WEEK 2 Was minding babies as they grew as my wife was in the hospital
I have noticed that Helen seems to take much bigger feeds than Matthew. They both cry as soon as they want a feed and God knows Matthew will let you know just when he wants his with quite a loud scream. It really is endless feeding here in the hospital but the nurses say that I am doing quite a good job. I have never been in this position before so I dont know what kind of job I am doing at all.WEEK 3 My family are giving quite a lot of help thank God. I dont know what sort of father I will be but at least I can say that I was there for the start.
We are getting lots of presents. It is amazing how generous people are being to us and we are most appreciative (if that is even a word) of it. The twins are eating lots and we are feeding them constantly. At least I am off work because I am absolutely ex flaming sausted. Today for example I feeded Helen 6 times and Matthew 8 times. My eyes are only seeing blurs. God I didnt think it would be this tiring.
WEEK 4 Now both of them are feeding 8 times a day. This is hard. We feed them formula by the way.
We tried the breast method but because of many reasons we could not continue this way. Of course it is different for everyone but for us Formula turned out to be best not breast. They are sleeping up to 4 hours by night now so at least that is some progress isnt it.
We weighed them and Matthew was 9lb 7 while Helen was 10lb 5oz. People are telling us they are very big for twins but fraternal twins are not really twins are they. They are two seperate human beings.
Also theyve been carried by a lot of people at this stage so Id say by the time they get to later life they will be quite sociable we hope.
We have started to take them to the park in the buggy also to give them some fresh air. Hopefully getting this into their lungs is going to make them grow to be big and strong. It also seems to tire them out some and makes them sleep loads.
WEEK 5 Feeding 5oz bottles now and they are sleeping for up to 5 hours at night. An improvement I guess. Matthew is a very active boy and Helen is a bossy boots who seems to be able to get what she wants though I hope that she isnt in too much pain with her loud cries at times.They currently weigh 10.5lb for Helen and 10lb for Matthew.
Helen seems to be getting very alert now and Matthew is making some very cute poses.
WEEK 6 Helen did a big smile today. Very heart warming and cute as didnt expect it. Sometimes they just smile when they have wind.
WEEK 7
Nearly 2 months old already. They dont sleep through the night at all yet and feed often. Really notice a growth spurt now. Both of them are feeding 5oz bottles now. It really is a really steep learning process that requires much love and patience that I pray that I have. I know we can be good parents to our children but can we be great parents is the big question?
WEEK 8
Helen did some more big smiles today though again it could just be that she has wind but I dont know. Matthew is growing more into himself too and has lost a lot of the smallness that he had as a newborn.
WEEK 9
Both Matthew and Helen smiling lots now and even trying to laugh but too no avail. They are both crying lots too unfortunately and still are taking two feeds each during the nights.Lots of new noises like Ga and Weh! Matthew can kick his legs up to tip mobile holder and Helen is learning to smile a lot more too.
Halfway into the 9th week now and Matthew is learning some gurgly talk with his favorites being Baboo and ello and ga and beh. Helen is settling down to bed a lot quicker at night now than she used to do but we need to give them some more tummy time. Helen took over 7oz of milk today. This is the most that she has taken since birth.
WEEK 10
The twins slept from 8 until 2-30am. Thats not bad at all and their Mam and Dad got a few hours kip too. Lots of new sounds coming out of both babies mouths. Matthew is saying a sound that sounds like hello and Helen says something that sounds like Wow. Handy words to possess.
Both babies now sleep at either end of the cot. This is supposed to be best practice in order to get them used to be seperated. The will have to have their own independent little lives in a few months so I guess this is the right step to take at this time.
Helen cries more than Matthew and feel a bit helpless sometimes as she cries when its not the bottle she wants. Cant keep giving her bottle all the time.Try the soother and hugs but have to take a longer time to do this and I get very tired.
WEEK 11
Feeding babies fast at night with light off to see if it deters night feeds. Slept some hours myself whilst minding the babies which is some more progress as I used to not be able to go to sleep with stress and worry of them waking up.. Helen is smiling a lot more now than she used to. When she is sitting up also she is more balanced. Matthew finds everything hillarious and laughs at most everything.
Helen is trying to look left more as she has a problem looking this way with her head size and shape. Matthew is sleeping the more of the two babies. Also this week Matthew discovers the magic that is his own hand and stares at it for ages.
Both babies are going to be seperated this week into their own cots so it may unsettle them a little. Dont know which baby we are going to put in which cot as Helen seems to cry more maybe we will leave her in her own cot.
WEEK 12
Matthew and Helen get 3 month check and all seems OK thank God. Matthew has a tiny heart murmur. Helen has been told to do more exercises with her neck in oder to eradicate the problem with her head shape.
Helen and Matthew thought that bedtime was playtime and were all hyper and hour after putting them into their beds. Took until 10 to get them to sleep. Maybe I should just keep them awake until 10 and then they would sleep until 6 but who knows.
Finally for this week, Matthew is starting to use his legs a lot more and is kicking things deliberately on his playmat whilst Helen is looking at her fist more and more.
