Best to just get jump in and try to cover everything! I've got a "Dear Boys" one month letter in the making, but damn, finding the time to finish it is escaping me.
The boys turned one month a few days ago. I still can't believe it. I read back on a few of my posts and already what I'm describing from just a few weeks ago is so blurry and fuzzy. It seems so long ago and yet it has passed by so quickly.
Two days ago, I decided that I felt good enough after 4 weeks post C Section that I would give baby wearing a try. Chicken has been out and about a couple of times in the ergo w/ the infant insert and in the house she often calms a fussy baby (usually Whoop Whoop) in the Moby wrap.
I felt bad that Grunter wasn't been worn as often and also....I was jealous that Chicken was hand's free and mobile.
Let's face it. At this point, I am (almost) nothing but a milk maid. I sit on one spot on the couch with my double breast feeding pillow and then I move to the recliner to pump. I do this anywhere from 8-12 times a day. One day it was 14 times. FOURTEEN feedings.
I never feel too mobile. In fact, what I feel is my ass spreading on this couch by the day and I'm more than a little bit anxious to get back my mobility and strength.
As I was put on modified bed rest for over 6 weeks pre-birth and have been told nothing strenuous and no exercise for 6 weeks post birth--well, that's THREE months of not doing much of anything. As someone who is very physically active, this is making me a bit crazy.
I've gone out for short walks when I can. But that hasn't been many (3? 4?). Just getting out of the house is a giant undertaking when their feeding schedule is so unpredictable. Last week, I didn't leave the house for SIX days. Not a single step out of the front door.
Monday, I tried on the Ergo, popped a baby inside, realized Chicken already had the Moby on and we looked at each other all wide eyed and said "Let's go somewhere!"
Now, we could have done this with the stroller as well. And we have. Twice. I don't know why, but it's just so much easier to be wearing them than to do the stroller out the door.
So, off we went--not only to the post office, but the drug store as well! Ooh la la! Both of these are within a 2 block distance of our apartment, but god, the freedom. The mobility!
The next day was the one month check up with our new pediatrician. As you may recall, we weren't really digging our first choice. The office was not as near as I thought nor as easy to get to as I thought. There was no direct line of public transport to get there which left us hauling car seats in and out of cabs. (Well, I didn't do any hauling, so it was very hard on the Chicken.)
It was also across town and the cross town traffic is a nightmare. One day we paid almost $20 to get home and that is crazy combined with the $10 ride to get there and the $80 co-pay.
In addition, the office was down a flight of narrow stairs in a brownstone building. Very hard with twins and I couldn't imagine doing this myself someday. They have no stroller parking inside which means you have to lock up your (expensive) stroller on the side walk outside and carry two babies down the stairs. In the snow or the rain. The office was tiny, the rooms were tiny....oh and we didn't like the Doctor.
If you are going to charge us twice because yes, we have 2 patients, then we'd better get double the time--which we never did.
She gave me horrible advice about breast feeding (I know, she's not a lactation consultant, but still...) and while we had brought up some issues with Whoop Whoop twice, (he coughs while feeding, pushes himself off, is a fusspot) she was always very dismissive and said everything was perfectly fine. No problems.
We wanted to change to another practice after our very first visit, but due to insurance, we couldn't change and have it covered until their one month check up. Hello one month. You couldn't come soon enough.
Our new practice is much bigger, with many doctors, which initially I balked at, but now I'm happy with. We were assigned a doctor that has consistently been rated one of the best pediatricians in the city and the offices are just a block away from NYU Medical Center. All of the doctors are NYU affiliated, the office is 15 minutes closer to our house, there is an elevator, indoor stroller parking, a sick waiting room and a well waiting room, there are weekend appointments for sick visits, and the waiting area is spacious with plenty of toys for kids.
I can walk up here with the stroller in 20-25 minutes. I could do this by myself when Chicken goes back to work.
I have no idea why this was not our first choice. I think I was swayed by "West Village" versus "Murry Hill". I guess that makes me a neighborhood snob.
The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.
The day of our appointment, the forecast called for rain and I simply could not bear the thought of another episode of 'put the baby in the car seat, hail a cab and baby wrangle in and out of a NYC taxi', I suggested we both wear a baby and take the bus (it's still too far for me to walk right now).
Toot Toot. That's my personal horn.
That was a fucking awesome idea. I loved it and I felt so...normal! Somehow we both managed to shower yesterday morning, do a feeding right before we left, grab a baby and an umbrella and hop on the bus. Good thing I held on to my maternity coat. It was perfect to fit around the Moby.
It was the first day where I felt like the haze of the newborn Ground Hog day was lifting.
Not to mention all of the babies in the waiting room were fussy fussy fusspots having been taken out of their strollers, but our babies...? Quiet and content all nestled into the wraps and carriers.
And our new Pediatrician? LOVED him! He thought it was so cool that I carried Chicken's eggs and he heartily laughed at my joke "I get to say my wife knocked me up! You don't get to say that very often". Yes, I am a giant dork.
He spent well over 30 minutes with us, talked to us about everything from developmental milestones, delays, daily schedules, feedings, you name it. Our old doctor basically weighed them, declared they'd gained weight and left the room. No wait, the nurse weighed them. Our old doctor looked at the chart.
He declared that they are fine looking boys, thriving in every way and perfect. He listened to our concerns about Whoop Whoop and determined he has reflux...which is what WE had suspected for the last two weeks. Poor guy has been so fussy and now he has Zantac which he should have been given weeks ago.
Despite his reflux, Whoop Whoop is a good little eater and is chunking up quite nicely.
He has gone from his birth weight of 5 lbs, 3 oz to 6 lbs, 15 oz in one month!
Grunter is not far behind with birth weight of 4 lbs, 15 oz and is now 6 lbs, 5 oz!
They are both starting to really look like normal little babies instead of wrinkly old men. Although I'm sure to those of you with 8 and 9 lb newborns, they still look incredibly tiny!
I had been worried about my milk supply and if they were getting enough from breast feeding (plus one bottle of formula at night). I guess the answer is yes! I have been really, really hard on myself in regards to the breast feeding, but after a emergency tear-filled call to my lactation consultant after reading this post and then seeing their weight gains, I have been assured by all parties I am doing an excellent job and to go a bit easier on myself. It's the hormones. They make you crazy.
And one last bonus...the boys went for 3 hours in between feedings yesterday!!! OMG. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. We made it through the first month and already I see great changes. We are going to make it!
PS--Please send healthy vibes to Chicken. Two days ago, she caught my cold and is feeling like extreme crap. I am feeling better, but I need Chicken. We cannot do this without Chicken.
