Things have really been happening over the past month or so. The most important was that the twins were sent home… a few days early … not that Emma was complaining.They were a mere 5 weeks old or you could say ‘minus 3 weeks’ and Ben had not even reached 5lbs but home they went.
BEN
JAKE
It looks as though Jake had a temporary problem with milk, which may have been caused by a virus destroying the enzymes or the enzymes may not have developed fully. Whatever the reason he’s fine now and appears to have no sign of a hernia either. After a lot of different problems with breast-feeding Emma was pondering about going totally over to formula but her mind was made up for her when she developed a painful infection due to a blocked duct. The boys are doing even better now and she can see how much milk they are taking. Shame boobs don’t have a gauge on the side. Emma is happier that the choice was made for her. I find it hard to believe that there are still those in the caring profession that make new mothers feel bad when breast feeding does not come easy, or, problems that arise cause them to give up. ... but unfortunately…. there are.
Auntie Jay finally got to see and hold them on their return and Emma’s mum then came over from Ireland to give her daughter some much needed TLC and moral support. It was my turn the following week so for four days I had the fun of feeding and cuddling my beautiful grandsons. I didn’t change them as they do it on a mat on the floor and my knees are well past kneeling and from the pungent smells issuing forth from their nappies I was relived!!!
We tried some hand and foot painting as the proud parents wanted a record of just how tiny their sons’ feet were but those tiny hands were not going to open up for anyone, once they were painted!. We did, just about, manage some footprints
One could say that Steve and Emma have four babies as they have 2 cats as well. Tigger is 13 now and tolerates the new kitten, Puck. Although Tigger would never admit it, she likes the company and the occasional race around the house but she has little time for the new humans. Puck however thinks he has two new brothers and doesn’t really like sharing his mum with them. He also feels that what is theirs is also his.
I do not know how these new parents are surviving on so little sleep as, until the Thursday I was there , they were doing 3 hourly feeds, which leaves a gap of 2 hour if you are lucky and even less when they are bathed. Steve will fall asleep anywhere, if he stays still for more than 1 minute and that includes the train, the station, lunch time at work!!!! feeding time...HIS that is!
They are trying to manoeuvre the routine so they might, with a bit of luck, soon get a glorious 4-hour stretch during the night.
They are wonderful parents ... so chilled, well on the outside anyway, and certainly any stress is not being passed to the boys. How I wish I had been like them with my first, or even my second. I think I was the perfect model of ‘the stressed new mother’.
While I was over their due date arrived. They were 8 weeks on the 16th, which is where their social skills are measured from, or 2 days, which is where their developmental skills are measured. I cannot see how it all works as some social skills cannot develop until some developmental skills have matured!!!! How can they learn to smile by seeing those around them smile if their eyes do not focus properly?
On the Friday I was over, they weighed in at a healthy 5lb12 ½ oz for Ben but an even healthier 6lb 7 ½ oz for Jake. Having said that Ben actually put the most on this week. It is amazing how preoccupied and excited we are about how much weight babies put on and then worry about weight gain once they are at school.
One thing they have noticed is that baby clothes sizes make no sense. Having bought a minimum of 3-5lb, they expected that at 5ish lbs they would be using 5-7lb clothes … not so as they are still too small to wear them!!!! and some of their 0-3mths look as though they would fit a 2 year old!!!! If companies bother to suggest an age and state a weight why are they not all the same size after all 10lbs are 10lbs not 15 or 20. and baby clothes are not cheap so it would be handy if they fitted the size they were meant to . Sorry ... jumped on my soapbox there for a moment. Hope to manage another post before to long
2 comments:
Some really lovely photos here. You're certainly a better photographer than I am. Steve is stunned at the size of his beard in one photo!
aww how gorgeous are those two glad they are home safe and sound, i know what its like havin a premmie to look after my son was born at 26 weeks weighin 2lb and was 4lb when i brought him home!!
they are two stunners tho
xx
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