Not fair?

It's easy to become obsessed with getting babies to sleep. Babies are exhausting. Two babies at once is very exhausting. Two babies who don't sleep at the same time is beyond exhausting. Most of the blogs and books and mums I've heard from talk about how tiring motherhood is. Which is true. But it's easy to get so caught up in our tiredness that we lose sight of the blessing it is to have children. I was recommended a blog to read about sleep deprivation with babies. And all it said about the fog of living without sleep for months on end, of the frustrations of having sick and sleepless babies, of being on edge and cranky, was true. But the writer also commented that it doesn't seem fair that some mothers are given babies who sleep and some are given babies who don't.
I disagree.
While I'm very tired and time is short to do anything besides feed and settle and wash and... my babies aren't burdens to be borne. They are wonderful amazing gifts. Better to be tired and frustrated with two gorgeous sleepless babies, than to have no children at all. What isn't fair isn't whether someone else's child sleeps better or eats faster or is never sick, it's when I get two babies while some people will never get even one longed for child.

How to… bath two babies

1. Avoid bathing for as long as possible


2. When really stinky, place both babies in cot


3. Get out towels, washers and new outfits


4. Fill baby bath


5. Undress baby one, wrap in towel and move to bathroom


6. Wash baby one’s face and shampoo hair


7. Take baby one back to room, place in cot, have someone else dry baby’s hair and take off nappy


8. Meanwhile, undress baby two, wrap in towel and move to bathroom


9. Wash baby two’s face and shampoo hair


10. Take baby two back to room, pick up nude baby one and move to bathroom


11. Bath baby one


12. Wrap in towel and take back to room


13. Have someone else dress her. Meanwhile, take nude baby two to bathroom, and bath


14. Take baby two back to room, dry and dress baby two. Meanwhile, baby one has been dried and dressed and is screaming for food


15. Think about sitting down for a breather but instead move both babies into feeding area


16. Congratulate self on two clean babies

How to… breastfeed two babies

1. Set up pillows on large lounge


2. Have changed babies lying down on either side of pillows


3. Sit down and place feeding pillow on lap


4. Lean over and lift up one baby and position onto pillow


5. Wedge baby onto pillow and hope she doesn’t learn to roll today


6. Lean over and lift up second baby and position onto pillow


7. Take deep breath


8. Latch on first baby


9. Latch on second baby


10. First baby needs burping, lift onto shoulder but don’t move too much or second baby will detach


11. Place first baby back down and reattach, then lift up second baby for burp
    Repeat


12. Someone comes to the door, detach both babies, place on either side of lounge, remove pillow, get up, answer door. OR ignore door and phone because it’s not worth it


13. When finished, place nappy cloths onto shoulders, then lift up both babies onto either shoulder and burp, OR remove babies, remove pillow, then lift babies onto lap to sit and burp, crossing arms over to hold each baby under the chin


14. Ungainly get up, place both babies on lounge, re-change dirty nappies, wipe vomit off shirt, place babies on play mat on floor.


15. 2 hours later, repeat.

How to… change two babies’ nappies

1. Wash hands
   
2. Place baby one in cot


3. Place baby two in cot and start mobile


4. Place baby one on change table, change nappy, repeat as she poos.


5. Redress baby one, place in cot, restart mobile


6. Place baby two on change table, undo nappy, remove, quickly place new nappy under bottom, but too late


7. Place nude baby in cot, put on clean nappy


8. Change outfit and place in wash


9. Ignore wee in baby’s hair


10. Wipe down change mat, refill wipes and nappy bag


11. Wash hands


12. Pick up both babies at once and move to feeding area

3 months

E right M left

The girls are three months old today!

They've already put on almost 3 kg each since birth, and are real chubby bubbies now.

Both girls favourite book is 'Squeak Squeak' (about a mouse), favourite toy is the Winnie the Pooh mobile, favourite song is 'I'm a Little Teapot', and favourite thing to look at is the window. Evie loves being rocked, and Minky still likes the bouncer. Evie has started to like having a dummy to settle, and Minky needs to be swaddled super tight in a cot sheet.

Mikayla

It's been a very long three months of very little sleep, but is also going so fast! They think Dadda's dancing is hilarious and aren't too worried about Jack barking (not at them!). Despite being premmie, the girls started to smile and laugh not long after other babies their birth age, and recently are discovering each other to look at. They've moved from the bassinette to a cot (still sharing), still in our room. They're in 000 already and don't both fit in the sling anymore.

Evangeline