For the first time, I feel like the mother of twins: tired, unwashed, overwhelmed, but also very happy to have Amelia at home.The first couple of days have actually gone quite well. Amelia still sleeps quite a bit, although she was a bit more wakeful today. She is on a strict feeding schedule as she must gain weight quickly since she is so desperately underweight. I’m not used to schedules in terms of baby-care – Jack and Sarah are/were both demand fed – but I’m doing my best. I am coping with the NG tube. As long as she doesn’t pull it out, it is a convenient way to deliver her medications. I do not want to ever have to replace it. The home-care nurse was here yesterday and she assures me that she can do it so I’m perfectly happy to leave it to her. Actually, Amelia has done very well with her oral feedings, especially considering that she’s only been feeding by mouth for less than a week. Breastfeeding is another story. I’m trying to tackle one challenge at a time.
My mom has come to stay this week to help me and I definitely need help. How will I ever be home alone with three kids? Jack has started to smile, which is a lovely sight, but he is still quite fussy, and I’m terribly unsuccessful at getting him to sleep in any place other than my arms. John took him to the park for the first time today because Sarah wanted to go. I think it went pretty well, and he had a great nap afterwards. We may try an outing again tomorrow. Now that we don’t have to run to the hospital every day, I’d like to try to do more routine care more regularly. Jack had a bath tonight. His last bath was on Thursday. Not too impressive.
John has been very good about getting up in the night to feed Amelia. I’m grateful for the chance to stay in bed and feed Jack. I don’t know what John thinks of nighttime parenting, but with twins, I think he’ll become more familiar with it than he ever really wanted to. Sarah has also been coping well with two babies. She doesn’t seem jealous of them. She was home from daycare today, which made our day somewhat more challenging, and she watched a lot of T.V., but she’s doing her best to deal with being housebound, more or less. I’d like Amelia to gain more weight, or the weather to get considerably warmer, before I try a walk with her. Actually, I’d also like to avoid the question that many people will probably ask: why is one baby so much larger than the other one?
We return to Sick Kids on Thursday for the Post-Op Clinic. Poor Amelia will be having an X-ray, an Echocardiogram, and visits with the nurse practitioner and the dietician. I think she’ll also be getting the last of her stitches removed. This kid has already had more X-rays in her short life than John and I have probably had combined!
If anyone wants to help us out, now is the time. Come on up and change a diaper, give a bottle, pop in a soother. And bring food!
Thanks to Sheri and Spencer for lending us a basket for Amelia to sleep in. Being able to carry her from place to place without disturbing her has been great. The box of diapers is also useful, but in a much different way.
Plls, gifts, and postings on this blog. Your concern and best wishes for all of us have really helped us get through this difficult time. Keep ‘em coming.
Personally, I’d also like to thank everyone for all of their emails, phone calls, gifts, and postings on this blog. Your concern and best wishes for all of us have really helped us get through this difficult time. Keep ‘em coming.
2 comments:
I enjoyed reading your comments Melissa. Most parents of twins don't have the added stress that you have. It's a difficult journey in the beginning. Mary's presence this week must ease the load and provide reassuring support.
And as your Nana would say, "Hang in there kid".
Love Aunt Jane
Melissa certainly has me beat. I only helped the interns insert NG tubes when I was in training. Student Nurses weren't expected to put them in and I don't think that RN's were. There had to be some procedures left for junior interns to do in a teaching hospital.
I certainly wouldn't want to replace it.
There is a Community Nurse that comes in 3 times a week to check Amelia and I like her. She will be helpful for Melissa as she is keeping track of Amelia's weight.
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