Four generations - Grandma Maymie, Minnie, Chuck, and the kids!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, October 08, 2011
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Cloth Diapering for Twins!!
We have decided to take the plunge and cloth diaper - while at home at least. We haven't ventured into cloth diapering out and about simply because the diaper bag is stuffed to the gills with supplies without putting in bulky diapers as well. We primarily made the decision to save money, but the environmental benefits are great as well. The diaper trash for the first two months of these babies' life is pretty ridiculous! Not to mention the approximate cost to diaper the babies for 3 years is $3500. We are going with the flip system by Cotton Babies because it is pretty versitile, easy, and inexpensive.
We are saving even more money because I made many of the actual diapers (inserts), and got most of the covers on ebay or diaper swappers for less than retail. Actually, I wish I had found diaper swappers earlier, because they have some really great deals on barely used diapers.
So, here's what it cost us to get a good stash that will last 2-3 days before washing:
8 new flip covers and 14 inserts - GIFT from Minnie and Bonnie ($160 actual)
8 gently used flip covers - GIFT from Mom ($70 actual)
2 new flip covers and 6 newborn inserts - $26
2 Sweet Pea diapers - $23
4 flip covers, 21 inserts - $66
30 microfiber inserts made by me! - $20
Several other inserts made by me from old towels, fleece, and flannel - FREE(ish)
Diaper Sprayer - $25
So, to diaper the babies from now until potty training, the cost is.... $160 for us ($390 actual)!!! Woo Hoo! A savings of at least $3000 for us when factoring in water and electricity use as well!
We have decided to take the plunge and cloth diaper - while at home at least. We haven't ventured into cloth diapering out and about simply because the diaper bag is stuffed to the gills with supplies without putting in bulky diapers as well. We primarily made the decision to save money, but the environmental benefits are great as well. The diaper trash for the first two months of these babies' life is pretty ridiculous! Not to mention the approximate cost to diaper the babies for 3 years is $3500. We are going with the flip system by Cotton Babies because it is pretty versitile, easy, and inexpensive.
We are saving even more money because I made many of the actual diapers (inserts), and got most of the covers on ebay or diaper swappers for less than retail. Actually, I wish I had found diaper swappers earlier, because they have some really great deals on barely used diapers.
So, here's what it cost us to get a good stash that will last 2-3 days before washing:
8 new flip covers and 14 inserts - GIFT from Minnie and Bonnie ($160 actual)
8 gently used flip covers - GIFT from Mom ($70 actual)
2 new flip covers and 6 newborn inserts - $26
2 Sweet Pea diapers - $23
4 flip covers, 21 inserts - $66
30 microfiber inserts made by me! - $20
Several other inserts made by me from old towels, fleece, and flannel - FREE(ish)
Diaper Sprayer - $25
So, to diaper the babies from now until potty training, the cost is.... $160 for us ($390 actual)!!! Woo Hoo! A savings of at least $3000 for us when factoring in water and electricity use as well!
Saturday, October 01, 2011
Two month check-up - 9/30/11
The babies are two months old!! They are growing so well, and are wonderful. Both babies are smiling sweet little smiles and even letting out a little coo every now and then. Those little milestones are just so sweet!
Here are their two month stats:
Mollie - 20in, 8lbs 5oz, almost to 5% on the growth chart for weight! She still spits up all the time, but the doctor thinks it may just be that the sphincter in her esophagus just isn't strong enough. We are going to try Prilosec for a week, but then call it quits if it doesn't help. Mollie is just a sweet, smiley girl most of the time. Even when she spits up, she smiles. Her biggest problem is that she is spoiled and doesn't like to be put down!!
Charlie - 22.5 inches, 10lbs 3oz, about 25% on the growth chart. Charlie is just great. He's happy almost all the time and so relaxed about everything. He's definitely an easy baby, which is so great because Mollie is a little high maintenance. He grunts, groans, and sighs constantly. His little noises are so sweet. He is a great snuggler, too! I could just hug and kiss his chubby cheeks all day long.
In short, the babies are just perfect, and the doctor was amazed at how well they are doing - especially for being preemies.
In other news, we've made the switch to cloth diapers! I'll make another post about this later, but it has been kind of fun figuring out all the stuff that goes along with cloth diapering. We learned quickly that buying disposables for 2 babies is outrageous not to mention horrible for the environment, so we did some research and made the choice to switch! I should have listened to Bethany forever ago about cloth diapering - it really is pretty easy and not a big deal at all! More to come on this later.
The babies are two months old!! They are growing so well, and are wonderful. Both babies are smiling sweet little smiles and even letting out a little coo every now and then. Those little milestones are just so sweet!
Here are their two month stats:
Mollie - 20in, 8lbs 5oz, almost to 5% on the growth chart for weight! She still spits up all the time, but the doctor thinks it may just be that the sphincter in her esophagus just isn't strong enough. We are going to try Prilosec for a week, but then call it quits if it doesn't help. Mollie is just a sweet, smiley girl most of the time. Even when she spits up, she smiles. Her biggest problem is that she is spoiled and doesn't like to be put down!!
Charlie - 22.5 inches, 10lbs 3oz, about 25% on the growth chart. Charlie is just great. He's happy almost all the time and so relaxed about everything. He's definitely an easy baby, which is so great because Mollie is a little high maintenance. He grunts, groans, and sighs constantly. His little noises are so sweet. He is a great snuggler, too! I could just hug and kiss his chubby cheeks all day long.
In short, the babies are just perfect, and the doctor was amazed at how well they are doing - especially for being preemies.
In other news, we've made the switch to cloth diapers! I'll make another post about this later, but it has been kind of fun figuring out all the stuff that goes along with cloth diapering. We learned quickly that buying disposables for 2 babies is outrageous not to mention horrible for the environment, so we did some research and made the choice to switch! I should have listened to Bethany forever ago about cloth diapering - it really is pretty easy and not a big deal at all! More to come on this later.
Friday, September 09, 2011
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Here are some random pictures from the first 6 weeks.
Charlie's eating pose - 9/3
Using the Podee bottles - 9/2
Sweet babies - 8/29
Chatting after a bath - 8/28
Monkey See, Monkey Do - 9/5
The Thinker - 8/22
Poop face - 8/4
My Honey, my girlies, and my babies - 7/30
7/28
Giant flower headband - 8/26
Charlie's eating pose - 9/3
Using the Podee bottles - 9/2
Sweet babies - 8/29
Chatting after a bath - 8/28
Monkey See, Monkey Do - 9/5
The Thinker - 8/22
Poop face - 8/4
My Honey, my girlies, and my babies - 7/30
7/28
Giant flower headband - 8/26
Quite a bit has happened in the last week or so! First of all, the babies are growing! Mollie weighed 6lbs 7oz and Charlie weighed 8lbs 4oz yesterday at exactly 6 weeks old. Next, Charlie is smiling at us! He smiled the first time (while awake) on Sunday (9/4), and then again last night. He also saw his twin sister and gave her a big smile as well. :) The little things like smiling for the first time are just so sweet and make being a mom so worth all the stress!
As I've posted before, I'm feeding the babies by pumping breastmilk and giving them bottles. I'm on the verge of weaning the babies off breastmilk and introducing more formula. I've really struggled with nipple/breast pain from pumping since the beginning (definitely not as comfortable as nursing), and even with my new "Pumpin' Pals," I think I just need to quit. I have such a difficult time finding free time to actually do the pumping when I need to. I'm only doing it 4 times a day now (7, 12, 5, and 10), but finding time to be completely "free" for 30 minutes with twins and a four year old is stressful. Someone inevitably cries, or I feel rushed, and it has just become too much for me. I hate having to stop snuggling with a sweet, sleeping baby to pump. I wish I could just nurse them; but with two, it is just so difficult (not to mention they still aren't nursing effectively). I am not coordinated enough to tandem nurse, so that brings up the issue of having to make sure one is happy while nursing the other - then switching! Whew. So, I'm going to try to pump 3 times for the next few days instead of 4, then 2 times for a few days, then one, then none. It is truly a bittersweet decision, and I'm still struggling with it, but I think it may be the right one. Everyone (family, friends, and their pediatrician) has said how awesome it is that I've given them breastmilk for 6 weeks now, but I still feel guilty for not continuing. I'm sure the feeling of guilt will pass when I can sleep past 7am or hold my babies instead of pumping or go out without making sure I have the pump and all its parts. Right now is hard, though.
As I've posted before, I'm feeding the babies by pumping breastmilk and giving them bottles. I'm on the verge of weaning the babies off breastmilk and introducing more formula. I've really struggled with nipple/breast pain from pumping since the beginning (definitely not as comfortable as nursing), and even with my new "Pumpin' Pals," I think I just need to quit. I have such a difficult time finding free time to actually do the pumping when I need to. I'm only doing it 4 times a day now (7, 12, 5, and 10), but finding time to be completely "free" for 30 minutes with twins and a four year old is stressful. Someone inevitably cries, or I feel rushed, and it has just become too much for me. I hate having to stop snuggling with a sweet, sleeping baby to pump. I wish I could just nurse them; but with two, it is just so difficult (not to mention they still aren't nursing effectively). I am not coordinated enough to tandem nurse, so that brings up the issue of having to make sure one is happy while nursing the other - then switching! Whew. So, I'm going to try to pump 3 times for the next few days instead of 4, then 2 times for a few days, then one, then none. It is truly a bittersweet decision, and I'm still struggling with it, but I think it may be the right one. Everyone (family, friends, and their pediatrician) has said how awesome it is that I've given them breastmilk for 6 weeks now, but I still feel guilty for not continuing. I'm sure the feeling of guilt will pass when I can sleep past 7am or hold my babies instead of pumping or go out without making sure I have the pump and all its parts. Right now is hard, though.
Monday, August 29, 2011
August 11, 2011
Mollie - 4lb 10oz
Charlie - 5lb 6oz
August 25, 2011
Mollie - 5lb 6oz
Charlie - 7lb 1oz
I've been exclusively pumping and bottle feeding the expressed milk for about two and a half weeks now. The babies are thriving this way, so I'm just going to keep it up as long as possible. I'm pleased that the babies have gotten breastmilk for over a month now, but I never expected to have to give it to them this way. It is rough on me, but I want to do what is best for them as long as I can stand it. I'm down to pumping just 4 times a day, and I'm getting almost enough to feed them with the exception of one formula bottle a day. If there was just one baby, I'd have enough extra for a freezer full by now!
Mollie - 4lb 10oz
Charlie - 5lb 6oz
August 25, 2011
Mollie - 5lb 6oz
Charlie - 7lb 1oz
I've been exclusively pumping and bottle feeding the expressed milk for about two and a half weeks now. The babies are thriving this way, so I'm just going to keep it up as long as possible. I'm pleased that the babies have gotten breastmilk for over a month now, but I never expected to have to give it to them this way. It is rough on me, but I want to do what is best for them as long as I can stand it. I'm down to pumping just 4 times a day, and I'm getting almost enough to feed them with the exception of one formula bottle a day. If there was just one baby, I'd have enough extra for a freezer full by now!
Friday, August 12, 2011
August 10 and 11 - Lactation Consultant and 2 week appointment
On Wednesday, I finally went to see a Lactation Consultant at Norton Suburban about my sore nipples. After speaking on the phone with someone at HMH on Monday, I tried to remedy the "nipple sucking" (meaning the babies only get the nipple in their mouth and not enough of the surrounding breast tissue) myself to no avail, so I made an appointment in hopes that we could get this figured out.
Unfortunately, when we arrived and evaluated, I was told there is basically nothing I can do about the "nipple sucking" except wait it out because their mouths are just so small right now. We did uncover a larger issue, though. The babies aren't gaining weight the way they should be. They had both basically maintained their weight from a week ago and hadn't gained back to their birth weights, which they should have by now. The lactation consultant said that because the babies are premature, they just don't have the strength or energy to successfully nurse exclusively. We should have been supplementing, but no one ever told us. Frustration about that fact aside, we were told by the lactation consultant to nurse, then pump and feed the babies the additional milk so they would both stimulate the breast and get enough to eat. After just one night of this ridiculous routine, which took at least an hour and then started all over again in another hour, I knew my sanity couldn't take it. We had to figure out an alternative solution.
I was incredibly discouraged because I really want breastfeeding to work, but with two preemies, I just wasn't sure I could do it any more. This brings us to the appointment on Thursday. The nurse practitioner and I discussed several possibilities and agreed that giving them breastmilk is best if possible. So, after weighing my options, I've decided to try pumping for most feedings until they are big enough to properly latch, but still nursing a couple of times a day to keep them familiar with the breast. This way, we know how much milk they are getting, and my nipples aren't so sore (although pumping doesn't help the soreness very much). Depending on my pain level and sanity, we'll try this method for awhile.
On Wednesday, I finally went to see a Lactation Consultant at Norton Suburban about my sore nipples. After speaking on the phone with someone at HMH on Monday, I tried to remedy the "nipple sucking" (meaning the babies only get the nipple in their mouth and not enough of the surrounding breast tissue) myself to no avail, so I made an appointment in hopes that we could get this figured out.
Unfortunately, when we arrived and evaluated, I was told there is basically nothing I can do about the "nipple sucking" except wait it out because their mouths are just so small right now. We did uncover a larger issue, though. The babies aren't gaining weight the way they should be. They had both basically maintained their weight from a week ago and hadn't gained back to their birth weights, which they should have by now. The lactation consultant said that because the babies are premature, they just don't have the strength or energy to successfully nurse exclusively. We should have been supplementing, but no one ever told us. Frustration about that fact aside, we were told by the lactation consultant to nurse, then pump and feed the babies the additional milk so they would both stimulate the breast and get enough to eat. After just one night of this ridiculous routine, which took at least an hour and then started all over again in another hour, I knew my sanity couldn't take it. We had to figure out an alternative solution.
I was incredibly discouraged because I really want breastfeeding to work, but with two preemies, I just wasn't sure I could do it any more. This brings us to the appointment on Thursday. The nurse practitioner and I discussed several possibilities and agreed that giving them breastmilk is best if possible. So, after weighing my options, I've decided to try pumping for most feedings until they are big enough to properly latch, but still nursing a couple of times a day to keep them familiar with the breast. This way, we know how much milk they are getting, and my nipples aren't so sore (although pumping doesn't help the soreness very much). Depending on my pain level and sanity, we'll try this method for awhile.
These are some of the pictures that were taken in the hospital by Bella Baby Photography. I couldn't believe the quality of these, especially since I was expecting the standard hospital pictures. The babies are 2 days old here.
Charlie
Mollie
I just love all of these!
Charlie
Mollie
I just love all of these!
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Sunday, August 07, 2011
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