Natural Ways to Rid Infant Gas

Riley & MacKenzie are gas filled babies. Whenever they stretch I guarantee you'll hear a fart come from their tiny bodies. Most of the time it doesn't bother them but some days it will. Seeing babies suffer with the discomfort of gas can be sad. Their tiny little bellies are still developing. Below are some natural ways to relieve the discomfort & help settle your gassy babe.

Baby Massage

- Rub your babies belly clockwise with slight pressure. This technique also helps with constipation. 

Watch What You Eat (if breast feeding)

-Certain foods will cause gas in babies such as broccoli, garlic, cabbage, & dairy products. Broccoli is what did it for my girls, so I no longer eat it. 

Homemade Gripe Water

-Find the recipe, here. Works awesome! I used his method with Luke when he was an infant.

Burp Mid-Feeding

-When you burp mid-feeding when baby naturally slows down eating it will make avoiding gas easier. Pulling baby off of the bottle or breast could make him/her angry causing them to swallow more air making him/her gassy.

Two Months!

Two Months Old!

07/05/14

We are still alive!

The second month has been a lot more demanding. During the first month all they did was eat, sleep, and poop. Now Riley & MacKenzie are more aware of their surroundings and have longer wake times. We had to bring out the swing which seems to work better then the boppy. The girls will sit in the swing wide awake just taking in the day. 

Peter and I are able to tell who is who by their looks. Riley (right) has a longer and skinnier head...overall she is smaller then MacKenzie (left). 

We have a great routine going and the girls have taken well to it..thank goodness! At 8pm I prep and begin giving the girls their bath (one at a time). I'll rub them down with some lavender lotion, put on their diaper, and onesie and then swaddle them tight. Next is feeding time, lately I have mastered the art of tandem feeding. For some reason when I tandem feed the girls seem to eat longer and get more milk. They usually pass out around 9pm or quarter after and then we take them up to our room to lay them down. That gives Peter and I some time to relax together. 

Speaking of tandem feeding, I can cross that off my bucket list. (: It really does make life easier. 

I finally ventured out to the grocery store alone...with all four kids. Luke and Madison held hands the entire time so they had a buddy. There were a few attempts to throw items in the cart like fruit snacks, cereal, and frozen pops but I caught them. haha! The more time I spend as a mother to four kids the easier it becomes. 

This past month the girls also got baptized. We asked their Uncle John and Aunt Cassie to be Riley's God Parents and Uncle Matt and Aunt Anna to be MacKenzie's God Parents. 

Riley, Aunt Cassie, Uncle John, and Father Mike.

MacKenzie, Aunt Anna, Uncle Matt, and Father Mike.

When they cry we can tell who is who. MacKenzie always starts high pitched and Riley has a tremble during her cry. They both LOVE to cuddle on my chest..I love it too. They each wake up once a night but will sometimes stay awake longer then they should (hour or two). They eat every two hours & on occasion more if they hit a growth spurt.

Oh yeah, did I mention that MacKenzie has her bottom two teeth coming already! The tops already poked through, no wonder why she has been drooling!

MacKenzie making faces while I talk to her.

Riley's First Smile.

A friend of the family hand made some beautiful hats for Riley & MacKenzie! I wish I had the patience and talent to knit like this, they're beautiful!

Peter & I are doing great. Haven't killed each other yet which is amazing compared to how it was during my pregnancy. Father's Day has come & gone and he loved his t-shirt the kiddos made. See a photo of it here. 

Luke & Madison are still great helpers. They fetch diapers, wipes, & pacifiers when asked. They love to hold the girls & give them kisses too. Maddie helps me give the twins their bath while Luke tries to help put them to sleep. He accomplished that once by singing a song from Cinderella to MacKenzie. 

The Fourth of July has come and gone, you can read about that here. So now we move on to their third month and see what else the girls have in store for us to enjoy.(:

Two Month Check-Up

MacKenzie

Height: 21 1/2in

Weight: 8lbs 4oz

Favorite Activity: Looking at mommy

Clothing Size: 0-3months

Diaper Size: Newborn

Sleep: 5hr stretch, Wake to eat, sleep for another 5hrs.

Riley

Height: 21 1/2in

Weight: 7lbs 1oz

Favorite Activity: Talking & Smiling to mommy

Clothing Size: Newborn

Diaper Size: Newborn

Sleep: same as MacKenzie 

Dr. Bista said both girls are perfect! Riley is my little munchkin compared to MacKenzie, love them! She prescribed stuff for the girls to help with their spitting up, after every feeding they both spew like yellow stone all over. They aren't fussy about it, it's not forced, & they have more then enough dirty diapers so  I am going to start logging the food I eat to see if anything is making this happen before giving them any meds. I already cut out broccoli & beans so they don't get gas, I also cut down on spicy foods too.

One Month Old!

Riley and MacKenzie are going to be a month old next week already. Where in world does the time go? Seriously. I feel like it's been just a week since they've been born. 

They are still in newborn clothing but are gaining great weight. 

I can see it in their faces already.

 They are eating constantly and I think are going through a growth spurt right now. 

Did I mention that they are waking once a night to eat?! Sometimes they'll wake and as soon as I lay them in bed with me to eat they pass out before I can even try.
They're staying awake for longer periods of time.

We have them on a good schedule that they are starting to get use to thankfully! 

The following are some photos of the girls recently:

Riley

MacKenzie

MacKenzie and Riley

Riley

MacKenzie and Riley

Riley

Oh My Gosh TWINS?!

The title is just one of the many statements I get when out in public with the girls. Strangers no longer seem like strangers after having a conversation together about raising twins and "how adorable they are". I already wrote the post about what people would ask me while I was pregnant after they found out I was having twins here. This post is going to feature questions I get when I go out with Riley & MacKenzie. 

Questions:

"Oh my gosh, Twins?!" 

  Usually I answer with, "Yeah. Identical girls." *Smile* While I think to myself "Nope, I just stole this one. The other is mine."

"Are they identical?"

   A common question which I expect. 

"How old are they?"

"Can I see them?"

Sure.

"How do you tell them apart?"

  I tell them that Riley has a skinnier nose and MacKenzie has a rounder face. I also add that I do not dress Riley in pink or pink-ish colors (that is MacKenzie's signature color) and MacKenzie does not wear the color purple (Riley's signature color). 

"Which one is older?"

Riley.

"Do they have different personalities?"

It changes day to day. Once day Riley could be amazingly good the next she could cry all day unless being held.  

"Do twins run in your families?"

They do but distant on both sides. Neither of us realized it either until we spoke with our parents. 

   

"Are you done having kids?"

Sometimes I respond with "I hope so!" or "We aren't sure yet."

2 Week Check-Up

The girls went for their two week check-up today in Towanda with Dr. Bista. This is the first time meeting her & I must say she is a super nice lady. haha. I can also say that I will never again go by myself! Luke & Madison were with my parents so it was just me & the girls but it was still so stressful. Two naked, crying at the top of their lungs babies because they were hungry & wanted to sleep. 

The following are their current stats:

Riley Lynn

19.25" long

6lbs 1oz

No Vaccination

Breastfeeding like a champ

VitD Prescription

MacKenzie Rose

19.25" long

6lbs 3oz

No Vaccinations

Breastfeeding like a champ

VitD Prescription

The prescription is in liquid form to be inserted via mouth. Since they are being breastfed & were born early they need the extra vitamins. 

Both have been great sleepers at night. They will wake once (sometimes together, sometimes different) but once they wake to eat they tend to stay awake longer then we would like.  haha.  

They are in between preemie & newborn clothing.  Preemie onesies are too small but newborn jumpsuits are too big. 

They are also starting to have longer wake times during the day which means I get to see those pretty eyes. 

So far we are still taking it one day at a time. The house isn't as clean as it use to be & the dishes may pile up every few days but I get done what needs to be done. Happy kids, Happy husband, Happy mommy. 

Breastfeeding X2

The thought of breastfeeding twins is extremely intimidating. Not only do you have to worry about two babies latching on correctly but you also have to make sure your milk supply is good for two babies. With those two thoughts in your mind you then think about what positions you will feed the twins in & tandem feeding vs. single feeding. I've been through two weeks of bfing twins and the following are tips & tricks I learned so far.

• Get Support:  While at the hospital use the available resources, your nurses & lactation consultant.  They will be able to assist you with getting the babies to latch & get an understanding at which position works best for you and babies.

• Positive Thinking: It will be hard and you will (most likely) feel like quitting. DON'T! Stick with it, you can do it! Just tell yourself that and remind yourself that the babies are getting the best food available, your breast milk!

• Start at your own pace:  Tandem feeding will be the most convenient way to breastfeed your twins but you don't need to start like that! I started feeding my girls individually. It gave me the opportunity to see if the girls had a good latch & to help fix any problems that may have occurred. Once I felt the girls were comfortable with feeding & I felt confident I attempted to tandem feed. I currently do it once a day & will slowly work it into the rest of our feedings.

• One Wakes? Wake the other too: At night if one of the babies wakes up to eat wake the other up to eat as well. It will save you some sleep between feedings. 

• Relax: The more relaxed you are the easier it will be. Being stressed and getting all worked up will cause a stall in milk production. Babies can also sense your emotions which is why it is harder to settle a crying baby when you're crying too. Deep breaths and positive thoughts help with the let down of milk and calm the baby. 

• Accessorize: The my breast friend twin breastfeeding pillow, breast cream such as Lansinoh, nipple shields, and mother's milk tea are all things that will help you successfully breastfeed twins. I have yet to use the breast feeding pillow because I have yet to buy it but I do use the regular boppy pillow like this. I plan to purchase the twin pillow soon. 

• Drink Lots of Water: If you feel thirsty then you are already becoming dehydrated. Keep a bottle of water near every feeding spot you have. When it runs empty refill and restock!  

Week One!

A week has already gone by since the girls were born and a lot of stuff has been happening! 

I ended up with a spinal head ache and went to the ER to get a blood patch done. It worked to calm the main head ache but I will still on occasion get a head ache during the day, caffeine usually helps. 

The girls have been to the hospital in town three times since we have been home. All three visits were to get blood taken from one of their feet to test their bilirubin levels. MacKenzie's was high the first two times but thankfully they are both out of the "no-no zone" now. 

MacKenzie getting her foot pricked (slept right through it!)

The girls also had a check up with Dr. Wood on Wednesday (the day after we got home). MacKenzie weighed 5lbs 10oz and Riley weighed 5lbs 11oz, nothing to worry about since they both were giving me problems with eating. They are pro's at it now though! MacKenzie took a little longer to understand the breastfeeding thing but she has it down pat now. Riley has been a great from the start but will give me problems at night.

Sleep has been great as well. I figured out a routine that will allow us 4-5hrs of sleep before the girls wake up to eat & then another 2-3hrs of sleep before they are up for the day. I give them a bath at least an hour before we plan to go to bed, pj's, cuddles, feedings right before we go up to bed, & then swaddle!

Some of Peter's family from down state came up to visit so all six of us went to say hello and have dinner! The kids got to hang out and play with their cousins for a bit which was so nice. 

Luke on the far left and Madison on the far right

MacKenzie and Riley with two of their cousins

Mother's Day I spent with family. The below was my present from the kids & I love it!

So overall the first week has been very eventful and has kept us occupied! The girls have been happy & healthy, Luke and Madison have been great with them, and I'm adjusting well(:

Siblings. (Picture post)

Just a quick siblings picture post!  I have yet to get one of all 4 together. I haven't been that brave yet but as soon as I do it will be shared! (:

Riley & MacKenzie's Birth Story.

May 5th we became a family of SIX! Originally scheduled for an induction, which turned into a last minute scheduled c-section, we showed up to the hospital on May 5th at 6am.  I was brought to my room, given my gown to change into, they began setting up my IV & belly monitors. Planning on a c-section at 8:30am (babyB was breech) doctors and nurses came in introducing themselves explaining how they would be involved & what to expect. As the time got closer my main nurse Shelly brought in the ultrasound machine so Dr. Wood & Dr. Herbst could check the positions of the twins before the surgery.

Turns out babyB flipped! They still gave me the option of still keeping the c-section but I decided to opt out and attempt vaginal. They checked my cervix and my body was already progressing on it's own, another woo hoo moment! Dr. Wood broke babyA's water and then we just chilled out for a bit. I was feeling contractions but it was mostly pressure and the hardening of my belly more then pain. By 5cm I asked for the epidural in case babyB flipped after babyA was born and an emergency c-section would be needed, in which case I'd be put under if I didn't have the epidural. Talk about a nervous wreak! The thought of anything going into my back makes me cringe!! Overall it was better then I had thought it would be, just a tinge of pain when they numb the area and then pressure when they insert the spinal catheter. 

Well it turns out only half of my body got numb from the epidural, so I had a half natural delivery! When the contractions got closer together and I started getting the feeling to push Dr.Wood checked me (I was 9 1/2cm) and decided to start getting things ready for the OR where I would delivery the twins in case a c-section is needed. With the help of my husband Dr. Peter (because he had to put those scrubs on in the OR, he looked very professional hehe) they wheeled me into the room and began to prep. Adjust the bed, making sure all the tools were ready, and the nurses were prepped. We awaited Dr. Herbst and then I was able to start pushing!

Dr. Wood & Dr. Herbst were waiting for a contraction to start so I could start pushing. I told them I felt one, they told me to push. After 9 pushes Riley Lynn was born! I was able to take a break and wait for the next contraction. Once I felt the contraction I was able to push again and after 3 more pushes MacKenzie Rose was born 3 mins after her sister. Pushing out two was no difference then pushing out one in my opinion. The ring of fire is there with the first baby but you don't even notice it with the second (which is amazing ha!). Two happy and healthy baby girls! I had no tearing so no stitches were needed and the recovery has been amazing (kind of).  

I ended up with a spinal headache the day after we came home from the hospital. I had it during the hospital stay but it didn't fully hit me until we were already home. 

"Your brain and spinal cord are contained in a bag of fluid. The bag is called the dura and the fluid is called the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF).When an epidural is given, a needle is used to inject local anesthetic just outside the dura.  If the needle passes through the dura accidentally, CSF can leak out.  When a spinal injection is given, a very fine needle is inserted through the dura deliberately. If too much fluid leaks out through the small hole in the dura, the pressure in the rest of the fluid is reduced. If you sit up, the pressure around your brain is reduced even more. This lowered pressure causes the typical headache."  

My headache got to the point where I was completely miserable and felt like I could barely function. Having two newborns and two toddlers you kind of need to function. Laying flat with a cold towel over my eyes was the only way to give me some comfort and even then my head still pounded terribly. We had an appointment for MacKenzie Wednesday morning to get checked for jaundice again so while there I went to the ER. The admitted me and gave me a gown. I signed the papers needed and about 2hrs later the anesthesiologist came in to perform the blood patch.

"In addition, if a person develops a spinal headache following a procedure, the anesthesiologist can create a blood patch with the person's blood to seal the leak. To administer a blood patch, the anesthesiologist inserts a needle into the same space as, or right next to, the area in which the anesthetic was injected. The doctor then takes a small amount of blood from the patient and injects it into the epidural space. The blood clots and seals the hole that caused the leak."

It hurt like hell, gave me worse pain in my lower back then the epidural did. I had to lay in the ER for an hour just to make sure the blood was distributed and the procedure worked. (Which is did thank gosh!) My lower back is still in pain but it's bearable and worth it since my head doesn't feel like it's going to explode.

Now we are in the comfort of our own home, relaxing and adjusting to life. Luke and Madison are absolutely in love with their sisters and are terrific little helpers. Maddie has declared herself the keeper of pacifiers until a baby cries, then she will put one in their mouth. The girls have been sleeping a lot during the day so I have started waking them every two hours for a diaper change and to eat. I'll tickle their little feet and play with them to keep them awake for as long as they can stand.  

  

36 Week Appointment.

Final appointment before my induction on Monday! Both girls weigh about 6lbs each and look so tiny. It was so tight in there that it was hard to get a good photo of them, the above was the best. BabyA is head down and BabyB is breech but the nurse said that shouldn't change anything come time for delivery.** Dr. Dolkart checked their hearts and they both look perfect and healthy. I have another appointment with my SIL & BIL tomorrow to get my pressure points worked on and my adjustment. Let's hope that get's things going and I can start labor myself without the help of the pitocin.

**The nurse was wrong. If BabyB is still breech when I get to the hospital then it's a definite c-section. BOTH babies HAVE to be head down in order to deliver vaginally. Let's hope babyB turns back to head down! She has been that way the entire pregnancy until now!

This Weeks Appointments in Review.

    

I officially have 5 days until my induction. That means the girls have 4 days to come out on their own! This week has been full of appointments but thankfully I will have the weekend free before the big day. Laundry, organizing, scrubbing, dusting, and relaxing is my plan! The following is the run down of my appointments from this week:

Monday I had an appointment with an OB that will be helping with the delivery of the twins. If a C-section is needed he would be the one to perform it. He was super nice and listened to what I had to say. He was also able to check my cervix for dilation and it turns out I am already 2cm dilated and 90% effaced. 

Tuesday I had my last appointment with Dr. Wood before the induction. They hooked me up to the monitors and did my final NST, turns out BabyB is stubborn already! She was giving us trouble in the beginning and a little through out the test. Over all the girls looked good and the machine caught some of the contractions I've been having. I asked my final questions regarding the induction and we discussed the day. No food after midnight on Sunday, instead of a L&D room I will be delivering in the OR in case a c-section is needed, if all three of us are healthy and good to go we will be able to leave 24hrs after giving birth, and so on. 

Wednesday (today) I had an appointment with my SIL & BIL. My SIL is a massage therapist and worked on my pressure points to try and kick start labor so I don't have to be induced. My BIL is a chiropractor and was able to get all the kinks out before having the girls! I was told that my body is extremely relaxed and ready for labor. More relaxed then the last pregnant patient he had that went into labor the day after she got adjusted and her pressure points worked on! Let's hope that means I won't be posting anything tomorrow unless it's photos of the Riley and Makenzie.

Thursday I see Dr. Dolkart for my final ultrasound of the girls. I will make a completely separate post regarding that appointment with ultrasound photos. Let's hope both girls are still head down or that they arrive before I need to go to the appointment!  

If you have any questions regarding my experience with twin pregnancy or what could happen during labor/delivery feel free to ask! 

35 Weeks!

How Far Along:  35 Weeks

Weight Gain/Loss:  14lbs from the beginning to now.

Sleep: Great besides for bathroom breaks!

Best Moment This Week:  Celebrating Easter with the family.

Movement: Less then normal and mostly down and around my pelvic area. 

Food Cravings/Aversions: Ice, chocolate, & pizza. lol.

What I Miss: Walking normal & not peeing every 15mins!

Stretch Marks: Yep!

Belly Button: Outie.

Wedding Rings:  They're snug.

Mood: Tired & Ready to have these babies!

Labor Signs:  Short cervix, light contractions, slower fetal movement, and the girls dropped.

Milestones:  12 days until I get induced(:

Doctor Appointments: None this week. My next appointment will be the 29th with Dr. Wood and the 1st with Dr. Dolkart. After that I'll be seeing Dr. Wood again on the 5th to be induced unless the girls come sooner. 

What I look forward to: Having these babies out & holding them!

The weather was nice so I decided to take some photos of the kids!

We were finally able to get out to the playground!

34 Weeks!

How Far Along:  34 Weeks

Weight Gain/Loss:  14lbs from the beginning to now.

Sleep: Great actually. Waking up twice to use the bathroom is the only problem I have at night now.

Best Moment This Week:  Hearing the girls heartbeats and scheduling my induction date. 

Movement: Less then normal and mostly down and around my pelvic area. 

Food Cravings/Aversions: ICE! I have been eating ice for the past couple weeks and can't stop.

What I Miss: Walking normal and not having pelvic pain all the time. 

Stretch Marks: Yep!

Belly Button: Outie.

Wedding Rings:  They fit but start irritating me half way through the day.

Mood: Tired & Ready to have these babies!

Labor Signs:  Short cervix, light contractions, slower fetal movement, and the girls dropped.

Milestones:  My first NST was yesterday & I have 19 days left until I get induced!!

Doctor Appointments: I saw Dr. Wood yesterday and had my first NST which went great. I don't have another appointment with Dr. Dolkart until May 1st, if I don't have the girls sooner. 

What I look forward to: Having these babies out & holding them!