Aug 27, 2010
The Twins at 3 Weeks
I’m the mother of twins. I’m the mother of twins–TWO babies! How did this happen? I mean, I know how it happened, but sometimes it just blows my mind!
At three weeks, this is Miss Cadence (aka Baby CayCay, Cade, Cage, Cagey, Cackamalatchee):
She seems like she’s grown up a TON in the last few weeks. Not that she’s really doing anything different, she just looks different! Sometimes she looks so grown up, and then I start crying because there’s already three weeks gone of her life, and I’ll only be able to remember so little of it. That’s the part that kills me.
She is a pretty chill baby still, but has some gas issues that sometimes make evenings and nights difficult. Why does it always get worse at night?
Anyway, Cadence is pretty big time, and we love having a little girl in our home.
At three weeks, this is Mister Whitsun (aka Whit, Wichita, Wee Willy Whitsun, Whittaker, Sandwich):
Whit looks soooo much like Orison when he was a baby. So much so that sometimes it feels like a do-over. His cry sounds exactly like Orison’s did, he has swirly cowlicks like Orison did, and he even spits up like Orison did.
This kid can pee through five outfits in a day, no joke. Somehow he finds a way to pee out the side or top of his diaper no matter how diligent mommy is about getting that rascal pointed down! I’ve had 3 boys now, and I’ve never had this problem before. He is so laid-back, though. It doesn’t seem to bother him at all!
He loooves his pacifiers, he’s kinda pokey at the breast, and he loves his supplement bottles (sucks them down in record time). He’s a pretty good burper (as opposed to his sister who takes her sweet old time).
And here’s Molly at three weeks (aka Mom, Mommy):
Overall, I feel like I’m doing pretty well! The twins sleep decently at night. They still get up to nurse 2 times at night, but that’s okay. For some reason the 1am feeding feels awful, but the 4am feeding seems doable. Go figure.
I’m nursing them mostly, and providing some supplemental bottles. They are doing very well with both and gaining weight (which is the most important thing in my mind). I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say right now that I think nipple confusion is the biggest myth ever sold to moms. Okay, there, I said it. Glad to get that off my chest.
I’ve had help at home from various family members and friends every weekday since Abraham went back to work–that’s been the hugest blessing for me. There’s simply no way I would make it through a day at this point. I feel like I could either take care of my big boys by myself or take care of the twins by myself, but definitely not all four together. There is truly a village of people taking care of us right now. I couldn’t be more thankful. And if you want to come help some day, let me know. I’ll put you to work!
We still have meals coming too! Again, so thankful for all of you! Without having to factor meal preparation into my days I can actually keep my head above water. I’ll probably need some ongoing help with that, so if one of your spiritual gifts is browning ground beef or cooking chicken breasts, let me know!
So that’s about it! The twins say “thank you” to all of you for loving them, near and far!
(Photos by Wendy Maybury)
How do you get them to make such awesome faces in all the photos? Is that part of Wendy’s job? If so, she’s an even more amazing photographer than I thought.
They’re seriously cute. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us.
Reading this post brought a big smile to my face. :-)
(and I really liked the a.k.a.s!)
haha me too! :) God bless you guys :)
As I read this I was scrolling down as needed. So when I got to Whit, I thought, “That looks just like Orison as a baby!!!” Then I saw that you had said that. Wow!
I’m so glad things are going pretty well for you. Hopefully I can come sometime to help and meet your new, precious, adorable twins!
I hate it that I am so close and haven’t even come to see you guys. I’m so sorry. I will be there in Oct, for sure! And, your babies are incredible.
They are incredibly beautiful!! They both seem so BIG now!! I will contact you about leaving Gus with one of his oh so willing grandparents and come over and help.
Btw-your daughter has more hair than my 5 month old!! She is beautiful. Whit just looks like a ham, he is going to make you laugh daily.
I love, love, LOVE this update and wish I didn’t live so far away!!
Completely agree with you about nipple confusion! Just makes me so sad that I spent so much time worrying about it with Ian… worried to give him a paci, worried to give him a bottle… ugh! No point! I’ve never heard of any real-life nipple confused baby. We need to spread the word!
I’m so happy to read this post & see you & your beautiful babies! Keep up the good work, mama!
agree on the nipple confusion. this post made me think of so much I wrote you an email :)
OK, I can’t let the nipple confusion thing go (you knew there’d be some dissent!)
Trust me, there are babies who are negatively affected by early introduction of bottles. If the nursing, and particularly the nursing latch, is well established, then confusion probably won’t be an issue.
But when this is not the case–when you have latching issues (weak sucker, flat or inverted nipples)– then you won’t want to introduce any extra variables.
But I’m glad that it’s going so well for you, and my daughters and I love seeing the updated baby photos–beautiful babies!
Yeah, I suppose I should have clarified. I’ve never met a baby who has an established latch who has nipple confusion. Good clarification.
Your babies are BEAUTIFUL! And you look great – and remarkably sane :) Loved this post!
Expecting twins in one week ; are you nursing them at the same time, if so tips?
ok. i love whit’s facial expressions. seriously, he’s a hoot already!
epidural and now nipple confusion?? girl you are living on the edge saying daring things. i love it and couldn’t agree more!
Delurking to say that those are two beautiful babies, and you look wonderful as well! So happy to see so much joy and new life in your house.
Also, I couldn’t agree with you more on the confusion issue…I worried about that so much with my first — I was that mom who followed the books’ advice to make a “breastfeeding only” sign for my baby’s bassinet in the hospital and everything — but by the time we had our second, he was getting supplemental bottles within the first week and was still a great nurser.
Congratulations to you and your gorgeous family!
Beautiful! All three of you! I’m grinning from ear to ear with those cutie patooties’ pictures. Whitsun has the coolest expression, I laughed out loud!
I am so happy for you all!
Molly, that pic of Whit makes my heart skip a beat! How can you stand it?? And Cadence is simply beautiful beyond words. You, dear lady, look radiant! Sounds like all is starting to get a little more “normal” for your family. Always a blessing.
Thanks for sharing those pics. A much needed bright spot in my bummer of a morning.
Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! All three of you – you look pretty good for having two brand new babies! I wish I knew you IRL and lived nearby, because I would be over in a flash. I have serious baby envy.
They are so beautiful, Molly! I have been thinking since I saw him that Whit looks so much like Orison when he was a baby. I remember having O in the nursery when he was an infant and I can’t forget that cute face! And Cadence is so pretty! I love all of her hair. My twin niece had dark hair too.
ps: you look amazing!
You look great and the babies are adorable. I love their little nicknames. Yay for lots of helpers!
My spiritual gift is sending gift cards to take out restaurants for moms with newborns who live far away:). I would love to use my “gifting” on you! When you get a chance, could you let me know what places you like (Pizza Hut, Chilis, etc), and I could send it either to your church for you, or could you email me your address?
Cadence looks like you and Whit looks like a Piper! So adorable! I love the looks on their faces! What a blessing to be taken care of by the Body while you adjust! I wish I were closer to brown some ground beef for you! And I agree with the nipple confusion thing!
I love that after your comment about nipple confusion, you said you were glad to get it off your chest ;).
I agree with you, for the record.
That made me laugh, too.
Me three! Thanks for the update! You and your babies, how beautiful!
Molly!
The babies are SOOO adorable!! I love how much hair Cadence has–super cute! And, you look seriously amazing :)
Don’t ever hesitate to call if you need an extra hand.
I am glad to see there is a secret society of moms who don’t believe in nipple confusion (I took pacis to the hospital with me.) There was actually a study done in the AAP journal a couple of years ago that proved it was bogus. I can’t find the article but here is the author’s reply to a letter:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/92/2/301
There is also a secret society of tummy sleepers. It has a handshake and everything. So I’ve, um, heard.
AMEN to the tummy sleeping. If my baby is happy sleeping on his tummy, it’s on the tummy he goes. I had a babysitter for my first, however, who was a social worker and she said she just could NOT put him to sleep on his tummy; all day long at work she would sit under a poster that said “Back is Best” :) But that’s ok.
As a mom of seven, I went through all of the latest “here is how to have your baby sleep.” First babies: on their tummies. Then subsequent babies: “on their side” (could never get them propped up properly, so went back to putting them on their tummies, where they were happiest and slept the best), and then by the last couple of kids, “put them on their backs”. I just nodded to the health care professionals and continued to have my babies sleep peacefully on their tummies.
Missy–I want to learn the secret handshake. :)
Me too on the handshake! I put my little snoozer on her tummy at 8 weeks… in a sleep sack with a “back is best” logo on it. Sleeps with her little patootie straight up in the air and her arms tucked under her, happy as a clam. Wish I’d done it sooner. Did I say that out loud?
Molly, I’ve been reading your blog for a couple of years and have never commented, but I just wanted to tell you how much God has blessed me through you and your family. Your honesty in sharing about your struggles and your joys is a true witness to God’s faithfulness and has meant a lot to me. I am so happy for you and your family. Your babies are beautiful!
May God continue to bless you and your family!
Wow. I can’t believe it’s been three weeks, either! Cadence and Whit have changed so much, and are just beautiful and adorable and edible! :-)
I am so glad to hear about all the help you have….when “my ship comes in” I’m flying over just to bring you some killer mexican food!
Maybe I’ll have to try what JenR suggests…gift cards for takeout!
I feel as though there are stages in “twin-dom” where the “TWO babies” thought comes at you pretty hard. We found out we are having twins about ten weeks ago (I am at 28 weeks now). It has been adventurous since then. I’m glad to know that even once they arrive there are still those moments and that nursing is so do-able, it’s my plan, but it’s a little daunting, I mean, there’s TWO of them, right? :)
I just found your blog today and was so touched reading all of your posts. You have a beautiful family. I love the names you’ve chosen and their meanings. It’s really nice to see names that are unique but still “normal” if you know what I mean. The current trend seems to be to name a child something as off-the-wall as possible instead of something truly thoughtful and meaningful. Congratulations of the arrival of your two new little ones.
And you are absolutely right about nipple confusion.
Beautiful babies! And motherhood certainly agrees with you too :) I concur on the nipple confusion (five babies and not a one with an issue here). Thanks for sharing your journey with us … being only a reader, it has still been an incredible blessing to see God working in life through your marriage and children. Blessings!
The picture of Whitsun is priceless, what an expression! So happy that you have help. Enjoy it, use it, get out even if you can. Truly, so happy for you Molly!
Thanks for the update and fantastic photos!
Miss Cay Cay and Mister Whitster are darling, adorable love-bugs!
Blessings!
i love “sandwich”. maybe one of my favorites. up there with “margarine”.
Totally agree about the “nipple confusion” myth, Molly! Can we say BOGUS? I seriously think some medical professionals sit around and cook up theories and then have contests to see how many people they can get to buy into it. “Nipple confusion” (can’t write that without the quoteys) is one such contests that hit the big time.
Your twins are gorgeous.
Molly, you look great, and the twins are adorable! I love that warm, snuggly, tiny baby stage.
As an NICU nurse who is certified in lactation, I have to weigh in on nipple confusion. “Nipple confusion” is actually a misnomer no longer widely used among professionals. Nipple preference is the accepted descriptor, and it can happen when breastfeeding is suspended for a period of time and a baby receives only bottles. Most infants will go back and forth between breast and bottle with few problems as long as breastfeeding is continued for at least one or two feedings a day. Nipple preference can also become an issue when a mother has a low milk supply because the baby comes to prefer the rapid flow of milk from a bottle nipple. In the early weeks this is shown by a baby who is very sleepy at the breast and in later weeks as a baby who is frustrated and fussy during feeding times.
When it comes to pacifiers, the issue is not that somehow the baby comes to prefer the shape or texture of the pacifier over the breast. Problems arise because, especially early on, a mother’s breasts need the baby’s sucking to establish a healthy milk supply. When a baby sucks on a pacifier instead, the mother can miss out on necessary stimulation. Also, babies early feeding cues are wakefulness and making sucking movements with its mouth. If a pacifier is given at this time, the baby may hold off on a feeding and, over time, may not be getting in enough feedings in a 24-hour period, again negatively affecting milk supply.
There are some women for whom nursing is very easy, and all the bottles and pacifiers in the world will cause no problems. However, in other women they might adversely affect breastfeeding. Because we don’t know exactly which babies might have problems, we try to get every mom and baby off on the “best foot” to give them the best chances of success. To skeptical commenters I would say that just because you haven’t personally experienced nipple confusion doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Be thankful that breastfeeding worked out so well for you! There are a lot of women for whom it isn’t so easy. (And trust me, most medical professionals I know have FAR more pressing concerns than sitting around and “cooking up theories” and having contests about them!)
Heidi, I wholeheartedly agree with you. I have helped women breastfeed for the past ten years (as a postpartum nurse) and agree that nipple confusion/preference does indeed exist. I find it sad that there are so many women here who are dispelling an actual condition based on their successful breastfeeding/bottling experiences. You’ve hit the nail on the head with the reasons why this condition does exist. Might I add that not all nipples are created equal? There are countless women who have flat/inverted nipples and, in these instances, bottlefeeding often has a detrimental effect on the whole latching experience. Nurses/LCs aren’t giving out this info (about nipple preference) for the fun of it. It is hopefully advice that will prevent potential problems from arising.
Sorry for the rant – many of the comments just struck a nerve!
Your babies are lovely, Molly. Makes me extremely wistful for those newborn days! Congratulations!
Thank you, Heidi and Deborah, for the nuanced responses.
I expressed my opinion on this earlier (see above), but I don’t have the qualifications that you have.
Breastfeeding is so emotionally-charged.
Those who have had an “easy” time of it need to remember that this is simply God’s grace: they did not achieve successful breastfeeding themselves by ignoring “theory” or by anything else they have done. They need to thank God.
Those who have had a hard time with breastfeeding, or have felt like failures if they stopped, need to know that they are not alone. And God does not love them less. His grace will be enough for you, and he will help you be a wonderful mother to your child.
If this sounds dramatic, you probably have not gone through the heat-ache and frustration of major breastfeeding problems.
That’s “heart-ache and frustration”, though “heat-ache” might not be a bad description of mastitis.
Molly, your babies are beautiful! I am a fellow Bethlehemer and have been blessed by your blog for a few months now. I would LOVE to bring you guys a meal. Do you have a meal coordinator?
Everyone looks beautiful, including momma!
And I wish I lived closer–I’d totally bring you a couple of casseroles, just for the chance to rock those babies.
(P.S. Agree with you on the nipple confusion. Yep, some babies experience. Mine went back and forth between bottle, breast and pacifiers like little champs, even the preemie.)
Hang in there!
Congrats!! So happy you and the babies are doing well! Left me just say that, as the mother of 2 1/2 year old twins, I still say, “I can’t believe I have twins…there are two of them!” It never gets old!!
Enjoy your beautiful babies!!
They are beautiful! Congratulations!!!
Adorable pictures–and fun nicknames!
I like how some of the nicknames we give are kids evolve in such a way it’s hard to tell how we got them–other than they begin with the same letter as the children’s names. Since my kids are teenagers and above, I’m not sure I can share theirs on a nationally read blog. They always get embarrassed when I tell cute stories about them. Maybe we’ll run into you if we visit MN.
Well, it’s possible that nipple confusion is a myth, or maybe you have been given some grace in this area. After one of my kids got bottles in the nursery and had trouble nursing, I asked that the following baby not be given any, and she did much better. I saw in the comments that there may be some other reasons for that, too. I’m glad your kids are doing well on both–that’s a huge blessing.
Many more blessings to you!
You look great for being the super-mom of two little boys and the beautiful twins!!
BTW ~ Where did you get the watch you are wearing in that last picture? It is so adorable and classic.
God bless!
You look so happy, Molly, so beautiful — God is so good, always, and I’m in a puddle of tears, a blur of grace.
You all look great! What BEAUTIFUL babies. Sigh. Also, Will has slept with a paci practically since birth and there was never any confusion! (Of course, now he’s almost old enough to be in preschool and still sleeps with one, so that’s another issue… :)).