DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

the girls are now 4 weeks and hubby has been home for the past 3 (he worked from home while they were in the NICU)
I sufferred from two bouts of mastitis and have been so run down and exhausted, I have no idea how Im going to handle these 2 girls on my own. Im exclusively pumping due to latch issues so feeding both of them by bottle and then pumping... every 3 hours for everything... how in the world do u girls do it??????????????
I knew it would be hard but I was not prepared for this level of exhaustion!

Tell me Ill get through it.

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

You will get through it. These first few months will be a blur, but it WILL get easier. We promise! Take it hour by hour. When they nap, you nap. Everyone always told me to do it and I thought I was going to be superwoman and do everything around the house while they napped and then take my nap. Of course they woke up the second I sat down. Nap first when they give you the chance, everything else comes secondary.


Someone recommended baby wearing and I never got into that but I really wish I would have because it would have saved me stress.

What I found helped me the most was to get myself showered and dressed for the day before DH left for work. I hated getting up 15 minutes early, but at least I knew that i was ready and we were able to leave the house on a whim if they got really cranky and needed a car ride or something. The days I didn't do that and had 2 screaming babies and was still in PJs were the hardest for me because I felt trapped.

Remember, crying won't hurt them. They will be OK and there are 2 of them so you can't simultaneously calm them both down all the time.

Good luck!! :) You will be GREAT! :)

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

You will do it...you will be amazing at how much you can do! I exclusively pumped for my triplets for the first 6months. They also had latching issues. I would pump when they were napping. I fed them all at the same time. I would put them all on boppys on the floor, prop their bottles with towels/washcloths and sit right in the middle of them. I was there to help if their bottle fell to the ground, if they needed a break or if they needed to burp.

We filled our day with feeding, changings, tummy time, play time, reading, going back and forth between rooms to give the babies a different scenery as well as mommy!

I also agree with the above post. Try and shower and get ready before your husband leaves for work. That really worked out great for me. I felt like a new person after I was showered and dressed. The weather is beautiful out right now (not too hot and not too cold). Take advantage of it, go on nice long walks with the twins....if will be nice to get out of the house, and the fresh air is good for all!!!

GOOD LUCK! You are going to do awesome!

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

You will do it and you will be fine! I was terrified when DH went back to work (the girls were 2 weeks old and DS was 2.9). First day was hard, really hard. But after that I actually found life to be a bit easier without DH. I felt I was able to get into my own swing of things. I EBFd and made DS help whenever possible so he didn't feel left out.

Like PP said, babies cry. There is 2 of them and 1 of you. I always tried to assess why they were crying. Diaper? Hunger? Or just fussy. If one needed a diaper and the other was just fussy I dealt with diaper first. You learn to prioritize quickly and it helps.

Not sure if you have parents around or inlaws but if you do and you get overwhelmed never hesitate to ask for help. Grandparents love holding babies and it's important to use people for what they are good for. Even if it is just so you can hop in the shower.

Don't worry about dinner, laundry, cleaning. I always tried to have good/healthy snacks on hand so when hunger hit me I could grab something and go.

Take walks, even if it is just around the mall or neighborhood. Getting out of the house keeps the day moving.

And last, remember you always have us to vent to!

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

thinking about you and hoping your first days went OK!

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

hopefully your first few days weren't too stressful.

At the end of the day, you can totally do it. It is hard, not impossible and you need to remind yourself, You can do hard things!

For me the best thing I did was get up "early" so I could ensure I had a cup of coffee and my brain was somewhat switched on before I had to start juggling babies and everything else.

You can do it!

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

Thanks everyone!! It actually wasn't that bad. As long as I get decent sleep the night before I really feel like I can handle most of it. Everything is so much harder when you're tired. And you're right, some aspects were actually easier being the only one "in charge".
The hardest part is fitting in pumping. Im slowing weaning and feel bad about it but it's just something that is so totally overwhelming and makes it harder for me to enjoy the girls. Im still taking it day by day and havent give up just yet..
I also brought them to my parents house one of the days which felt like a huge accomplishment!!

But overall, the first few days weren't that bad.
Thanks for all the encouragement!

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

Of course I couldnt figure out how to get the picture to post here. Its in an album under Feeding.

Hope it helps!

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

i fed mine the same way. i would sit on the floor in front of them and prop them like that and alternate who i held if they needed to be burped or something like that.

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

I would do the same thing. I actually fed them more often in their bouncers with bottle props. I had the bouncers on a low table so I could sit in a chair at my desk and pump while feeding and burping.

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

I'm glad it went well!! I'm still wondering how to do it! Luckily dh was off this week due to the storm so I got another week of help. The night feedings are what kill me. I need to try the double feeding thing but my one girl needs to be held a certain way to keep her awake while feeding and the other is so gassy and burpy.

Re: DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

DH going back to work tomorrow-Im freaking out!

I already got all of my thick syrupy colostrum out and into them, so when I realized they didn't really like the taste of my breast milk but sucked down formula like champs, it sealed the deal. Tomorrow, they are one week old, and it's my last day to pump. I achieved my small goal of providing colostrum, and I did it.