Breastfeeding Class

This past Sunday, Jason and I went to a breastfeeding class by Ann Conlon-Smith.  She is a privately practicing board certified lactation consultant and owns her own company called Triangle Lactation.  She has had 6 sons, two of whom were twins and she breastfed all of them.  She is absolutely one of the most highly regarded lactation consultants in our area.

We want to breastfeed these babies, and even though I've read a few books on breastfeeding, we figure we can't do enough to prepare, so we also decided to take this class.  The class was really informative and it was great to be able to ask Ann questions about juggling twins.  She really is an expert at breastfeeding.

At one point, they actually had us holding dolls and they were showing us all the different holds.  It was extremely entertaining to watch Jason practice the cross-cradle hold.  He would make an excellent breastfeeder if he only had the right equipment!

Ann is also the lactation consultant at the pediatrician that we've chosen for the babies.  I will be able to take them in for a regular appointment and see the lactation consultant at the same time (for the same co-pay I think?).  I've also gone to a couple of La Leche League meetings, and it's been great to connect with lots of other women (including many twin moms) who have successfully breastfed and are willing to help me when the babies come if (read: when) I need it.

Ann also knows the post-partum doula, Pam Diamond, that I've chosen to help us with the babies after they are born.  (A HUGE thanks to my company, Concerro, for covering this cost.  You are amazing.)  She said that Pam will be the perfect doula for twins.  I was really glad to hear that we made a good choice.

I know that breastfeeding can be really challenging for many people, but it's something that we would really like to do.  We really appreciate everyone being supportive of us and giving us encouragement.

No Longer a Gold Medallion

I have come to realize that in this transition from full-time travelista to stay at home mommy, I will lose my treasured Delta Gold Medallion status.  No longer will I enjoy the free upgrades, short lines, free checked baggage and sense of superiority above "the people in the back of the plane".  I will have to ride along with the rest of the underlings, sitting in middle seats (oh, the horror!), getting annoyed at gate agents who do not care because I will not be important to them anymore.

The good news is that air travel with infant twins seems completely insane to me, so I think it's unlikely that I will subject myself to it very often.  (Honestly, travel at all - by car, boat or plane - with infant twins seems completely insane to me.)  At least I will only be reminded of the stark contrast between my "old life" travel status and my "new life" travel status about once a year.  Hey - maybe I can try to work the twin baby angle and at least get to board early...

I Like Watching You Eat

Last night, Jason and I were both getting really excited about the babies.  Learning that they are getting so much bigger and gaining weight was really encouraging to us (in addition to reaching the 36 week mark).  Last night, he kept asking me if he could get me anything - cheesy scrambled eggs, a protein drink, etc.  I kept saying no.  Finally, he said,"I like to feed you.  I like watching you eat."  It turns out that when I'm eating (especially eating healthy things with protein and especially when I'm eating things that he has prepared for me), he really feels like he's taking care of the babies.  It was just really cute.

So I drank a protein milk drink from Trader Joe's.  I think the babies enjoyed it.  =)

No Poppage

We're at 36 weeks and my belly button still has not popped.  I believe that my friend, Amanda, was right when she guessed that my belly button wouldn't pop.  Considering all the other deformities that I have going now (swollen feet, cankles, swollen hands, carpal tunnel syndrome) and the stares and questions I get from the general public, I have to say that I'm kind of relieved that my belly button is still pointed in the right direction.  =)

36 Weeks

We hit a new milestone today - 36 weeks.  This was the target that our OB set for us.  It means that our babies are considered to be out of the "danger zone" and that they definitely won't stop labor now.  The babies weigh 5 lb 8 oz (boy) and 5 lb 15 oz (girl), so they are growing strong.  We're very thankful for that.

Over the past day or so, I feel like the babies (or at least one of them) have dropped.  It's much more uncomfortable to walk now, and I get up very slowly and get out of the car very slowly.  But the baby(ies) dropping really doesn't mean anything - they could come today or they could come 4 weeks from now.  There is really no telling.

The average twin is 5 lb 5 oz and born at 36 weeks.  So I guess if our little guy were perfectly average, he would be born today.  =)

We're really thrilled that we've gotten this far with the pregnancy and we're hoping to go as long as we can, as long as the babies are thriving and growing well.  They will let us know when they're ready to say, "Hello, world."

Bigger Babies!

We had our last growth scan today, and we got some good news.  The latest estimates are that our son is 5 lb 8 oz and that our daughter is 5 lb 15 oz.  I'm just thrilled that they think they are both already over 5 lbs.  We were worried from the last growth scan (3 weeks ago) that estimated our son at 3 lb 9 oz.  So today was a very good day.

And tomorrow we'll be at 36 weeks!!

Daddy of the Year

Even though Jason is still a daddy of two gestating babies, he gets the Daddy of the Year Award in my book.  Here are some of the things that my sweet husband does that make me love him more than I thought was possible.

• He keeps my water glass full all night.  Keeping myself properly hydrated is really challenging.  I realized that I start "conserving" water if it gets lower than half a glass (just a weird "Leslieism").  In the evenings when I'm sitting in my recliner, he will refill my water glass throughout the night without me ever asking.
• He takes my dishes away when I'm done eating and puts them in the dishwasher, just so I won't have to get up.
• He sifts the kitty litter every single day (upstairs and downstairs) and has done this since we got pregnant.  This used to be my job.
• He started mowing the lawn after I got pregnant.  I really liked mowing the lawn pre-pregnancy, but it's just not an option now.  He does it every weekend.
• He suggested we "celebrate" the 4th of July with some ice cream and a movie (since we couldn't go outside to watch fireworks with the heat).  He knows I love ice cream almost as much as I love him.  
• He vacuums and cleans the kitchen more than I do (seriously, does this get any better?).
• He calls me on his way home from work to see if he can bring me dinner.
• He reads every single pregnancy book after me.  He has probably read almost as many books on pregnancy and twins as I have at this point.  I love that he loves our babies already.
• He often calls me from work just to say hi and see how my day is going.  When I call him, he always sounds worried until I say, "Everything is ok.  I'm not having babies or anything."

Jason is the kind of man who looks for ways to be loving and helpful and looks for ways to take care of us (now that "I" am "us") without me having to ask for it.  It's just his nature.  I'm a lucky woman.

Thanks for being a great daddy, Jason.  I love you.  The babies love you, too.  =)