First Trimester - Things We Love

I was lucky that I had a pretty easy first trimester this go round. My nausea was pretty mild compared to my first pregnancy, and having been through it before, I felt like I was able to stay on top of it a little more. I bought Sea Bands thinking I would need them, but I only put them on once. As long as I constantly had food in my stomach, I was mostly safe. I also had to stop brushing my tongue for a good 6 weeks, but that's what Listerine is for. Keeping Peppermint Candy on hand to suck on really helped when I was out and about and a wave of nausea came on. Sucking on one of those glorious sugary discs gave me a good 15 minutes to procure some food for my uneasy stomach.

My Starbucks Cold Cup is something I never leave home without. I have three of them that I rotate, so I always have one clean. I use a 24 oz cup and keep it constantly filled with ice water. The more ice the better. If I drink 4 a day, I know I'm getting enough hydration. In the early days of this pregnancy, I would fill it with carbonated water which seemed to help keep me full longer. Then after 6 weeks, it just made me burp constantly, so it was back to tap water. I can't say enough great things about this cup, and they even have cute straws and lids you can switch out during different seasons.

My biggest complaint for the first trimester was headaches. I had them last pregnancy too, but this time I would get them for days in a row. I have the ok from my doctor to take Excedrin, but I try not to unless it's absolutely necessary. I found a combination on things really helped when I would feel a headache coming on. The neck wrap is always my first line of defense. I've had others before, but I really love this one. I love that it covers my shoulders too, and I can fold the shoulder part up to apply extra heat and pressure to the base of my skull where the tension starts. Next up is the cooling eye mask. Really great for when I have pressure behind by eyes. I also substitute in a cold wash cloth if my mask isn't cool enough. Breathe Right Strips are another huge helper for sinus pressure. If you can find the lavender or menthol variety, I recommend them, but most stores don't carry them. Yes they look ridiculous when you wear them, and I have on occasion forgot to take one off before leaving the house, but they really help relieve pressure and open up your nasal passages. My headaches tend to effect every part of my head, but only on one side. Not always migraine status, but pretty darn close.

I stole Harrison and Brooke's humidifier out of there room a few weeks ago, and it has made such a difference in how I sleep. I no longer wake up dry and parched. I love this Crane humidifier because it's so easy to clean. I should probably just order a second one so I can give them theirs back. Another huge sleep help has been an extra pillow. I tried out the Snoogle, and I'm not quite ready for that yet. Having a really supportive second pillow that I can prop my leg up on has been HUGE. I can still stomach sleep with it, and I am going to hold onto that as long as possible.

I bought a Bella Band while going through our first round of IVF. I didn't love it during my first pregnancy, but it has been a lifesaver this time. Maybe because I got bigger quicker? Pair it with the hair tie trick, and I'm still wearing my favorite pre pregnancy jeans, although I'm sure not for too much longer.

I have always had problem skin, but over the last few years I've found a good combination of Mary Kay and Aveeno product that work well for my skin. Pregnancy however completely changes the game. Clogged pores and breakouts seem to pop up way more frequently. I already use a Mary Kay face mask that I love, but I decided to try adding in the Biore Charcoal Mask. It only takes a couple minutes, and using it a couple times a week has made a positive difference in my pores. It's a warming mask, so it feels awesome while you're applying it. Extra bonus!

What tings did you love during your first trimester? Anything you couldn't live without for the second or third trimester? I'm always game to try anything that will help make this journey easier or more comfortable.

Spring Fever, Mini Style

 A few weeks ago the kids and I were out shopping for new pants. Yes, my not even three year old children are already moving up to 4T pants. They've been in 4T shirts for months, so I'm sure 5T shirts aren't too far off. Of course while we were looking at pants we started looking at the new spring arrivals. Brooke made it known that she wants every dress at Target and Old Navy. While she won't be getting every dress, we have started picking up a few new pieces here and there. I think we'll be able to use a lot of Brooke's dresses from last year and most of Harrison's shorts again this year, so I have only been picking up pieces we really love.

Girls

Polka Dot Romper, Heart Sunnies, Striped Sunnies, Crepe Rosette Dress, 

Yellow Trench Coat, Polka Dot Dress, Floral Flutter Sleeve Dress

Boys

Blue Purple Plaid Shirt, Blue Tee, Denim Jacket,

Grey Fedora, Striped Shorts, Green Shorts

Harrison probably won't be wearing shorts anytime soon, but Brooke is already insisting on wearing her new summer dresses. I am a big fan of dressing dresses down with leggings for everyday wear. And Brooke is a big fan of anything with a skirt, so we both win. Now that they are fully into size 4, we have begun shopping in the big kids section too. We ordered this dress in XS last week, and I really wish they made it in my size because it is so perfectly summer.

Before too long it will be time to start stocking up on swim suits and flip flops. I personally can't wait!

Books We Love - 2.5 Years Old

Wind chills here have been below zero for the last few days. It's so cold they're even canceling school. So, needless to say we haven't been getting out much. Our days have consisted of a morning gym trip, and the rest of the time indoors. We LOVE books, so all of this time stuck at home has given us a chance to get familiar with all of our new books.

While Brooke would tell you that her new Thomas book is her favorite, and Harrison will profess his love of Mickey and Friends, we have a few other new books that have made it to our most read list. Ones that they love to listen to, and that I like to read, over and over and over again. Most of them have a good message behind them too.

The Foolish Tortoise - We've had this one for a few months. It's by Eric Carle, so of course it's good. It's about a turtle who wants to be faster so he ditches is shell. He finds out sometimes it's best to be happy with what you have.

This is a Moose - A fun little story about how you don't have to be limited by what's expected of you.

10 Little Princesses - A book about friendship.

Leo the Lightning Bug - Little Leo can't light up like his friends, but he's determined to learn how. Practice makes perfect.

The Cat at Night - This one's a tried and true favorite. The kids love the pictures and seeing all the animals the cat comes across through the night. 

Tea Rex - This is a fun book based around etiquette for hosting a tea party. Both kids love it.

The Pirate Who Said Please - A great book about why manners are important.

Animal Firefighters - We picked this upon sale at B&N. It's a firefighter book. Enough said.

Not Your Typical Dragon - Quite possibly my newest favorite. It's all about why being different is awesome.

Bad Kitty - This is a goofy alphabet book that the kids adore. When we first got this, they insisted we read it every day, multiple times per day.

One I love that the kids aren't too into yet is C is for Chicago. Maybe after a long weekend there this spring or summer, they'll enjoy it more. What are some of yours and your little's favorite books? We are always on the look out for more new books, although our book shelf is running out of room. If you have any awesome storage ideas, I'd love to hear those too.

Gear We Love

Today is the last day of the Kid Tested Mommy Approved link up party and today we're talking about our favorite gear. Vanessa at Sunflower State of Mind is hosting today. We get out of the house a lot, so it's really important to have gear that makes it easy to get around with two babies. When you're buying two of everything or special gear to accommodate multiples, price is a concern too. 

Diono Radian RXT - When it came time to get convertible seats I researched and researched to find the right seats. The Radian is not cheap, but the investment is well worth it. This is the last car seat we will need to buy. It converts to a booster seat, so we won't need to purchase any other seats as the kids get older. They can rear face up to 45 pounds, more than any other seat we looked at. The height limits are also higher than other seats we looked at. It's one of the only seats that you can fit three across in the the same row. Most car seats are made of plastic, but the Radian has a steel frame and aluminum side walls. I can't speak highly enough about this car seat. We gout ours for just over $200 on Black Friday. Watch sales, and you can get a really good deal.

Beco Gemini - I am a big supported of baby wearing in general, but with twins it's almost necessary to be able to wear one baby sometimes. From 6-10 months the only way to get grocery shopping done was to wear one and have one sit in the cart. The Beco has great padding and is comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Even now that they're 25 lbs, I can still wear one of them for an hour without any issues. The Gemini allows for a front carry, back carry, hip carry and even forward facing out.

Graco Snugride 30 - Their infant seats were key during the first 6 months. Yes you can use an convertible seat from the beginning, but if you have twins I guarantee you don't want to. Even having a singleton, I think having an infant seat would be worth the extra expense. It's great to be able to strap them in before you walk out the door and then just pop them in and out of the car seat base everywhere you go. Plus, lugging around two of these means you don't need to worry about your arm workout at the gym. Graco makes a 32 and 35, the numbers refer to their weight limit, but there's really no reason to spend the extra money. H and B outgrew their infant seats before they were 20 pounds.

Britax B-Agile Double Stroller - Picking the right double stroller is a tough decision. Just browse any multiples forum and you'll see tons of questions about which double stroller to buy. While there are a lot of really fancy, really expensive, double strollers out there, I didn't want to spend $800+ for a stroller. Instead I was able to get two really great strollers for less than the price of one fancy one. The B-Agile is super easy to maneuver, has nice under seat storage, with access from the front and back, snack trays and a removable drink and storage caddy for mom. The seats are easily adjustable and most importantly the kids like riding in it. This is the perfect stroller for trips to the grocery store, park or zoo.

Baby Trend Double Snap and Go - Pretty much every twin mom will tell to get a double snap and go. Our snugrides snapped right into the snap and go for easily getting around wherever we went.  It steers terribly, but is so easy and light it's worth it. If you look on Craigslist you can more than likely find a used one. I got ours in like new condition for half price.

Contours Optima Tandem Stroller - This is the main stroller we decided on once we were done with the snap and go. I love that the seats can face each other, face out, both face forward or both face backward. This was the main selling point for us. The only other stroller I know of that has seats that adjust the way the Optima's do, costs around $700. The only downside is that it doesn't have snack trays. This stroller is great for walks, trips to the mall or anywhere you need a narrow stroller. It does have two infant car seat adapters, so you could use it instead of the Double Snap and Go.

I highly recommend getting a side by side and tandem stroller if it's in your budget. Being able to choose which stroller we us for particular outings is nice. Although there have been times where I don't remember to switch the strollers in the van first and I wind up with the side by side in Baby Gap. It works, but I definitely can't get the kids to the back aisles with me. If I had to choose only one stroller I'd pick the Optima. The Baby Jogger City Select is probably the most highly recommended stroller from twin moms, but it's expensive, and what I loved about it, the seats, the Optima does as well.

Some of or other favorite gear is listed in our monthly Things We Love, although a lot of it is toys. The breastfeeding twins post has a lot of good gear recommendations for moms nursing singletons too.

12 and 13 Months
10 and 11 Months
8 and 9 Months
Gear for Breastfeeding Twins

Doing this link up party has been so fun. I've gather lots of fun ideas for activities to do with the kids, fun things to buy for them and great foods to try. I hope everyone reading has enjoyed it as much as I have. Make sure to follow the link and see what all the other blogger moms have in store for us today.

Toys We Love

Today I'm linking up again for the Kid Tested Mother Approved link up party. Julie at Girl in the Red Shoes is hosting today and we're talking about tried and true toys. The number one thing I look for in toys is educational value. I love toys that teach letters, numbers, colors, building skills, etc. I know at this age pretty much everything is teaching them something, but I love when their toys pull double duty as fun and educational. The thing H and B play with most often is books. I could write a whole post on their favorite books, but today I'm sticking with toys.

Elmo's Count Along Crayons - Quite possibly the most annoying toy ever. Quite possibly their favorite toy ever. They love Elmo and they love this toy. It was a birthday gift, and it took them about a day to figure out the buttons. They haven't stopped pushing them since. They love it because it's fun, makes noise and lights up.  I love it because it helps teach colors and numbers.

Ernie's Alphabet Notepad - Ernie comes in a close second on the annoying toy scale. It's also a close second for their favorite toy.  Ernie has four modes. He will create a story if you choose any three letters. He sings the ABC song and plays other songs in music mode. There's a find mode where Ernie asks you to find a letter. In the main mode Ernie says what sound the letters makes and what starts with each letter pressed. Definitely a winner when it comes to toys that help teach the alphabet.

Shape Sorter - We have three shape sorters and the kids favorite one is from a garage sale. It has four shapes, lights up and makes noise. I think what they enjoy most about this particular one is that they don't have to take anything apart to get the shapes back after putting them in. The Fisher Price one I linked to seems to be the most similar to the one they have. I recommend avoiding ones that have a lid that has to come on and off. The kids take it off, and it doesn't go back on until I put it on.  They then take it right back off.

B. H2-Whoa Water Drawing Board - This was an impulse buy while on a Target trip. My nephew has water coloring pads that he uses and loves, he's two years older than H and B, so when I saw this drawing board I knew we had to have it. They still try to eat every marker or crayon I give to them, so we don't use them often. I love that I don't need to worry if they put a water crayon in their mouth. One of my favorite features, it has snaps where all four water crayons fit, so they don't get lost and they're always with the board when the kids want to use it.

Fisher Price See and Say - My mom has a few old See and Says, the kind with the pull string, floating about her house.  The kids love them, but they're hard to understand.  The Disney one she has sounds like Mickey has been smoking 3 packs a day. When we saw this one, we were all over it. It has pretty much every farm animal noise you could ask for. It also plays Old McDonald and Farmer in the Dell. The kids are just now getting to the point where they can pull the handle on their own. Thankfully that means I don't have to pull it 487 times per day.

Duplo Legos - I'm pretty sure every kid born in the last 4 decades has played with Legos while growing up. There's a reason they're so popular, they're awesome. The kids are just now starting to put pieces together on their own, but they've been pros at tearing apart what I build for months. Brooke drags out the tub of Legos within 5 minutes of being up each morning. She loves to dump them out and play with them. If I sit with them and build them things to tear apart, they will happily play with their Legos for at least 20 minutes.

We share things we love every couple of months. A lot of the toys that made the list in previous months are still ones they use regularly. To see some of our favorite toys from past months, follow the links below.

Twelve and Thirteen Months
Ten and Eleven Months



Make sure you stop by the link up party and see what toys some of the other mommies recommend for their little ones. I'm hoping to find a few ideas from mommies with older kids. I'm already thinking Christmas presents.

 

Summertime Essentials

About this time in July lots of people start wishing for fall.  It's hot and muggy outside so we're all stuck indoors with our AC on Power Ranger. As much as I hate breaking out into a sweat the moment you step outside, I'm not quite ready to give up summer yet. I still have quite a few things I want to do before I'm ready for pumpkin spice lattes and apple picking.

1. BrewHaven - The best thing to ever come to New Haven, IN.  I can't wait to sample beer all day with friends and not have to worry about the littles.
2. Outdoor Concerts - We saw America last night at Foellinger, and it was great.  There's something wonderful about being outdoors and listening to a rock concert.  Johnny M. is in 3 weeks at Deer Park and to say I'm excited would be an understatement.
3. Turn 29, again.  Maybe the fact that I was born in August is why I love summer so much. 
4. Go berry picking with the kids.  I know of two farms in the area that offer berry picking.  Even though I doubt they'll be too into it this year, I'm still excited to take them.  
5. Go to Cedar Point.  I don't know If I'll be able to make this one happen, but I really want to.  It's been over 2 years since my last visit and I'm dying to get there before the season is over.

Starbucks Venti Cold Cup - I drink iced coffee like it's going out of style.  The Venti size it 24oz, slightly larger than most store brand cups.  I use it for my iced coffee at home and when I am out.  You get a $.10 discount if you use it at Starbucks and then you have a drink that doesn't sweat.  Rob has taken to using a cold cup to mix his evening cocktail. I like it for just ice water too.

Goody Spin Pins - I love having long hair.  It's kind of more of a pain in the butt than it's worth sometimes, but I love it. I hate having my hair on my neck when it's hot out. Now that my hair is really long, my trusty pony tail holder isn't the best at keeping it all contained and I wind up readjusting my hair every 30 minutes. Enter the spin pin.  These are so easy to use and hold long hair in a cute bun way better than a pony tail holder.  I lost a set of them and just bought two more to replace them.  If your hair is medium to long in length, you should definitely give these a try.

Little Tikes Anchors Away Pirate Ship - This provides so much entertainment for the kiddos when it's hot and we're stuck at home. I looked at probably 10 different ones before deciding on this one.  It has a squirt gun, pirates, and a shark.  How can you go wrong?

Swimways Baby Spring Float - This is seriously the best baby float.  We were able to float them on it last year and this year they can actually sit in it.  It has a removable canopy to shade them from the sun. We just bought a second one so they can both float at the same time.  Target has them on sale this week. Score!

Tovolo Ice Pop Molds - Homemade popsicles are where it's at.  We have three sets of these, one star and two regular. H and B have a popsicle just about every night right before bath time.  I love that these have a built in handle that's easy for them to grasp, although they don't always use it.  Our latest batch consisted of kale, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, bananas,  and vanilla yogurt.  No measuring, just throwing together all of the fruit I had with some steamed kale.  The kids love them and I love knowing they're getting an extra helping of fruits and veggies.

Battery Operated Mist Fan - I purchased one of these last year when it was 100* for like three weeks straight.  We were taking the kids to the zoo with their cousin, and this was perfect for keeping us all a little cooler.  I think I paid $10 for mine at Wal-Mart.

BabyGanics Spray Sunscreen - I think this is the third time I've raved about BabyGanics, but I just can say enough about it.  I LOVE this sunscreen.

I hope you all are enjoying your summer and surviving the heat.  If you follow me on Pinterest, justjm03, you know I'm already starting to think about the upcoming holidays. As excited as I am for fall, and even winter, I'm glad we're only half way through summer.  It gives me plenty of time to plan adorable matching Halloween costumes.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.  I think there's pizza, beer, and The Walking Dead planned for the rest of mine, once the kids go to bed of course.

Things We Love @ Twelve and Thirteen Months

V-Tech LapPup - We have two of these, Violet and Scout, and they are lifesavers.  They are easy to hold onto, the noises aren't too annoying, the puppy face lights up, and it teaches colors and numbers. It's a great interactive toy and perfect for in the car.  When we load up into the car they get two things, their sippy cup and their LapPup.

BabyGanics Sunscreen - I know I've raved about this sunscreen before, but it's amazing.  Last summer we tried Burt's Bees and California Baby sunscreen.  They are both great, natural products, but they both leave a chalky residue.  The BabyGanics is chemical free, rubs in well leaving no residue and it's priced really well.  If you receive the Target Baby coupons there is a coupon for BabyGanics in this month's booklet. Last week we used Neutogena Kids sunscreen and it was a big fail. Brooke's poor skin was all red and splotchy. BabyGanics all the way.

Corolle Calin Doll - We love our baby dolls.  They were a birthday gift and they both adore them, especially Brooke.  She will carry them both around at the same time, one in each arm.  She also likes to do this with her stuffed animals.  I really like these particular dolls because of the boy doll.  A lot of the boy dolls are somewhat creepy looking.  The Corolle doll is cute in both the pink and blue, plus the size is perfect.

Footless Pajamas - Thank you Baby Gap for making super soft cotton footless pajamas.  I really love Carter's fleece footed sleepers, but they are difficult for kids learning to walk, at least for my kids they are.  They wind up with their feet in the legs, and then they step on the extra foot fabric.  Maybe we're just at an awkward in between size, but these are the perfect solution.  No stepping on extra fabric, they're a perfect weight for the summer months, and you can pair them with a pair of socks if you're worried about their feet getting cold.  We may wind up stocking up on these before they go out of season.

Little Tikes Cozy Truck - These were another birthday gift.  They adore these.  They will push them around in the garage, crawl into them on their own, basically do anything they can to entice me to take them for a spin.  There are cup holders, a fun horn, and a trunk for storage space.  Even though the suggested age on them is 18 months+, I think one year is the perfect time to introduce a ride on toy.  An added bonus to these is that there is a foot tray you can keep in place until they're old enough to Fred Flinstone it on their own. As a side note, these are a bitch to put together and they require a power drill.  They are worth it in the end, but plan an hour and a beer per truck.

Nuby Straw Sippy Cup - We tried lots of sippy cups before we found these.  First we tried the Avent soft spout cup, next was the Munchkin straw sippy, we tried traditional hard plastic sippy cups, finally I bought the Nuby brand. They were able to use them right away with no issues.  They can use the Munchkin ones now too, but they leak.  The Nuby ones never leak unless I didn't assemble them properly.  They drink water nonstop.  It's like there's a water shortage I don't know about and they want to drink as much as they can before there's none left. Having good sippy cups is essential.

Little Tikes Kitchen - This is probably their most used toy right now.  This was their other big bithday gift from us, aside from the trucks. There are constantly spoons, pizza slices, a hot dog bun, and maybe a cupcake or two littered around the house.  It's the perfect height for them to stand at and it's wide enough that there's room for them both.  It converts to a taller, more slender kitchen as they get older. I am looking forward to the day they serve me a slice of plastic pizza on a little white plate during a pretend picnic.

Both the kitchen and the trucks are usually available at garage sales and on Craigslist in  late spring. The first big garage sale weekend here was the weekend before their birthday, so I didn't have time to find used ones. Not that they're super expensive toys, but they clean up easily and they aren't too hard to find used.

If you follow me on Instagram (@justjm03) then you've already seen these pictures.

Brooke strutting her stuff at the pool with her Nuby sippy cup in hand.  She often carries around both hers and her brothers'.

 Going for a ride in their trucks the first time. Brooke of course has the pink and purple one.

Breastfeeding Twins

If breastfeeding, images of it, or talk about it offends you, this post is not for you.  I will be candidly talking about my experience nursing my twins and sharing a couple pictures of them nursing.  You've been warned.

Gilligan & O'Malley Nursing Tank - I have been wearing these nursing tanks basically every day since I came home from the hospital.  They are super comfortable and have held up really well over time.  They are great to wear under a t-shirt, tank or sweater.  I was a 34B pre-pregnancy and went up two sizes. Some of my mommy friends with larger chests said they didn't offer enough support. I haven't had that problem, but it may be something to consider if you're well endowed.

BeBe Au Lait Nursing Cover - This nursing cover was a godsend for the first few months while we were getting comfortable in our nursing relationship. It's lightweight and has a firm yet flexible band at the neckline which makes it easy to look down and see if your baby is latched properly or needs re-positioning.

Boppy Pillow x2 - The Boppy gets my vote for the best piece of baby gear ever invented.  It's the perfect support pillow for nursing a singleton.  We used it to prop them up while bottle feeding. It's a great aid for when they are still a little wobbly sitting up.  We, kind of by accident, found that the Boppys provided the perfect support for tandem nursing in bed. I position the Boppys on my sides and they offer enough support for my arms that I can tandem nurse both babies while lying on my back.  I know I didn't explain that well, but there's a picture further down that shows the babies positioning while nursing. While you don't need two of everything for twins, you do need two Boppys.

Medela Pump In Style Advanced - A double electric pump is a must, in my opinion, especially if you plan to go back to work at anytime.  Even before I went back to work, I used the pump on a daily basis.  I would pump once a day while giving the babies a bottle. They were never great at taking a bottle, but they would always take it.  Sometimes it just took an hour for them to finish 4 ounces.  My favorite part about this pump is that the bags attach to the flanges so you don't have to pump into a bottle and then pour it into a bag to freeze it.  There are also nipples that screw directly onto the pumping bottles.  Easy and less dishes = win.

Bella B Nipple Butter - This nipple butter is great because you don't have to wipe it off before nursing.  It's soothing, natural and safe for baby.  Enough said.

My Brest Friend Twin Nursing Pillow - We used the twin pillow for just about every feeding until 2 or 3 months.  It was really great with helping us tandem feed in the beginning.  It's made of a firm foam which is perfect for supporting little, floppy babies. It was especially great when I needed to burp one baby and keep the other happily nursing. Added bonus, it has a pocket on the side where you can put your phone and a burp rag.

Lansinoh Soothies - Your nipples will be sore in the beginning even if your babies have a great latch.  Keep a few of these in the fridge and pop them on whenever your nipples are sore, instant soothing.

And now for our breastfeeding story.

Long before we even started trying to get pregnant I was sure I was going to breastfeed my children.  When we found out we were having twins, I knew that it might be more of a challenge to exclusively breastfeed, but I was still determined.  I ordered the My Brest Friend Twin Nursing Pillow, read Mothering Multiples and started researching twin nursing success stories. 

I knew that each week I was still pregnant gave us a better chance of successfully nursing. When we wound up in the hospital at 32 weeks, I adjusted my expectations.  When the NICU nurses come in and talk to you about feeding tubes, any preconceived notions of how you plan to feed your babies go out the window.  I remained hopeful, and thankfully we made it to 37 weeks before delivering.

Immediately after delivery, the babies' blood sugar dropped and they were taken to the nursery to be given formula. The nurses fed them with a syringe since they knew we hoped to breastfeed.  Brooke joined me in recovery first and she latched immediately. When Harrison joined us, he latched right away as well but had some issues with latching properly.

The lactation consultants, LCs,  at the hospital were great at helping with Harrison's latch.  Both babies were consistently latching well and eagerly nursing by the end of day one. The babies roomed in with us and continued to nurse well overnight.  In the morning they went to the nursery for their pediatric check-in and they had lost enough weight that the doctor was slightly concerned.

The LCs brought us in a Medela Symphony pump, a great pump if you're interesting in renting a hospital grade pump, and we began pumping to help stimulate supply.  The babies continued to nurse well that day and night.  When they went into the nursery the next morning for their check-in, they had lost even more weight.  Over 10% of their body weight.  In hindsight this is partially due to inflated birth weights from my being hooked to an IV for hours before they were born.

We continued nursing and pumping that day and also began manual expression/massage while the babies nursed to help stimulate production.  By the end of the day the babies were becoming fussy and nursing constantly.  That night we got to the point where the babies were hungry and I wasn't producing enough to satisfy them.  Around 1am the babies were crying because they were hungry, and I was crying because they were hungry and I couldn't satisfy them.  During this time the nurse on call came in and told me I shouldn't expect to be able to exclusively breast feed twins.  This got me crying even more.

So there we were, the three of us crying and poor Rob is trying to say the right thing.  We decided that the babies needed more than what I could give at that time, so we had the nurse bring in some formula.  They each sucked down an ounce right away and then passed out.  While Rob fed them I was crying hysterically thinking I was a failure. By their next feeding, I had enough milk to keep them satisfied. When they went for their morning check-in they had lost a bit more weight but the drop wasn't as severe as it had been the previous two days.

Our day nurse sent us home with tons of formula samples.  It was great to have them as a back up, and there were a few time where I got frustrated and really considered using formula, but never did.  We were able to donate the samples to friends that needed them.  By their one week appointment they were back above their birth weight and they continued to gain quickly.

Tandem nursing using the My Brest Friend

Harrison had problems with spitting up/reflux for the first three months.  Our pediatrician didn't think it was serious enough to warrant any meds, so thankfully we didn't have to do that.  I was just constantly covered in baby barf for 3 months.  I tried cutting out dairy which didn't help.  It did seem like avoiding soy made a positive difference.  

I think a large part of our problem was that I had an oversupply and overactive let down.  We started going to the nursing moms support group at our hospital each week.  If your hospital offers one of these, I highly recommend going.  It was great to be able to discuss any nursing issues with a registered LC and with other moms going through similar difficulties. 

After talking to the LCs we decided to stop alternating breasts and assign each baby their own side. This made a big difference for us.  The babies each regulated their own side and the constant spitting up slowly got better.

This is how they nurse while we lie in bed.  We still nurse in this position today.

We had one bout of oral thrush around 6 months.  Since they both had their own side, only Harrison got thrush. (That was a blessing) It took us a couple months, and finally Diflucan for me, to finally get rid of it. There were a couple clogged ducts here and there as well, but thankfully no major hurdles for us.  

Here we are, just past a year and still nursing strong.  They are down to only nursing before naps, bedtime and once overnight.  I say only, but it's still 4 times a day.  They were nursing 4 times a day and 4 times at night as recent as 3 months ago.  It made for a very tired mommy, but I definitely think co-sleeping and nursing on demand throughout the night helped my supply.  I am planning to let them self wean when they are ready, or start the weaning process just before they are two, whichever comes first.

A few pieces of advice to new moms trying to establish breastfeeding: 

• Seek help if you're having issues.  The advice and knowledge of a trained LC will benefit you more than you know.
• Don't hurry to set a schedule for your baby.  Let him nurse on demand until your supply is well established.
• Drink, drink, drink! I have a Bobble which has constantly been at my side since I was pregnant. If you think you've had enough water, have another drink.
• Don't be too hard on yourself if things don't go exactly as planned.  There is nothing wrong with having to supplement, exclusively pump, or having to feed formula exclusively. Only you know what's right for you and your baby.

I feel very fortunate that our journey has been as smooth as it has. The first couple months were exhausting, but the constant nursing was so worth it. I hope I am this lucky with any future kids that we might have.  If you made it to the end, thanks for sticking with me through a super long post.  I probably could have written more, but wanted to keep it as brief as possible.

Things We Love @ Ten and Eleven Months

Green Sprouts Stacking Cups - We are to the point where they love to take things apart and put them back together.  They received these cups as a Christmas gift, and they love them.  We have two different brands of stacking cups, but these ones are their my favorite. They have tiny holes in the bottom and we will take them into the bath and pour water through them.  Any toy that can transition to the bath gets bonus points in our house.

V-Tech Sit to Stand Walker - They still love and use their wooden walker daily, but we decided we needed a second one.  This one is soooo annoying, but they think it's fantastic.  It's my go to toy for when someone is extra fussy.  Set the walker in front of them, push some buttons and that usually buys five minutes of happiness.  That makes this toy golden.

Fisher Price Star Stacker - We have the traditional Fisher Price stacker too and the like it, but they really like this one.  It lights up and makes noise, every parents favorite, when the stars go on and it plays a song when you place the smiley star on top.  They like to carry around the base and push the button to have it light up/make noise.

Happy Tot Pouches - I thought for sure once they stopped eating purees that they wouldn't be interested in these.  We had a couple Plum pouches left in the cabinet and I tried them out one day just to see if they'd eat them. They were all about it! Now that they know how to hold them and feed them to themselves they are all over these. We like the Happy Tot, Plum and Ella's Kitchen varieties. They are somewhat expensive, so we limit them to one each per day, and I stock up when they are on sale.  It seems like Target, Babies R Us and Meijer run a sale on them once a month.

Plum Little Cremes - They love these things! We started feeding them cremes around 7 months and they are still hot on them.  They come in reds, purples and greens and they love all three flavors.  The red and purple ones are a bit messy when they are teething and extra drooly, so we've learned to limit it to the greens while on the go.  They like Gerber organic yogurt drops too, but not nearly as much as they like these.

Playskool Busy Poppin Pals - We have a Disney version of this that their Great Aunt picked up for them at a thrift store. They have started figuring out how to push the buttons to pop up the characters, but mostly they love to push the characters back down.  This toy is one that gets fought over on a pretty regular basis.

Bright Starts Bee - This is another one that they received as a Christmas gift and are now really getting into.  The bee lights up and plays music, I know, fun, plus it vibrates and rolls around.  Like most musical toys these days it has a learning setting and a music setting.  They like both settings and love when the bee moves.  If you leave this toy on it will randomly make noises and wiggle around.  It always grabs their attention when that happens.

Those are our can't live without items of the last couple months.  They still like to play with all their toys, even a rattle if it's one they haven't seen in a while.  If they don't loose interest in some of these toys soon, we're going to run out of room for toys.  I think come their birthday, it will be time to start packing some toys into Rubbermaid bins so they can hang out in the garage for the next few years.

8 and 9 Month Essentials

Hyland's Teething Tablets - Harrison got his first tooth just before 6 months and Brooke just got her first two a couple weeks ago. These are a life saver with two teething, especially since they're both cutting painful top teeth right now.

The First Years Baby Gate - I love that this gate has a hands free pass through. Being able to get both babies in or out of the kitchen without setting someone down often saves us from tears.

Fisher Price Step and Play Piano - We purchased this when they were about 4 months old. They started using it right away along with their Exersaucer and Jumperoo. We just took the seat off of it and they love walking around on it. The different piano key modes are great.

Playskool Rocktivity Sit to Stand Music Skool - This is probably their most used toy. It was a Christmas present from Santa, aka Mommy, and they took to it right away. Harrison wasn't standing well when the first got it, so it was a great sitting toy. Now they will stand, dance, and play on it for 10+ minutes at a time.

Fisher Price Poppity Pop Musical Dino - This was a Christmas gift from David and Kara. I have never heard Brooke laugh as much or hard as she did the first time they played with it. They seriously love this toy and think it's fun even if the balls have all popped out.

Imaginarium Wooden Activity Walker - This was another Christmas present from Santa. We took away the drumsticks and turned it on its back. They love climbing on it and playing with the xylophone. Brooke is now starting to walk behind it while it's on its back, upright moves to quickly for them still.

B. Zany Zoo - We absolutely adore this activity cube. They are constantly climbing on it. A few of the activities are too old for them at 9 months, but that just means they will be using it for years to come.