j and i toasted to ferber tonight. it's that good. last night and tonight the boys went down with ease. not a peep from ozzy both nights and he was sound asleep within minutes. abie fussed for a few minutes, which turned into talking for a minute, which turned into sleep. 5 minutes tops for both of them to reach dreamland. since we started doing this, the boys are eating like champs and napping better. my breastfeeding challenges from the past few weeks have all but vanished and they are back to tandem nursing. they aren't even spitting up as much! it makes me think that all along they may have been sleep deprived.
we love sleeping babies!!!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
mother's day bliss
what a priveledge for me to spend my first mother's day with my mom on her 39th. it's really something to take a step back and witness how your mom has influenced you becoming a mother - your style, disposition, how you handle difficult situations. jordan said to me recently how much of my mom he sees in me. i've always been compared to my dad in both personality and looks, but i think now more than ever i'm taking on my mom, which is such an honor for me. when i think of my mom i think of unconditional love, complete generosity and giving of her joy and spirit, a groundedness to her actions, a calm, sensitive anf patient soul. i also think of the fun we always had growing up - just going to the grocery store was an adventure. if i can be even a little bit of these things to our boys, i'll consider it a success.
grandma and the boys
and w/ ozzy
we spent this special day with my sis-in-law at the crossings spa, while mark and jordan were with the boys. it was a gorgeous day and we hiked, swam in the infinity pool overlooking the balcones canyonland and lake travis, and had amazing massages. i got a watsu, which is a water massage. it was a transforming experience, a dance in the water. the woman who gave me this experience, judy, is a true artist and healer and this is her gift to the world. everyone should have the priveledge of this experience...the world would be a different place.
pure relaxation!
grandma and the boys
and w/ ozzy
we spent this special day with my sis-in-law at the crossings spa, while mark and jordan were with the boys. it was a gorgeous day and we hiked, swam in the infinity pool overlooking the balcones canyonland and lake travis, and had amazing massages. i got a watsu, which is a water massage. it was a transforming experience, a dance in the water. the woman who gave me this experience, judy, is a true artist and healer and this is her gift to the world. everyone should have the priveledge of this experience...the world would be a different place.
pure relaxation!
family
this week and last was full of family. my mom came in on her birthday last week and my bro and sis-in-law came in from minnesota over the weekend to meet the boys for the first time. it was so much fun having the boys meet their uncle and aunt. mark had the boys in hysterics most of the time and laura had a wonderful calming energy and had these spirited boys sleeping for their naps in no time.
here mark and laura take the boys for a walk with matilda and give mom an awesome hour to take a bath and relax!
here mark and laura take the boys for a walk with matilda and give mom an awesome hour to take a bath and relax!
sleep update!
holy cow was last night awesome. abie stayed a textbook case and woke up in 7 hours to eat. but the oz-man slept for 9.5 hours!!! now i'd say that's sleeping thru the night by anyone's definition. we'll see if this was just a fluke or if oz is truly a sleeping prodigy like his mom. go oz go!
sleep
we started "ferberizing" the boys this week. it was a tough decision, but after a lot of discussion and soul searching, we decided they were ready and this was the method to use. up until now, they have both been great sleepers, just not great at going to sleep. we would spend lots of time bouncing them on the stability ball to sleep, then very carefully laying them in their crib so as not to wake them. inevitably one would wake up and the whole process would start over. we realized we were perpetuating a very bad habit, one where they were totally dependent on us to sleep, which poses a lot of problems, especially when i'm alone with them.
wednesday night was our first venture. they both cried - ozzy dozed after 45 minutes and abie an hour. they slept a full 7 hours, woke to eat, and went right back down without a peep. it was delightful and they were happy campers in the morning. last night went even better. ozzy didn't even cry and was off in dreamland within 5 minutes. abie was more textbook and cried for 25 minutes before dozing.
i know this technique is not for everybody, and i seriously had my doubts going into it and searched for a gentler approach. j and i are really excited about how well they have done, however, and the freedom that this technique has given us. and i'm looking forward to using it to establish solid napping during the day once the boys have mastered going to sleep at night. they are both so spirited that it makes sleep during the day pretty difficult...but one step at a time.
now abel is sleeping....
and now he's not...
wednesday night was our first venture. they both cried - ozzy dozed after 45 minutes and abie an hour. they slept a full 7 hours, woke to eat, and went right back down without a peep. it was delightful and they were happy campers in the morning. last night went even better. ozzy didn't even cry and was off in dreamland within 5 minutes. abie was more textbook and cried for 25 minutes before dozing.
i know this technique is not for everybody, and i seriously had my doubts going into it and searched for a gentler approach. j and i are really excited about how well they have done, however, and the freedom that this technique has given us. and i'm looking forward to using it to establish solid napping during the day once the boys have mastered going to sleep at night. they are both so spirited that it makes sleep during the day pretty difficult...but one step at a time.
now abel is sleeping....
and now he's not...
Monday, May 07, 2007
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
twin talk
we get a lot of attention when we go out. it's inevitable, the twin thing and all. what surprises me though is how much of that attention comes from other twins/parents of twins/etc. every time, and i mean EVERY TIME, we go out, we meet another twin or twin parent. and they are always so excited to introduce themselves and meet the boys. yesterday at whole foods i met three other twins - a 20-something fraternal brother all punked out, a 40-something balding identical, and a classy fraternal woman in her 50s. i get hugs from perfect twin strangers almost weekly. it's almost some freaky clan or subculture that you don't know about until you unknowingly become one. i love it. and i can't say it enough, it beats the moron non-twins that can only say inane things like "double trouble" when you walk past.
here are some twin tidbits about the boys so far:
- they hold hands when they nurse (sometimes more aggressively than others)
- they stare, and i mean stare, at each other
- they sleep in the same crib (which is getting smaller and smaller)
- they never dress the same
- sometimes we confuse them, even though they are fraternal
- it's rare that they cry at the same time. when one freaks out, the other is usually dead calm and will do something hilarious like start laughing or wink at me
- they almost never wake each other up when one is crying, flailing about, etc.
- they kick eachother in the head/face/body all the time when on the play mat and could care less
here are some twin tidbits about the boys so far:
- they hold hands when they nurse (sometimes more aggressively than others)
- they stare, and i mean stare, at each other
- they sleep in the same crib (which is getting smaller and smaller)
- they never dress the same
- sometimes we confuse them, even though they are fraternal
- it's rare that they cry at the same time. when one freaks out, the other is usually dead calm and will do something hilarious like start laughing or wink at me
- they almost never wake each other up when one is crying, flailing about, etc.
- they kick eachother in the head/face/body all the time when on the play mat and could care less
mirror face
one of the boys' favorite thing to do is have mommy and daddy play with them in the mirror. we can spend hours looking at our reflections, singing songs, kissing the boys' heads, laughing and other general merriment. the boys are always looking at us in the mirror - we can't wait until they recognize themselves and eachother!
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
three month turn
we can't believe the boys turned three months old last friday. i never quite understood the cliche, "how time flies" until we had these boys. it has truly been a glorious whirlwind and i can't wait for the next 3 months.
the boys are now 10 lbs. we had a bit of growing "pains" over the past month where ozzy put on very little weight. we have it under control now and he's back on track. two weeks ago, abel had him beat by 6 oz. now, he's upped abel by an once. i have a feeling this is only the beginning of many competitions between the two!
feeding has been our biggest challenge to date. i'm nursing them still, but they're just not getting/taking in enough. so we're supplementing a few times a day with either pumped milk or formula, depending on what we have on hand. i've made it my goal to breastfeed these guys until 6 months, and after that, all bets are off. i feel very ambivalent to breastfeeding these days. sometimes i love it and i feel an incredible intimacy with them during. other times i just don't think i can do it anymore.
sleeping is where most babies/parents struggle, but this is one department where the boys really shine. they've been sleeping 5-6 hour stretches since they were 8 weeks old and it just keeps getting better and better. they switch off who can sleep the longest, many times going for 7 hours!!! we struggled with when to stop swaddeling them, and finally kicked it about a week ago. the first two nights were tough, and thank god we had my best friend and her boyfriend in town, as they helped out tremendously. the boys just didn't know what to do with their arms, after sleeping the past 3 months with them burrito-ized. they would flail about doing crazy kung fu arm thrusts and wake themselves up every few minutes. by the third night, though, they were used to it and back to sleeping like champs. now they snooze in sweet little sleep sacks, which keep them cozy warm without the risk of a blanket. we just now instituted a bedtime ritual consisting of a bath, massage, a few books (which they usually sleep through), and then a bottle of either breast milk or formula. they usually zonk out before we even feed them (typically around 9pm), so we are going to move up their bedtime to an earlier hour and hopefully it will all make more sense. it's funny doing this whole routine that is intented to get a baby to fall asleep with two babies who crash out right after the bath!
the boys are also great companions to go out with. we try and get out every day, either to run errands or visit friends, or just to go for a walk. we also take them out to eat with us all the time. j and i enjoyed a lovely dinner at the south congress cafe on friday night and the boys just snoozed away next to us in the booth. we are also part of a new moms/babies class every friday morning. there are about 7 moms and babies and we sing songs, swap stories and talk about the joys and challenges of being a new mom. i love being part of this group and it makes it so much easier to soothe a fussy baby (or two!) when you are with a community of other moms and babies. i just don't understand why we have this culture of "doing it alone" here in the states.
the boys are doing all the typical 3 mo. stuff like clasping their hands, grapping-swatting-smiling at their toys, drooling a lot, putting things in their mouths, making lots of noises, laughing and smiling at every thing, etc. they're also doing some atypical stuff like consistently rolling over from tummy to back, mastering a pretty mean cobra and upward dog, wiggling their way arcoss the mat on their bellies, and being able to do awesome leg squats. these boys continue to be the scrappiest boys around.
the boys are now 10 lbs. we had a bit of growing "pains" over the past month where ozzy put on very little weight. we have it under control now and he's back on track. two weeks ago, abel had him beat by 6 oz. now, he's upped abel by an once. i have a feeling this is only the beginning of many competitions between the two!
feeding has been our biggest challenge to date. i'm nursing them still, but they're just not getting/taking in enough. so we're supplementing a few times a day with either pumped milk or formula, depending on what we have on hand. i've made it my goal to breastfeed these guys until 6 months, and after that, all bets are off. i feel very ambivalent to breastfeeding these days. sometimes i love it and i feel an incredible intimacy with them during. other times i just don't think i can do it anymore.
sleeping is where most babies/parents struggle, but this is one department where the boys really shine. they've been sleeping 5-6 hour stretches since they were 8 weeks old and it just keeps getting better and better. they switch off who can sleep the longest, many times going for 7 hours!!! we struggled with when to stop swaddeling them, and finally kicked it about a week ago. the first two nights were tough, and thank god we had my best friend and her boyfriend in town, as they helped out tremendously. the boys just didn't know what to do with their arms, after sleeping the past 3 months with them burrito-ized. they would flail about doing crazy kung fu arm thrusts and wake themselves up every few minutes. by the third night, though, they were used to it and back to sleeping like champs. now they snooze in sweet little sleep sacks, which keep them cozy warm without the risk of a blanket. we just now instituted a bedtime ritual consisting of a bath, massage, a few books (which they usually sleep through), and then a bottle of either breast milk or formula. they usually zonk out before we even feed them (typically around 9pm), so we are going to move up their bedtime to an earlier hour and hopefully it will all make more sense. it's funny doing this whole routine that is intented to get a baby to fall asleep with two babies who crash out right after the bath!
the boys are also great companions to go out with. we try and get out every day, either to run errands or visit friends, or just to go for a walk. we also take them out to eat with us all the time. j and i enjoyed a lovely dinner at the south congress cafe on friday night and the boys just snoozed away next to us in the booth. we are also part of a new moms/babies class every friday morning. there are about 7 moms and babies and we sing songs, swap stories and talk about the joys and challenges of being a new mom. i love being part of this group and it makes it so much easier to soothe a fussy baby (or two!) when you are with a community of other moms and babies. i just don't understand why we have this culture of "doing it alone" here in the states.
the boys are doing all the typical 3 mo. stuff like clasping their hands, grapping-swatting-smiling at their toys, drooling a lot, putting things in their mouths, making lots of noises, laughing and smiling at every thing, etc. they're also doing some atypical stuff like consistently rolling over from tummy to back, mastering a pretty mean cobra and upward dog, wiggling their way arcoss the mat on their bellies, and being able to do awesome leg squats. these boys continue to be the scrappiest boys around.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
blessing of grandparents
i've been wanting to write this post for a very long time but time has escaped me. now that i have one of my rascals sleeping in the sling as i type, and the other cozy in his bouncy seat, we'll give it a go.
the boys are especially blessed because they have incredibly wonderful, generous and loving grandparents. j and i are blessed even more. we couldn't have handled the past 9 weeks without the support of grandma lee-lee, grosspapa, nanna nan, and recently grandpa mickey.
my mom and dad (lee-lee and papa) hopped on a plane from chicago to austin the morning i gave birth - talk about excited new grandparents! they made sure jordan and i were fed, cleaned the house, walked matilda, doted on ozzy and abel, took on late night feedings, sterilized countless bottles and nipples, ran to babies-r-us for all the things we desparately needed but didn't know about ahead of time, etc. my dad flew the coop after 10 days but mom stayed a full month to help. my mom was my partner by day in feeding and caring for the boys. i will forever be grateful for the month that she gave to us. i was in a crazy state for the first two weeks after giving birth, physically and emotionally, and she was a wonderful stablizing factor for us all. it brought me an incredible joy to see the boys peacefully sleeping on my mom's chest - a joy that you can only realize once you become a mother yourself. and witnessing how gentle and careful my dad was while holding them, their tiny heads cupped in his slender, artists hands...gosh, it brings tears to my eyes bringing back the memories.
the first month passed faster than i could imagine and it was nanna nan's turn to meet her grandsons. j's mom is a bundle of energy but i think we caught her off guard with the business of our household. a notorious bad sleeper, she zonked out for a full 8 hours the second night she was here! nanna was full of songs and nursery rhymes for the boys, and cooked delicous soups and meals for us all. she was a zealous multi-tasker and would manage to clean the house, cook dinner, rock the boys and do laundry all at the same time! my mother-in-law is an incredible woman and i am so lucky to have her in my life. she brought us unconditional love and laughter at a time when the boys went through a major transition and growth spurt. and i got a glimpse at how much fun the boys will have with their nanna as they get older. we were all crying when she left...the next day i was on my own from 8 to 5.
j's dad, grandpa mickey (mark), met his grandsons just a few weeks ago. i didn't know mark that well before this visit, so i didn't know what to expect. he was so hands-on with the boys from the get-go, holding and cuddling them, singing them songs in his deep baritone, burping them, taking them for walks and basically doing anything we asked. it was so wonderful having him in our home and i relished in seeing how much joy jordan found in watching his dad with our sons.
we are ever so grateful for our parents - for the role models they are for unconditional love, kindness and generosity of spirit. we love you!
the boys are especially blessed because they have incredibly wonderful, generous and loving grandparents. j and i are blessed even more. we couldn't have handled the past 9 weeks without the support of grandma lee-lee, grosspapa, nanna nan, and recently grandpa mickey.
my mom and dad (lee-lee and papa) hopped on a plane from chicago to austin the morning i gave birth - talk about excited new grandparents! they made sure jordan and i were fed, cleaned the house, walked matilda, doted on ozzy and abel, took on late night feedings, sterilized countless bottles and nipples, ran to babies-r-us for all the things we desparately needed but didn't know about ahead of time, etc. my dad flew the coop after 10 days but mom stayed a full month to help. my mom was my partner by day in feeding and caring for the boys. i will forever be grateful for the month that she gave to us. i was in a crazy state for the first two weeks after giving birth, physically and emotionally, and she was a wonderful stablizing factor for us all. it brought me an incredible joy to see the boys peacefully sleeping on my mom's chest - a joy that you can only realize once you become a mother yourself. and witnessing how gentle and careful my dad was while holding them, their tiny heads cupped in his slender, artists hands...gosh, it brings tears to my eyes bringing back the memories.
the first month passed faster than i could imagine and it was nanna nan's turn to meet her grandsons. j's mom is a bundle of energy but i think we caught her off guard with the business of our household. a notorious bad sleeper, she zonked out for a full 8 hours the second night she was here! nanna was full of songs and nursery rhymes for the boys, and cooked delicous soups and meals for us all. she was a zealous multi-tasker and would manage to clean the house, cook dinner, rock the boys and do laundry all at the same time! my mother-in-law is an incredible woman and i am so lucky to have her in my life. she brought us unconditional love and laughter at a time when the boys went through a major transition and growth spurt. and i got a glimpse at how much fun the boys will have with their nanna as they get older. we were all crying when she left...the next day i was on my own from 8 to 5.
j's dad, grandpa mickey (mark), met his grandsons just a few weeks ago. i didn't know mark that well before this visit, so i didn't know what to expect. he was so hands-on with the boys from the get-go, holding and cuddling them, singing them songs in his deep baritone, burping them, taking them for walks and basically doing anything we asked. it was so wonderful having him in our home and i relished in seeing how much joy jordan found in watching his dad with our sons.
we are ever so grateful for our parents - for the role models they are for unconditional love, kindness and generosity of spirit. we love you!
love this invention
i splurged and bought a sling today. it's absolutely brilliant and oh-so-fashionable! the boys can be snug as a bug in here and i can be hands free. i'm wearing abel as i type this and he's snoozing away.
the one i bought is from zolo wear and made from a solarveil fabric which protects my fair lads from the sun's rays and is very lightweight and breathable for the hot texas summers. check out this great austin company at: www.zolowear.com
the one i bought is from zolo wear and made from a solarveil fabric which protects my fair lads from the sun's rays and is very lightweight and breathable for the hot texas summers. check out this great austin company at: www.zolowear.com
Saturday, March 31, 2007
smiles galore!
the boys are having a grand time learning their environment and imitating mom and dad, which means they are smiling lots and lots!
here's ozzy
and our sweet abel
life doesn't get much better then this!
here's ozzy
and our sweet abel
life doesn't get much better then this!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
7 weeks old
i can't believe the boys have turned 7 weeks old. they've grown like weeds. they've swapped personalities. they've turned our lives upside down, in a good way. every time we think we know something about them, they change it up on us just to keep us on our toes. gone are the days when these boys just slept and ate!
here are some things that are for sure, though (or at least i think they are): both our boys are incredibly physical. let's just say active is an understatement. and they are active in the scrappy sort of way. they both are holding up their heads almost completely. they both can push from a squat to a standing position when they have your shoulder for support (they do this when we are burping them). they both can lift their heads, shoulders and chest when on their tummies. they are awesome in their car seats and go for errands and appointments with ease. they also hate it when we put them to sleep. they want to be up and part of the action, despite how tired they actually are. good thing their parents know better and enforce nap time pretty strickly. their wake up routines are hilarious and they make some of the most outrageous faces and stretches on earth, which i hope they never outgrow. they also both take after their father, for better and for worse, and are now on zantac for acid reflux. apparantly heartburn runs in the family.
our sweet lil' abel jacob is not so little anymore and is quickly catching up with his brother. he weighed 7lb 11oz last tuesday and is consistently gaining over an once a day. he smiled for the first time yesterday, st. patty's day. he loves having zerberts blown on his tummy and his cheeks tickled. he also is a big fan of the foot massage. he's still a talker and is cooing and yelping more and more every day. he is the ultimate snuggle bunny and really doesn't like being put down (who would!). mom and dad have resorted to wearing the bjorn around the house with him because the swing, the bouncy seat, his crib and the boppy just won't do. he is also a kung fu master, particularly the praying mantis variety, and practices after every feeding. while he doesn't love tummy time and often gets frustrated, he almost crawled the other day (i know parents exaggerate, but i'm not making this up). he was grunting so hard while he was trying, i actually thought he was going to will himself across the mat!
oz man finally busted through the 8 lb mark last weigh-in (8lb 1oz)! he's still a trooper when it comes to less than delightful doctor's visits, etc. and makes everyone believe he is the mellowest baby on earth. little do they know... oskar is very vocal when it comes to his needs. he doesn't just fuss to let you know he wants something - he bursts out in an immediate lip-quivering wail. but he's pretty easy to calm and also to put to sleep, especially in his swing and even in his crib. he loves baths. he's a voracious eater and resembles a barracuda when going in for the boob. taking after his father again, he's losing most of his hair. but you can see very blonde fuzz growing in its place. ozzy has an amazing gymnastics talent already. when jordan swings him up in the air, he can hold his body completely horizontal, straight as a board, for ten seconds! in gymnastics, we call this a planche. you can also call it a superman. his strength even impressed the lactation specialist, who at our last consult proclaimed, "you better get this boy in gymnastics as soon as possible, he's got such strong legs!" when content, oz moves his arms around like he's conducting a symphony or singing an aria. he also has an incredible grip and has grabbed onto things like the leg of the stuffed animal giraffe on his activity mat and won't let go (and does this as i'm lifting him out resulting in the mat getting dragged across the room).
someone said caring for a young baby is kind of like living in the movie "groundhog day." our reality is far from that. every day is a unique adventure we wouldn't miss for the world.
here are some things that are for sure, though (or at least i think they are): both our boys are incredibly physical. let's just say active is an understatement. and they are active in the scrappy sort of way. they both are holding up their heads almost completely. they both can push from a squat to a standing position when they have your shoulder for support (they do this when we are burping them). they both can lift their heads, shoulders and chest when on their tummies. they are awesome in their car seats and go for errands and appointments with ease. they also hate it when we put them to sleep. they want to be up and part of the action, despite how tired they actually are. good thing their parents know better and enforce nap time pretty strickly. their wake up routines are hilarious and they make some of the most outrageous faces and stretches on earth, which i hope they never outgrow. they also both take after their father, for better and for worse, and are now on zantac for acid reflux. apparantly heartburn runs in the family.
 |
| abel jacob |
 |
| oskar herse |
oz man finally busted through the 8 lb mark last weigh-in (8lb 1oz)! he's still a trooper when it comes to less than delightful doctor's visits, etc. and makes everyone believe he is the mellowest baby on earth. little do they know... oskar is very vocal when it comes to his needs. he doesn't just fuss to let you know he wants something - he bursts out in an immediate lip-quivering wail. but he's pretty easy to calm and also to put to sleep, especially in his swing and even in his crib. he loves baths. he's a voracious eater and resembles a barracuda when going in for the boob. taking after his father again, he's losing most of his hair. but you can see very blonde fuzz growing in its place. ozzy has an amazing gymnastics talent already. when jordan swings him up in the air, he can hold his body completely horizontal, straight as a board, for ten seconds! in gymnastics, we call this a planche. you can also call it a superman. his strength even impressed the lactation specialist, who at our last consult proclaimed, "you better get this boy in gymnastics as soon as possible, he's got such strong legs!" when content, oz moves his arms around like he's conducting a symphony or singing an aria. he also has an incredible grip and has grabbed onto things like the leg of the stuffed animal giraffe on his activity mat and won't let go (and does this as i'm lifting him out resulting in the mat getting dragged across the room).
someone said caring for a young baby is kind of like living in the movie "groundhog day." our reality is far from that. every day is a unique adventure we wouldn't miss for the world.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Thursday, March 08, 2007
boobie monologues
i had this idealistic notion about breastfeeding while i was pregnant. i thought it would be this serene, beautiful, as-nature-intended action. and while nursing two would add a second dimension to it, what would stop me from tandem nursing?
the reality of breastfeeding, for me, has been a shot in the arm. albeit i sit here today, at 5.5 weeks post silverboys birthday, able to tandem nurse at every feeding and provide the boys mom's milk exclusively. but i'll tell you this, it hasn't been a walk in the park.
because the boys were technically born as preemies just shy of 36 weeks, they lacked the strong sucking motion of a full-term babe. they could still nurse, and did from day 1, they just weren't stimulating my milk to come in. so i pumped. and pumped. 8-10 times a day to replicate what a strong nursing baby would feel like. but no milk came in. after 7 days of no milk, i started getting desperate thinking i wouldn't be able to breastfeed the boys. it was a rollercoaster i care not to repeat. i talked to lactation specialists, our doula, and wonderful friends who assured me life would go on and our boys would be perfectly healthy if we had to formula feed them. of course, all the books you read say that any normally functioning woman can produce enough milk for their babies. i have grown to be disenchanted with this kind of dogma. i started to feel like a failure.
it wasn't until the boys 2 week birthday that my milk came in. i don't know what did it - maybe all the herbal lactation tinctures and teas? all the pumping? nursing the boys even though they were barely getting anything (and trust me, they were frustrated to suck on a boob with no gratification!)? whatever it was, my prayers were answered.
since then, it's been a journey to teach the boys to be better nursers. with the help of silicone nipple shields, it's become a lot easier. at our last lactation appt. we discovered i had a fast "let down," which means when the boys start sucking, the milk comes out really fast at first. i went from no milk, to too much milk, and it was overwhelming to the boys. the shields help them control how much milk they take in, similar to a bottle nipple. last week we achieved tandem nursing (both of them "on" at the same time), and we are now starting to ween them off their supplemental bottle (they've been each getting about an once of pumped milk as part of their feed). i'm also weening myself from this foresaken pump, as i've been cleared to transition to pumping every other feeding (down from EVERY feed!). in some ways, it feels like i'm going through a separation and divorce! of course, weening the boys from their supplement means possibly more nursing sessions per day, but i'm willing to give it a try.
along the way i've experienced lots of tenderness, plugged ducts, tons of frustration and heart ache, but ultimate success. it hasn't been easy, i've felt like quitting, but i'm really pround of myself and boys for sticking with it. i've also learned that what i experienced isn't the most uncommon thing in the world, especially for preemie babies. thanks to the amazing support of our hospital's lactation department, where i've received FREE consultations (as many as i need/want), and the support of my family and friends, i've been able to do this. i've also realized that while it's awesome to be able to nurse our boys and give them this nutrition, it's not the end-all-be-all that some folks make it out to be. you ultimately need to do what works for you and your family.
p.s. i was pumping the whole time i wrote this thanks to my porno tube top (aka hands-free pumping bra)!
the reality of breastfeeding, for me, has been a shot in the arm. albeit i sit here today, at 5.5 weeks post silverboys birthday, able to tandem nurse at every feeding and provide the boys mom's milk exclusively. but i'll tell you this, it hasn't been a walk in the park.
because the boys were technically born as preemies just shy of 36 weeks, they lacked the strong sucking motion of a full-term babe. they could still nurse, and did from day 1, they just weren't stimulating my milk to come in. so i pumped. and pumped. 8-10 times a day to replicate what a strong nursing baby would feel like. but no milk came in. after 7 days of no milk, i started getting desperate thinking i wouldn't be able to breastfeed the boys. it was a rollercoaster i care not to repeat. i talked to lactation specialists, our doula, and wonderful friends who assured me life would go on and our boys would be perfectly healthy if we had to formula feed them. of course, all the books you read say that any normally functioning woman can produce enough milk for their babies. i have grown to be disenchanted with this kind of dogma. i started to feel like a failure.
it wasn't until the boys 2 week birthday that my milk came in. i don't know what did it - maybe all the herbal lactation tinctures and teas? all the pumping? nursing the boys even though they were barely getting anything (and trust me, they were frustrated to suck on a boob with no gratification!)? whatever it was, my prayers were answered.
since then, it's been a journey to teach the boys to be better nursers. with the help of silicone nipple shields, it's become a lot easier. at our last lactation appt. we discovered i had a fast "let down," which means when the boys start sucking, the milk comes out really fast at first. i went from no milk, to too much milk, and it was overwhelming to the boys. the shields help them control how much milk they take in, similar to a bottle nipple. last week we achieved tandem nursing (both of them "on" at the same time), and we are now starting to ween them off their supplemental bottle (they've been each getting about an once of pumped milk as part of their feed). i'm also weening myself from this foresaken pump, as i've been cleared to transition to pumping every other feeding (down from EVERY feed!). in some ways, it feels like i'm going through a separation and divorce! of course, weening the boys from their supplement means possibly more nursing sessions per day, but i'm willing to give it a try.
along the way i've experienced lots of tenderness, plugged ducts, tons of frustration and heart ache, but ultimate success. it hasn't been easy, i've felt like quitting, but i'm really pround of myself and boys for sticking with it. i've also learned that what i experienced isn't the most uncommon thing in the world, especially for preemie babies. thanks to the amazing support of our hospital's lactation department, where i've received FREE consultations (as many as i need/want), and the support of my family and friends, i've been able to do this. i've also realized that while it's awesome to be able to nurse our boys and give them this nutrition, it's not the end-all-be-all that some folks make it out to be. you ultimately need to do what works for you and your family.
p.s. i was pumping the whole time i wrote this thanks to my porno tube top (aka hands-free pumping bra)!
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
hangin' in our radio flyer
the mohrlein-anderberg clan got the boys the ultimate lil' boys accessory! we can't wait to wheel them around in their wagon, especially in the 4th of july parade...hooray!
 |
| abel in grey; oz in white |
 |
| a |
Monday, March 05, 2007
too much love
it's hard to imagine life without these guys. we stare at them for hours, kiss them more times in a day then we've ever kissed anything our entire lives, and take in their smell as if it were our last breath. my mother-in-law says they're delicious. i agree - i want to gobble them up every day!
 |
| ozzy's sensitive-man portrait |
 |
ozzy showing off his double chin and receding hair line (left) and aj plotting to take over the world
|
 |
| aj in surprise and delight |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
