Archive for February, 2017
Dad/Partner’s Important Role
The most important thing a Father can do for his children is to love their Mother.
~Theodore M. Hoseburgh
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )The Truth and Nothing But The Truth…..
Posted on Instagram yesterday by “thebump.” Just loved it, although adapted it to fit our particular situation:
“Growing humans makes me feel like a superhero. A very tired, weak superhero that wants to eat all the time and isn’t allowed to lift heavy objects.” Unknown
thebump’s notation is equally on the mark: “Pregnancy is both empowering and exhausting.”
Never lose your sense of humour!!!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )SWITCH THEM UP OR ASSIGN EACH BABY TO A BREAST???
When breastfeeding your babies be sure and change the babies back and forth from breast to breast (each feed). Nursing babies look up at Mom as they feed and switching them back and forth gives each infant’s top eye a chance to work, exercise and practice focusing. Assign a child to only one breast for each feed and the lower eye does not get the chance to mature and develop. Switching is also better for working on head and neck control.
Also, due to demand and supply on each breast and the chances that your babies do not have similar strength abilities for sucking, each breast will respond to the demand each baby is applying and you could end up looking lopsided.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )TWIN TO TWIN TRANSFUSION SYNDROME (TTTS)
TTTS, if it is going to happen, only occurs with monozygotic (identical) multiples, including any monozygotics within triplets, quadruplets or quintuplets. As soon as you are diagnosed with having multiples, parents need to find out if they are carrying monozygotic babies and if they have TTTS.
TTTS is a disease of the placenta found in monochorionic (MC) multiples when two or more babies share a placenta. In short, the babies have an unbalanced flow of blood and nutrients between them through the blood vessels which connect the circulation of both babies.* It is important to find out as soon as is possible if any of your babies share a placenta, thus putting them at risk for TTTS. We do not know why TTTS occurs. TTTS is all about the placenta and how it distributes blood through the umbilical cords to the babies.*
Here are some complications of TTTS:
-both babies are usually affected; -ultrasound shows that the babies are growing at different rates; -babies they have difference sizes of umbilical cords; -one baby (the donor) receives little blood supply inside the womb, while the other baby (the recipient) receives too much and is unable to adequately expel the excess fluid. The donor, as a result, is unable to properly grow and develop with little blood supply, while the recipient has an overloaded cardiovascular system. TTTS puts both babies at risk of organ failure for opposite reasons, i.e. one has too little blood supply and the other too much. -preterm labour is a risk, as is the death of one or both babies either in the womb, at birth or shortly after birth.
If your babies are diagnosed with TTTS you can expect to be considered High Risk and babies and Mother are monitored closely until birth.
For more detailed information on TTTS, check out Multiple Births Canada’s Web Site at http://www.multiplebirthscanada.org and their Fact Sheet on TTTS.
*Multiple Births Canada’s Fact Sheet, Monochorionic Multiple Pregnancy and Twin-to-Twin-Transfusion Syndrome
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Which One is Which???
Babies can look a lot alike, even dizygotic (fraternal) multiples, not just those who are monozygotic (identical). Some parents take nail polish to the hospital and will paint the big toe of one twin so they can tell which is which. Parents having triplets or quads use different colours so not to confuse the babies’ identities. As you spend time with your babies you will be able to see the differences and not too long into your relationship with them, you will be able to tell them apart. The most common differences include: personality, hair whorl, little mole, dimple, length to name a few.
Don’t feel badly if you can’t tell your babies apart initially. Like any new relationship, it takes time to get to know them.
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Lynda discusses multiple birth 