Twins

Soon after I found out I was expecting twins I began to wonder how on earth I was going to get them from one place to another. Should I register for a tandem stroller or a side by side? Would it fit through a door? Could I actually turn a corner in it? And what about the evening stroll around our block that my husband and I like to enjoy: Could it make it up these monstrous hills?

The hill leading up to our house. This isn’t even the biggest hill in the neighborhood.

We ended up purchasing an old Double Snap and Go off of Craigslist that is quite a bear at almost 8lbs without the car seats and babies added to it! Don’t get me wrong, I love it for things like short shopping trips, but that walk around the block? Impossibly difficult! Well, maybe my husband could muscle his way through that walk, but it wouldn’t qualify as a stroll with all the huffing and puffing he’d be making. And of course, after my c-section I’m not really even allowed to lift one of the car seats let alone the push the stroller with two!

So in short, we are so glad we registered for Moby Wraps! The Moby Wrap isn’t a sling or a carrier, but rather a long stretchy piece of fabric that you wrap around yourself snugly and then insert your baby. And unlike the more traditional (and super expensive!) carriers out there, I can carry BOTH of my babies in one wrap while not disobeying the doctors orders not to lift more than a gallon of milk! The wrap grows with your baby and allows you to carry the child until they are 35lbs which is realistic because the child’s weight is distributed evenly across your back and torso.

On a walk with our cat Moonbeam. Yep, he thinks he’s a dog.

Outside of our evening stroll, Derek and I have loved the Moby Wrap in following the Lactation Consultant’s recommendation of Kangaroo Care with our 36 weekers. Kangaroo Care is skin to skin contact with the baby on your chest.

Derek and Bronwyn enjoying some Kangaroo Care.

It helps the girls maintain body temperature and feel like they are still in the womb listening to my heartbeat. In short, Kangaroo Care lets the girls use less energy and, therefore, helps them gain weight faster. Without the Moby Wrap, Kangaroo Care would require me to be still during my few waking hours, holding one or both of the girls to my chest. But using the Moby Wrap I can Kangaroo and blog or sew or do the dishes or fold laundry. The Moby helps me maximize my waking hours.

Needless to say, my husband and I love this product and are so thankful to the people who went out on a limb and purchased them from our baby registry. I loved it so much that I contacted Moby Wraps about doing a giveaway on this blog and guess what? They agreed!

One lucky person will receive a Moby Wrap in a random drawing from my comments sections. Here’s how to enter:

1. Go to Moby Wrap and pick your favorite color (mine is Moss and my husband chose Indigo).
2. Leave me a comment telling me your favorite color and how you would use your Moby if you won.
3. Make sure that your email address is either on your Blogger Profile or in your comment so I can contact you for your address if you’re the winner.
4. I’ll use a random number generator to select the winner on the girls’ one month birthday: October 11th

Rachel Acord took this (and many, many other) amazing pictures of our family when the girls were 11 days old. You can see more here at her blog!

I’m sitting here with sweet Aeralind asleep on my lap and still somehow disbelieving that I’ve been mommy to two little girls for over a week. They’ve changed our lives so much, but the abruptness of the change leaves me little time to let things sink in!

We wake them, change them, feed them, I pump, and they sleep while we either sleep ourselves or spend some those two hours of freedom on our own pursuits. Derek and I saw it’s like a chore schedule thrust upon us, but one we can’t procrastinate on.

Here’s a simple bulleted list of first week highlights before I forget them!

• How I can’t imagine how these two girls fit inside of me! They’re HUGE and I felt so tiny!
• The way they smelled when they were handed to me after their first bath that first night. I could have gobbled them up!
• Aeralind being dubbed Houdini by Danielle the lactation consultant. No matter how tight you swaddle her, she will have a tiny hand escape to wave around in mere minutes.
• Bronwyn’s flare for the dramatic with her tiny hands. She’ll cup her ears like she can’t stand our voices or pose them out like she’s a super model.
• Their hair! I love it and there’s so much of it! I’ve been saying that Aeralind has a Mohawk and Bronwyn has a Mullet.
• Aeralind rolling over on her 2nd day of life. She was TICKED at Papa for changing her diaper and just rolled herself right over. She’s done it once or twice since.
• The feeling of joy last night when the nurse made a house call to check on us and we discovered that the girls had each gained 3oz! They’re only 5oz away from birth weight. I’m so proud of my milk 😀
• How cute they looked in those matching pink preemie overall outfits!
• Nibbling on their little toes as they try to kick me while feeding them.
• The joy and love our shepherding group poured out on the girls when we surprised them with a visit. I love that the girls have that extended family. Plus seeing all those expecting daddies hold our little girls and melt their wives hearts was such a blessing.
• The not so great memory of the last two nights where Aeralind decides to cluster feed (90cc over the course of 2 hours when a normal feeding for her is 40cc) between 9-11 and then Bronwyn follows suit between 12-2. Boy, has that worn Derek and I thin, but taught us so much about humbling serving one another (and our own selfish natures).
• Seeing how careful Derek is with these little girls. He treats them as if they were made of fine porcelain. They are both quickly becoming “daddy’s girls.”
• The way my husband has gently kissed me all week. I have felt like a princess in his care.
• Bronwyn shooting poop across the changing pad while I changed her.
• Derek sound asleep last night burping an invisible baby. He was literally hitting himself on the shoulder. I would have laughed forever if I hadn’t been so sleepy!
• How wonderful it feels to wake up with babies on both sides of me keeping me nice and cozy.
• How much they actually seemed to enjoy their sponge baths! I’ve heard and seen most newborns scream the whole time, but each of them actually liked it!
• I love the way they have a sibling already! And the way they snuggle right up to one another and look like they are giving each other kisses.
  
• And finally, Derek can actually curl up around me and put his arms around me. No more watermelon tummy in the way!

What a blessing they have been this week and I am excited to see what next week brings!

Honestly section was not nearly as bad as I anticipated. I have a huge tolerance to pain and have had little more than motrin via IV and mouth since the spinal wore off. However, I know lots of the folks on the Multiples and More blog network are also facing a c-section so I though I’d post some how to cope tips to prepare them.

C-Section Tips

• Send the babies to the nursery. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done the second night, but it was so worth it! They’ll bring them to you for feedings or if you have to supplement (as I did) they’ll feed them for you. You wake up saner and more able to enjoy their sweetness.
• Buy some soft cotton granny panties 2 sizes bigger than what you’d normally wear. I’m living in Hanes tagless hi-cuts because they don’t rub the incision area.
• Ask for the pain meds! In our experience the nurses won’t bring them unless you ask. Know how often you’re allowed to have them and ask for them even if you’re not hurting. I refused the narcotics (since they make me sick and loopy) but the Toradol cut the edge off of anything I was feeling
• Ask for Gas-X. Our hospital had yummy peppermint flavored ones that tasted like candy. You are super gassy whether you realize it or not, so ask for it and it’s even better that it tastes like a treat!
• Get out of bed as soon as they’ll let you. That first getting up is difficult, but it only get easier. In fact if you have a scheduled section, practice getting out of bed beforehand using only your thigh muscles.
• Walk around after you’re out of bed. It works out the gas and makes you feel human again. Take a tour of the maternity floor with your husband pushing the babies. Inwardly wave at bystanders, pretending you and the little ones are queens in a parade.
• Enjoy a shower as soon as you can. Being clean and sleep deprived is heaven compared to being tired and dirty.
• To get back in bed, crawl on your knees. Sitting on the edge of the bed and trying to raise your legs like you normally would may be impossible or at least hurt a WHOLE bunch.
• You tush gets super tired of you lying on it (another reason to walk around or stand and watch the TV) so don’t be afraid to ask the nurses to help you lie on your side. It’ll take about 5 pillows to support you but at least your butt won’t hurt as well as your incision.
• If you’re breastfeeding, ask to be seen by a lactation consultant as soon as possible. The two I saw were the most helpful people the whole hospital stay.
• Most important: be grateful. I fell in love with Sara, the lady who took the dine on demand orders, because she was so sweet and patient with me. My nurse Pam who propped me on my side made me feel so thankful for having someone to mother me! Danielle, the lactation consultant cracked me up teasing my husband (when she came in the room she asked “Is Melissa available?” He replied “No, she’s happily married with twins.” and the teasing never ceased from there!). They had me laughing so hard it hurt my incision! But most of all, I was grateful for the amazing man I married. Who has still changed more diapers than I have, who helped me out of bed in the middle of the night, who rocked the babies, who cuddled with me, who is the best daddy on the planet. Being grateful for these little things makes everything go smoother!

Aeralind Grace
5 lbs 4 oz
17 inches
Born 11 September at 7:47

Bronwyn Hope
5 lbs 5 oz
18 inches
Born 11 September at 7:48

Their Birth Story:

I had my normal NST test appointment at the OB office at 10:30 on 11 September. As usual, one of the girls failed so I had to have a BPP. Finally I got to see the doctor who told me that with my irritable uterus, not to go to Labor and Delivery “unless my water broke.” I left the OB’s at practically 12:50. Sheesh. My sweet husband told me to go out to eat for lunch so I dropped by the library, grabbed some books and chilled out at Panera Bread reading and eating until about 2:30.

I came home and settled in on the futon downstairs to continue reading. I was lying on my left side and Baby A (who was the one to fail the NST) was clearly agitated with me lying on her. I was comfortable so I just enjoyed feeling her kick at my cervix in her displeasure. At about 3:45 I switched to my right side and started a new chapter. 5 minutes later Aeralind kicked open her bag of waters. It was such an odd sensation; just a little trickle which alarmed me so I stood up. Then the fluid began to GUSH. I called my husband while running for a towel. “MY WATER JUST BROKE!” I cried in near hysterics. He was almost to his car by the end of that 10 second conversation.

I was still running upstairs looking for a towel after not finding any in the dryer downstairs when I first looked at the amniotic fluid. There was blood in it! Something I had not been prepared for! My panic level rose. I called hubby again and he said to call my neighbor Diane (whom I’ve only really met twice) and ask her if she could drive me to the hospital. By the grace of God, Diane had just arrived home from some errands. She came over calm and collected and talked my rising panic down to a low level as she drove me to the hospital. That was such a preordained ride together and it was such a blessing!

Once we arrived they wheeled me up to Labor and Delivery and my husband (who sped like a maniac on the interstate) arrived at about 4:30. I was hooked up to the monitors, had the test to determine that this truly was amniotic fluid, and asked to sign the C-section/anesthesia papers. I met the anesthesiologist and his sweet nurse assistant. Then, a sweet red headed nurse named Jocelyn took over my care and informed me that they were aiming for a 7 pm c-section time. So I sent my dear husband downstairs to eat so he wouldn’t pass out in the OR from low blood sugar.

A nursing student/instructor duo came in to insert my IV and sadly blew a vein in my right hand. I felt so bad for her, but I also felt so blessed that I would now have the ability to used my right hand freely once the girls were here! They inserted an IV in the left and Jocelyn returned to pump me full of fluids and continue surgical prep. Derek returned about 6 and we tried to chill out and watch TV. It was some crazy show about catching/studying giant fish that were prone to attack humans. Distracting to say the least. Derek got scrubbed up in that time period and he looked so cute in scrubs 😉 Sometime during this waiting period Dr. Kofed came in the room and gave me the horrifying dangers of C-section speech, but she was calming in that speech somehow.

Right around 7 three nurses stormed into the room. One tossed my IV bag on the bed, the other unhooked the monitors, and the third took the brakes off the bed. They started rolling me down the hall toward OR with very little conversation. I was completely overwhelmed at that moment. Yikes!

Inside OR, Derek was given scrub shoes, a cap, and a mask. He gently prayed with me and they rolled me into the surprisingly tiny OR. He had to wait outside until anesthesia was in place.

I have to say that my anesthesiologist was utterly amazing! He gently talked me through the process and had me sit up and relax my shoulders for the numbing shot. He calmly and confidently hummed while administering that shot and then administering the spinal. He brushed a nerve with the spinal that made my right leg twitch and then go completely numb. They laid me back down and waited for the drug to take effect. He kept testing me with a needle: “Tell me when this starts to feel sharp.” I would respond. After the normal amount of time you could tell the OR nurses were getting antsy to set up their sterile field. He calmed chided them: “Don’t you start anything until I say she’s ready.” Unhappy with his needle sticks on the left side (I could feel them about at the start of my ribs), he informed me that he’d have to do another spinal.

For me, the second spinal was emotionally the hardest part of the surgery. I knew my poor husband was outside pacing the hallway. I could see and hear the nurses would would be responsible for for the babies talking about petty things and listening to the radio. And worst of all, I had NO body control from the waist down. The nurses lifted me into position where I immediately felt light headed and informed them I was “going to pass out.” They hit my IV with a shot of epi and the nurse on the right (who stayed with me in recovery) whipped out an alcohol wipe. “Smell this!” She demanded. My blood pressure stabilized in few seconds and I received the second spinal with the anesthesiologist still humming in his comforting way. I was lowered back down on the bed where, he preceded to stick me until he was satisfied enough with my numbness to give the agitated OR team the okay to set up their sterile field.

Derek was admitted then and he quickly took up residence by my head and rubbed my cheek gently to comfort as the nurses raised the curtain and stretched out my arms. All the fluid in my body was giving me the shakes and they piled a warm blanket on my chest. I informed them I was getting light headed again and received my second shot of epi.

A hospital OB introduced himself to me and let me know that he would be assisting Dr. Kofed. Kofed appeared in the room shortly after that and they began the incision. To my surprise my normally squeamish husband actually watched over the curtain as the Drs. pulled Aeralind out by her feet, then rapidly broke Bronwyn’s water (which he said exploded like a geyser). I heard little Aerlind let out a soft cry and barely heard Bronwyn wimper. I was so scared these little 36 weekers were going to the NICU that I didn’t even want to know their Apgar scores! Derek sat back down in squeamishness as they began to remove the placenta. I asked the Drs. if it was one placenta or two and she replied that it was one large placenta (something that they had been unable to decide via ultrasound before that time). She was unsure if it had been fused or not, but said that judging by their looks we most likely had identical girls. Only time would tell.

About that time Aeralind was handed over to daddy bundled up and BREATHING! I was ecstatic! She was so beautiful and alert! The anesthesiologist’s nurse came over holding Bronwyn, and placed the tiny girl so that she was balanced next to my face. Pictures were taken and babies were kissed as they stitched and glued me up. Next thing I know, I’m being put back on my regular bed and two perfect little girls are riding on the bed with me to my room where we all recovered and attempted nursing and Daddy assisted with their first baths through that nearly sleepless night.

We are so blessed with these sweet girls!