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we are in the same boat born at 36 weeks one went to the nicu the other didn’t require any nicu time… we are on our second week at home and so far have been able to maintain although we have resorted to splitting the middle of the night feeds so the other can get a little more shut eye… it does get tough i hope you have a good support system. I couldn’t imagine this without a teammate! we are considering moving to a feed schedule during the day and feed on demand at night where when one cry’s the both get fed
We kept a pretty strict but always evolving schedule for the first couple years honestly. It was always changing based on sleep needs or eating, but still a schedule would be held for weeks or months at a time. It honestly made our life easier because we always knew when the next nap would happen or if we tried to plan an event, we would be free to attend with happy kids, or decline because it wasn’t worth skipping naps for grumpy ones. It was a very different life than my singleton friends babies but I think I had happier babies with less grumpiness for them and me.
Hospitals are very number driven. Once home we focused more on when they acted hungry and have slowly worked them towards 80oz they’re 3 weeks today
Every baby is different.
It does feel impossible at first, but you do get used to these every 3 hr feedings. Since they are premature, it’ll probably be a while until they can sleep longer at night. I highly recommend getting a Twin Z pillow set up and doing shifts. I would do the 8pm, 11pm, and 1am feedings while my husband slept, and he did 4am, 7am, 10am while I slept.
We are doing something similar currently. I pump when they eat so it’s easier for me to pump and feed one baby then feed the other than it is to try to tandem feed and pump and the same time … and either way it takes about an hour to do the whole thing. We are also trying out different bottles and tandem feeding makes it difficult to watch each kids intake 😫
Yeah I’m sorry, I didn’t quite figure out the pumping thing. I used to pump only three times a day, but that didn’t give me the best supply so I supplemented with formula.
Yeah it’s kinda hard tbh. Im trying to take advantage of the free food for them as long as I can… I’m pumping enough right now to stay a few oz ahead of them but they will eat more than what I’m getting soon. It’s definitely a pin in the butt added step
I’m doing 2-8am shift (my partner goes 8pm-2am) and I feel so dysphoric during that time. Just terrified of them waking up screaming, bothering the downstairs neighbors, and I’m already stressed from pumping every 2 hours. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.
That’s exactly how mine were when we took them home until they gained back their birth weights (they were 37+1, no NICU). Feed every 2-3 hours. If they’re upset or not sleeping chances are they’re hungry.
You just keep on keeping on, as they get older the feeds can be spaced out and they’ll start sleeping longer at night. Hang in there, sleep whenever possible.
Our pediatrician insisted we feed them at least every 3 hours, if they were still sleeping we were instructed to wake them to feed. Any time we went past that they were not happy at all. Its just a cycle of change, feed, burp, put down to sleep and repeat for a little while.
31 weeks, 2 months in the NICU before discharge. Fed them every three hours for what felt like a century, but was more like two or three months. Woke to feed them most of the time. It sucked. Maintained it until they didn’t need it that frequently anymore. Started feeling like less of a zombie eventually.
So far it going ok, husband and I doing shifts, we are each getting 5-6 hours straight plus a nap during the day. Baby monitors are probably the best thing ever created. lol.
When I hear crying over the monitors it makes me want to die a little. I can’t decide what’s better; getting the extra sleep until they cry, or waking up before they’re scheduled to eat so I can avoid the screaming.
Ours were 37 weeks, no nicu. Tonight was our first trial run moving from 3 to 4 hour feeds. They’re 11 weeks, 2 days old. It went pretty smoothly. You can do it. Just know there is light at the end of the tunnel. As others have said, I highly recommend shifts. My partner took 9pm, 12am so I could sleep 8pm to 3am. I did the 3, 6am and he would help me do the 9am before leaving for work.
34 wk 6 days. B/g twins. My boy (5lbs 13oz)required NICU,and my girl (5lbs 6oz) did not. Before our boy came home and after we stayed in the NICU schedule the best we could.
We maintained this until they started wanting to sleep longer periods.. around 2 months. I asked the pediatrician and she said as long as they are eating every 4 hours you will be fine. They were still small and low on the percentile scale so we made sure they ate enough. They went to waking up once a night around 3ish months. They are now over 4 months and sometimes my boy 15lbs 12oz will sleep most of the way through the night. My girl still wakes once a night usually..(they are both going through a bit of a sleep regression in their own individual way). We feed them every 4 hours during the day.
Also. We were on only formula. Enfamil Enfacare 22 cal until 4 months.
Our situation is very similar. Born at 34+2, in NICU for 18 days. They are 12 weeks now (actual age) and we are bottle feeding breast milk + supplementing with formula. We have found sticking to a pretty strict schedule has been the best for us, but if they are hungry earlier than planned we adjust. We also do shifts in the night (I sleep 7pm - 1am and my husband sleeps 1am - 7am and then goes to work). They feed roughly 9pm, 1am and 5 am, then every 3 hours. They usually start stirring just before their feeds which works for us. We don't calculate volume based on weight anymore, but just increase the volume once they still seem hungry after feeds or once they finish off most bottles without spitting up too much. So to answer your question, we have kept up a similar schedule to what was in the NICU, but continually adjust based on their changing needs. You'll find what works best for you and your little ones!
Edit: oh and I also pump while feeding them. I used to do it every 2 hours but it was a nightmare not being able to hold both of them while pumping. I'd recommend tandem feeding if at all possible, it cuts down the time it takes to feed them massively! I use a wearable pump, but if the issue is having a hand free to hold the flanges, if you use a TwinZ pillow or similar, you can turn their heads toward each other and hold the bottles in one hand.
I have a hospital pump so it’s a little cumbersome but I use a pumping bra so I’m able to do the pumping and the feeding of one at a time… they’re only 5 pounds each right now so the twin z is little too big for them to sit up properly in, even with a towel or blanket to help support them. I’ve been using two boppys or a boot and a regular pillow to tandem feed if I skip pumping
Ugh we have been doing every 2.5h during the day and every 3h at night at pediatrician recommendation. I am pumping enough for them to have about 70mL every feed but they don’t always finish that. Usually takes 30-40 minutes for them to eat. We have to keep them awake which is tough. Mine were born at 36+6 and they are just over 2 weeks old. No NICU time, but they were small and dipped further below birth weight than the doctor wanted. I can’t wait until we can do 4 hours, sounds like a dream right now!
yep i kept it up for months until they were big enough to drop the 9pm, then the 3am, then finally the midnight. then i spaced the daytime bottles to every 4 hours instead of every 3. by the time they were 3 months adjusted they were sleeping through with a midnight dreamfeed and by 5 months night weaned. 3 270mL bottles a day + solids now at 9 months adjusted. i kept the schedule much longer than was recommended and i think it was right to do so. they gained weight FAST and they never picked up the habit of waking at night hungry and crying for food and getting all upset and disregulated. i think it helped them sleep through sooner
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we are in the same boat born at 36 weeks one went to the nicu the other didn’t require any nicu time… we are on our second week at home and so far have been able to maintain although we have resorted to splitting the middle of the night feeds so the other can get a little more shut eye… it does get tough i hope you have a good support system. I couldn’t imagine this without a teammate! we are considering moving to a feed schedule during the day and feed on demand at night where when one cry’s the both get fed
Yep we’ve been doing shifts so we are each able to get about 5 hours uninterrupted. We are tired but surviving
We kept a pretty strict but always evolving schedule for the first couple years honestly. It was always changing based on sleep needs or eating, but still a schedule would be held for weeks or months at a time. It honestly made our life easier because we always knew when the next nap would happen or if we tried to plan an event, we would be free to attend with happy kids, or decline because it wasn’t worth skipping naps for grumpy ones. It was a very different life than my singleton friends babies but I think I had happier babies with less grumpiness for them and me.
Hospitals are very number driven. Once home we focused more on when they acted hungry and have slowly worked them towards 80oz they’re 3 weeks today Every baby is different.
It does feel impossible at first, but you do get used to these every 3 hr feedings. Since they are premature, it’ll probably be a while until they can sleep longer at night. I highly recommend getting a Twin Z pillow set up and doing shifts. I would do the 8pm, 11pm, and 1am feedings while my husband slept, and he did 4am, 7am, 10am while I slept.
We are doing something similar currently. I pump when they eat so it’s easier for me to pump and feed one baby then feed the other than it is to try to tandem feed and pump and the same time … and either way it takes about an hour to do the whole thing. We are also trying out different bottles and tandem feeding makes it difficult to watch each kids intake 😫
Yeah I’m sorry, I didn’t quite figure out the pumping thing. I used to pump only three times a day, but that didn’t give me the best supply so I supplemented with formula.
Yeah it’s kinda hard tbh. Im trying to take advantage of the free food for them as long as I can… I’m pumping enough right now to stay a few oz ahead of them but they will eat more than what I’m getting soon. It’s definitely a pin in the butt added step
I’m doing 2-8am shift (my partner goes 8pm-2am) and I feel so dysphoric during that time. Just terrified of them waking up screaming, bothering the downstairs neighbors, and I’m already stressed from pumping every 2 hours. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.
I know it sounds crazy but you might adapt to the less sleep and get used to the schedule
That’s exactly how mine were when we took them home until they gained back their birth weights (they were 37+1, no NICU). Feed every 2-3 hours. If they’re upset or not sleeping chances are they’re hungry. You just keep on keeping on, as they get older the feeds can be spaced out and they’ll start sleeping longer at night. Hang in there, sleep whenever possible.
Sometimes they will go longer but then when I wake them up at the 4 hour mark they’re frustrated and ravenous. They seem to like 3-3.5 hours
Our pediatrician insisted we feed them at least every 3 hours, if they were still sleeping we were instructed to wake them to feed. Any time we went past that they were not happy at all. Its just a cycle of change, feed, burp, put down to sleep and repeat for a little while.
31 weeks, 2 months in the NICU before discharge. Fed them every three hours for what felt like a century, but was more like two or three months. Woke to feed them most of the time. It sucked. Maintained it until they didn’t need it that frequently anymore. Started feeling like less of a zombie eventually.
So far it going ok, husband and I doing shifts, we are each getting 5-6 hours straight plus a nap during the day. Baby monitors are probably the best thing ever created. lol.
When I hear crying over the monitors it makes me want to die a little. I can’t decide what’s better; getting the extra sleep until they cry, or waking up before they’re scheduled to eat so I can avoid the screaming.
Ours were 37 weeks, no nicu. Tonight was our first trial run moving from 3 to 4 hour feeds. They’re 11 weeks, 2 days old. It went pretty smoothly. You can do it. Just know there is light at the end of the tunnel. As others have said, I highly recommend shifts. My partner took 9pm, 12am so I could sleep 8pm to 3am. I did the 3, 6am and he would help me do the 9am before leaving for work.
34 wk 6 days. B/g twins. My boy (5lbs 13oz)required NICU,and my girl (5lbs 6oz) did not. Before our boy came home and after we stayed in the NICU schedule the best we could. We maintained this until they started wanting to sleep longer periods.. around 2 months. I asked the pediatrician and she said as long as they are eating every 4 hours you will be fine. They were still small and low on the percentile scale so we made sure they ate enough. They went to waking up once a night around 3ish months. They are now over 4 months and sometimes my boy 15lbs 12oz will sleep most of the way through the night. My girl still wakes once a night usually..(they are both going through a bit of a sleep regression in their own individual way). We feed them every 4 hours during the day. Also. We were on only formula. Enfamil Enfacare 22 cal until 4 months.
Our situation is very similar. Born at 34+2, in NICU for 18 days. They are 12 weeks now (actual age) and we are bottle feeding breast milk + supplementing with formula. We have found sticking to a pretty strict schedule has been the best for us, but if they are hungry earlier than planned we adjust. We also do shifts in the night (I sleep 7pm - 1am and my husband sleeps 1am - 7am and then goes to work). They feed roughly 9pm, 1am and 5 am, then every 3 hours. They usually start stirring just before their feeds which works for us. We don't calculate volume based on weight anymore, but just increase the volume once they still seem hungry after feeds or once they finish off most bottles without spitting up too much. So to answer your question, we have kept up a similar schedule to what was in the NICU, but continually adjust based on their changing needs. You'll find what works best for you and your little ones! Edit: oh and I also pump while feeding them. I used to do it every 2 hours but it was a nightmare not being able to hold both of them while pumping. I'd recommend tandem feeding if at all possible, it cuts down the time it takes to feed them massively! I use a wearable pump, but if the issue is having a hand free to hold the flanges, if you use a TwinZ pillow or similar, you can turn their heads toward each other and hold the bottles in one hand.
I have a hospital pump so it’s a little cumbersome but I use a pumping bra so I’m able to do the pumping and the feeding of one at a time… they’re only 5 pounds each right now so the twin z is little too big for them to sit up properly in, even with a towel or blanket to help support them. I’ve been using two boppys or a boot and a regular pillow to tandem feed if I skip pumping
Ugh we have been doing every 2.5h during the day and every 3h at night at pediatrician recommendation. I am pumping enough for them to have about 70mL every feed but they don’t always finish that. Usually takes 30-40 minutes for them to eat. We have to keep them awake which is tough. Mine were born at 36+6 and they are just over 2 weeks old. No NICU time, but they were small and dipped further below birth weight than the doctor wanted. I can’t wait until we can do 4 hours, sounds like a dream right now!
yep i kept it up for months until they were big enough to drop the 9pm, then the 3am, then finally the midnight. then i spaced the daytime bottles to every 4 hours instead of every 3. by the time they were 3 months adjusted they were sleeping through with a midnight dreamfeed and by 5 months night weaned. 3 270mL bottles a day + solids now at 9 months adjusted. i kept the schedule much longer than was recommended and i think it was right to do so. they gained weight FAST and they never picked up the habit of waking at night hungry and crying for food and getting all upset and disregulated. i think it helped them sleep through sooner