home with my twin boys! now what?

i had a scheduled c section on the 23rd after much debate. it was a great experience and im upset i even debated it so much!

now im home and its a lot. any tips and tricks you moms can tell me? i dont really know what im doing and its hard. they were born at 5.7 and 5.8. Logan Matthew and Alexander Ryan. they are eating usually 2-2.5 oz every 3 hours and sleeping 2-4 hours so they are doing ok but anything you can tell me as to how get thru these early weeks would be great. like how to get them out of the house how to keep them on a schedule so im not constantly doing something with one of them....

right now dh is at work but will take time off at the end of this month. his parents are here for 2 weeks cooking and doing laundry. i have a nurse for 1 week. but everyone will be gone soon and its hard to do it alone all day. the first few days i didnt have help was alone and i couldnt stop crying. now i feel fine.

have you used gripe water? my nurse reccommends it on a somewhat regular basis. the babies do hiccup but arent fussy colicky or gassy. its all natural but i dont want to drug them up. she said give it to them here and there and it will help them sleep. this way they dont wake from gas hiccups etc. we havent done it yet but im not sure what to do. she is not from this country and although i thignk she is good she has some odd beliefs like if you play with their feet they will be fat or some nonsense like that. she also believes in giving them tv and cereal basically from birth but i dont think thats a godd idea. the gripe water i dont know what to think about. i dont want to over use it but if it helps them feel comfy and sleep maybe its ok? i really dont know.

i have never felt so incompetent in my life. when im with the babies im fine when in not with them im exhausted and overwhelmed....

how did you all get thru the early days?

Re: home with my twin boys! now what?

First off congrats!!!!!
Take ALL the help people offer, because you cant do it all. Get them on a schedule as early as possible. When one wakes up for a feeding, wake the other up and feed them as well.
Get some rest when THEY sleep. Dont worry about cleaning and chores, it will be there and it is ok that the house is a little dirty.
I will NOT lie, you will be exhausted for the first few months. I think the first 3 months are the HARDEST, ut you will do it, because GOG blessed you with twins for a reason
I used gripe water fir Christopher, and it helped, because the Mylicon drops did NOTHING.
Do you have a bouncer?? I fed them in that together when I was home alon all day with them.
Trust me it gets better, this is the toughest part, but we are all here for you. If you need anything ask away

Re: home with my twin boys! now what?

Congrats!!!

I found that a schedule was the greatest thing for us. I knew what had to be done at all times since it was the same every day.

I would prepare a days worth of botles at a time so I only needed to do it once a day. This was a PITA since I was pumping and fomrula feeding, but it helped to be able to just grab a bottle most of the day.

Take all the help that is offered. People ask because they want to help. Give them specific things to do, can you do laundry, or send them food shopping.

I also felt that if I showered each day, I felt so much better, even if it was not until noon when DH came home from work.

Good luck!

Re: home with my twin boys! now what?

Congrats!!

Yes please accept any help that is offered to you, my twins are 2 months old and my mom comes over everyday to help me out.

I will admit it is alot of work but its so worth it!!

Good Luck!!

Re: home with my twin boys! now what?

Congrats!

I used gripe water for both of my girls. I just had them on
a wake, play, eat sleep schedule at first and then they basically fell into their own schedule.

Good Luck and it gets so much easier.

I tried to get out every day with them whether it was
for a walk or just to get coffee. The fresh air is good. Although my girls were born in the winter so not sure
about the summer.

The swing was my life saver. Bottle props were great
when doing feedings alone. In the begginning. I would
feed one burp the other and then feed the other and burp the other. It is a long process. So it does help if you have family and friends around.

Re: home with my twin boys! now what?

Congratulations! I love their names!

Take help when you can get it - even if it is for you to take a nap or for someone to wash the bottles.

Give yourself a lot of slack. It's not easy the first few weeks so don't stress out or be upset over little things. Your job is to get out of bed in the morning and take care of your boys.

I used to pull one late nighter to catch up on things so my mind would be at ease.

Try to get out of the house with them as soon as possible - go to the drivethrough ATM, Dunkin Donuts, etc. It will get easier and easier and it will break up your day a lot!

It's ok for one to cry while you are changing the other, or getting things ready. They will learn to soothe themselves eventually. Take deep breaths and don't let the crying get to you.

Enjoy every single moment with them. Definitely take lots of pictures and ESPECIALLY videos because I promise you are so sleep deprived and your head is spinning, you may not even remember how small they once were.

It's a crazy time but if I could go back to those first few weeks where they were so small and tiny and needed us so much, I would in a hearbeat.

And ask away on this board - we are here to help!

Message edited 7/3/2008 10:44:10 AM.

Re: home with my twin boys! now what?

thanks all! its good to know you are all so supportative. i will try all of your tips and also believe i wouldnt have twins if i couldnt do it.