Welp, it's been ages since I've blogged. I'm sure you all know I have
good excuses. I really thought I would have more time to sit down and
write a little more. Part of the problem is my main access to the
internet is via the iPad, which I love, but typing on that thing is less
than desirable. So, here's what's been going on random list style:
- The babies are almost 2 months old! The last time I blogged things were pretty easy. Yes, it's all relative, but the first two weeks or so were them sleeping the whole time between feedings. After that, they started to be awake more and in turn need more of our attention. Now at almost two months, they are both more alert and starting to interact with us. I have gotten sort-of smiles from baby boy a few times. They both react to us and I hope lots of smiles are on the horizon.
- I started running again! At 5 weeks post-partum, I attempted my first run and it went well. I made it two miles which was way more than I thought I could do. Sure it wasn't easy, but I did it. I made it another two times that week and 3 times last week. I am up to 3 slow miles at a time, and did a "long run" of 4 miles on Saturday. I wanted to see how not fast I run, so I wore my Garmin today. As I expected, I am running about 10 minute miles. Hoping I can keep building on mileage and increase at least one run a week to 4, then 5, then maybe 6 eventually. I haven't signed up for the 1/2 marathon I want to run in the fall, but I think I can manage with some hard work. I don't plan on attempting to race it like I would have a year ago, but completion is the goal for now. I will need to try to train for it with only 4-5 runs a week at most.
- I officially return to work the week of July 2nd. Honestly, it will be bittersweet. Of course I love being home with my family, but I don't know if I am cut out for the stay at home mom gig. I guess I haven't let myself wonder too much because it's not an option for us. I have been tested many times being home by myself with two newborns. When both have been screaming out of hunger, discomfort, or just wanting to be held, it's been the hardest thing for me to figure out how to soothe. I am only one person and can only hold one at a time for now. There have been tears shed from them and me. Other Mom's of multiples refer to the first few months as "survival mode." It's so true.
- Speaking of feedings, the babies are getting 5/7ths breast milk and 2/7ths formula. And while I go through moments of guilt about not being able to provide 100% breastmilk for them, I have to be happy I have been able to do as much with twins. Someday I will look back and realize that my turmoil and guilt about how they were fed their first 6 months won't matter anymore. It seems like every new Mom has some kind of guilt in regards to breast feeding or nursing. No matter what we do, I think we all feel like there is always more we could have done. Could I have worked harder to tandem nurse my twins? Probably. Would I have been miserable? Most definitely. I am (still) reading Bringing up Bebe by Pamela Duckerman. I will try to write more about it at later time, but a few things have stuck with me. For one, she says something to the effect that American women are always trying to one up each other with the level of misery they endured raising babies. Like we are better if we endured 4 days of labor and nursed our babies until they were 2. Speaking of, if the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be breastfed for 6 months, why aren't there laws ensuring mothers get 6 months maternity leave to do so? But I digress...
When I do go back to work, I hope to still pump a couple times a day. We'll see how long it lasts. Pumping takes time and work. And supplements. I can say with fairly good certainty that taking Motherlove More Milk Plus Special Blend has made a difference. I highly recommend it.
- Sleep is about 5 or so hours a night at most. Not in a row of course. We feed the babies at 9pm, then they wake between 1-2:30am, then again around 5am. I usually get to bed at 10:30 and take the first feeding. So I usually sleep like this: from 10:30pm to 1am, then 2:30am to 5:00am and then off and on until 7:00am. I get up to pump, then try to sleep until 8:30am or so when the babies get up for the day. From 7am on, they are pretty noisy and restless in their sleep. We recently transitioned them from sleeping in our room in these to their cribs, which didn't go very well, and now they are in the Rock and Plays in there room. They sleep so much better in them. In fact, the past two nights we have gotten almost 5 hour stretches from them. It's amazing how awesome 4 hours of sleep in a row feels.
- Like I mentioned, I will be going back to work full time. We are currently searching for either a day care or a nanny. I am really hoping we can find a nanny for many reasons. I went to home day care as a kid, but with two babies I really feel like our lives would be easier with them at home their first winter. In all seriousness, we are looking so if anyone out there is reading this and knows of an awesome nanny looking for a job this fall, let me know!
- The babies are almost 2 months old! The last time I blogged things were pretty easy. Yes, it's all relative, but the first two weeks or so were them sleeping the whole time between feedings. After that, they started to be awake more and in turn need more of our attention. Now at almost two months, they are both more alert and starting to interact with us. I have gotten sort-of smiles from baby boy a few times. They both react to us and I hope lots of smiles are on the horizon.
- I started running again! At 5 weeks post-partum, I attempted my first run and it went well. I made it two miles which was way more than I thought I could do. Sure it wasn't easy, but I did it. I made it another two times that week and 3 times last week. I am up to 3 slow miles at a time, and did a "long run" of 4 miles on Saturday. I wanted to see how not fast I run, so I wore my Garmin today. As I expected, I am running about 10 minute miles. Hoping I can keep building on mileage and increase at least one run a week to 4, then 5, then maybe 6 eventually. I haven't signed up for the 1/2 marathon I want to run in the fall, but I think I can manage with some hard work. I don't plan on attempting to race it like I would have a year ago, but completion is the goal for now. I will need to try to train for it with only 4-5 runs a week at most.
- I officially return to work the week of July 2nd. Honestly, it will be bittersweet. Of course I love being home with my family, but I don't know if I am cut out for the stay at home mom gig. I guess I haven't let myself wonder too much because it's not an option for us. I have been tested many times being home by myself with two newborns. When both have been screaming out of hunger, discomfort, or just wanting to be held, it's been the hardest thing for me to figure out how to soothe. I am only one person and can only hold one at a time for now. There have been tears shed from them and me. Other Mom's of multiples refer to the first few months as "survival mode." It's so true.
- Speaking of feedings, the babies are getting 5/7ths breast milk and 2/7ths formula. And while I go through moments of guilt about not being able to provide 100% breastmilk for them, I have to be happy I have been able to do as much with twins. Someday I will look back and realize that my turmoil and guilt about how they were fed their first 6 months won't matter anymore. It seems like every new Mom has some kind of guilt in regards to breast feeding or nursing. No matter what we do, I think we all feel like there is always more we could have done. Could I have worked harder to tandem nurse my twins? Probably. Would I have been miserable? Most definitely. I am (still) reading Bringing up Bebe by Pamela Duckerman. I will try to write more about it at later time, but a few things have stuck with me. For one, she says something to the effect that American women are always trying to one up each other with the level of misery they endured raising babies. Like we are better if we endured 4 days of labor and nursed our babies until they were 2. Speaking of, if the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be breastfed for 6 months, why aren't there laws ensuring mothers get 6 months maternity leave to do so? But I digress...
When I do go back to work, I hope to still pump a couple times a day. We'll see how long it lasts. Pumping takes time and work. And supplements. I can say with fairly good certainty that taking Motherlove More Milk Plus Special Blend has made a difference. I highly recommend it.
- Sleep is about 5 or so hours a night at most. Not in a row of course. We feed the babies at 9pm, then they wake between 1-2:30am, then again around 5am. I usually get to bed at 10:30 and take the first feeding. So I usually sleep like this: from 10:30pm to 1am, then 2:30am to 5:00am and then off and on until 7:00am. I get up to pump, then try to sleep until 8:30am or so when the babies get up for the day. From 7am on, they are pretty noisy and restless in their sleep. We recently transitioned them from sleeping in our room in these to their cribs, which didn't go very well, and now they are in the Rock and Plays in there room. They sleep so much better in them. In fact, the past two nights we have gotten almost 5 hour stretches from them. It's amazing how awesome 4 hours of sleep in a row feels.
- Like I mentioned, I will be going back to work full time. We are currently searching for either a day care or a nanny. I am really hoping we can find a nanny for many reasons. I went to home day care as a kid, but with two babies I really feel like our lives would be easier with them at home their first winter. In all seriousness, we are looking so if anyone out there is reading this and knows of an awesome nanny looking for a job this fall, let me know!
And now for some pics. They will be two months old tomorrow and Friday!
