Getting on a Schedule

Most moms would agree that the best favor you can do for yourself with a newborn is GET ON A SCHEDULE.  I had an idea of how our schedule would look (based on how things went with Grady), and after only a few days at home I realized it was time to throw that plan in the trash!

Every baby is different (and then there's the fact that we have 2 this time).  So Kevin and I have been taking things one day at a time, utilizing the help that his mom and my dad have been able to provide us, enjoying the meals our church family has been keeping in our fridge, and adjusting our plan for a schedule each day.  I have yet to have a full day at home alone with the twins, but I believe this week we are going to attempt it.

The New Plan (Survive)

Feedings

Our new plan is basically to not have a plan.  Difficult for me to wrap my mind around, but from our trial and error method that we've been using thus far I think this is our best option.  There are certain things throughout the day that I strive to achieve (like keeping the twins on a feeding schedule 15-20 minutes apart).  The original plan included me feeding both babies at the same time so that I wouldn't just be constantly feeding babies.  However, after attempting this, I've learned it's best (for me) to feed one and burp him and then move on to the next baby.  They actually eat better when I feed them one at a time, and after doing feedings both ways I've discovered that at any given feeding each of these methods takes about the same amount of time.  So I wasn't really saving myself any time by trying to multi-task.  The "no plan" part of this includes the fact that if both babies wake up to eat at the same time, I do what is needed for that feeding.  The key for me to stay sane is to just do what works each time throughout the day and not get hung up on it being done "my way" each time.  Basically do what it takes to survive that feeding and make it to the next one.

Pumping

Ohhhh the pump.  I'm re-attached to this pump bag again, and on an entirely different level than I was with Grady.  Currently, I'm strictly pumping and bottle feeding both boys (for 2 main reasons: I can monitor their exact intake to make sure they're getting enough to gain weight AND when help is around we can divide and conquer).  In order to stay on schedule with the fellas, I pump after each of their feedings.  They eat a lot...therefore I pump a lot.

After their next weight check, I will likely start to breast feed a little more to help reduce some bottle washing, but I will keep pumping to stock up the freezer. 

Feeding and pumping consume approximately 30% of my day.

Night Schedule

I will brag on these amazing babies for a minute (I have already knocked on wood for this).  They are on a good 3 hour schedule during the day, but at night these wonderful children of mine are on a 3.5-4 hour schedule (which means I get 2-3 hours of consecutive sleep!).  We feed them around 10-11pm at night, again between 2-3am and then not again until 6-7am! 

For the past 2 weeks, we have had someone staying with us at night (Kevin's mom or my dad), so Kevin and I will take the 10-11pm feeding, I get up with our helper at 2am, and then Kevin takes the morning feeding with our helper before heading to work.  Once we're on our own, I will get up to feed both babies for each feeding and then Kevin will change and put them back to bed while I pump.   We will re-adjust slightly when I start back to work and can't nap any during the day, but for now this will help Kevin and I both get some good sleep each night.

Bottle Washing

So. Many. Bottles.

When you consider the fact that after each feeding we have 2 bottles and my pump stuff, the sink fills up quickly.  With the help we've had so far, they make it really easy for me to stay on top of this part of the day, but once I'm on my own during the day I will become very busy.

If I wash bottles after every other feeding, then bottle washing will take up about an hour of my day (minimum).

My nightly routine for bottle prep has gotten pretty smooth.  I pack the white basket full of everything I will need upstairs so that I'm not going up and downstairs all night long.  I typically pack:  6 pump bottles, 3 sets of pump attachments, 6 feeding bottles, and lids for the pump bottles to store the extra pumped milk (which I do have to take down to the refrigerator). This will typically get me through the night feedings and have bottles ready for the first morning feeding (between 9-10am).  Then I get to go downstairs and wash it all and sterilize it to start off another day.

Laundry

I can't even wrap my mind around this, because our helpers have done every bit of our laundry for the past 2 weeks! #blessed #Ihatelaundry #laundryistheNEVERENDINGstory

This will be the only time EVER that our laundry is so caught up in this house.  Something you should know about new born twins (if you can't already guess), is that they generate a LOT of laundry.  We have at least one full load each day that consists of burp cloths, baby clothes, blankets, mommy's shirts and pants.  Basically anything in the spit-up zone is at risk around here.  Hudson was an overachiever Thursday of this past week, because between 8:45-9am he had already spit up all over 2 of my shirts, 2 burp cloths, and his jammies.  That my friends takes some real skill.

I can only imagine that once I'm left on my own, to fend for myself, I will need to do at least 1-2 loads of laundry each day of the week and probably an extra load of Kevin and Grady's clothes and sheets on the weekend.  Loads of laundry happening over here.  Loads!

Naps

The babies get to take them, and while I've had help I typically take at least one 30-60 minute nap each day.  However, once the help leaves, I doubt I have much time at all for naps.  We will see. I'm pretty creative and if I'm tired enough then the laundry will wait and I will sleep. =)

Diapers

Can't even describe how many diapers we use each day.  THANK YOU to everyone who has sent us diapers. THANK YOU!

Working out/Getting mommy back in shape

Hahahahahahahaha! So far I've been happy with the natural results of the power of breast feeding/pumping.  There will come a time and day when I'm able to start running/working out again, but I'm not too concerned about when that day comes.  I've only got 8 more pounds to lose to get the number on the scale back to where it was before I was pregnant, however, that number has nothing to do with the effects pregnancy had on my body.  

I am happy to report that my knees and ankles have returned to their "normal" size, and it's a lot easier to move around now that all of the swelling has subsided.  

Summary

So in a typical day (so far) I wake up, feed babies, change babies, pump, wash night bottles and pump accessories, eat breakfast/lunch, gather up laundry from the night before, feed babies, change babies, pump, gather up laundry, sit down and attempt to relax, feed babies, change babies, pump, wash bottles, gather up laundry (start a load), etc.  You get the idea.  

Then at some point Kevin and Grady get home.  I play with Grady in his play room or take him for a walk, we eat dinner, get Grady a bath, read some books, feed babies, change babies, pump, wash bottles, put Grady to bed (it's a fight every night), sit on the couch with Kevin for 30 minutes and wait until babies need to eat again.  Then get what sleep we can to function during the next day.

This is why our best option is to have the "no plan" plan.  We just take what we can get, survive the day, snuggle with these precious babies and soak up all of their newborn cuteness (then change clothes because they likely spit up all over me again).  We work Grady into the babies schedule and get him to help whenever he is interested (he loves to help burp them and always brings them their paci).  Grady get's his special time to play with mommy and daddy in his new play room, and this has helped us transition pretty smoothly to having all 5 of us at home.

This plan is subject to change at any point this week.