My cystic acne virtually disappeared around the end of the first trimester so I was worried it would return after the pregnancy was over. I'm happy to report that my skin is still quite clear. If I do get acne, it's a tiny raised bump and I'm just fine with that. I've got PIH and pock marks to deal with so I may consider getting some lasering done on the face when I have a chance. On the other hand, the state of my hair is a different story. I thought I'd escape the dreaded postpartum alopecia (hair loss) because I had like ten hairs before pregnancy. It turns out it doesn't matter if you had hardly any hair beforehand because I'm in the midst of hair falling out like crazy. It ends up in the twins' diapers, hands, toes, on my husband, you name it. It started a little after three months and I'm hoping it will slow down in the next month or so. I've been using the RYO Anti-Hair Loss Shampoo but it doesn't seem to be doing anything.
Pregnancy weight came off quite fast thanks to breastfeeding. I think I was back to pre-pregnancy weight by the second month. I realized I was a little too obsessed trying to keep my weight down and I no longer try to limit food intake. Unfortunately my stomach looks jacked up and the linea nigra is still visible, fading very slowly. I've gained a few pounds in the last month or two because I'm hungry all the time. Nursing does help you lose the weight fast but it can also sabotage the last few pounds you're trying to lose with all the hunger cravings. I was working out every other day when I got the all clear from the doctor but that stopped once the twins started demanding more feedings from me. I envisioned tandem feeding the twins when I was pregnant because of the time saving factor. It took a lactation consultant and three nurses to show and help me do it at the hospital. I tandem fed a few times in the beginning when both would get hungry simultaneously but it would stress me out. One twin would latch off or get distracted by the other twin and start crying. I nurse on demand so the feeding and sleeping schedule is very much baby led.
The twins had no latching issues from the get go but my milk took a good three weeks to really come in. Maybe it was because I wasn't able to do skin to skin or hold the twins right away since they were whisked off for tests. They didn't require any NICU time but they were on the smaller side considering they were born at thirty-nine weeks. Anyway, I tried to pump as much as I could in the beginning to get my supply going so I did feed the twins some formula in the early days to help them gain weight. Twin A started refusing the bottle around the second month so I had to exclusively nurse him at the breast. He still doesn't really drink from a bottle which leaves me unable to go out for longer than an hour at a time. The fourth month was also challenging because both babies started to become interested in their surroundings. They would latch on and off if they heard something interesting or look around the room which would double the amount of time for a normal feeding. I haven't had any issues with cracked or bleeding nipples but clogged ducts and engorgement are still an issue for me even with all the nursing I do. If I get lazy about pumping, especially in the middle of the night, I pay for it the next day. Despite all the challenges, I feel incredibly blessed to be able to breastfeed. Although it can be frustrating at times, it's one of the rare times I can spend one on one with each baby. I plan on nursing to the one year mark and might possibly continue on.
The twins used to sleep in the same crib for the first two months but they were getting a little cramped with all the moving around and flailing arms and legs. They don't sleep in the same room for two reasons: they wake each other up even when they're sleeping in separate rooms and there's no room for a second crib in a NYC apartment. One twin sleeps with us and, unfortunately, he's the one who doesn't sleep through the night yet. He was on track with getting through the night and then regressed at four months. However, he naps great throughout the day and rarely cries himself to sleep (I have to wake him up the majority of time) whereas the other twin naps on average for thirty minutes and always cries when he's placed in the crib. But, he sleeps through the night! I did a modified cry it out sleep approach with them since hearing them cry in the middle of the night for long periods of time was not great for my well-being. I couldn't stand to hear the twins cry for the first few months and would feel extremely guilty but now I've learned to tune some of it out. When there's one of you and two babies, there's usually going to be one or both babies crying.
I can barely squeeze in a nap during the day because one twin is always up. They say sleep when baby sleeps but I can't seem to sync up the twins' schedules. It's rare that both of them are asleep at the same time during the day. I've heard it's easier to do this with identical twins which makes sense because they generally share the same placenta and sac from conception. Twin A can barely stay awake more than two hours at a time and Twin B stays up for two and a half hours or more. Lately he's been putting up a fight and skipping his third nap!
I can't believe the twins turn six months tomorrow. It took me forty years to become a mother and it's one of the most difficult and rewarding things I've ever done. Each day seems to be an eternity but, when I look back, time seems to go by so fast.
Thanks for stopping by,
Jennifer
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