When I was pregnant with my twins I found a list on Pinterest of companies that have "multiple birth programs" and would send you free products and/or coupons. The list was really old but I thought it was worth a shot. While pumping with my hands free pump bra I addressed envelopes. In each one I included a letter (just saying that we had twins and would like to enroll in their multiples club) and copies with the twins birth certificates (required by most of the companies). I blacked out any information that I thought they didn't need. They really just want proof that you have multiples. It was so fun when we started getting packages in the mail. Mostly we got coupons. But they were high value coupons -- like $15 coupons! Here is the list of places that I actually got stuff from.
Tomy
Att. Multiple Birth Program
2091 9th St.
(I got a package of Rattles and sippy cups)
Pampers Multiples Program
Proctor & Gamble Co
PO Box 599
Cincinnati, OH 45201
(coupons)
Mead Johnson Nutrition
Attn: Enfamil Multiple Birth Promotion
2400 W Lloyd Evpy
Evansville, IN 47721
(high value coupons)
Gerber
Multiple Birth Program
445 State St
Freemont, MI 49413
(coupons)
Ocean Spray
Consumer Affairs Dep
1 Ocean Spray Dr.
Lakeville-Middleborough MA 02349
(coupons for free product)
Beachnut
1-800-233-2468
"parent pack"
(coupons)
American Baby
Gift Basket Headquarters
PO Box 734
New York, NY 10113
Evenflo Co
Att. Multiple Birth Program
1801 Commerce Dr.
Piqua, OH 45356
Rainbow Kids
Dept. Free Hats
PO Box 31817
Bellingham WA 98228
Playtex Baby
1-888-310-4290
I am sure there are more companies that you could contact as well. Most places you register will also give you a box of samples and free product, Amazon and Target do for sure. Similac has a program that you can enroll in with a form from your pediatrician. They send high value coupons and reward checks as you buy their product. Honest company will send you a box of samples when you sign up for a subscription. Once I got the box of samples I called and cancelled the subscription. It's a little work but so worth it!
Monday, April 23, 2018
Friday, March 23, 2018
Poop Stories
After my last post I started thinking about some funny poop incidences that we have had since having the twins. Both babies were partial to their daddy when it came to pooping. This is for Prim and Hagen:
Primrose and the never ending poop!
In the NICU babies get their cares done every three hours. Cares include taking their temp, changing their monitor to the other foot, measuring their tummy, changing diapers and feeding. This is when you get to interact and hold your baby. Erik and I would schedule our visits around cares. Erik loved doing cares. He was a unique new dad in that way. One evening little tiny Primrose was getting her diaper changed by her daddy. Erik and picked up the habit of wearing gloves from the nurses. This particular night it was a good thing he put on gloves! The nurses had taught us to put a clean diaper under the babies bum before taking the dirty one off. Erik was changing Prim when she started to poop the yellow mustard poop of a newborn. He cleaned her up and put a clean diaper under her. Again she started to poop ... and poop and poop! I jumped up to help and the nurse (it happened to be one of our two favorites, Caroline) came to help as well. Erik was holding her legs, I was grabbing wipes and a new diaper. Caroline was removing poop covered bedding. There was poop everywhere!!! Erik picked Prim up so we could change her bedding. She was maybe 4.5 lbs at this point which is not easy to hold. Suddenly Erik said, "oh its warm! She is pooping in my hand!" Her little tiny bum was in his hand that was quickly filling up with poop. By now Caroline and I were no help as we were laughing so hard! We went through five diapers, bedding and blankets and a lot of gloves that night! We joked that it had taken three adults to change a diaper. How such a tiny little body could produce that much poop is a complete mystery!
Hagen explodes in bed!
After 7 weeks in the NICU our babies were finally graduating and coming home! Hagen did not pass his car seat test or his room air test so we would be bringing him home on oxygen. Erik and I had to stay the night in the hospital with Hagen proving that we could take care of him on oxygen. It was a weird night! You stay in this "hotel" kind of room that is across the hall from the NICU. They wheel the babies NICU bed into the room. You have to spend 12 hours taking care of your baby. Prim stayed in the NICU with her nurse. Erik was sitting on the bed with Hagen laying on his lap when we heard the explosion! Within seconds Erik felt the warmth creeping up his shorts. There was poo everywhere! All over the bed and all over Erik! We had to call the nurse and ask for new bedding and clothing for Hagen. Erik didn't have extra clothes for our over-nighter so the nurse brought him a pair of scrubs. It was the start to a very long night! Luckily that was our only poop disaster of the night and we passed the test and were able to take both our babies home.
My Dad use to call me poopsy because of a story about him staying home from church with me as a baby and me pooping ALL OVER him and the bathroom! I bet I heard that story a hundred times and now it makes me smile. I guess I had it coming!
These are just two of MANY poop stories. I had no idea how much poo I would deal with having two babies. I don't think I have ever said the word poo or poop so many times in my life as I have writing this post. HA!
Primrose and the never ending poop!
In the NICU babies get their cares done every three hours. Cares include taking their temp, changing their monitor to the other foot, measuring their tummy, changing diapers and feeding. This is when you get to interact and hold your baby. Erik and I would schedule our visits around cares. Erik loved doing cares. He was a unique new dad in that way. One evening little tiny Primrose was getting her diaper changed by her daddy. Erik and picked up the habit of wearing gloves from the nurses. This particular night it was a good thing he put on gloves! The nurses had taught us to put a clean diaper under the babies bum before taking the dirty one off. Erik was changing Prim when she started to poop the yellow mustard poop of a newborn. He cleaned her up and put a clean diaper under her. Again she started to poop ... and poop and poop! I jumped up to help and the nurse (it happened to be one of our two favorites, Caroline) came to help as well. Erik was holding her legs, I was grabbing wipes and a new diaper. Caroline was removing poop covered bedding. There was poop everywhere!!! Erik picked Prim up so we could change her bedding. She was maybe 4.5 lbs at this point which is not easy to hold. Suddenly Erik said, "oh its warm! She is pooping in my hand!" Her little tiny bum was in his hand that was quickly filling up with poop. By now Caroline and I were no help as we were laughing so hard! We went through five diapers, bedding and blankets and a lot of gloves that night! We joked that it had taken three adults to change a diaper. How such a tiny little body could produce that much poop is a complete mystery!
Hagen explodes in bed!
After 7 weeks in the NICU our babies were finally graduating and coming home! Hagen did not pass his car seat test or his room air test so we would be bringing him home on oxygen. Erik and I had to stay the night in the hospital with Hagen proving that we could take care of him on oxygen. It was a weird night! You stay in this "hotel" kind of room that is across the hall from the NICU. They wheel the babies NICU bed into the room. You have to spend 12 hours taking care of your baby. Prim stayed in the NICU with her nurse. Erik was sitting on the bed with Hagen laying on his lap when we heard the explosion! Within seconds Erik felt the warmth creeping up his shorts. There was poo everywhere! All over the bed and all over Erik! We had to call the nurse and ask for new bedding and clothing for Hagen. Erik didn't have extra clothes for our over-nighter so the nurse brought him a pair of scrubs. It was the start to a very long night! Luckily that was our only poop disaster of the night and we passed the test and were able to take both our babies home.
My Dad use to call me poopsy because of a story about him staying home from church with me as a baby and me pooping ALL OVER him and the bathroom! I bet I heard that story a hundred times and now it makes me smile. I guess I had it coming!
These are just two of MANY poop stories. I had no idea how much poo I would deal with having two babies. I don't think I have ever said the word poo or poop so many times in my life as I have writing this post. HA!
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Being a mom is HARD!
As I write this I am sitting on the couch in dirty sweats with my hair in a very messy bun and no makeup. I wish this was an unusual scene these days but it is not. We are going on 7 days of both babies having diarrhea. I can't even tell you how much poo I have cleaned up this week. Today alone I have changed NINE blowout diapers!
I have had two distinct thoughts today;
One: What has my life become!?! I use to get up every morning, get ready, dress professionally and go to work. I had an office, went to meetings and had responsibilities. I solved problems, interacted with people and accomplished tasks each day. I had value and purpose! Now look at me! How did this happen?
Two: As I snuggled my baby girl who had had six poppy diapers before 9 AM I thought about how very glad and lucky I am to be able to stay home and hold my baby while she doesn't feel well. I am so glad that I am not stressing about work because I had to stay home with my sick babies. I know what a blessing it is that I get to stay home and me a mom.
Being a mom is hands down the hardest job I have ever had. Most days I wish I could get ready and go to work. Being a mom is hard! I feel like I clean up the same messes and do the same chores day after day after day. I feel like I don't accomplish anything or do anything of value. Then I see my two little people toddling around laughing, making messes and stopping to give me a love and I feel like my heart might burst. I wonder how I got so lucky ... and then I clean up the same mess I have cleaned up ten thousand times!
I have had two distinct thoughts today;
One: What has my life become!?! I use to get up every morning, get ready, dress professionally and go to work. I had an office, went to meetings and had responsibilities. I solved problems, interacted with people and accomplished tasks each day. I had value and purpose! Now look at me! How did this happen?
Two: As I snuggled my baby girl who had had six poppy diapers before 9 AM I thought about how very glad and lucky I am to be able to stay home and hold my baby while she doesn't feel well. I am so glad that I am not stressing about work because I had to stay home with my sick babies. I know what a blessing it is that I get to stay home and me a mom.
Being a mom is hands down the hardest job I have ever had. Most days I wish I could get ready and go to work. Being a mom is hard! I feel like I clean up the same messes and do the same chores day after day after day. I feel like I don't accomplish anything or do anything of value. Then I see my two little people toddling around laughing, making messes and stopping to give me a love and I feel like my heart might burst. I wonder how I got so lucky ... and then I clean up the same mess I have cleaned up ten thousand times!
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Baby Gear Must Haves
When I was pregnant with the twins I was spoiled rotten with several baby showers. Registering for gifts was pretty much a shot in the dark as I had no idea what I actually needed. Nearly a year and a half into this whole mom thing I have come up with my list of baby gear that I couldn't/can't live without. So here are my top ten baby must haves.
Fisher Price Rock N Plays
Before I had the twins a fellow twin mom told me that these were a must! I totally concur! They are so portable and easy to store when not in use. We would move them from room to room as needed and would even take them with us on vacation or just to a family dinner. I would definitely recommend the auto rocking version. These are perfect for newborns. They keep them swaddled and secure. For babies with reflux (which Hagen had) it keeps them propped up. An absolute must have!
Baby Car Mirror
So the first couple months that I had the twins I did not have these. Driving around I was always nervous that the babies were ok because I couldn't see them. A few times I even pulled over to check on them. Well this solves that problem! When they are newborns you can see them and know if they are sleeping or awake. When baby gets a little older these become built in entertainment while they are in the car. The twins will sit and laugh and talk to the baby in the mirror while we drive. There are several versions and can be found pretty much everywhere baby gear is sold. This is just an example of one from Amazon. (no that is not my baby)
Nose Frida Snot Sucker
Gross! It really is disgusting but once you have a baby snot just becomes a part of your daily life! Let's be honest those bulb things they send you home from the hospital with don't work ... like at all! This thing works! You put the blue tube end up against the babies nostril and then the red end in your mouth and you SUCK! Don't worry there is no way for the snot to get into your mouth. Your baby will get a look on their face like you are sucking their brains out. I am guessing that is about what it feels like. But then they can breath and aren't so stuffy. You need this!
do'Terra Purify Oil
I was given a very nice diaper pail that is not suppose to stink as a baby gift. Well guess what? It stinks. Twins = SO MANY DIAPERS!! Right now (16 months) we go through about 300 diapers a month! Diapers = stink! So here is one of my best mom hacks (not really a hack). Put a couple drops of do'Terra Purify Oil on a cotton ball and put that in the bottom of the diaper pail (and garbage cans too). It really does help kill the stale smell of dirty diapers. It's also a great oil for laundry and all other cleaning things.
Umbrella Stroller
In preparation for the twins we got the jumbo double stroller with the matching click in car seats. It is an awesome stroller! But I hardly ever use it. It was nice in the very beginning when I would leave the babies in their car seats and just click the car seat in but it is big and heavy and definitely takes more time to set up. Now my go to is a double umbrella stroller. I got one for under $100 on Amazon. It is so light and easy to set up. For quick trip or walks this is all you need. I personally think you can skip the fancy stroller all together. I even got one to leave at my moms house.
Here is the one I have.
https://www.amazon.com/Jeep-Brand-Double-Stroller-Burgundy/dp/B019JNHJCA/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1515988240&sr=1-6&keywords=double%2Bumbrella%2Bstroller&th=1
Hands Free Pumping Bra
My twins were born 9 weeks early. They spent 50 days in the NICU growing and learning to eat. For the first few weeks they were fed only through a feeding tube. Preemies can't suck, swallow, breath at the same time which means they can't eat. This is something that happens later on in their development. While I had totally planned on breast feeding it just wasn't an option for me in the beginning. By the time they came home they were so use to the bottle that we never made the transition. So I pumped! I pumped for FIVE months! I know there are some that do it much longer and hats off to them. It is not fun, it is time consuming and just kind of sucks. But you do what you have to do. One thing that made it SO much easier was a hands free pumping bra. That was a game changer for me. So if you find yourself pumping instead of breastfeeding get one of these!!! Again you can get these lots of places. But Amazon does deliver!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00295MQLU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1
Bottle Warmer
If you bottle feed at all you need a bottle warmer. Did you know that you aren't suppose to put breast milk in the microwave. You have to put the bottle in hot water and let it sit to warm up the milk. Well guess how NOT fun that is in middle of the night! A bottle warmer heats up the bottle in like 90 seconds using steam. Every second counts at 2 AM so I would say this is a must have product if you are bottle feeding. Night feeding tip: I would prep the bottles before going to bed and put them in a little cooler bag with an ice pack. I would put the cooler bag in the bathroom by the babies room along with the bottle warmer. When the babies woke up I would warm up the bottles while setting them up on the boppy pillows. I never had to prep anything or go downstairs to the kitchen for night feedings.
Sound Machine/Night Light
Having spent the first seven weeks of life in the NICU my babies came home 1. use to light (it is never totally dark in the NICU) and 2. Use to noise. It is surprisingly noisy in the NICU; doors closing, monitors beeping, nurses talking, other babies crying. This can be a perk as NICU babies learn to sleep through light and noise. We don't black out their rooms, ever! In fact we open the blinds during the day so that it is light during naps. We have sound playing whenever they are sleeping. My babies have been the best sleepers so it must work! This is the sound machine we use. I like it because it plays a variety of sounds, is small and portable and is a night light. Its by Skip Hop and can be found anywhere that baby products are sold.
Diaper Caddy
This one might seem silly but its one of those things I can't live without. We live in a two story house. The twins rooms and changing table are upstairs. But I spend most of my day in the family room/kitchen on the main level. So having a changing station on the main level is a must! I always have what I need to change those 300 diapers a month! It is easy to stash away when not using. I think I got mine at Babies R Us but again you can get them anywhere! There are a bunch of them on Amazon.
Boppy Pillow
I bet this is one of those items that most moms would agree goes on the must have list. Especially for twins!!! I actually had four of them when the twins were newborns, one set upstairs and one set downstairs. How do you feed twins? You prop them up on a boppy pillows and sit between them holding a bottle in each hand. We also used them for tummy time and just for hanging out. The twins still use them at 16 months. Make sure you get the kind that has the removable cover for washing.
So there you have it, some of my baby gear must haves!
Fisher Price Rock N Plays
Before I had the twins a fellow twin mom told me that these were a must! I totally concur! They are so portable and easy to store when not in use. We would move them from room to room as needed and would even take them with us on vacation or just to a family dinner. I would definitely recommend the auto rocking version. These are perfect for newborns. They keep them swaddled and secure. For babies with reflux (which Hagen had) it keeps them propped up. An absolute must have!
Baby Car Mirror
So the first couple months that I had the twins I did not have these. Driving around I was always nervous that the babies were ok because I couldn't see them. A few times I even pulled over to check on them. Well this solves that problem! When they are newborns you can see them and know if they are sleeping or awake. When baby gets a little older these become built in entertainment while they are in the car. The twins will sit and laugh and talk to the baby in the mirror while we drive. There are several versions and can be found pretty much everywhere baby gear is sold. This is just an example of one from Amazon. (no that is not my baby)
Nose Frida Snot Sucker
Gross! It really is disgusting but once you have a baby snot just becomes a part of your daily life! Let's be honest those bulb things they send you home from the hospital with don't work ... like at all! This thing works! You put the blue tube end up against the babies nostril and then the red end in your mouth and you SUCK! Don't worry there is no way for the snot to get into your mouth. Your baby will get a look on their face like you are sucking their brains out. I am guessing that is about what it feels like. But then they can breath and aren't so stuffy. You need this!
do'Terra Purify Oil
I was given a very nice diaper pail that is not suppose to stink as a baby gift. Well guess what? It stinks. Twins = SO MANY DIAPERS!! Right now (16 months) we go through about 300 diapers a month! Diapers = stink! So here is one of my best mom hacks (not really a hack). Put a couple drops of do'Terra Purify Oil on a cotton ball and put that in the bottom of the diaper pail (and garbage cans too). It really does help kill the stale smell of dirty diapers. It's also a great oil for laundry and all other cleaning things.
Umbrella Stroller
In preparation for the twins we got the jumbo double stroller with the matching click in car seats. It is an awesome stroller! But I hardly ever use it. It was nice in the very beginning when I would leave the babies in their car seats and just click the car seat in but it is big and heavy and definitely takes more time to set up. Now my go to is a double umbrella stroller. I got one for under $100 on Amazon. It is so light and easy to set up. For quick trip or walks this is all you need. I personally think you can skip the fancy stroller all together. I even got one to leave at my moms house.
Here is the one I have.
https://www.amazon.com/Jeep-Brand-Double-Stroller-Burgundy/dp/B019JNHJCA/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1515988240&sr=1-6&keywords=double%2Bumbrella%2Bstroller&th=1
Hands Free Pumping Bra
My twins were born 9 weeks early. They spent 50 days in the NICU growing and learning to eat. For the first few weeks they were fed only through a feeding tube. Preemies can't suck, swallow, breath at the same time which means they can't eat. This is something that happens later on in their development. While I had totally planned on breast feeding it just wasn't an option for me in the beginning. By the time they came home they were so use to the bottle that we never made the transition. So I pumped! I pumped for FIVE months! I know there are some that do it much longer and hats off to them. It is not fun, it is time consuming and just kind of sucks. But you do what you have to do. One thing that made it SO much easier was a hands free pumping bra. That was a game changer for me. So if you find yourself pumping instead of breastfeeding get one of these!!! Again you can get these lots of places. But Amazon does deliver!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00295MQLU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1
Bottle Warmer
If you bottle feed at all you need a bottle warmer. Did you know that you aren't suppose to put breast milk in the microwave. You have to put the bottle in hot water and let it sit to warm up the milk. Well guess how NOT fun that is in middle of the night! A bottle warmer heats up the bottle in like 90 seconds using steam. Every second counts at 2 AM so I would say this is a must have product if you are bottle feeding. Night feeding tip: I would prep the bottles before going to bed and put them in a little cooler bag with an ice pack. I would put the cooler bag in the bathroom by the babies room along with the bottle warmer. When the babies woke up I would warm up the bottles while setting them up on the boppy pillows. I never had to prep anything or go downstairs to the kitchen for night feedings.
Sound Machine/Night Light
Having spent the first seven weeks of life in the NICU my babies came home 1. use to light (it is never totally dark in the NICU) and 2. Use to noise. It is surprisingly noisy in the NICU; doors closing, monitors beeping, nurses talking, other babies crying. This can be a perk as NICU babies learn to sleep through light and noise. We don't black out their rooms, ever! In fact we open the blinds during the day so that it is light during naps. We have sound playing whenever they are sleeping. My babies have been the best sleepers so it must work! This is the sound machine we use. I like it because it plays a variety of sounds, is small and portable and is a night light. Its by Skip Hop and can be found anywhere that baby products are sold.
Diaper Caddy
This one might seem silly but its one of those things I can't live without. We live in a two story house. The twins rooms and changing table are upstairs. But I spend most of my day in the family room/kitchen on the main level. So having a changing station on the main level is a must! I always have what I need to change those 300 diapers a month! It is easy to stash away when not using. I think I got mine at Babies R Us but again you can get them anywhere! There are a bunch of them on Amazon.
Boppy Pillow
I bet this is one of those items that most moms would agree goes on the must have list. Especially for twins!!! I actually had four of them when the twins were newborns, one set upstairs and one set downstairs. How do you feed twins? You prop them up on a boppy pillows and sit between them holding a bottle in each hand. We also used them for tummy time and just for hanging out. The twins still use them at 16 months. Make sure you get the kind that has the removable cover for washing.
So there you have it, some of my baby gear must haves!
Sunday, January 14, 2018
Beef Stew
What's for dinner? Ugh! Every single day! I never know what to make. I am usually scrambling to pull something together because I didn't get anything out of the freezer. We don't eat much processed food which means I am making things from scratch. Oh the days of being single and eating cold cereal or chips and salsa for dinner!
When I do find a recipe that works I make sure to write it down and have as many of the ingredients on hand as possible. It has to be relatively quick and easy! I am not one that enjoys spending half my day in the kitchen for one meal.
Today I made beef stew for the first time! I read at least 20 recipes and then came up with my own version. It turned out really yummy and was pretty darn easy! It's the perfect winter Sunday dinner.
Beef Stew -- Slower cooker
Serves 4-6
1 lb stew meat
1/4 c flour
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t salt
carrots (I used like 20 baby carrots because the twins love them)
potatoes (I used three smallish ones) chopped into bite size pieces
1 med onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 can beef broth
1 c water
1 c red wine
1 - 11/2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Mix the flour, salt and pepper together. Add the meat to the mixture and coat well. Brown the meat in a small amount of oil. Place the meat in a crock-pot. Saute onions and garlic then add to crock-pot. Add carrots and potatoes to crock-pot. Pour broth, water, red wine and worcestershire sauce in saute pan. Bring to a simmer scrapping the brownings from the meat. Pour over the ingredients in the crock-pot. Make sure you have enough liquid to almost cover the ingredients. Cook on high for about 4 - 5 hours (or low for 8 hrs) or until meat is tender and potatoes and carrots are soft. About an hour before serving I thickened the stew with a little corn starch. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy! I hope this helps just one dinner become a little easier this month!
When I do find a recipe that works I make sure to write it down and have as many of the ingredients on hand as possible. It has to be relatively quick and easy! I am not one that enjoys spending half my day in the kitchen for one meal.
Today I made beef stew for the first time! I read at least 20 recipes and then came up with my own version. It turned out really yummy and was pretty darn easy! It's the perfect winter Sunday dinner.
Beef Stew -- Slower cooker
Serves 4-6
1 lb stew meat
1/4 c flour
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t salt
carrots (I used like 20 baby carrots because the twins love them)
potatoes (I used three smallish ones) chopped into bite size pieces
1 med onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 can beef broth
1 c water
1 c red wine
1 - 11/2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Mix the flour, salt and pepper together. Add the meat to the mixture and coat well. Brown the meat in a small amount of oil. Place the meat in a crock-pot. Saute onions and garlic then add to crock-pot. Add carrots and potatoes to crock-pot. Pour broth, water, red wine and worcestershire sauce in saute pan. Bring to a simmer scrapping the brownings from the meat. Pour over the ingredients in the crock-pot. Make sure you have enough liquid to almost cover the ingredients. Cook on high for about 4 - 5 hours (or low for 8 hrs) or until meat is tender and potatoes and carrots are soft. About an hour before serving I thickened the stew with a little corn starch. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy! I hope this helps just one dinner become a little easier this month!
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Prim & Hagen Birth Story Part III - Grand Finale!
Continued ....
Around 3AM my contractions started back up. It was pretty evident that we weren't going to be able to stop labor. Off and on through the night I would have contractions. It wasn't anything regular but I was definitely in labor. Sometime in the early morning Erik's parents came to visit. Erik hadn't planned to stay the night when he came to the hospital on Saturday so he hadn't brought anything with him. His parents got a list and drove back up to our house to get his stuff. I called my mom to let her know what was going on. She came down to the hospital as well. My OB showed up to check on me mid morning. He checked me and declared that I was at a 2.5 (remember that I was at a 1 when I checked into the hospital). A 2.5! That's it?!? I had been in labor all night and morning! Ugh! Then I heard him say to the nurse that 2.5 was a very generous measurement. He said that I could get an epidural when I got to a 4 or 5. It was going to be a long day!
Erik had a football game on and everyone was just hanging out. At some point Erik asked why all the flags were at half mast. It was 9/11! NO! I can't have my babies on 9/11. It is a sad holiday. I was progressing so slowly that my nurse comforted me by telling me that she doubted if I had these babies before midnight.
It was a stormy Sunday. Around noon there was a big micro burst that hit Provo and knocked the power out. My room had big windows so there was plenty of light. But the hallways and bathrooms were dark. The generators kicked on to keep all essential equipment running. Air conditioning is not considered essential. I was starting to have some pretty serious contractions. 15 months later its hard to even remember what it was like. I just remember Erik's parents and my mom being in the room. As soon as one would start I would call Erik to my side and he would help me through it. I remember crying after one of the contractions and telling Erik that I just wanted to go home. I was tired from several sleepless nights. I was hungry because I hadn't eaten anything since the night before. I was in pain and so very uncomfortable. I just wanted my own bed!
At some point in the day my strep test had come back and of course it was positive. So I was started on my first round of antibiotics. Luckily I was progressing slowly enough that we were confident that I would get all the doses needed before the babies were born.
Late afternoon, sometime around 3:00 or 4:00 I think, the nurse checked me. I was finally at a 4! I could get an epidural. Before getting pregnant with twins I really wanted to try and have a baby un-medicated, just for the experience. But once we found out that we were having twins that didn't really seem like a wise option. My OB highly recommended an epidural because of the possibility of having an emergency c-section. At this point in my labor I was ready. I had essentially been in labor on and off for two days. I was exhausted! I had watched my best friend get an epidural so I had an idea of what was about to happen .... so I thought! It was HORRIBLE!! I don't really even know how to explain it. It was incredibly painful. My head was buried in Erik's chest as I screamed! I am not a big screamer. I don't generally scream in pain. But this was different. Two nurses came running into my room to see what was going on. I felt Erik drop his head onto mine not being able to do anything but hold me. Knowing what I know now I would have waited longer to get it or not gotten one at all. Within minutes my left side was completely numb! But NOT my right side. I could feel everything on my right side. So now my left side was painfully numb (who knew that numbness could be painful) and my right side was still feeling all the contractions. They tried rolling me on my side to see if that would help. It didn't. (Remember that the power is still out and there is no air circulating.) My nurse called my OB to give a report. He told her to check me again around 8pm. I was still progressing very slowly. My mom was rubbing my numb leg while Erik rubbed my back. While I was miserable I was still hoping to hold off until after midnight so their birthday would not be on 9/11. The next few hours were pretty much a blur. Around 7:00 pm my nurse came in to help me re-position and adjust the babies monitors. While she was there she decided to check me even
though it was earlier than the doctor had said. SURPRISE! I was at a 9/10. It was go time! WHAT? How did I go from a four to a 10 so fast? I thought epidurals slowed things down? Well not necessarily! My nurse said that me relaxing probably just helped things move along. She instructed someone to call my OB and for Erik to start suiting up. Because I was having twins I had to deliver in the OR with two OB's. Erik had to be ready for a c-section just in case. Oh yeah, still no power or AC. The anesthesiologist was called back in and gave me a boost to my epidural and then took it out. It worked and my right side was finally numb! Well it looks like these babies were going to be born on 9/11 after all. From the minute I knew that it was time I was panicked that my doctor wouldn't make it on time. I kept asking where he was. I was wheeled to the OR and everything was set up. The NICU was alerted that they were getting 31.3 week twins. We were ready. Still no doctor. Completely panicked I asked where he was and what happens if he doesn't make it. I was assured he would make it in time. "I can feel the baby coming out!" I was actually still on my side and had no idea if a baby was coming out. But I was convinced that I was going to have this baby right then. I am sure the nurses were rolling their eyes! I begged them to tell me what would happen if he didn't make it. They told me that an on call doctor would step in. "But I don't know that guy and I don't want him delivering my babies!" I heard my nurse tell someone to go see if they can find Dr. Young and to tell him to hurry! At last! Dr. Young walked through the door. "Where have you been?!?" (It was a good 30 minutes before baby A was born by the way.) They got me up in the stirrups and gave both Erik and I instructions. I had an awesome L&D nurse. The power had come back on but there still was no AC. I was dying and trying to rip my hospital gown off. The second OB found a clipboard and used it to fan me. He was heaven sent! The monitor that was suppose to be monitoring my contractions was not working. So the nurse put her hand on my stomach and told us when I was having a contraction. For the next 30 minutes I pushed and pushed and pushed. "Why won't she come out? She is only 3 lbs!" It turns out that small babies can actually be really hard to get out. There is not enough baby for your body to push against. My temperature had been creeping up for the last hour. If I became fevered they would do a c-section. A nurse checked my temp between each contraction. I was .1 away from being considered fevered during my entire delivery. I had to push so hard to get her to move down that I started to pass out. Erik said he would watch my eyes roll back in my head when I stopped pushing. To help me recover between pushes I was put on oxygen. At some point I might have something like, "When I create a world and life this is NOT how this is going to work!" And I meant it! Erik was so calm and collected. He did a great job comforting me and encouraging me. In between pushes Erik and Dr. Young talked about the previous nights football game until I yelled "I am having a baby!" Dr Young is awesome by the way. He is so clam and chill. At last they could see the head! Erik got to take a peek and see his baby girls dark hair. With one more push she was out. The moment she came out she cried out a little cry. It was the best sound in the world! We didn't know what to expect with them being so early and small. A cry was best case scenario. Dr Young quickly cut her cord, handed her over to a nurse and off she went. I lifted my head just in time to get a quick glimpse of my baby. Before all this Erik and I had agreed that he would go with the baby.
As soon as baby A was out the other OB and the nurse grabbed my stomach to hold baby B in place. He was already head down so we didn't want him to flip. While the nurse held baby B, the second doctor started to push him down. This is when I was really glad I did have an epidural. Let's just say they were not being gentle. Poor baby B (Hagen) was not ready to come out. He was kicking against their hands. Dr Young ended up breaking his water as they pushed him down. I have no idea how long of a break I had before I started to push again. As soon as they told me to start pushing again I had one of the nurses get Erik from the other room. He came in and let me know that baby girl was doing well. Round two: I started pushing again. I was SO tired. I didn't know how in the world I was going to do this again! After pushing several times I told Erik that I couldn't do it. He told me that as soon as I pushed him out I could have a Diet Coke. One my next contraction I push with everything I had in me. Out he came! Dr Young said, "I can't believe that actually worked!" Baby B was born almost exactly 30 minutes after baby A. He gave us a good cry letting us know he was not happy to be out. Just like baby A I only got a glance as they rushed baby B out to assess him. Erik followed them so that he could get some pictures and a report. Within seconds of baby B being born the AC came back on.
Dr Young told me just to relax and let my body take care of delivering the placentas. My epidural was starting to wear off. The pressure was incredible. It was such a weird feeling. I am not sure how to describe it. I asked the nurse to get Erik again. He came back in and let me know that baby B was doing great. They had both been put on oxygen and were being taken to the NICU. I was cleaned up and stitched up (yes I tore both horizontally and vertically, needing one stitch each direction. Can you imagine if I had had full term babies?) and taken back to my room where my mom and Erik's parents were waiting for us. They had been waiting outside the OR and got a little glimpse of the babies as they were being taken to the NICU. As promised I got a Diet Coke when I got back to my room. My sweet nurse had one waiting for me. I got the shakes SO bad after delivery. My nurse kept telling me not to fight it and that it was very normal. Your body has been through a lot. Erik had taken a video babies so that I could see them. I had to wait until my shaking had stopped and my epidural was worn off before I could go see my babies. About an hour later I released from L&D and taken to the NICU to meet my babies for the first time.
Primrose was named that night. We kinda knew all along that that would be her name. She was born at 8:52 pm. She was 3.9 lbs and 16 inches long. When I first saw her she had an IV in her hand, a feeding tube in her nose and was on a CPAP to help her little lungs. She was the tiniest baby I had ever seen.
Hagen was named the next day. He was just baby boy until we finalized the name He was born at 9:23 pm. He was 3.14 lbs and 16 inches long. He also had an IV, feeding tube and was on CPAP. It broke my heart knowing that he was not ready to come out but had to.
I was not able to hold either baby that night. I didn't get to have immediate skin to skin with my babies. I didn't get to do delayed cord cutting like I had planned. Erik didn't get to cut his babies cords. I didn't have that instant bond or that feeling of unconditional love that people talk about. Nothing had gone as I had planned or wanted or hoped. It was nothing like I had imagined or like other birth stories I had heard. But my babies, the babies that I dreamed of having, that we had so desperately wanted, the babies that we had worked so hard to get were here! They were doing well and we would all be ok! I had no idea how much my heart would grow becoming a mom.
The story continues but I will save that for another post.
Around 3AM my contractions started back up. It was pretty evident that we weren't going to be able to stop labor. Off and on through the night I would have contractions. It wasn't anything regular but I was definitely in labor. Sometime in the early morning Erik's parents came to visit. Erik hadn't planned to stay the night when he came to the hospital on Saturday so he hadn't brought anything with him. His parents got a list and drove back up to our house to get his stuff. I called my mom to let her know what was going on. She came down to the hospital as well. My OB showed up to check on me mid morning. He checked me and declared that I was at a 2.5 (remember that I was at a 1 when I checked into the hospital). A 2.5! That's it?!? I had been in labor all night and morning! Ugh! Then I heard him say to the nurse that 2.5 was a very generous measurement. He said that I could get an epidural when I got to a 4 or 5. It was going to be a long day!
Erik had a football game on and everyone was just hanging out. At some point Erik asked why all the flags were at half mast. It was 9/11! NO! I can't have my babies on 9/11. It is a sad holiday. I was progressing so slowly that my nurse comforted me by telling me that she doubted if I had these babies before midnight.
It was a stormy Sunday. Around noon there was a big micro burst that hit Provo and knocked the power out. My room had big windows so there was plenty of light. But the hallways and bathrooms were dark. The generators kicked on to keep all essential equipment running. Air conditioning is not considered essential. I was starting to have some pretty serious contractions. 15 months later its hard to even remember what it was like. I just remember Erik's parents and my mom being in the room. As soon as one would start I would call Erik to my side and he would help me through it. I remember crying after one of the contractions and telling Erik that I just wanted to go home. I was tired from several sleepless nights. I was hungry because I hadn't eaten anything since the night before. I was in pain and so very uncomfortable. I just wanted my own bed!
At some point in the day my strep test had come back and of course it was positive. So I was started on my first round of antibiotics. Luckily I was progressing slowly enough that we were confident that I would get all the doses needed before the babies were born.
Late afternoon, sometime around 3:00 or 4:00 I think, the nurse checked me. I was finally at a 4! I could get an epidural. Before getting pregnant with twins I really wanted to try and have a baby un-medicated, just for the experience. But once we found out that we were having twins that didn't really seem like a wise option. My OB highly recommended an epidural because of the possibility of having an emergency c-section. At this point in my labor I was ready. I had essentially been in labor on and off for two days. I was exhausted! I had watched my best friend get an epidural so I had an idea of what was about to happen .... so I thought! It was HORRIBLE!! I don't really even know how to explain it. It was incredibly painful. My head was buried in Erik's chest as I screamed! I am not a big screamer. I don't generally scream in pain. But this was different. Two nurses came running into my room to see what was going on. I felt Erik drop his head onto mine not being able to do anything but hold me. Knowing what I know now I would have waited longer to get it or not gotten one at all. Within minutes my left side was completely numb! But NOT my right side. I could feel everything on my right side. So now my left side was painfully numb (who knew that numbness could be painful) and my right side was still feeling all the contractions. They tried rolling me on my side to see if that would help. It didn't. (Remember that the power is still out and there is no air circulating.) My nurse called my OB to give a report. He told her to check me again around 8pm. I was still progressing very slowly. My mom was rubbing my numb leg while Erik rubbed my back. While I was miserable I was still hoping to hold off until after midnight so their birthday would not be on 9/11. The next few hours were pretty much a blur. Around 7:00 pm my nurse came in to help me re-position and adjust the babies monitors. While she was there she decided to check me even 
As soon as baby A was out the other OB and the nurse grabbed my stomach to hold baby B in place. He was already head down so we didn't want him to flip. While the nurse held baby B, the second doctor started to push him down. This is when I was really glad I did have an epidural. Let's just say they were not being gentle. Poor baby B (Hagen) was not ready to come out. He was kicking against their hands. Dr Young ended up breaking his water as they pushed him down. I have no idea how long of a break I had before I started to push again. As soon as they told me to start pushing again I had one of the nurses get Erik from the other room. He came in and let me know that baby girl was doing well. Round two: I started pushing again. I was SO tired. I didn't know how in the world I was going to do this again! After pushing several times I told Erik that I couldn't do it. He told me that as soon as I pushed him out I could have a Diet Coke. One my next contraction I push with everything I had in me. Out he came! Dr Young said, "I can't believe that actually worked!" Baby B was born almost exactly 30 minutes after baby A. He gave us a good cry letting us know he was not happy to be out. Just like baby A I only got a glance as they rushed baby B out to assess him. Erik followed them so that he could get some pictures and a report. Within seconds of baby B being born the AC came back on.
Dr Young told me just to relax and let my body take care of delivering the placentas. My epidural was starting to wear off. The pressure was incredible. It was such a weird feeling. I am not sure how to describe it. I asked the nurse to get Erik again. He came back in and let me know that baby B was doing great. They had both been put on oxygen and were being taken to the NICU. I was cleaned up and stitched up (yes I tore both horizontally and vertically, needing one stitch each direction. Can you imagine if I had had full term babies?) and taken back to my room where my mom and Erik's parents were waiting for us. They had been waiting outside the OR and got a little glimpse of the babies as they were being taken to the NICU. As promised I got a Diet Coke when I got back to my room. My sweet nurse had one waiting for me. I got the shakes SO bad after delivery. My nurse kept telling me not to fight it and that it was very normal. Your body has been through a lot. Erik had taken a video babies so that I could see them. I had to wait until my shaking had stopped and my epidural was worn off before I could go see my babies. About an hour later I released from L&D and taken to the NICU to meet my babies for the first time.
Primrose was named that night. We kinda knew all along that that would be her name. She was born at 8:52 pm. She was 3.9 lbs and 16 inches long. When I first saw her she had an IV in her hand, a feeding tube in her nose and was on a CPAP to help her little lungs. She was the tiniest baby I had ever seen.
Hagen was named the next day. He was just baby boy until we finalized the name He was born at 9:23 pm. He was 3.14 lbs and 16 inches long. He also had an IV, feeding tube and was on CPAP. It broke my heart knowing that he was not ready to come out but had to.
I was not able to hold either baby that night. I didn't get to have immediate skin to skin with my babies. I didn't get to do delayed cord cutting like I had planned. Erik didn't get to cut his babies cords. I didn't have that instant bond or that feeling of unconditional love that people talk about. Nothing had gone as I had planned or wanted or hoped. It was nothing like I had imagined or like other birth stories I had heard. But my babies, the babies that I dreamed of having, that we had so desperately wanted, the babies that we had worked so hard to get were here! They were doing well and we would all be ok! I had no idea how much my heart would grow becoming a mom.
The story continues but I will save that for another post.
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Prim & Hagen Birth Story Part II
Continued ....
After a VERY long sleepless night in labor and delivery we met with my OB. The drugs I was given when I first arrived had worked and I was no longer in active labor. Our first goal was to make it 48 hours so that I could get both doses of steroids to help the babies lungs develop. Every single day at this point was beneficial to the twins development. I was not allowed to sit up or walk. I could get up to go to the bathroom as needed but otherwise I was to be laying down. Holy cow! How was I going to do this for three weeks?!? My amazing nurse found me a room with a big window and a beautiful view of the mountains. Once we got settled in Erik went home to shower, pack our now needed hospital bag and check in with work. Sometime mid-morning I realized that my school had no idea what was going on. I had just not shown up to work! Oops! So I sent them a text with a lovely picture of me in the hospital. And just like that my 15 year career had come to an end. My dad was in the hospital in SLC receiving cancer treatments. Luckily he was going home that afternoon and my mom could come be with me.
Later that afternoon I was taken down to see a maternal fetal medicine (MFM) doctor. It was confirmed that it was baby A (Prim) that broken their water. Both babies were looking healthy and not in any distress. Baby A still had plenty of fluid around her (did you know that you keep making amniotic fluid even after your water has broken?) The doctor believed there was no reason why I couldn't make it the hoped for three weeks.
I also met with a neonatal doctor who talked to me about what to expect if I didn't make it to 34 weeks. It was late in the evening, I was tired and don't really don't remember most of what she said. But I do remember her saying, "At this point we don't talk about IF your babies will survive but just how much assistant they will need." This, of course, was a huge relief.
The next couple days were pretty uneventful, well other than being very uncomfortable. Both babies and I had to be on monitors 24/7. If I moved or a baby moved my nurse would have to come in and adjust the monitors. I was still on a mag drip which was VERY unpleasant! It burns as it goes through your veins. I was lucky to have some visitors that helped distract me; Dana Hardman, Shannon and Casey Child, Erik's parents, my mom, Jennie, Josh, Lisa and Tanner all visited me.
Saturday morning I started having "cramps" again. When my OB stopped by to check on me I told him what I was experiencing. He wasn't worried. They were not regular and I was still only dilated to a one. He said I could get up and take a shower when Erik got there (it was like Christmas morning!). Erik was spending the morning at home getting some stuff done. It was the BYU vs UofU game that afternoon and he would come watch it in my hospital room. I continued to have cramps, aka contractions, all morning and into the afternoon. As soon as Erik got there I took a shower and even washed my hair. He brought me a BYU shirt to wear for the game. I am not sure if it was the being up or what but my contractions started to get harder and closer. We managed to get a picture in our BYU shirts before I asked to get back into a hospital gown. This is the last picture taken before I had the babies and we didn't get a belly shot! I am still so sad about that.
Looking back I realize that no one ever said the words "you are in labor." I don't know if I was in denial or what but I really didn't know that I was in labor. At some point in the afternoon I whispered to Erik that I thought these babies are going to come soon. Like it was a secret. Erik started logging my contractions. He made me promise that I would not have these babies until the game was over! During commercial breaks we would monitor my contractions and practice some breathing. My dad called me right before the game started asking if Erik wanted to watch the game at their house and my mom would come down and hang out with me. I told my dad that I was having too many contractions and that I didn't want Erik to leave. Unfortunately BYU lost that game. I asked Erik to spend the night at the hospital with me. I didn't think he should be 30 minutes away. I think Erik could see the writing on the wall a little clearer than I could. He had no intention of leaving me at this point.
After being updated my OB wanted to try and stop my labor one more time! I was given a new drug late Saturday night. It
seemed to work ..... for a few hours anyway.
To be cont.
After a VERY long sleepless night in labor and delivery we met with my OB. The drugs I was given when I first arrived had worked and I was no longer in active labor. Our first goal was to make it 48 hours so that I could get both doses of steroids to help the babies lungs develop. Every single day at this point was beneficial to the twins development. I was not allowed to sit up or walk. I could get up to go to the bathroom as needed but otherwise I was to be laying down. Holy cow! How was I going to do this for three weeks?!? My amazing nurse found me a room with a big window and a beautiful view of the mountains. Once we got settled in Erik went home to shower, pack our now needed hospital bag and check in with work. Sometime mid-morning I realized that my school had no idea what was going on. I had just not shown up to work! Oops! So I sent them a text with a lovely picture of me in the hospital. And just like that my 15 year career had come to an end. My dad was in the hospital in SLC receiving cancer treatments. Luckily he was going home that afternoon and my mom could come be with me.
Later that afternoon I was taken down to see a maternal fetal medicine (MFM) doctor. It was confirmed that it was baby A (Prim) that broken their water. Both babies were looking healthy and not in any distress. Baby A still had plenty of fluid around her (did you know that you keep making amniotic fluid even after your water has broken?) The doctor believed there was no reason why I couldn't make it the hoped for three weeks.
I also met with a neonatal doctor who talked to me about what to expect if I didn't make it to 34 weeks. It was late in the evening, I was tired and don't really don't remember most of what she said. But I do remember her saying, "At this point we don't talk about IF your babies will survive but just how much assistant they will need." This, of course, was a huge relief.The next couple days were pretty uneventful, well other than being very uncomfortable. Both babies and I had to be on monitors 24/7. If I moved or a baby moved my nurse would have to come in and adjust the monitors. I was still on a mag drip which was VERY unpleasant! It burns as it goes through your veins. I was lucky to have some visitors that helped distract me; Dana Hardman, Shannon and Casey Child, Erik's parents, my mom, Jennie, Josh, Lisa and Tanner all visited me.
Saturday morning I started having "cramps" again. When my OB stopped by to check on me I told him what I was experiencing. He wasn't worried. They were not regular and I was still only dilated to a one. He said I could get up and take a shower when Erik got there (it was like Christmas morning!). Erik was spending the morning at home getting some stuff done. It was the BYU vs UofU game that afternoon and he would come watch it in my hospital room. I continued to have cramps, aka contractions, all morning and into the afternoon. As soon as Erik got there I took a shower and even washed my hair. He brought me a BYU shirt to wear for the game. I am not sure if it was the being up or what but my contractions started to get harder and closer. We managed to get a picture in our BYU shirts before I asked to get back into a hospital gown. This is the last picture taken before I had the babies and we didn't get a belly shot! I am still so sad about that.
Looking back I realize that no one ever said the words "you are in labor." I don't know if I was in denial or what but I really didn't know that I was in labor. At some point in the afternoon I whispered to Erik that I thought these babies are going to come soon. Like it was a secret. Erik started logging my contractions. He made me promise that I would not have these babies until the game was over! During commercial breaks we would monitor my contractions and practice some breathing. My dad called me right before the game started asking if Erik wanted to watch the game at their house and my mom would come down and hang out with me. I told my dad that I was having too many contractions and that I didn't want Erik to leave. Unfortunately BYU lost that game. I asked Erik to spend the night at the hospital with me. I didn't think he should be 30 minutes away. I think Erik could see the writing on the wall a little clearer than I could. He had no intention of leaving me at this point.After being updated my OB wanted to try and stop my labor one more time! I was given a new drug late Saturday night. It
seemed to work ..... for a few hours anyway.
To be cont.
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