A few days ago, as I crawled into bed with baby spit-up all over my clothes, I racked and racked my brain but just couldn’t figure out what in the WORLD I had done that day! So, yesterday, just for fun, I started logging what happened by either jotting it down on a piece of paper wherever I was or typing it when I could be by the computer.
This day was a little atypical because I usually have a mother’s helper come during the day to help me with the girls and do chores around the house, but she couldn’t come this particular day. That, combined with the fact that the girls have been eating way more than usual the past few days (growth spurt?) meant this day was crazier than usual. Here we go!
Wednesday, May 29
12:30 a.m.: Breastfeed (BF) Samantha/diaper change
12:45 a.m.: Hand over Samantha to Jake for a bottle. BF Amelia/diaper change
1:00 a.m.: Pump
1:15 a.m.: Go back to sleep
3:00 a.m.: Samantha cries and wakes up to eat. Amelia is stirring, so I get her up too and BF both.
3:20 a.m.: Both girls fall asleep. I swaddle them, put them back in the bassinet and pump.
3:40 a.m.: I go back to sleep
5:00 a.m.: WHY ARE YOU UP AGAIN? This time it’s Amelia. Diaper change both girls and give them to Daddy for a bottle while I pump instead of BF’ing because I’m too tired.
5:50 a.m.: The girls are back asleep. I take a shower, throw dishes from last night in the washer, and heat up a breakfast burrito and muffin from the freezer stash.
7:00 a.m.: Bye Daddy!
7:15 a.m.: Amelia is crying. I put her in the swing, which she protests and then her activity mat (the “baby jungle”). She smiles looking at the animals and lights.
7:30 Samantha is now up. Diaper change Samantha. She cries as I put her in the Boppy while I change Amelia. BF both. Girls fall asleep.
8 a.m.: Pump
8:15 a.m.: Wash bottles, dry hair, check email
8:30 a.m.: Bandit starts barking and wakes up the girls. I yell at Bandit, and recline on the rocker so that I can hold both crying babies at the same time. I turn on a combination of “Urban Rain” and “Heartbeat” on my Relax M app while rocking them. They eventually fall asleep.
9:30 a.m.: Girls start stirring at the same time. I diaper change Amelia, then Samantha and BF both.
10:00 a.m.: Girls fall asleep nursing.
10:15 a.m. Girls decide they are still hungry as soon as I get up from my chair. Amelia screams bloody murder while I grab a bottle. That throws Samantha into hysterics. Bottle feed both.
10:30 a.m.: I try and pump, but the girls are both awake and want to get out of the house. So does Bandit, so we go for a walk and the girls are lulled to sleep.
11:00 a.m.: I leave the girls in the stroller while I eat some toast and an orange.
11:15 a.m.: Samantha’s eyes shoot open. I carry her around the kitchen and patio while Amelia is still sleeping in the stroller.
11:30 a.m.: I put Samantha upstairs under the baby jungle so I can run down and grab Amelia from the stroller. Samantha starts to cry. Amelia is still asleep, so I BF Samantha.
11:45 a.m.: Amelia is now awake. BF Amelia while bottle feeding Samantha.
12:00 p.m.: Pump while Samantha is asleep and Amelia is content doing tummy time next to me.
12:15 p.m.: I throw some enchiladas from the freezer stash in the oven and walk around with
Amelia who is still awake. We play in her baby jungle, bouncer, walk around the house, and finally sit in the rocker while I check out Facebook and Pinterest on my phone.
Amelia who is still awake. We play in her baby jungle, bouncer, walk around the house, and finally sit in the rocker while I check out Facebook and Pinterest on my phone.
12:45 p.m.: Both girls are napping, so I work on my Shutterfly baby book (yay!)
1:15 p.m.: Eat my enchiladas in peace (amazingly!), throw in some
laundry, tidy the house of baby clothes, pacifiers that have fallen on the floor, and baby blankets that are strewn everywhere.
laundry, tidy the house of baby clothes, pacifiers that have fallen on the floor, and baby blankets that are strewn everywhere.
2:00 p.m.: Amelia starts to stir. Diaper change and BF her.
2:30 p.m.: Samantha is still asleep, but I don’t want to get too off schedule, so I wake her. She’s not happy about it. She half-heartedly nurses while Amelia lays next to me.
2:45 p.m.: I put both girls on the Boppy facing each other. Amelia
loves it. Samantha freaks out after 5 mins and wants to be held.
loves it. Samantha freaks out after 5 mins and wants to be held.
3:00 p.m.: NowAmelia is crying. Alternate carrying them around,
one in the Baby Bjorn and one in my arms.
3:30 p.m.: Samantha sleeps, Amelia is still awake, I entertain her
in the baby jungle.
in the baby jungle.
3:45 p.m.: Amelia is finally asleep, but Samantha stirs and cries. I walk her around for a minute and she falls back asleep.
4:15 p.m.: Both girls are crying to be picked up. Diaper change one at a time. Crying ensues. By the time we get situated to BF, both are hysterical. I bottle feed both until they have a little bit in their tummies and then BF. It goes much better this time.
4:45 p.m.: Tummy time for both girls. Then, I flip them around on their backs so they can stare up at the baby jungle. They both smile and seem to be enjoying themselves.
5:00 p.m.: Both are fussing. Turn on Relax M, more carrying around the house ensues.
5:15 p.m.: Put both on their Boppies on my bed and dance around. This seems to entertain them for a few minutes.
5:30 p.m.: Both fall asleep in their Boppies, smiling at the ceiling fan. I lay on the bed and sleep with one eye open.
6:00 p.m.: Amelia wakes up. Diaper change and BF. Samantha starts stirring, so I attempt to BF her, but she starts getting fussy, so bottle it is.
6:45 p.m.: Pack up the stroller, the girls, and Bandit for a walk. The girls are wide awake the entire time, but aren’t fussy.
7:30 p.m.: Bath for Samantha, a fresh onesie, and she gets swaddled. She is content to lay on
the bed and stare at the fan while I try and console Amelia who is crying. I bottle feed her a little bit and she calms down.
the bed and stare at the fan while I try and console Amelia who is crying. I bottle feed her a little bit and she calms down.
8:00 p.m.: Daddy’s home! I hold Samantha while Jake gives Amelia a bath.
8:15 p.m.: BF/bottle feed/pump while Jake keeps the girls at bay. Samantha falls asleep on his chest, but Amelia is fussy.
8:45 p.m.: I attempt to wipe down the kitchen while holding Amelia who is fussy on and off. No combination of Relax M sounds seem to calm her.
9 p.m.: I put Amelia in the stroller and roll her back and forth across the kitchen while eating peanut butter straight out of the jar.
9:30 p.m.: Amelia is finally asleep. I run around as quickly as possible, wash bottles, start dishwasher, throw the wet laundry from earlier into the dryer, and brush my teeth before collapsing into bed. Every second of sleep counts!
10 p.m.: Good night!
*Epilogue: The girls woke up to eat at 12:30 a.m. and then again at 4:30 a.m., so pretty much 4 hours in between feeds–much better than waking up every 2 hours like the night before!
Just for fun, I decided to take a walk down memory lane and see what my schedule looked like when the girls were newborns. I used to enter diaper changes, nursing, bottle feeds, sleeping, etc., into my Baby Connect app, even though Jake, the pediatrician, etc. thought I was totally neurotic. I, however, thought the app was a life-saver when I was so completely sleep-deprived that I couldn’t remember which baby had been on which breast, how long ago they had eaten, what their names were, etc.
Here’s my day on March 28, a few weeks after the girls were born:
1:50 a.m.: Diaper change, bottle feed, pump
4:00 a.m.: Diaper change, BF, bottle feed, pump
7:00 a.m.: Diaper change, BF, bottle feed, pump
10:00 a.m.: Diaper change, BF, bottle feed, pump
1:00 p.m.: Diaper change, BF, bottle feed, pump
4 p.m.: Diaper change, BF, bottle feed, pump
6 p.m.: Diaper change, BF, bottle feed, pump
8 p.m.: Bath, diaper change, BF, bottle feed, pump
10:30 p.m.: Diaper change, BF, bottle feed, pump
Amelia and Samantha, 1 week:
Samantha and Amelia, 1 week:
Wow, the day seemed so much simpler then! The girls were generally always on the same schedule back then and always fell back to sleep shortly after eating. I don’t know which schedule is tougher…it seems like there was more time in between feeds back in March, plus I had help from my Mom, but I was still recovering from the c-section and still getting used to the sleep deprivation, so when the girls slept, I would sleep too. Now, I’m way busier during the day since the girls are awake more, and it gets hard when they aren’t in sync with each other, but I have a lot more energy now days. It’s hard to say!
I always used to wonder what stay at home moms did all day. Now I know!
Lots of love,
WOW- you are simply AMAZING!! I don't know how you have the energy to do what you do. You get the MOM of the year award.
You are amazing! Working AND taking care of a baby is hard work! Good job! I'm sure your little cutie is getting more active now that she's a little bit older, so I'm sure that takes up a ton of energy!
Wow!! I don't know what else to say! Sounds so exhausting, but you are rocking it!
Haha, I pretty much have no clue what I'm doing most of the time, but thanks, Kati!
One word comes to my mind: INTENSE!!! Two babies at the same time sounds like SUCH a challenge. They are so cute! You are so patient and positive. Way to be!