk is in, she has let-downs - all these would say they are likely getting what they need. If they are lethargic and wizened and have dry diapers, not so much. It does take forever. It's shocking to new moms of twins how much time it takes to nurse them. Like, all day. If she gets a shower, she's ahead of the game. She is lucky to have you there! Maybe start locally for in person lactation consultants. I think it's important to work with one who knows how to work with and has experience with twins. You or she might have a local facebook group for mothers of multiples who could recommend one. Here are some who do consults online: https://linktr.ee/FullHeartsCollaborative Also: https://nestcollaborative.com/robin-williams-ibclc/ https://nestcollaborative.com/maria-itani-ibclc/ I don't have any experience with these people, just somewhere to start. In theory, the hospital nurses should be able to help but they usually aren't the best. If you have a Certified Baby Friendly hospital nearby, they might have a consultant on staff or give you a local name, here's a list you can check by state. https://www.babyfriendlyusa.org/ 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 My twins came home from the NICU having only had bottles. We didn't nurse in hospital b/c I was uncomfortable getting help from "lactation Bob" lol. It was extremely difficult to transition once home for many reasons. Does she have other kids- it helps that I had experience with my oldest. Some thoughts- Tiny babies need less per feeding than you may expect. I remember leaving the NICU with instructions to give them only 17-20ccs. That's tiny. But IRL, with no bottles, you feel that maybe you should nurse longer. I'm not sure how her supply is, but I could give them that much within a minute or 2. It really helped my confidence to take them back to the hospital for a test weigh- they weighed them before and after nursing. It showed they were getting much more milk than they needed which was contributing to all the reflux. One baby at a time is much easier than tandem nursing. Tandem nursing made me feel like a factory cow and also made it impossible to really help with the latch. My lactation consultant was convinced that tandem was the way to go, but she didn't even have twins. She could try not trying to latch until after let down- you can sort of squirt it in the mouth and then try to latch. Baby is more motivated and even if they don't latch, they can still drink. No shame in bottles. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grace Hopper Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 16 hours ago, Ann.without.an.e said: She’s been home and she’s having such a hard time nursing. They are a month early so that is one factor. But also they had to have bottles in nicu so I think they got used to that? They can latch but they don’t hold a latch well. Also dd is just so stressed that they won’t get enough and their glucose will crash. It is stressing her out 😭 Were they checked for a tied frenulum (frenum? I forget what the one under the tongue is called)? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busymama7 Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Babies at that gestational age struggle a lot with feeding. It's normal and to be expected and she should know that it will take 4-6 weeks most likely to establish breastfeeding. In the meantime it can be helpful to supplement a bit so that the babies don't get behind. If they are nursing and have lots of diapers then don't worry about it but if there is a question about if they are getting enough then pumping and supplementing actually can help them figure out feeding better than if they get slightly dehydrated and lethargic. An SNS system is great or finger feeding or paced bottle feeding. They have very tiny tummies and dont need much at all. With some of mine I actually found it helpful to supplement first (1/4-1/2 oz) and finish at the breast because then the baby associates feeling full with the breast. If you supplement after then they struggle struggle and then awwww finally satisfied with the bottle. I had a lot of trouble with my kids especially the ones born 36/37 weeks. I am happy to talk to her anytime for support or help. I breastfed all 9 of my living children for 2-3 years each and have done a lot of casual lactation support and am a home birth midwife so have helped my clients as well. I'm not a lactation consultant though and if you can get her with one that would be the best. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 28, 2023 Author Share Posted February 28, 2023 (edited) On 2/26/2023 at 5:09 AM, Eos said: Does she have any lactation support, other than her awesome mom? She can dribble in a tiny bit of pumped milk or formula as they nurse (or use a lactation aid tube) to keep the calories flowing, which may help them keep latched and nursing. Is she eating and drinking a lot? On 2/26/2023 at 7:56 AM, Elizabeth86 said: No need to worry. My advice is just pump for now. My oldest was born at 36 weeks and he couldn’t latch on for anything, so I pumped and bottle fed. I was 💯 sure he would only ever take a bottle, but my dh encouraged me to try again at about 6 weeks. Ds latched straight on and we never had a bottle again. 😂 So there definitely is hope! On 2/26/2023 at 1:21 PM, Paige said: My twins came home from the NICU having only had bottles. We didn't nurse in hospital b/c I was uncomfortable getting help from "lactation Bob" lol. It was extremely difficult to transition once home for many reasons. Does she have other kids- it helps that I had experience with my oldest. Some thoughts- Tiny babies need less per feeding than you may expect. I remember leaving the NICU with instructions to give them only 17-20ccs. That's tiny. But IRL, with no bottles, you feel that maybe you should nurse longer. I'm not sure how her supply is, but I could give them that much within a minute or 2. It really helped my confidence to take them back to the hospital for a test weigh- they weighed them before and after nursing. It showed they were getting much more milk than they needed which was contributing to all the reflux. One baby at a time is much easier than tandem nursing. Tandem nursing made me feel like a factory cow and also made it impossible to really help with the latch. My lactation consultant was convinced that tandem was the way to go, but she didn't even have twins. She could try not trying to latch until after let down- you can sort of squirt it in the mouth and then try to latch. Baby is more motivated and even if they don't latch, they can still drink. No shame in bottles. On 2/26/2023 at 1:35 PM, Grace Hopper said: Were they checked for a tied frenulum (frenum? I forget what the one under the tongue is called)? On 2/26/2023 at 3:20 PM, busymama7 said: Babies at that gestational age struggle a lot with feeding. It's normal and to be expected and she should know that it will take 4-6 weeks most likely to establish breastfeeding. In the meantime it can be helpful to supplement a bit so that the babies don't get behind. If they are nursing and have lots of diapers then don't worry about it but if there is a question about if they are getting enough then pumping and supplementing actually can help them figure out feeding better than if they get slightly dehydrated and lethargic. An SNS system is great or finger feeding or paced bottle feeding. They have very tiny tummies and dont need much at all. With some of mine I actually found it helpful to supplement first (1/4-1/2 oz) and finish at the breast because then the baby associates feeling full with the breast. If you supplement after then they struggle struggle and then awwww finally satisfied with the bottle. I had a lot of trouble with my kids especially the ones born 36/37 weeks. I am happy to talk to her anytime for support or help. I breastfed all 9 of my living children for 2-3 years each and have done a lot of casual lactation support and am a home birth midwife so have helped my clients as well. I'm not a lactation consultant though and if you can get her with one that would be the best. On 2/26/2023 at 1:21 PM, Paige said: My twins came home from the NICU having only had bottles. We didn't nurse in hospital b/c I was uncomfortable getting help from "lactation Bob" lol. It was extremely difficult to transition once home for many reasons. Does she have other kids- it helps that I had experience with my oldest. Some thoughts- Tiny babies need less per feeding than you may expect. I remember leaving the NICU with instructions to give them only 17-20ccs. That's tiny. But IRL, with no bottles, you feel that maybe you should nurse longer. I'm not sure how her supply is, but I could give them that much within a minute or 2. It really helped my confidence to take them back to the hospital for a test weigh- they weighed them before and after nursing. It showed they were getting much more milk than they needed which was contributing to all the reflux. One baby at a time is much easier than tandem nursing. Tandem nursing made me feel like a factory cow and also made it impossible to really help with the latch. My lactation consultant was convinced that tandem was the way to go, but she didn't even have twins. She could try not trying to latch until after let down- you can sort of squirt it in the mouth and then try to latch. Baby is more motivated and even if they don't latch, they can still drink. No shame in bottles. Thank you all so much. I appreciate all the thoughts and encouragement. Here is where we are....She is nursing Peach for 10-15 minutes and then she nurses Nectarine for 10-15 while I give Peach a bottle of pumped milk. Then I change Peach and put her to bed and then bottle feed Nectarine. Then DD pumps for about 30-45 minutes. She enjoys nursing but hates the pumping. She is hopeful that her babies will do as some mentioned and get better at breastfeeding so she can fully breastfeed in a few weeks. They are doing better. They are just not ready to be out of the womb quite yet and are so sleepy that they tend to fall asleep, lose the latch, etc and she can't feel confident they are getting enough that way. I think she is *almost* making enough milk for two babies rn but she is a little shy at times. I always had a really strong milk supply and I wasn't feeding two. Remind me, does supply get better with time? They are one week old tonight. She is trying to eat and drink more. That definitely didn't happen for a few days when they were in NICU. I would love to her to call a lactation specialist but she hasn't done that yet and I don't want to push her. I don't know what a tied frenulum is? Is that something the pediatrician would have noted. Edited February 28, 2023 by Ann.without.an.e 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eos Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 6 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said: Thank you all so much. I appreciate all the thoughts and encouragement. Here is where we are....She is nursing Peach for 10-15 minutes and then she nurses Nectarine for 10-15 while I give Peach a bottle of pumped milk. Then I change Peach and put her to bed and then bottle feed Nectarine. Then DD pumps for about 30-45 minutes. She enjoys nursing but hates the pumping. She is hopeful that her babies will do as some mentioned and get better at breastfeeding so she can fully breastfeed in a few weeks. They are doing better. They are just not ready to be out of the womb quite yet and are so sleepy that they tend to fall asleep, lose the latch, etc and she can't feel confident they are getting enough that way. I think she is *almost* making enough milk for two babies rn but she is a little shy at times. I always had a really strong milk supply and I wasn't feeding two. Remind me, does supply get better with time? They are one week old tonight. She is trying to eat and drink more. That definitely didn't happen for a few days when they were in NICU. I would love to her to call a lactation specialist but she hasn't done that yet and I don't want to push her. I don't know what a tied frenulum is? Is that something the pediatrician would have noted. This sounds very encouraging. Eating and drinking a lot will help with supply, and as she's able to pump and you are feeding those bottles that will help to increase supply. The bolded makes me think you're on the right path and they will "wake up" at 40 weeks the way so many early babies do. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSera Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 How is their output? 10-15 minutes of nursing may be plenty for them. How much pumped milk is being given by bottle? Also, is her pumping output staying up for a whole 30-45 minutes? I seem to recall that after a certain point, it was diminishing returns, so my pumping sessions were shorter. Does she have a hands free pumping bra? That makes a huge difference if not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet2ndchance Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 1 hour ago, Ann.without.an.e said: I don't know what a tied frenulum is? Is that something the pediatrician would have noted. It's the technical term for tongue tied. The pediatrician may have noticed it or may not have looked. You can always ask them specifically to check for it at the next check up. It can interfere with breastfeeding sometimes or some babies learn to work around it. It can also interfere with feeding and swallowing when they start solids and speech sound production. My youngest son's SLP just noticed it and he's 10yo now. Obviously he's managed to work around it for 10 years now but the SLP is suggesting we get it clipped. At his age, a dentist would do it but for babies, pediatricians can do it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 17 minutes ago, sweet2ndchance said: It's the technical term for tongue tied. The pediatrician may have noticed it or may not have looked. You can always ask them specifically to check for it at the next check up. It can interfere with breastfeeding sometimes or some babies learn to work around it. It can also interfere with feeding and swallowing when they start solids and speech sound production. My youngest son's SLP just noticed it and he's 10yo now. Obviously he's managed to work around it for 10 years now but the SLP is suggesting we get it clipped. At his age, a dentist would do it but for babies, pediatricians can do it. Ds2 wasn't diagnosed with this until his late teens when he got braces. Fortunately, he had no problems with it. His twin brother had difficulty switching between bottle and breast but he's on the spectrum - he would scream from frustration with nipple confusion. I supplemented for a while (mine were born at 35 1/2 weeks) because I was always a little bit behind and then did catch up but it took a while. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busymama7 Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Shorter pumping sessions more frequently are MUCH more effective at increasing supply. I'm not sure who advised pumping for 30-45 but it is way too long and will exhaust her without results. The pump parts can stay at room temp for 8 hrs. Which means she can pick them up and pump briefly every hour (5 min even) and it will be more effective. And she doesn't have to clean the parts every time which adds to the exhaustion. Pumping and nursing both is the pits but it is the best way to get to full time nursing in a couple weeks. I hope you aren't giving more than 1/4-1/2 oz by bottle. You can stretch their stomachs out and they expect more then they actually need. Also almost always babies will take more when offered and it doesn't necessarily mean they are still hungry. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted February 28, 2023 Author Share Posted February 28, 2023 1 hour ago, busymama7 said: Shorter pumping sessions more frequently are MUCH more effective at increasing supply. I'm not sure who advised pumping for 30-45 but it is way too long and will exhaust her without results. The pump parts can stay at room temp for 8 hrs. Which means she can pick them up and pump briefly every hour (5 min even) and it will be more effective. And she doesn't have to clean the parts every time which adds to the exhaustion. Pumping and nursing both is the pits but it is the best way to get to full time nursing in a couple weeks. I hope you aren't giving more than 1/4-1/2 oz by bottle. You can stretch their stomachs out and they expect more then they actually need. Also almost always babies will take more when offered and it doesn't necessarily mean they are still hungry. The NICU said they needed around 50 mL a feeding and that premies burn through food faster? So we have been nursing them (but she doesn't think they are getting that much via breast?) and then offering 50mL via bottle. Is that too much? They never seem quite hungry when she feeds them again in 3 hours but they said not to expect crying and hunger signs from premies. I have only ever breastfed, none of mine ever had a single bottle. So I really have no clue about these aspects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 I had a tremendous oversupply from all the pumping when they were in the NICU but even my milk had barely fully come in by 1 week. She should give it time- newborns need very little. I would only give bottles after feeding if they complain or their output is poor. If they fall asleep on the breast then they are content unless there are other problems which inhibit their ability to complain. FWIW, mine came home at about 36 weeks gestation and 4lbs and that's when we were told to only give them 20 cc MAX. They had terrible reflux so any overfeeding just made them worse. At the test weigh, IIRC, they were getting more like 3 oz, and then we had been bottle feeding afterwards- not good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said: The NICU said they needed around 50 mL a feeding and that premies burn through food faster? So we have been nursing them (but she doesn't think they are getting that much via breast?) and then offering 50mL via bottle. Is that too much? They never seem quite hungry when she feeds them again in 3 hours but they said not to expect crying and hunger signs from premies. I have only ever breastfed, none of mine ever had a single bottle. So I really have no clue about these aspects. Wow. That is very different than what we had been told. They aren't that preemie- I think that unless they had breathing issues and continue with apnea issues at home, then you can expect they will show signs of hunger. FWIW, we were told to feed every 2 hrs because they were smaller, so maybe that contributes to the smaller feeds we were recommended? Are they spitting up a lot? Here's a calculator for how many ounces they need- https://www.verywellfamily.com/how-much-breast-milk-should-i-put-in-a-bottle-431802 It roughly correlates to what we were feeding at 4lbs. We were feeding more like 10-12 times a day than 8. Edited February 28, 2023 by Paige more info 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 I had nursed babies for a consecutive decade before I had a NICU preemie situation. Bringing home a preemie is a big deal for even experienced mommies. It took Youngest about six weeks home to fully transition off of bottles. She just wore out too quickly and was losing too many calories. Because she was so preemie, she had to have at least one bottle a day of special formula her first year of life. That bottle was always one feeding. Beyond that, we just worked on upping the ratio of minutes of nursing versus bottle feeds and all other bottles feeds were of pumped milk so I wasn’t over stimulating my supply. Things will work out—it just takes time. It’s hard to be patient, but once they are older and have a bit more weight on them it will get easier. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Fwiw, I wore Youngest a lot to help her conserve heat and calories. Preemies really do burn calories hard. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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