(...what would have been) 40 Weeks!

Today, the twins would have been 40 weeks!! 

Instead my little boys will be 3 weeks old tomorrow!  Life at the Bagley house has been in a constant state of movement.  

We have been feeding, sleeping (some,) burping, diapering, swaddling, cooking, laundering, washing, oh my.

So many -ings.    

Luckily, Jason's mom, sister and my mom have been here almost non-stop.  This is actually only the 2nd night since we have come home from the hospital that someone hasn't been here with us to help with the boys.

Random thoughts: today, I mowed the lawn.  It felt so good to be outside in the grassy air.  Small victories to normalcy.  We made dinner (shrimp and veggies, eeeehhhh...) then, Travis and I visited two of our pregnant neighbors to deliver some baby gifts.

After our visits, Travis had a colossal meltdown.  Probably the biggest, worst one he has ever had.  Jason gave him a bath while I was nursing the little boys, so I didn't see it, but he tells me that he got himself so worked up that he actually scared himself.  Poor guy was beyond tired - we stayed out too late with the neighbors and it threw off his schedule big time.  That boy does best when he is in bed by 8, not starting his bath at 8.  It's amazing how fast time flies when you're living your life in 2 1/2 - 3 hour increments between feedings.  The time just got away from me and my sweet boy melted down because I was being yappy.  Sorry buddy, I will try to be better.  I was just enjoying getting caught up with our friends again and got distracted!  Bad mommy  :)

Twin news:
Barrett lost his umbilical cord on day 9, Pierce on day 11.  Yay!
The boys got their first baths on day 12 - for some reason, I was absolutely not as stressed about bathing this time around.  Practice makes perfect, I guess... and the newness of dealing with a newborn was all soaked up by Travis, so my confidence level was much higher with these two.  They both are water babies thus far, barely a peep of crying and they both seem so peaceful when the water goes down their little faces.  So so sweet.

(Pierce)

(Barrett)

At their 2 week check up last week, they were both back up to their birth weights.   

Actually, they both SURPASSED their birth weights!  

Pierce was 6 pounds 7.5ounces, Barrett 5 pounds 7.5 ounces. 

They seem so big to me.

As they grow, it's amazing to watch how their dispositions are developing.  I am trying really hard not to label them - "this one is the quiet one, this one is the happy one, this one is the grumpy one, this one is the whiny one" but it is funny to see how different they are.  You'll have to get to know them and you can make up your own mind on if you think they are different.  I am still in awe to be so consumed in love for these people that I have only known for what seems like minutes.

What else, what else...
Nursing.  Well, it is definitely easier this time around, but it still sucks.  Pierce has a really shallow latch but is a great eater.  Barrett has a fantastic latch, but falls asleep mid-feeding almost every time.  I'm nursing them tandem (thank, God.) so we are able to a bit of life in the middle of the 3 hour milking sessions.  Still, it's an adjustment physically and that just takes time... so as much as it hurts right now, it isn't that bad in the grand scheme of things.  They have been exclusively breast feed this whole time, which I am so pleased about... all those good antibodies and fats and lipids and whatnot.  Magical baby milk.

What else -
We made our first out of town trip this past weekend.  We went to San Antonio for 3 days over Easter to be with family.  It was lovely lovely lovely.  So nice to have so much family in one place.  The Easter bunny came, and Travis had a BLAST hunting for eggs.  His cousins were so sweet helping him find eggs.  It was one of those moments in time that was just priceless.  I don't know what it is about Easter - probably the fair weather and the relaxed nature of the day and the oh-so-sweet outfits that I love, but I think it is one of the friendliest & happiest days of the year.  Yay, Jesus.

My little ones need to eat... so off I go.  Sweet dreams,

xoxo, CB

All About Nursing - Part 2

It took us nearly 8 weeks, but we can finally say that we "got it" when it comes to nursing! 

What an accomplished statement!  I'm so proud... I love it, I tell you - it was the hardest, most frustrating thing I've ever done, but now that everything is working like it "should" I am so tickled!

For all the mommies-to-be out there or new-nursing mommies... this list is for you.
I realized I left out some very important products that helped make my breastfeeding adventure successful and I want to share, especially since I am blessed to have so many friends that are about to embark on this overwhelming thing called parenthood.  If you want the first half of the list, you can read all about it here. 

Camelback Water Bottle with Straw
When you're supposed to be drinking 8 glasses of water per day, it is important to have a vessel to get all that liquid in your body.  This water bottle is awesome... it has a straw and drinking water becomes mindless.  Very important when your mind is foggy from lack of sleep.  Go get one.  It is great.  And, just as a word of recommendation, go to the bathroom EVERY SINGLE TIME before you feed your kid.  You'll thank me later.  So will your bladder :)

Medela Freestyle
I price shopped all over for this little fella, and thanks to Bed, Bath & Beyond's 20% off coupon that you can use at Buy Buy Baby, BBB was by far the least expensive option.  You'll note, that I am a super shopper (thanks to the fact that the internet makes it SO easy!) and all the links on here are for the least cost options that I was able to find in a matter of about 10 clicks :)

Onto the freestyle... A friend of mine gave me a Medela Pump-in-Style Advanced, and the first time I tried using it, somehow I managed to get water in the tubes that run into pump.  For anyone that's read about breast pumps and sharing, there is all this scary information about how dangerous it can be because there is a chance that bacteria or viruses can survive in an open system pump like the one I had used.  Naturally, I freaked out, and the hunt began to buy a new one.

I ultimately chose the freestyle because my sister recommended it... and boy am I glad I chose it.  Having access to a hands-free system, that doesn't force you to be plugged into an outlet is MIGHTY FINE.

I've found that it takes me about 20 minutes to put on my makeup and dry my hair when I get out of the shower, and conveniently, that is about the same amount of time it takes to pump.  It's about as good as my multitasking abilities are going to get now that I'm distracted every 2 minutes! 

Lansinoh Ultra Soft Breast Pads 

There are a couple different types of breast pads out there, and for a new mom, all these new things didn't totally make sense to me.  There are lotions and shields and creams and so many different options that it was very overwhelming for me.  THANK GOD my sister faux registered for me and I just pointed and clicked when it came to items like this.

She recommended the regular Lansinoh Breast Pads, and someone got me the ultra soft pads and I really like them... better than the regular Lansinoh as well as the Medela pads.

WHY YOU ASK?
1.  They're bigger.  Big plus - especially when you're sleeping and the girls are moving all over the place.
2.  They also seem to have some kind of super absorbent gel inside them so they've never leaked.  Another big plus.
3.  And, they're shaped differently than the other 2 types; somehow making them fairly inconspicuous.

Good stuff.

Medela Soft Fit Breastshields

These little guys are great... not only are they less rigid than than "standard issue" breast shields (or flanges?) they extract more milk too!  Totally worth the $15 investment.

Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags
I chose these for one reason and one reason only... when you go to freeze your milk, they lay flat - thus, over months of storing milk, you can have an organized, easily accessible milk bank to access.  I've used the Medela bags as well, and they're handy when you don't have a bottle (you can pump directly into them) but they don't lay flat, and that's just a big mess for me.
Wanna know my super fancy storage container for all my milk? Shoe boxes.  Yep, Perfect!

Last but not least, I'd like to give honorable mention to re-usable nursing pads.  

I've used the TL Care Organic Nursing Pads, and I like them well enough, but they're just a little to small for my liking.  They work well, but don't move around much because they slide out of place pretty easily.  For a less busty lady, I'm sure they'd be wonderful, but for me, I wish they were just a weeee bit bigger.  C'est la vie!  I do recommend having at least a few on hand in case you run out of the disposables... and for some reason, I like to wear them at night - they're softer and my brain thinks they breathe better (who knows if this really true).

Good luck ladies on your adventures in breast feeding!
Now, that everything is cooking like it should, a lot of this "stuff" isn't as necessary anymore, but it definitely helped us be successful and I am so happy we're finally doing it right!

xoxo, cb. 

ps. I'm so excited to share that Grandpa Beez is coming to Texas tomorrow!! We're going to be all over the place next week (icecream tours, the zoo, Texas bbq) - I can't wait!  Hopefully we'll have some fun adventures to share when all our travels are done.   

p.p.s. This week was Travis' 2 month birthday!  Can you believe it's already been 2 months?   I can't either!  We went to the pediatrician on Monday and he was such a flirt!  So cute.  Then, he got a round of nasty vaccination shots that sent him  into a fussy tailspin for the rest of the day.  Poor guy.  

Here are his latest stats, just in case you're wondering:

Weight: 12.12 lbs

Length: 23 inches

Here's a funny face to make you giggle :) 

All About Nursing

I have been wanting to post something for quite some time recently, but just have had so many thoughts about what to write that I got stuck.  Imagine that, me at a loss for words.  Don't worry, I'm all better now :)

First: A bunch of "firsts"
Travis took his first bottle.  
     We went to Maw Maw's house to visit and eat lunch.  After we ate, Travis fed but didn't have the best feeding (it was warm in Maw Maw's house, he got cozy and decided to fall asleep rather than eat a full meal).  Usually we go 3 hours between feedings so I decided to pump an hour after I feed him.  All was well until he got hungry an hour early and I didn't think I had enough milk to feed him naturally (I was wrong), so Maw Maw suggested we feed him the milk I'd just pumped - we didn't have a bottle but luckily she did... and that kid downed 3.5 ounces of milk in about 10 minutes.  I was so afraid he'd spit it all back up, but apparently his little tummy has a pretty substantial holding capacity!  I am so happy that he doesn't have an issue taking a bottle.  That should make my transition back to work much easier.

Maw Maw feeding Travis his first bottle

Travis went to his first wedding.  
     Jason's college friend, Stacy got married just outside San Antonio in Bracken at the cutest little Methodist church - it was a beautiful ceremony with a whole lot of people packed into a tiny church.  I was nervous that Travis would get fussy but he slept through the whole thing.  He only startled once after the new bride and groom were announced and everyone started clapping.  It was awesome.
     We also go to to show him off to a bunch of Jason's old meat judging team... Kyle and Celeste, Bridget and her husband, Kristin and JD.  It was great getting to see them.  Kristin and John David just had twins, almost 2 months before Travis was born, so we were able to share stories about life with newborns.  I am amazed how people function while raising twins, I can't imagine!  One is tricky enough :)   They are incredible parents!

Travis went to his first baby shower. 
     My high school girlfriend, Tracy, had a beautiful baby shower in San Antonio at The Bright Shawl.  She is just an adorable pregnant momma-to-be and the shower was so pretty.  Everything was pink - down to the french toast :)

Tracy and Chris opening gifts

I also got to catch up with Claire and Carol Schindler - it was lovely girl time!

Claire making Travis smile.  She's a baby whisperer. 

Travis and I went to our first La Leche League meeting.    
     The best way I can describe LLL is AA for nursing mothers.  It was nice meeting other women that are having the same struggles as I am, and that genuinely want to figure it out - regardless of how difficult it is.  We shared stories, and I got coached by the group leader on how Travis and I are nursing.  She reassured me that we are doing everything right - it was amazing to hear that... as a new mom, I have found that I have so many questions and I'm always second guessing if I'm doing it "right" so to hear someone else say that we are, was a real confidence booster.

We had our first overnight trip.
     We traveled back to San Antonio to visit the Nana, Papa, Grandma, Maw Maw, Aunt Keri, Uncle Evan and Aunt Meigan.  We had only planned on staying one night, but we really love being with the family so we decided to stay an extra night.  Travis did well, but it is hard keeping the "normalcy" when you're out of your element.  He had a little bit of a hard time adjusting - the 2nd night he woke up at 12, 2, 4 and 6am to eat.  I don't know if it's because he's having a growth spurt or if it's because there are so many new sights, sounds and smells.  Regardless, it was exhausting!  
     We've got a little routine here at home - command central, as I call it, in the nursery is all setup: computer for me to read nonstop when he's feeding, all the pillows, footstools, burp cloths, bottled water, music & entertainment is right here and when we are away, I have to get used to nursing in new positions, which is good, I need to learn it but it's hard...  and setting up new stations (changing, baths) isn't easy either.  We are definitely learning how to travel with a newborn.  It requires a lot of stuff... and time.  Luckily, my Jason is 100% present and helps with all the packing, loading, unloading, and travel business.  I am a lucky lady to have such a great man in my life.


Next up: NURSING     the good, the bad and the ugly. 
It is by far, the hardest thing I have ever done in my adult life.

We are starting to get it.... almost 4 weeks in and I can finally feed him without the breast shield every time.  (is this TMI?) Mom's out there, or mom's-to-be, it is hard.  But, totally worth it.  You're giving your kiddo the best nutrition possible and I think that is worth all the pain and frustration.  This week, I have cried at 2 am when it hurt so much to feed him and been absolutely elated when it worked right.  I am convinced that this is just going to take time, and patience.  

I've been wanting to post a little something about all the nursing products that I've found helpful, but I don't know that Travis will sleep long enough for me to write a total comprehensive list, so until then, here are the things that I love and that have helped make nursing-life easier:

1. My Breast Friend Nursing Pillow
     I tried the Boppy.  I hate that thing.  Unlike the MyBreastFriend, it doesn't have any way to hold the pillow close to you, so baby ends up sliding down and away from your body and when he is attached to a certain booby, it is painful when they start ripping away. I blame it whole-heartedly for the sore, bleeding, cracked nipples that I had my first week.  I hate that thing BUT the My Breast Friend pillow has a clip that holds the pillow on your mid-section, so baby stays where he should, and the pillow is much firmer.  AND, it has these little bumps that act as mini-pillows to help prop baby's head up.  It is gold.  And I love it.

2. Medela Nursing Stool
     It seems so insignificant, but having your feet propped up off the ground just a couple of inches helped me get him positioned a lot better.  It also allows me to lean back in my nursing chair, which has helped with all the soreness in my back.  6 hours a day of sitting in a chair does a number on your neck and back... the stool has helped so much.

3. Medela Nipple Shield
     If it wasn't for this thing, I think I would have quit breast feeding after the first couple of days.  I know a lot of Lactation Consultants frown upon using them, but for me, it has helped me make it through the ultra painful feedings and it helps slow down the flow of my milk, so Travis doesn't end up choking all the time.  Also, it gives him more substance to latch onto which has helped train him to have a better latch.  This really should be my #1 favorite nursing item BUT I'm trying to ween off using it - it is quite inconvenient when you're out and about.  It has to be washed with non-antibacterial soap and water after each use, which is a pain in the butt and because it slows down the velocity of milk output, feedings take longer.  Regardless, it's an amazing product.  I also tried the Tommee Tippee nipple shields, but for me, they were very uncomfortable - they actually hurt to use.

4. Polysporin
     Weird, yes.  But when you're cracked/bleeding this stuff is awesome at helping you heal quickly.  It's also safe for babies to nurse on, so you don't have to worry about wiping it off every time you need to feed.

5. A Great Nursing Bra
     There is an incredible maternity/nursing boutique here in Austin called Special Addition.  They have the most knowledgeable staff and they are so willing to help mom's in every way they can.  They make you feel like you are the only person in the store and they don't pressure you to buy anything - which for me, means I will buy almost anything they suggest because I trust them.  They also offer free nursing advice over the phone and have 3 lactation consultants that you can schedule appointments with if you need one-on-one help.  Anyway, back to the bra - they fitted me with 3 different nursing bras in 20 minutes and I am in love with this one.  It's made by Bella Matera and it is AMAZING how much better the girls feel now that they have some support.  I had been wearing these cute sleeping nursing bras from Target and didn't realize how much of a difference a little lift made in my overall comfort.  Thank goodness for the wonderful women at Special Addition.

Okay, the kiddo is waking up to eat so I'm off to be a human milk machine. Gotta love the new job ;)

xoxo, cyndy