overwhelmed and exhausted

I agree with everyone else about the feeding. Sleep you can't control as much,
but when they eat is something you can. Definitely get them on the same
feeding schedule...when one is hungry, feed them both. If you are using
bottles, prop one of them. It is a lifesaver and makes the feedings go so much
faster! I was only able to prop for Alex because he was so calm and never
fussed during feedings. I used to feel so bad that I hardly ever held him to
eat, but hey, he won't remember it and isn't scarred for life

Hang in there, you are doing a great job! The hardest time is almost behind
you.

Ellen
--------
Erin 6/26/95
Bradley & Alex 10/5/00

I agree with everyone else about the feeding. Sleep you can't control as much,
but when they eat is something you can. Definitely get them on the same
feeding schedule...when one is hungry, feed them both. If you are using
bottles, prop one of them. It is a lifesaver and makes the feedings go so much
faster! I was only able to prop for Alex because he was so calm and never
fussed during feedings. I used to feel so bad that I hardly ever held him to
eat, but hey, he won't remember it and isn't scarred for life

Hang in there, you are doing a great job! The hardest time is almost behind
you.

Ellen
--------
Erin 6/26/95
Bradley & Alex 10/5/00

Feeding one by one and listening to one twin cry while you feed the other is
VERY stressful. If you are bottle feeding, try putting them in their
carseats with one on each side of you, and hold a bottle with each hand. I
did that and sat on the couch with a car seat on either side. I would stop
halfway and burp them one by one. It made the feeding process less tedious
and both babies could see my face while I fed them. If you are nursing and
can't tandem nurse, I would recommend getting a lactation consultant to help
you. If you feed one at a time you'll be feeding all day and night!

Keep your chin up, things will get better!
Peggy

--
http://www.babygardengifts.com
"Ellen Kmetz" wrote in message
...
I agree with everyone else about the feeding. Sleep you can't control as
much,
but when they eat is something you can. Definitely get them on the same
feeding schedule...when one is hungry, feed them both. If you are using
bottles, prop one of them. It is a lifesaver and makes the feedings go so
much
faster! I was only able to prop for Alex because he was so calm and never
fussed during feedings. I used to feel so bad that I hardly ever held him
to
eat, but hey, he won't remember it and isn't scarred for life

Hang in there, you are doing a great job! The hardest time is almost
behind
you.

Ellen
--------
Erin 6/26/95
Bradley & Alex 10/5/00

Feeding one by one and listening to one twin cry while you feed the other is
VERY stressful. If you are bottle feeding, try putting them in their
carseats with one on each side of you, and hold a bottle with each hand. I
did that and sat on the couch with a car seat on either side. I would stop
halfway and burp them one by one. It made the feeding process less tedious
and both babies could see my face while I fed them. If you are nursing and
can't tandem nurse, I would recommend getting a lactation consultant to help
you. If you feed one at a time you'll be feeding all day and night!

Keep your chin up, things will get better!
Peggy

--
http://www.babygardengifts.com
"Ellen Kmetz" wrote in message
...
I agree with everyone else about the feeding. Sleep you can't control as
much,
but when they eat is something you can. Definitely get them on the same
feeding schedule...when one is hungry, feed them both. If you are using
bottles, prop one of them. It is a lifesaver and makes the feedings go so
much
faster! I was only able to prop for Alex because he was so calm and never
fussed during feedings. I used to feel so bad that I hardly ever held him
to
eat, but hey, he won't remember it and isn't scarred for life

Hang in there, you are doing a great job! The hardest time is almost
behind
you.

Ellen
--------
Erin 6/26/95
Bradley & Alex 10/5/00

Feeding one by one and listening to one twin cry while you feed the other is
VERY stressful. If you are bottle feeding, try putting them in their
carseats with one on each side of you, and hold a bottle with each hand. I
did that and sat on the couch with a car seat on either side. I would stop
halfway and burp them one by one. It made the feeding process less tedious
and both babies could see my face while I fed them. If you are nursing and
can't tandem nurse, I would recommend getting a lactation consultant to help
you. If you feed one at a time you'll be feeding all day and night!

Keep your chin up, things will get better!
Peggy

--
http://www.babygardengifts.com
"Ellen Kmetz" wrote in message
...
I agree with everyone else about the feeding. Sleep you can't control as
much,
but when they eat is something you can. Definitely get them on the same
feeding schedule...when one is hungry, feed them both. If you are using
bottles, prop one of them. It is a lifesaver and makes the feedings go so
much
faster! I was only able to prop for Alex because he was so calm and never
fussed during feedings. I used to feel so bad that I hardly ever held him
to
eat, but hey, he won't remember it and isn't scarred for life

Hang in there, you are doing a great job! The hardest time is almost
behind
you.

Ellen
--------
Erin 6/26/95
Bradley & Alex 10/5/00

Best advice we got when the twins were only a week or two old: You're not going
to be perfect -- just try to survive. That resonated with us for a long time.
There will be times when one baby cries, and you can't always 'be there' like
you would for a singleton. That's the way it is! We learned to prop a bottle
(I remember many nights, leaning against the side of a crib, holding one baby
in my arm against the crib railing with the bottle under my chin and propping a
bottle for baby #2 who was in an infant seat in the crib, or in the car seat in
the crib). I felt like a 'bad grandma' because each baby wasn't getting the
nurturing my own singletons got -- but now they are three, and really seem none
the worse for the experiences we all put them through! In my opinion, the
benefits of being a twin far outweigh the disadvantages (e.g., lack of total
nurturing during feeding, perhaps waiting for a diaper change, and being called
by the wrong name from time to time -- and having to wear blue nailpolish on
one toe and one finger to be 'identified' by tired parents and grandparents
g). It truly gets better, and being tired, overwhelmed and even exhausted
will eventually lessen (not go away, at least we haven't seen it disappear in
the three years we've been exposed to these two kids!). Cultivate people who
will 'spell' you occasionally. My daughter sometimes gets a night away with
her husband, and we stay at the house with the kids. Hang in there... just
think about all the stories you'll have to tell the children some day!
Grandma Gwen

Best advice we got when the twins were only a week or two old: You're not going
to be perfect -- just try to survive. That resonated with us for a long time.
There will be times when one baby cries, and you can't always 'be there' like
you would for a singleton. That's the way it is! We learned to prop a bottle
(I remember many nights, leaning against the side of a crib, holding one baby
in my arm against the crib railing with the bottle under my chin and propping a
bottle for baby #2 who was in an infant seat in the crib, or in the car seat in
the crib). I felt like a 'bad grandma' because each baby wasn't getting the
nurturing my own singletons got -- but now they are three, and really seem none
the worse for the experiences we all put them through! In my opinion, the
benefits of being a twin far outweigh the disadvantages (e.g., lack of total
nurturing during feeding, perhaps waiting for a diaper change, and being called
by the wrong name from time to time -- and having to wear blue nailpolish on
one toe and one finger to be 'identified' by tired parents and grandparents
g). It truly gets better, and being tired, overwhelmed and even exhausted
will eventually lessen (not go away, at least we haven't seen it disappear in
the three years we've been exposed to these two kids!). Cultivate people who
will 'spell' you occasionally. My daughter sometimes gets a night away with
her husband, and we stay at the house with the kids. Hang in there... just
think about all the stories you'll have to tell the children some day!
Grandma Gwen

Best advice we got when the twins were only a week or two old: You're not going
to be perfect -- just try to survive. That resonated with us for a long time.
There will be times when one baby cries, and you can't always 'be there' like
you would for a singleton. That's the way it is! We learned to prop a bottle
(I remember many nights, leaning against the side of a crib, holding one baby
in my arm against the crib railing with the bottle under my chin and propping a
bottle for baby #2 who was in an infant seat in the crib, or in the car seat in
the crib). I felt like a 'bad grandma' because each baby wasn't getting the
nurturing my own singletons got -- but now they are three, and really seem none
the worse for the experiences we all put them through! In my opinion, the
benefits of being a twin far outweigh the disadvantages (e.g., lack of total
nurturing during feeding, perhaps waiting for a diaper change, and being called
by the wrong name from time to time -- and having to wear blue nailpolish on
one toe and one finger to be 'identified' by tired parents and grandparents
g). It truly gets better, and being tired, overwhelmed and even exhausted
will eventually lessen (not go away, at least we haven't seen it disappear in
the three years we've been exposed to these two kids!). Cultivate people who
will 'spell' you occasionally. My daughter sometimes gets a night away with
her husband, and we stay at the house with the kids. Hang in there... just
think about all the stories you'll have to tell the children some day!
Grandma Gwen

Isn't it funny the things we do to survive that first year? LOL!! I
remember sitting on the floor with one baby resting her head in the crook of
my knee and holding the other one and that's how I fed them most of the
time. My advice would be to sleep when you can, try and eat as well as you
can, and take care of those babies. The hard times will pass before you
know it and it will all be a blur. At least it was for me. Good luck!

--
Tori

Mommy to
Lauren & Madison
4/4/01

Isn't it funny the things we do to survive that first year? LOL!! I
remember sitting on the floor with one baby resting her head in the crook of
my knee and holding the other one and that's how I fed them most of the
time. My advice would be to sleep when you can, try and eat as well as you
can, and take care of those babies. The hard times will pass before you
know it and it will all be a blur. At least it was for me. Good luck!

--
Tori

Mommy to
Lauren & Madison
4/4/01