Please Advise..Twin mommy worries

Hi mommies,

We had our "6month' appointment 2 weeks ago. My twins were born at 34.5 weeks, and the doctors were checking to see how everything was going (routine appointment). They were 6 1/2 months when we went.

I am not sure if I can do anything to improve their situation. Please let me know if you think I could/should change things to help them


DD was 14.5 lbs, (?15% for weight) she is in the 90% for height. (not corrected)
DS was 16.5 lbs, (?30% for weight), and is 95% for height. (not corrected)

Both babies ONLY take 3 bottles per day, and average a total of 24-30 oz per day (mostly in the middle of that range). They have solids 1-2 X a day, mainly avocado, oatcereal, pears, and some egg yolk.

DD doesn't like to sit, and will cry...she still tripods and tops over, and does not seem to have the balance yet at all.

DS can sit for a few seconds, tripods, for a few minutes but tips forward...and then gets upset...(my poor sweeties)

Our pediatrician wasn't too concerned, but I am wondering if they are a litte behind?

Does anyone have any thoughts if their weights are OK? Or if there is anything I could do to 'help' them develop better strength for sitting?

The both rolled both ways at 4 month. Did anyone else have twins that sat 'late'? Thanks so much I really appreciate any thoughts you all may have.

TM :unsure:

 

Sounds like they are going great! My girls were always 95% in height and 5% in weight...hasn't really changed since. The important thing is that they are growing...mine are just growing taller not wider.
Also, my girls didn't START to sit up until they were 8 months old and one crawled at 10 months (the other never crawled, just scooted; she also was my late walker at 18 month).
One tip that got them sitting up was having you sit on the floor with your legs extended to a V shape and have one or both in the middle. This way they can topple over a bit and have some protection and balance from your legs.

 

Mine are 8 1/2 months and weigh a pound less than yours!(but they were born at 33weeks.) I think your weights sound pretty good. As long as the pedi felt they were getting enough formula and food, I wouldn't worry. We were only doing the 2 meals a day at your stage as well. Mine did the same amount of formula but in 4 bottles. Maybe introduce a few new foods to give them variety??

My girls were sitting at 6 1/2 months really well, no support needed. Since its just me all day with them I would do lots of propping up, had one between my legs and the other with their back against my feet and put toys between them. I sat them infront of their playmat/gym thing and they would grab at the toys and hang off the arches. You could see them start to steady themselves and I think that really helped build muscle. I wasn't a big fan of he bumbo, it didn't allow them to reach forward to grab toys and then resteady themselves, so I got rid of them early on.

 

i don't think it matters so much what their weights are as whether or not they're still growing on their own curve. my girls were born at 34w1d and Riley is in (and has always been in) the 5% and Danika is in (and has always been in) the 10% - the concern would be if they had regularly been in or around the 15% but then suddenly dropped off the charts. does that make sense?

also, my girls didn't really sit well (or at all really) on their own until closer to 8 months. i think it sounds like your two are doing great! just give them lots of time to "practice" (i like PPs idea of sitting them between your legs. i also used bumbos & my nursing pillow to balance them during that time a lot as well) and they'll get there when they're ready.

 

As long as their weight were continually going up on the curve, I wouldnt worry about it!

As far as sitting, DD started sitting well on her around 7 1/2 - 8 mths. DS will sit but literally just for a second, he just d oesnt want to sit

 

MOMS, thanks so much for taking the time to respond! My DH tells me I worry too much, sounds like I am. :blush: It's been such a rough road to get to where we are now, so I tend to worry. I also see such chubba-wubba babies, and wonder if I am doing something wrong. My kiddies just don't like to drink much, and they are pretty active otherwise.

Miss Bossy (lol love the name), & Taurus Twins, thanks for letting me know how yours did at the same age as mine with respect to % for weight & height. It is nice to not feel so alone. I am sure once they are 3 yrs old, all these worries will seem silly. :blbl: Our twins are definetly the 'long and lean' type. They were only 4 lbs at birth so I am always so concious of their weight.

My DD just doesn't seem to like to sit at all! LOL DS, is willing to give it a try but definetly needs his own time to figure it out.

Thanks for all the wonderful tips from all or you to help strengthen their core. I plan on working with them 2X a day during their playtime, to help then get more stronger and comfortable 'sitting'. I will definetly post when they are able to sit independently!

TM :thanks:

 

Sounds almost exactly like our babies. My DD has always been 25th for weight and 95th for height. DS has always been a peanut and is 3rd for weight and 50th for height. At 12 months they are still only 19 lb 10 oz and 18 lbs 4 oz! I think we get so used to seeing "sumo babies" and that's why we worry! 6 months is the earliest a baby will sit, so I wouldn't worry about that either. Sounds like your babies are doing great!

 

I had one like that... turns out he wanted to crawl. And stand. And cruise, today. I expect walking within a week or two. :babyflips: Don't worry too much about the sitting- 2 weeks ago mine still needed a pillow b/c they'd fling themselves back and now they are perfect. In the meantime, EI evaluated them and said they were just fine.

 

I think you are fine. How long have they been "sitting" like that? They can make progress really quickly at this age - you may realize in a week that they are both sitting. As far as the bottle thing goes, 3 bottles a day does sound low for this age. They just aren't hungry for more?

 

My girls were born close to 36 wks but were only about 12-13lbs at their 6 month appt. Neither of them sat until they were over 9months old!! Since then things have been progressing more quickly, it just took them a while to catch up weight-wise, and then to get going! They crawled at just over 10months, and are now climbing & cruising. They will be one in a week. It seemed like just after the 6 month mark they took off weight-wise (jumped several lines on the growth chart) and after 9 months their gross-motor skills took off.

I think your twinkies are doing great, and you shouldn't worry at all!!

 

I agree, I think that they are doing prefectly fine!!! My guys are tanks so I can't compare them, but my DS1 was 16lbs at his 6 month check up and the doctor said nothing to make us worry.

I would just slowly still encourage them to sit. Gavin sat a little later than Olivia but now would much rather sit than anything else...it just took some time and practice. He really liked it when I sat behind him.

 

I agree with all of this. My dd twin has been running 50-60% weight since birth, and my ds twin has been 15-20% weight since birth. The curve is the most important thing, not one individual weigh in.

As for sitting, neither of mine sat until 9 months or so, although Liam was army crawling by 6 months. He was too busy "going" to bother learning how to sit, and Rylee was too chubby to sit easily

 

I agree with pp's, as long as they are following their growth curve, I wouldn't worry too much about weight. And they sound like they are doing great! Some babies sit later than others and at least they are beginning to sit!

 

It's hard not to worry! The boys were always tiny and the dr's were always concerned about their weight... Now they're little chunks... so I spent all that time and energy worrying for nothing! Things change so quickly!

BOTH the boys didn't really sit up until a month or so ago. Now Jace will come and "sit" and watch me do whatever it is that I'm doing. It's the cutest thing. My advice to you would be to enjoy what they ARE doing.. they'll do everything in time ♥

 

Thanks Momma's, I think I will just continue working with them, and enjoy what they are doing now They are my little sweethearts, I just wish they would want more than 3 bottles a day LOL They eat anywhere from 6-10oz per bottle, and they sleep a full 12 hrs TTN, so that is why I can't sneak another one in. They are still doing the 3 naps/day aswell, which poses a challenge to sneak another bottle in.

I think we are teething now aswell. :blink: So another challenge with bottles....but if I stick food in front, oh my, they sure have an appetite (which worries me as they are supposed to have more formula/milk at this age).

Oh dear what is a twinmomma to do?! :huh:

Thanks ladies, and any more advice please post away! I really appreciate it.

TM :bow2:

 

Tell me about it...they were having 4-5 prior to their 6 month spurt, and then tapered off when silly me, decided to give them some more solids. I think I 'ruined' their desire for bottles with introducing the 2 nd solid. Only issue is, when I have dropped the second solid they don't care to take more bottles-I think b/c NOW they are teething?! :headbang: