Im home and its hard

they slept all day at the hospital and was good all night and of course at home its different.
They slept all day and then at night--I went to bed at 12--and they got up at 12.30 until 7.00 am.
Max sneezed alot which made me paranoid something is going to happen to him..and Ii just couldnt get a break. I know its adjusting and bla bla..but any tips?
I cant do this for months on end. I pretty much am on my own for the nights.

Re: Im home and its hard

Welcome home....I promise it will get better. They have to adjust to your house and their new environment.
HAng in there and rest when they sleep.
Do you have help?

Re: Im home and its hard

more or less no....
u know how great husbands are with the crying bit.
I have more patience then 5 minutes..and he panics because we had dd with colic who got up every hour and 1.2 until age one. Hes nervous with that..
I did ok---its just with a c section--no stairs and nothing organized it stunk last night...
any tips on what u did in beginning?

Re: Im home and its hard

Welcome home and CONGRATS!

I just stayed on the schedule the hospital had organized - every 3 hours - 11, 2, 5, etc. There are going to be middle of the night feedings but just try to keep them on a feeding schedule so you know when they're supposed to be up. With time they'll settle. My OB saw me at my 2 week check up for my section and he said, "you do what you need to, to survive. The babies are ALWAYS better in the hospital than they are at home." I found that to be very true! The first few weeks you have to just manage them any way you can so that you can get sleep and survive as well. It WILL become a routine and you'll be an expert in no time.

Take it easy - whenever your DH comes home GET OUT, even if it is to get a coffee. That's the most important thing to keep YOU sane.

Take care - we're all here if you need us

Re: Im home and its hard

I agree with Jen....you definetly have to "get out" or else you will go insane.
Try to keep them on the schedule as the hospital did. I thought when they were in there they were good, but when they came home they were rough, and especially with Christopher when he had Colic, it was awful.
It will take time for them to adjust.
Try to rest as much as possible when they sleep and dont worry about the house cleaning...it is NOT going anywhere.

Re: Im home and its hard

#1 rule~ Sleep when they sleep!! As Diane said the house work will get done someother time.

I agree with trying to keep the feeding the way the hospital scheduled it.

Ask for help. This is when your families & friends should be over. Even if it's to wash the dishes while you are napping. Or feeding one while you are feeding the other (As long as your not breastfeeding)

Make your husband get up to help with night feedings. They are his kids to & the job gets done alot quicker with the help.

I can't believe they were awake for that long. Were they cranky when they were awake for that long?

Re: Im home and its hard

First of all congratulations and welcome home!
Do you have any help? It WILL get easier! Everyone says the 6 week mark you start to become yourself again and the babies will begin to understand night from day and vice versa and it was so true. Just drink lots of coffee and try to find help - even if its someone just bringing dinner over for you.

DDs sneezed all the time and the ped. said it was normal - they still have stuff in them from when they were in utero and that's the only way they can get rid of it.

Try the best you can to enjoy it because it really does go fast. As much as you want it to right now, you'll look back and say I can't believe they're not so small anymore (you know this as you're already a mom) - but even more so for twins b/c you're getting even less sleep than you would have with one. Hopefully for your sake they'll be great sleepers and let mommy have her rest. I never really did - but try and nap while they nap throughout the day - and they will so take advantage!

Re: Im home and its hard

Congrats and welcome home!!!!!
Try and hang in there...nights and days were tough in the beginning, but it does get better as they adjust. Try and take shifts...maybe you could sleep from like 8-12 and DH could watch them and then switch off? Atleast until they adjust. Be sure to keep lights on when its awake time, and dark at night...I found that really made a difference. Good luck! You have a board full of mommies to support you!!!

Re: Im home and its hard

Ah the first night. I feel for you! I didn't sleep one minute the first night. They were up the whole night. I remember going to the pediatrician's office the next day and almost falling with KEvin in my arms I was so tired.

My biggest bit of advice to give you is ask for help from anyone who can offer it to you. My MIL was a life saver for me. She would come in teh morning and let me sleep as long as i wanted to. That helped A LOT!

Also, I would wake my DH to help me with the night feedings whenever I needed him. It was too much to feed the both of them, go back to sleep and be up again with them in another hour. On the weekends when DH didn't have work we would take shifts..one would take the 9-2AM feedings and the other the 2AM-9AM feedings. To get 5 hours of uninterupted sleep was heaven sent!

Try and get out of the house for a 1/2 hour when you DH gets home from work. Just the fresh air and being on your own will keep you sane.

Once they are about a month old i would buy the boppy bottle holders. I started proping the bottle for their night feedings and what use to take me an hour to do, I got down to 20 minutes for the both of them. They were (and still are) a lifesaver for twin parents.

Most importantly take any help anyone offers you...whether it's family, friends, neighbors....just getting an extra few hours of sleep during the day makes it bearable.

Hang in there.....the first few months are tough!

Message edited 3/19/2007 8:20:32 AM.

Re: Im home and its hard

congrats on your new additions! It does get easier. Trust me. Make sure you sleep when they are sleeping, and forget the housework-hire someone to come in a clean for a few weeks. My babies were on a schedule, and that is the best advice I can give you. Whether feeding them at the same time, or feeding them with some time apart.
And as Jen and Diane said, get out. Even if it is a walk around the block. You need that me time. To refresh yourself.
It is hard in the beginning, but well worth it. Twins are so exciting! You are blessed, enjoy them. We are all here to help you! Don't hesitate to ask anything. Good luck today!!!!!

Re: Im home and its hard

Congratulations! I agree, stick with the schedule and try not to worry about the house or anything else. The first 6 weeks are definitely the hardest but you will get through it.

Re: Im home and its hard

Congratulations and Welcome home!
All the girls above said everything I could have said.
Just hang in there, it DOES get better.

Sleep when they sleep, thats the best advise I ever got!

Re: Im home and its hard

Everything the ladies have said, I've heard from a lot of BTDT twin mommies. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

How old are your oldest two? Could you delegate some more chores to them? Every little bit helps.

Message edited 3/24/2007 11:33:22 PM.

Re: Im home and its hard

Welcome Home! Your boys are beautiful by the way. The beginning was hard, but enjoy it because I miss it so much

I definitely felt better after 6 weeks. I remember driving for the first time feeling like I was on vacation.

Night feeding were the hardest. I used the similac bottles from the hospital for the first couple of weeks. This helped a lot, because i did not have to sterilize or heat up bottles. After that I used the first years day and night bottle warmer. (i think majen recommended that) I kept it in my room so i did not have to keep on going up and down the stairs.

In terms of them sleeping.. they liked being close together. I had them in one bassinet for the first couple of nights. Then their bouncy seats or as they got a little older their swings.

Re: Im home and its hard

Welcome home! The other ladies on the board said it all. Get out of the house as much as possible and take the babies out durning the day. My girls sneezed a lot it's just they are 2 little to get the snots out of their nose so it makes them sneeze.

hang in there