Well good morning or should I say night? I am not sure what time it is right now because it’s dark, I am sleep deprived, and am hooked up to a breast pump as I write this. We’ve made it folks! We have survived our first week home with twin boys.
Check!
I must say this has been the most amazing experience of my life! It is surreal to know you have created these little miracles and now they are HERE on Earth and all MINE! My husband and I have relied on a few tips to get through each day and tackle every new challenge as it arises.
In order to maintain our sanity, here are a few things I have learned in my first week as a new twin mom. From the moment we pulled into our driveway with our two little nuggets I have heard the voice of Kevin McCallister from “Home Alone” saying, “This is it! Don’t get scared now!”
- Pretend you are on “The Amazing Race”: Matt and I always joke that we would be great contestants on the show “The Amazing Race”. With a task at hand, we focus on getting to the next checkpoint rather than winning the entire competition. Throughout my pregnancy and now more than ever as new parents, we are trying to just make it to the next checkpoint. I’ve been pooped on, dropped a nasty diaper on the carpet, and subsequently been peed on while a both babies are whaling simultaneously. This past week has been incredibly rough on my body. I am still recovering from my C-Section. Yesterday, my major accomplishment was walking to the mailbox, very very slowly. I was so proud that I was able to get there and back home in one piece. I know that each day will get easier. I have come to realize that we don’t have to tackle a huge milestone or solve the world’s problems in one day. All we have to do is celebrate the small accomplishments along the way.
- Trust your body: Holy cow…it is amazing what the human body is capable of! Not only could my body provide a home for my two babies for 38 weeks, but I am even more amazed at how my body has adapted since the boys have arrived! One day I have a belly the size of a planet, the next day I am producing milk for two. Yes for two! My body is a machine. Even though I am sore and exhausted, my body knows that it has to get moving and take care of business. Just when I think that I cannot do one more thing, I am surprised a renewed energy level and can miraculously get something more done!
- Stay on top of your meds: If you have a C-Section, this is key. Pain killers, yes please! Nobody has to be a hero here folks! When the meds wear off, mama gets testy. I have learned that I even though I am sick of hearing my phone alarm go off every two hours, taking those pills really is a must. My body went through major surgery and now I am trying to heal while learning to be a mama to two kiddos. I have to be comfortable to be functional and the best mama I can be.
- Don’t overdo it: Umm, this was a hard lesson for me to learn. I am an active person and want to do things for myself. Just when I thought I was having a great day and feeling on the up-and-up, I would climb a staircase or sit up too fast, resulting in a monumental meltdown. Seriously, why do I feel the need to do this crap? The lesson learned here is to take it easy. I am slowly learning that in time things will heal and get easier.
- Use any help you can get: This is best advice I was given before we had the boys! We set up help to come and stay with us during the recovery process. This is the BEST THING WE HAVE EVER DONE! We have been utilizing both sets of our parents as a support system to help us do everything at home, all the while Matt and I try and navigate being new twin parents. Did I just say that? Yeah, we are now parents! I am still in shock. It’s an adjustment at first to bark orders and accept help in literally every way possible. Believe it or not, people actually do want to help you and are totally capable to do so! We have had help with everything, from doing laundry, washing bottles, making meals, going to the grocery store, helping with the dog, and taking an early morning feeding so we can get some extra sleep, which has allowed me to be a better version of myself. Having help in the first few weeks is a MUST!
- Nap when the kiddos nap:This is hard to do. I am getting better at trying to lay down and rest when the boys are sleeping, but it’s hard to sleep on command. I know I need the sleep but I am not much of a napper. All I know is that I do feel more refreshed when I get a nap in.
- Go on dates: I have been fortunate enough to squeeze in 3 dates this week with my husband. How is that possible you ask? Well, we went to Target one day. Look out. Then Costco the next. Hot damn! All of these small outings were short lived, but I cherished every moment. It felt amazing to get out of the house! My in-laws were gracious enough to watch the boys and I took them up on every offer. If you have the luxury, utilize it!
- Make time for yourself: Even though I feel like I am always feeding or hooked to a pump, I know that in order to maintain my own sanity I need to try to do something for myself each day. If that means 2 extra minutes in the shower or a phone call to catch up with a good friend, I am going to squeeze it in.
- Enjoy every moment: I have only been a mom for a week, but I can say that, hands down, this is the most intense love that I have ever experienced. My hormones are raging right now and I am tearing up as I write this, but being a mom has made me appreciate a kind of love that I never could have imagined. As I rock my boys to sleep at 3 a.m., I cherish each and every moment. They aren’t going to be bite sized for too much longer and this time will quickly pass. I have waited so long for this, 4 long, painful years! I don’t want to wish any stage of their lives away, I want to be present in each day and rejoice in each small blessing. I was nursing one of my boys the other morning and he looked up at me with his big, beautiful eyes. I looked up to see what he was staring at only to realize that he was looking at me. As I sat there, tears rolling down my cheeks, I realized that this is what being a mom feels like. Motherhood means loving someone unconditionally and being so incredibly thankful for each moment with your child as those moments pass by so quickly.
Here’s to tackling each day as it comes,
