I meant to do this yesterday but I've been a single parent this week and things got away from me! I didn't blog/journal very much in the beginning with the girls so in order to not forget things about their first year, especially the early months, I thought I would join the #tbt bandwagon! Plus, I might want to refer back to these posts if/when we have another child, or as my Aunt Cathy so eloquently stated this morning, when we have the next set! Lol, Scott's nightmare situation :)
A post on facebook got me thinking about this so I thought I would share this memory...
The girls were born at 5lb14oz (E) and 5lb7oz (C) with less than a 1/2" height difference. I almost exclusively nursed the first week. Our big travel day, the journey for Belvidere to LS, was an exception but other than that I really tried to nurse exclusively and pump. I remember taking the girls to their one week check up, Scott and my parents all had to work so my Aunt Cathy took the day off to drive me and the girls, and to help at the pediatrician's office, Dr. Powell (one of my old pediatricians!). The girls each had lost 7 oz which is kind of a big deal when you only weigh 5lbs! I remember Charlie laying on the scale and the number was going back and forth between 4lbs and barely 5lbs, that was scary to me because she seemed so tiny. At that point Dr. Powell put us on a different routine, the girls had to at least eat every 3 hours during the day and every 4 at night. Additionally, each of their feedings had to be half formula.
I was thinking about this because a mother in a twins group with newborns was really upset that her doctor was recommending supplementing with formula. It got me thinking about that first month of the girls' life... I was making a formula bottle, splitting that, and nursing or preparing a breastmilk bottle and splitting that. And pumping! At the time I never thought anything of it, I had no problems with formula, I did my research, I felt ok with the decision. Scott was on board for whatever, if you know Scott then you know he's easy going so I explained the reasoning and he was cool with it.
After a week of splitting the bottles the girls had gained a little weight back so Dr. Powell and I worked up another plan that still included formula and the same scheduled feedings.
I almost laugh looking back, there were a TON of nighttime feedings that month! On the weekends Scott would do them with me but during the week I would do the midnight feeding by myself and then my parents would be awake for the 4 am feeding. As crazy as it was it never felt overwhelming. Never. But I think that's a testament to our attitude, just play the cards you're dealt and go for it. Seriously, it's not like I was going to complain about feeding my babies, I had babies! I was too thankful to complain! :)
That's my memory for this edition of #tbt
Hope all is well :)
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