Hellobee Boards

@periwinklebee: Ugh totally agree. But given that we get so little time POST delivery, why would they give us time off before

Standard 12 weeks FMLA. I actually get paid something this time! I was unpaid for my last two

@graceandjoy: that’s terrible you didn’t get paid for any of your previous maternity leaves. I’m glad you get some paid this time.

@Sams Mom: I also get 6 weeks paid. Better than nothing, but still sucks to have to pay to spend time with your infant.

Leave was 8 weeks for me last time and this time increases to 12. However, it's a bit messy, as there is no one to take my place per se. I have some people working for me who are paid on a relatively short-term grant, all of whom arrived recently and have little experience. So I need to provide them some guidance even when I'm out, enough so they can hopefully stay productive. If they are not able to get things done correctly, I am the one who will ultimately be stuck doing/fixing all the work when I'm back to the office. I'm not going to stress about it, ultimately it's inevitable that things will slip and eventually things will get back on track, but I'll try to check in when I can...

In other fun (not) work news, my husband scheduled a job interview on the other side of the country when I'll be 38 weeks. I understand that the job is a good opportunity, they weren't that flexible about scheduling, and he needs time to prepare, but still I was like "what were you thinking." (He's a bit oblivious "what, the baby could come then, that early, really???) I told him to try to move it earlier....My labor was only 4-5 hours first contraction to finish last time - if he can't move it I think I'm going to hire a babysitter to stay overnight the two nights he is away, just not to lose my sanity worrying that I'll have a two hour labor that starts in the middle of the night and no one to watch my son... (no family nearby...)

@periwinklebee: Gaaaaah sometimes they really have no idea do they?

@Jessiemuller88: You've got this! It'll be a challenge but you'll make it work for you and your fam xxx

@periwinklebee: 🙄 men!! They really don’t think sometimes!! I hope he can move it earlier.

@Sams Mom: same here! Sleet and snow!! I borrowed one of my dad’s oversized Carharts because there is no way I’m buying a coat for 6 more weeks!

@Jessiemuller88: I'm sorry about feeling overwhelmed If it were me I'd probably be having an outright panic attack. I know you will do an amazing job though and find your new groove. And once they get a bit older, it will be amazing for them to have a constant built in playmate.

DH asked to change the interview but apparently the best they could do is move it up one day, so I guess I'll just hope the baby doesn't come at 38 weeks...🤷‍♀️

Fortunately the weather hasn't been too extreme yet here but i'm sure it's coming.... need to bust out the giant scarf to make up for coat deficiencies...

@graceandjoy: this morning the wind-chill was down to -2°F

I'm in the same boat as you barely breaking the halfway mark and feeling all the exhaustion. I want to know where my second tri energy is!?

I feel for my little sister, she's almost 13 weeks with twins and asking when does it get better... I have no idea but keep telling her the second trimester should be better

@graceandjoy: yeah, this time is definitely harder because I don't get to nap due to the tiny dictator. My little sister, this will be babies #1 & #2

@Sams Mom: @graceandjoy: Second pregnancy is definitely more exhausting (I can only imagine third... )

My toddler has definitely taken an interest in my belly lately. He will sometimes point at it and say "boobie", as if he is really hoping that I've grown a third boob full of milk. Not sure he really gets the concept of baby inside!

@Jessiemuller88: Hi there!
Delurking to say if you ever feel like talking infant twins you can always reach out. Mine are nearing 3 years old now but the early days are still pretty fresh on my mind so do feel free to ask specifics. Other than that all I can say is to take it day by day and you'll find your groove. One of the best advices I got was from another twin mum, she said to not be scared to make your life as easy as possible and if it means to feed an occasional botte of formula so be it etc.

@Pumuckl: asking for my sister, she's coming up on 13 weeks with twins first pregnancy...

What were your best online resources? She is still processing being pregnant let alone with twins. I think she's just looking for what is actuality a necessity. Tips and tricks? I don't know. She's just overwhelmed and I am only so useful with what she's going through.

@graceandjoy: yup...

@jaguar: I can't even remember the last time I took a nap - boo. I think I need to purge my dresser to make room for baby stuff, I bought a new dresser for LO's big boy room and baby will get the dresser we've been using for LO, but I doubt our renovations will be done in time to have a space to assemble it before baby is here. ugh.

This baby likes to stretch and I constantly feel like I'm a balloon that's about to pop.

@Jessiemuller88: So my two were born at 36+2 and spent some time in the NICU and that’s when they were put on a 4 hour schedule. Now as non-first-time-mum I knew that was something to keep up once home especially since I had nursed more on demand in the first couple of nights and basically got absolutely no sleep. One of the nurses then told me to go to sleep and get some rest because if I would continue at that pace my milk wouldn’t come in properly. That’s when my two got their first formula and I got my first sleep of more than a nap in over 48 hours. So I knew I couldn’t feed completely on demand by the first two or three days of their lives. I proceeded to nurse them for 21 months, so the little formula did no harm. Also all kids with a birth weight lower than 2800g needed to be offered a bottle after a nursing session because they’d often be too weak to fill up completely. We actually kept feeding them per bottle for the last feed of the day offering about 4oz of pumped breast milk and 2-3 oz formula for quite a while to keep them a.) used to the bottle, b.) it wasn’t as draining for me in the beginning to not nurse at midnight for 1.5 hours and c.) they kept being accustomed to the taste of formula. That was useful on car trips when we could just offer them a bottle of milk in their seats instead of stopping and waking our two toddlers or when I was sick and needed the calories for myself.

Wow this is turning into a novel

I only occasionally tandem nursed since they were on only 5 feeds a day from pretty early on (5/6 weeks or so) and I liked spending that time one on one with them.

I actually wrote a long birth story post at the time if it’s of interest to you https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-med-free-birth-story-twin-edition

Out schedule actually looked like this most days:
Feed 1 6am
Feed 2 10-11am
Feed 3 3pm
Feed 4 7pm (bedtime)
Feed 5 11:30pm-12am

@Sams Mom: I didn’t really have to many online resources, I have a couple of friends that have twins so I talked to them a bit and since it was kiddo 3 & 4 for us, we kind of felt like we could manage our 4 under 4. I was lucky that my mum could help out in the first couple of months and that helped a lot. We’ve also always been very go with the flow anyway and that helped 🤷‍♀️ Also we have a local what’s app group of twin mums were we trade clothes, ask and answer questions and organize meetups - maybe something like this is available in her area as well?

@graceandjoy: so much discharge. SO MUCH.

@Sams Mom: Oh man, I should prob have that checked out next time too.

@Jessiemuller88: well I'm up at 2 AM chugging water and eating spaghetti O's because it's the only thing that sounds good. I'm almost done with the flagyl they gave me as a just in case it's BV and not a yeast infection, and I don't think it's being very nice to my stomach.

I'm sorry you're so miserable, I can't imagine the third tri with 2 babies. Is it just the weight of your stomach for the most part? I did K taping with Sam when I blew up to measuring 5 weeks ahead around 31 weeks. It might help a little bit since you can sleep and shower with it on for like 10 days.

@Jessiemuller88: @Sams Mom: Ugh, sorry you've both been sick, that sounds awful... And @Jessiemuller88: , hang in there, twins sounds so rough but you are doing awesome!

I feel like I'm feeling all the feels. It's been an annoying time at work, with various annoying things to deal with on top of what is already a busy season and trying to get things lined up for leave. I doubt our renovations will be done before the baby gets here, but I at least want all the decisions on my part finalized. I still don't have childcare for after mat leave. And DS is at such a fun age now, I desperately want to spend more one-on-one time with him before the baby gets here - I just feel like I don't have nearly enough time to treasure these moments with him - I feel like probably a combination of genuinely wanting more time with him due to how nuts things have been, and raging pregnancy hormones. And I feel like this is the worst time of year for my mental health, I'm a girl who loves sunshine and the getting dark at 4:30 and constant grayness is definitely a downer.

It was really hitting me last night - when I couldn't sleep due to never ending baby hiccups (this kid gets them like 10 times a day and it drives me batty!) - that there's really not that much time left. I'm nearly 35 weeks... granted last time I went to 41+ but my OB also says to expect it can be any day now once you reach 37 weeks. So yes, I'm uncomfortable and can't wait to meet the baby, but at the same time, eek, it's soon!

Girls I need more updates and stories! I love keeping tabs on my Jan 2020 babes!!!

@pachamama: I’m basically just putting one foot in front of the other these days. Good news, both babes are nearly 4 pounds already, so I’m hopeful for some chunky monkeys!