Today marked the beginning of my first week alone with Sam and Anna while my husband is at work. My parents were visiting last week and helped me get through his first full week of being gone during the day. We really started out the week with a bang... and proved that when everything falls apart- all you can do is laugh, do what you can, and clean up later when you get a chance. And laugh, I did.
Sam and Anna both woke up from their first morning nap at exactly the same time, crying. This instantly creates a dilemma because it is impossible to change, get two bottles ready and feed two babies all at the same time. I started with Anna, since Sam had been sleeping lightly for a while and I was hopeful he could fall back asleep. Anna also drinks faster, so worst case scenario, I would be done with the first feeding more quickly. I changed her out of her pjs and got a bottle ready. Meanwhile Sam was getting hysterical, so I opted to warm up a second bottle, prop him up on a boppy in his crib and attempt feeding both at the same time. Unfortunately for me- it ended up that both Avent bottles I chose were leakers (Anyone else have problems with this? It happens very randomly to us but it is super annoying) and leaked all over me, the floor, the crib, etc. Anna then picked that moment to have a poop blowout in the clothes she had been wearing for, oh, about 30 seconds. So I changed Anna to the wonderful sound of Sam's frantic cries, during which she decided to pee mid-diaper change and go through yet another diaper.
When all was said and done, both children got fed in formula soaked clothes because I didn't have a spare arm to get different bottles. I don't know how much formula they each got and neither one was very sleepy afterwards because of how worked up they got during the process.
And Anna? she decided she wasn't done and had another poop blowout at the end of the bottle. Three outfits and 4 diapers in 20 minutes for one baby is my new record.
I'm beginning to think that Anna needs Pampers Swaddlers to avoid poop problems and Sam needs Huggies Snugglers to avoid soaking through. Seriously? I need to have an ample stock of two brands of diapers???
My lovely day continued and my children only slept at the same time for about 30 minutes total. Interestingly enough- they managed to want to be fed at exactly the same time, all day long. I'm thinking today might be the day I plop the babies in my dear husband's arms when he walks in the door and escape to Target before the door even closes. After all, we need more diapers, don't we?
13 comments:
I have such admiration for you and other mothers of multiples. I'm struggling with one, and just can't imagine dealing with two.
You've got me beat on the diaper blowout nd clothes-changing front! I am glad I use a diaper service though, or despite the relatively minor cost per diaper, I'd probbly le them get rally soaked before changing and get mighty pissed when I've just changed K and she promptly deposits a massive poop.
Congrats on surviving day #1 on your own (and findng a moment to blog about it)!
Ahh the things I get to look forward to, huh? When it rains it pours ;) I say yes - go to Target or take a walk, do whatever you need to do to get some calm and sanity back in your day :) Me? I plan on taking a little walk down to Starbucks on days like these. With a book. And my ipod.
I stocked up on disposables and cloth diapers, and like the other poster Kate I may go with a diaper service too... we shall see about that...
Congratulations on surviving the day - you need to celebrate :)
Hi!
I can't even remember how I found your blog but I have enjoyed reading it. I have 2 1/2 year old twin girls and this post brings back so many memories of those first weeks. I don't remember a whole lot of that time. Now mine are toddlers and I wonder where the time went.
I had the same problem with Avent bottles. If you over tighten them even just a tiny bit they leak. They used to have something on their website that told exactly how to toghten them.
Your babies are beautiful and I love reading your blog!!
Like Kate said I have much admiration for moms of multiples! I remember back to those early days with LB and I can't imagine TWO infants! You have a great attitude. Learning to laugh is something ALL mommys need to learn or else we'll cause ourselves more stress!
Oh girl, I'm sorry you had such a rough day. I hope the week gets better and better!
I love your blog, I have been reading for ahile but never commented before. But I had the same problem with those bottles and I wish some had told me soon if you tighten it all the way and then just loosen it a tiny bit-it really helps with the leaking! And I have way less problems if I wash them in the dishwasher they work better then when they have been handwashed!
Hopefully that helps!
Gotta love those blowouts! But you're right...all you can do is laugh, because the alternative is to cry, and we don't want that.
Suggestion? If you have a BRU near you...try the Fisher Price diapers. They are relatively inexpensive compared to the other name brands (like $20 for a value box of 108)...and I've had NO leaks or blowouts since using them. Worst case? You tried a new diaper and got the same results you are getting now.
Hope your week goes well. Remember to smile...it's all worth it.
your post gives me flash backs to that first week alone....glad I've been able to forget most of it! and I totally agree with you on needing both brands of diapers!
My goodness girl, I don't know how you do it with two!
The Avent bottles are tricky. They're the kind I have, but I haven't used them yet. Apparently the nipples have to be just in the right place so they won't leak. Not that I could tell you where that place is.
Hang in there Momma! You CAN do this! :) Even if it sounds a bit stressful, it sounds like you are embracing it all with having twins and enjoying it for what it is. Hope the next day you had with Anna and Sam by yourself went a little more smoothly.
Wow! I'm so sorry that must have been really hard! I can totally relate to the blow out issue. Lexi seems to have one pretty frequently and she poops all the time when I feed her! We also deal with leaky bottles and I have no idea what causes it. We are using medela bottles though so I'm not sure about advent. That's so interesting about the diapers because one of the nurses in the NICU at children's hospital said that she thought boys did better with huggies and girls did better with pampers. Sounds like you are running into the same situation but buying two types of diapers does seem like a waste. Ugh, I feel for you. You are an amazing mom and are doing such a great job!
Haven't commented before, but I saw your frustration with the Avent bottles and wanted to chime in. I used to nanny for a little girl that used these, the leak is a nipple placement issue. The nipples have "vents" on them (those little lines on the lip, should be 3 sets of them)and the ring for the bottle has three gaps in the screw on part on the inside. Basically 2 out of the 3 have to line up. So when you put the nipple in make sure that at least two sets of the vents on the nipple are in the areas where there is no "screw parts" on the ring. I know that was a horrible description, but I don't know how else to describe it, if you look at the nipple and the ring it makes a little sense :) Good luck! Your babies are beautiful!
I read this to my husband, just for the little dose of reality. :)
Just Wow!
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