Hardest Stage?

what does everyone think was the hardest stage of the first year w/twins?

 

nicu!! without a doubt!!

 

For us it was around 7-8 months where there was a lot happening developmentally and they'd get frustrated that they couldn't do things. Teething was also going on then and it was just hard.

 

the first four months. breastfeeding preemies was hard & the sleep deprivation nearly did me in. we ended up hiring a sleep consultant because i was such a mess. once the breastfeeding got sorted out & the girls started sleeping in their cribs things got much, much better.

 

Definitely the first five months until they were sleeping through the night. Getting up multiple times a night and then going into work...it's all just a blur!

 

I think each stage has its struggles BUT....for me personally, the first 3 months were really hard on me. Recovery was really rough on me and taking care of a 16 month old plus the newborn twins, that was hard.

 

I have to agree with pp. Definitely the first few months. For me I was bfed, the other bottle fed, then pumping.... The boys were on separate schedule... The sleep deprivation was pretty bad.

 

I was very fortunate to have lots of help in the beginning. Honestly, I think the last month has been the worst for us (7.5-8.5 months). Both boys have gotten all four top teeth in the last month and have been VERY fussy and clingy. I can't even set them down for more than a minute or two without lots of crying, and they aren't sleeping well at night either. We've also now hit the stage where if we say "no" or take something away, it leads to crying and protesting.

 

hmmm, its a total toss up, In my head i think the first 3 months were the worst but I honestly barely remember them so could they have been that bad??? Right now seems bad because they are soooo clingy, especially my daughter, this whole seperation anxiety thing is terrible I can't walk out of the room without a total meltdown like I have just killed them or something. But the whole no sleep thing in the beginning was sooo terrible to, aaah i can't decide!

 

for me it was 5-6mths and only because of horrendous napping habits. It was really awful. honestly I'd take what I went thru at that age again over having three of different ages all not sleeping/napping properly!

 

Newborn, hands down. It started getting better around 3.5 months, and got hugely better around 6 months when they could sit up. Also, I was a wreck emotionally and physically for the first several weeks. Every challenge since then has seemed manageable.

 

Right now, at 35 months? :laughing:

I'm in the minority I know...but I am not sure of a time when things were really hard. Does that mean I didn't have days where we cried in unison? Of course not! LOL! I pumped for the first five months. That was tough. I was a first time mom, a SAHM. It was hard, but nothing really sticks out with me. Sleeping was ok because dh and I took shifts, and they were STTN at six months. Teething has never been an issue with them. Reflux-they were happy spitters, no meds needed. I don't know. I honestly I wish I could go back in time and do it all over again, because I miss it! ardon: So I may be a bit crazy...

The only thing I can really think of is the first week. Anthony ended up being in the NICU for the week. That was really hard on me with MIL being home with Nicholas, while I struggled to be with Anthony, be with Nicholas, heal from major surgery, pump/breastfeed. And deal with my MIL bonding with Nicholas more than I was, and her CONSTANT being over my house. I guess that would be the hardest time-but not really a stage.

But-that's the good thing about it-they are all stages...so they don't last forever!

 

Hmmmm, newborn was definately hard but I got through it only because I've had 2 sinlgetons and kinda knew what to expect. Without thta previous experience it would've been different.
Right now though it's pretty hairy as I have 1 that whinges and cries constantly unless shes's held or out and about, and the other not sleeping much at night! They want to do things, but can't move much yet, so I would say 4-5 months!!! :crazy: :drown:

 

The first four months! After they started sleeping more than 1.5 hours at a time and breastfeeding well, it all got easier! They are hard when they get super active, but it's more fun!

 

10 weeks in the NICU and Sleep Deprivation for the 1st 10 months of their lives. So much of their 1st year is such a blur. I feel like I was on auto-pilot and in survival mode for a very very long time, and I honestly don't remember a lot of the details.

 

The first 3 months, mainly due to difficulties with breastfeeding and sleep deprivation.

 

This is terrifying to hear... :drown:

 

Just remember, we've all been there and we've all survived!! It won't be easy, but you CAN do it. :youcandoit:

 

First 5 months - sleep deprivation killed me. They had more of a routine starting around 5 months and began to sleep better.

 

what she said! :youcandoit:

and as someone else said to me, the days are long, but the years are short. it will feel like forever when you're living through it & that you won't make it, but then, next thing you know, they're two years old & you're thinking about having another! :laughing:

 

The first five weeks (NICU) and the six months following that (almost constant crying). It's a lot better now, but they do not STTN yet and they're super clingy during the day as well, due to seperation anxiety.

 

I think, for me, at about 4 months was the worst. They were still colicky, they were still waking once a night, the witching hours were the worst, and there were no huge milestones at that time for distraction! The first few months were hard, but there is also that sense of wonder, and newness that helps you get through - it will be great!

 

I have to say that the hardest stage was waiting to deliver - being fantastically uncomfortable, and never being able to eat !!!!!
Everything since then has been hectic but tolerable

 

Definitely the first 4 months for us. Colic and reflux and lack of sleep was a killer. After that I would say 6 to 8 month was bad because they were teething so bad and were very clingy and whiny. For the most part I did enjoy the first 1.5 years but when the hit around 20 months it just got so much better. I keep hearing 2.5 is hard so I'm a little worried that it's going to get hard again soon :unsure:

 

The first three months were definitely the hardest. Everything is so new and overwhelming. I was lucky to have a lot of help those first few months but it was still rough! By the time they hit six months old I was really having a great time and things had settled down considerably.

 

Well, definitely the NICU if we're counting that. Ours were there for 12 weeks. And, hands down the initial few months home. I thought we'd die of sleep deprivation (we were also plain terrified because of how early our boys had come). We were in complete survival mode and I'd never go back to that stage. Some people love the newborn stage (and maybe it's more enjoyable with term babies), but we much prefer them older when they are sleeping better and interacting with us and each other.

 

The first time I got sick, I was exhausted and couldn't speak. My dh was back at work and I was alone with 5 week olds who that week refused bottles and only wanted to nurse.

 

If we are counting this: I think the hardest stage was actually before they were born - bedrest from 20 weeks on, quite a bit of pain and the fear whether the babies would make it (eversthing turned out great and I had to be induced in the 40th week but I will never forget those months).
After they were born the hardest was one week when both DH and I were really sick and the babies were about 6 months - DH was so weak he could not get up out of bed and I built a nest on the living room floor and just lay there with the babies, dozing, changing them right there and breastfeeding around the clock because the fever made my supply drop and I could not get up to buy formula and prepare bottles. My saintly mom came to help us although she was sick from chematherapy herself in those days but I really do not know how we would have managed without her.
So, not really a baby stage for me.

 

I didn't have any NICU time, so for me it was the first 3 months. Everything seems worse when you are sleep deprived. Once they started sleeping longer stretches it got easier. Once we hit 6 months and they started to really STTN is when I really started enjoying them.

 

Hmmm, 2 years 8 months? :laughing:

No, seriously, the first 3 months were the hardest, with 6-7 months being a real turning point for us when things started getting "easier" (and I use that term loosely).

:youcandoit:

 

:laughing: :laughing: :rotflmbo: :rotflmbo: MORE!? :rotflmbo: :rotflmbo:

 

I didn't think the first few months were all that bad. I expected it to be horrible, so maybe my expectations weren't all that high. I think 3-6 months may have been the worst - when we felt like they should be STTN and they weren't. At 6 months, they started STTN, sitting, playing with toys, becoming more fun...it got much better then

 

In the first year the hardest stage was the first 6 weeks. But now that my twins are six I think the hardest hardest stage over all was 3-5 years old.

 

For me the hardest stage has been being at work and not with them. I can put up with anything from them when I am home but hate being gone all day.

 

They're only eight months, so I have to say the first three months were the worst thus far. No sleep (for anyone) and DH and I were constantly snippy. I also had a love/hate relationship with having my mother or MIL here 24/7.