Introduction! New here

Hi, my name is Kacie and I am a new mom to fraternal twin girls! I followed the expecting forum and now the first year. I finally decided to go ahead and join! I had the girls on August 30, 2009 at 34 weeks 1 day and they spent 16 days in the NICU. Peyton was born weighing 4lb 12oz. and Addison weighed 3lb. 4 oz. Addison was IUGR and her water was the one that broke! At their two month check up Peyton was 8lb. 9oz. and Addison was 5lb 7oz (she was 5lb. 4oz. a month before, she also grew 1.5 inches in a month). Peyton is growing wonderfully but I am having a hard time getting Addison to gain. I am exclusively pumping and Addison gets 1/2 tsp. of Neosure to 3oz. of breastmilk. In the NICU Addison was gaining an ounce to two ounces a day! It kind of bothers me that she is not gaining as much now. The doctor said that if it continues then we would look at failure to thrive. She does not look skinny or malnourished. Her face is filling out and her legs are getting more meat on them! If anyone has a similar story it would be wonderful to hear it! I know different people gain at different rates. Feeding wise I put 3 oz. in her bottle and sometimes she takes it all and other times she leaves an ounce. They eat every 4 hours (this is the schedule they came home on).

 

:welcome: My IUGR baby gained slowly too, but now he is consistently 2lbs heavier than his brother (and taller too!). Hang in there and I hope she starts gaining more soon. Is she falling asleep during feeds?

 

Thank you! That is definitely great to hear! Yes, she sometimes falls asleep and has only eaten 1.5 ounces. Then I start to rustle her around to wake her up but she seals her lips so tight nothing is getting in!

 

This was a huge problem for my boys and the NICU nurses taught us how to massage their jaws to keep them sucking. They looked like they were asleep but the massages kept them eating. Also keep her cooler (take off a blanket or socks) to keep her more awake.

 

No advice on the growth issues, but :welcome: to Twinstuff! We are glad you are joining us!

 

:welcome: to first year Kacie! I didn't have an IUGR baby but I did have one who gained more slowly the first year. She caught up to sister by 15 months. Hang in there!

 

Mine weren't preemies (born at 37 weeks) but DD was 7 lb 12 oz and DS was only 5 lb 6 oz. At the beginning there were lots of feeding issues with DS...he didn't latch well, fell asleep all the time, could only be held certain ways or he wouldn't eat. About 3 weeks old he figured out how to eat better but his weight has always been a lot slower. Even at his 4 month visit he was only 11 lb 10 oz and he remains in the 3rd percentile for his weight while DD is 30-50th percentile. We figure as long as he is gaining we are fine with him being small. His growth curve is smooth, its just lower percentile than most. Plus, we look at the bright side...we get plenty of wear out of his baby clothes considering at 5 months he is still wearing 0-3 month clothes. DD is in 6 month clothes, so the things she has that aren't too girly can be passed down to him too!!!

 

:welcome: to the First Year. I didnt have IUGR babies, but mine were born early so they liked to fall asleep on the nipple. I would strip them down to their diaper and tickle their chins to get a few more ounces in.

 

I could have typed this same post- word for word! My babies weren't early, either, 37w 5d- but are freakin' tiny & grow, but grow much slower than I would have thought. We're still into our 0-3 mo. clothes and some are WAY too big yet! :ibiggrin: My tiny man is in the 2nd percentile for weight- & is exclusively breastfed, & eats like a cow. I don't get it! But I figure- this is who he is & as long as he grows, he's fine. Just really tiny.


Hi Kacy- Welcome!

 

My babies were also born small. They too fell asleep during feedings. DH and I did whatever it took to wake them up and finish eating b/c the Dr &nurses had us so scared. We also supplemented with the neosure for a while. Sounds like you're doing everything you can. Good Luck!

 

:wavey: Kacie! :woo: for another FL twin momma! Where in FL are you?