When I found out I was pregnant with twins, after the shock wore off I could often be heard saying, "Bring it on. Bring on the crazy." I think that's the right (read: only) attitude to have at a time like this, and let me just say the crazy has arrived! But in a good way. I'll miss these days someday, so I am trying to enjoy every minute and relish every challenge.
We are all doing well. Arya is adjusting remarkably well, in fact, and Lyanna and Keira are gaining weight and passed their first pediatrician visit with flying colors. The first 30 (okay, maybe 90) days with newborns are all about baby mayhem and sleep deprivation, so we're right on target!
The thing we're struggling with a bit right now is that Lyanna breastfeeds quite well, but Keira is not quite there yet. I continue to work with them with the goal of being able to nurse them at the same time eventually. Right now, though, with one baby nursing and another requiring a bottle, we use up a whole lot of our 3-hour between-feedings interval, well, feeding. And then I have to pump breastmilk. Add to that multiple diapers and some spit-ups, and we have newborn twin mayhem!
Bless her, though, Arya likes to help with the babies and is remarkably understanding that Mommy and Daddy are busy sometimes.
An apology to you all: I'm sure you've noticed how BAD I am at posting pictures... but I offer this explanation - I don't have enough hands to take pictures!! I'm trying to get better at that, but it's difficult to take photos when we can't just set a baby / the babies on a blanket on the floor to take cute pictures together because we have a very energetic bruiser of a toddler running around. And, see "3-hour between-feedings interval" above.
I hope you're all doing well, too! We would love to hear from you when you get a chance. Feel free to use the comments section or just send an email!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Keira is Coming Home!
Keira is coming home tomorrow (Friday, January 13th)!!!
If Lyanna continues to do well with her feedings, she will probably be able to come home in a few days as well!
Wish us luck... here goes :)
If Lyanna continues to do well with her feedings, she will probably be able to come home in a few days as well!
Wish us luck... here goes :)
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Introducing Lyanna Grace and Keira Jean
So let's start at the beginning! I hope to go back and write some posts reflecting on the experience of being pregnant with twins, and definitely want to record the wild and crazy story of Lyanna and Keira's entrance into the world, but for now I will stick with basics and updates.
Lyanna Grace Duncan was born on Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 6:10p.m. She weighed 6lbs, 3oz.
Keira Jean Duncan was born on Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 6:59p.m. She weighed 4lbs, 15oz.
Both girls are still in the Special Care Nursery as of today, January 11. 2012. Today's news is that they are both in cribs instead of isolettes. Lyanna was taken off her oxygen assistance yesterday morning. I cannot express what a relief that is...and to be able to hold her!! Wow.
I've been working hard to bring in my milk so they don't have to have formula anymore, and the strict, round-the-clock, every-three-hours pumping routine has finally worked! I am now making almost enough milk for both of them, and every time I am able to go visit them we practice at breastfeeding, too. It's not unusual for preemie babies to have trouble breastfeeding in the beginning because some of the necessary coordination may not be there, but the girls are doing great and I'm confident that we'll all get the hang of it!
That's all for now - thanks for checking in!
Oh, and a giggle for the day, courtesy of our own Arya Lou. Tonight, Arya said, "Auntie Em play with Arya; Mommy Daddy go ride in alligator, see babies resting at doctor." That's our amazing girl - such presence of mind and verbal skills for a 21 month old. Honestly, we knew she was amazing, but she has been such a trooper through all of this. I went into the clinic for an appointment last Wednesday morning and didn't come home until Sunday afternoon. She saw me twice in the hospital for very short visits, and otherwise was with Grandma the entire time. Prior to this, she had never spent even a fifth of that time away from Mommy, and yet she handled it all like a champ.
Lyanna Grace Duncan was born on Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 6:10p.m. She weighed 6lbs, 3oz.
Keira Jean Duncan was born on Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 6:59p.m. She weighed 4lbs, 15oz.
Both girls are still in the Special Care Nursery as of today, January 11. 2012. Today's news is that they are both in cribs instead of isolettes. Lyanna was taken off her oxygen assistance yesterday morning. I cannot express what a relief that is...and to be able to hold her!! Wow.
I've been working hard to bring in my milk so they don't have to have formula anymore, and the strict, round-the-clock, every-three-hours pumping routine has finally worked! I am now making almost enough milk for both of them, and every time I am able to go visit them we practice at breastfeeding, too. It's not unusual for preemie babies to have trouble breastfeeding in the beginning because some of the necessary coordination may not be there, but the girls are doing great and I'm confident that we'll all get the hang of it!
That's all for now - thanks for checking in!
Oh, and a giggle for the day, courtesy of our own Arya Lou. Tonight, Arya said, "Auntie Em play with Arya; Mommy Daddy go ride in alligator, see babies resting at doctor." That's our amazing girl - such presence of mind and verbal skills for a 21 month old. Honestly, we knew she was amazing, but she has been such a trooper through all of this. I went into the clinic for an appointment last Wednesday morning and didn't come home until Sunday afternoon. She saw me twice in the hospital for very short visits, and otherwise was with Grandma the entire time. Prior to this, she had never spent even a fifth of that time away from Mommy, and yet she handled it all like a champ.
Information on Lyanna and Keira's Journey
First let me just say, I know I'm a terrible blogger! I develop a blog about my first pregnancy and then don't even update it when the baby is born. Ugh. When I was lamenting about this fact several months back, I said "I'm the worst blogger ever." ... to which one of my dearest relatives/special friends said, "no, but you're definitely in the top 10%" I thought that was hilarious, and oh so true.
So now I find myself with a nearly two-year-old Arya Lou (geez, where does the time go??) and two brand new baby girls in the special care nursery. I decided that resurrecting my blog is the easiest way to keep everyone informed about what's going on with the Duncan family. I will not make any promises about how often I will update--especially in the first weeks after the twins come home--but I will keep it updated with information on how the girls are doing in the special care nursery, and hopefully continue to provide a bit of a window into our lives after they are able to come home.
So now I find myself with a nearly two-year-old Arya Lou (geez, where does the time go??) and two brand new baby girls in the special care nursery. I decided that resurrecting my blog is the easiest way to keep everyone informed about what's going on with the Duncan family. I will not make any promises about how often I will update--especially in the first weeks after the twins come home--but I will keep it updated with information on how the girls are doing in the special care nursery, and hopefully continue to provide a bit of a window into our lives after they are able to come home.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Progress?
In this age of Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and reality TV, is it really "progress" that we can share so much personal information so quickly? Frankly, I'm not sure. For example, I'm about to let you, my devoted blog readers (disclaimer: most if not all of you are people I know well!) what my cervix has been up to these past few days. Too much information? Perhaps. But it's funny how these things are relative. For example, I had a random discussion with a friendly female stranger while waiting to be seated for breakfast at a local cafe on Saturday. She was a new mom and she asked, "are you dilated?" And so I proceeded to tell her, without hesitation, what I had just learned at my doctor appointment. Because it matters! And it has more to do with the miracle of life than it does secret body parts. And it's interesting. And people want to know.
Want to know?
Here's the news, then. I'm now dilated to about 2cm and "effaced" to about 70% (look it up if you don't know the definition of "effaced"... what do you think I am, a science writer or something?) Also, in the past few days, I have had any where from zero (today) to more than a dozen (yesterday) Braxton-Hicks contractions and the baby has dropped MEASURABLY... once in the middle of last week and even more just this morning. Now, those of you who have had children before probably know that these four facts don't necessarily mean anything at all. But in my mind, they could! They might! It just MAY mean that Sean and I get to meet our little angel very soon. Maybe this week, even! You just never know. I'd call that progress for sure.
Want to know?
Here's the news, then. I'm now dilated to about 2cm and "effaced" to about 70% (look it up if you don't know the definition of "effaced"... what do you think I am, a science writer or something?) Also, in the past few days, I have had any where from zero (today) to more than a dozen (yesterday) Braxton-Hicks contractions and the baby has dropped MEASURABLY... once in the middle of last week and even more just this morning. Now, those of you who have had children before probably know that these four facts don't necessarily mean anything at all. But in my mind, they could! They might! It just MAY mean that Sean and I get to meet our little angel very soon. Maybe this week, even! You just never know. I'd call that progress for sure.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Best. Mom. Ever.
My mom's the best. She came over last weekend to help me get all those crucial but hard to get to last-minute tasks done before the baby arrives. Sean and I ordered furniture a while ago for the master bedroom (can you believe we've never really had dressers??) and the nursery, but it hasn't arrived yet. So, all my wonderful baby clothes were still just stuffed in a bag in the closet of the nursery. At 36 weeks pregnant and having already experienced a raging nesting instinct, this was no good. So, with Sean hiding out from all the excess estrogen in the house, my mom and I took care of all those little things that can make a very pregnant lady very anxious! We washed, folded, and sorted all the baby clothes so they're ready to go in the dresser when it arrives. We went to Target with a huge list of all those things I knew I needed but didn't have yet (Boudreaux's Butt Paste, anyone?) She bought me some comfortable, NON-MATERNITY clothes to wear right after the baby's born because I'm so sick of my maternity "wardrobe" I can hardly stand it. We even cleaned out an organized my linen closet because the crazy prego-lady in me was absolutely convinced that had to be done before our little girl arrives.
Sometimes you really just need another person to help you with these things! And while I know Sean would have been happy to help me do it, there's just nothing like spending a quality weekend with your mom in the last weeks before the baby comes. And I suppose I may be a bit biased, but I just happen to have the best mom ever.
Oh, and my midwife swears it doesn't mean anything regarding whether the baby's going to come early, but I did learn last week that I'm about 1.5 cm dilated already! Apparently this is just a normal part of my body preparing for birth, but it's pretty exciting to me!
Sometimes you really just need another person to help you with these things! And while I know Sean would have been happy to help me do it, there's just nothing like spending a quality weekend with your mom in the last weeks before the baby comes. And I suppose I may be a bit biased, but I just happen to have the best mom ever.
Oh, and my midwife swears it doesn't mean anything regarding whether the baby's going to come early, but I did learn last week that I'm about 1.5 cm dilated already! Apparently this is just a normal part of my body preparing for birth, but it's pretty exciting to me!
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