Hi Mrs B. you're doing soooo well!! I'm really amazed that you are still expressing and giving formula as well. How old are your babys now? I'm a twin mum too. Mine are now 4 and a half. I do remember the days when I struggled to feed the little one (she was much smaller) I used to do like you, undressing, wiping the face etc. The only thing extra I did was stimuate her by pressing and rubbing my thumb/finger under her chin. Well, behind it actually. The soft part under the mouth (tongue) it used to help.
Do you mind me asking why it is you wake them to feed them? The beauty of night feeds is that they suck while they're asleep. Usually. Your babies might still be quite young and I presume premature. If you hold them in the dark, keeping them asleep, usually the sucking reflex is strong enough that they will drink the bottle while still asleep. Most find that this is the quickest and easiest feeding of the whole 24 hours - while they're asleep.
Try stimuating him under the chin. Hopefully it helps. Do you have a maid or anyone helping you? I really hope so. I had my 80 year old grandmother helping me for the first 3 months. It was so hard. We were exhausted and poor grandma lost weight :( as we both weren't able to eat much!
Let me know if you need anything else. I'm happy to help if I can, or just lend an understanding ear.
<em>edited by Ginnee on 04/07/2013</em>
Recently introduced formula for the 10pm feed of my twins. All other night feeds are bottles of expressed breast milk. Unfortunately this appears to have backfired in that one twin (the very sleepy one) now wakes 3 times in the night post this feed instead of once like he used to (NB. This sudden increase in night time waking may have nothing to do with the introduction of formula - It's just started happening and I noticed it coincided with the intro of formula but the events may be unrelated)
I turn the lights on to wake them at 10pm (they usually wake and feed between 1015pm - 11pm) then feed on demand for the rest of the night.
Since introducing formula at 10pm, sleepy baby will wake for the next feed around 1am but only drink around 90mls (normally will have 120-160mls) before falling into a deep sleep from which I can't wake him from. Last night he then got up after the 1am feed at 4am, only managed 25mls before going into deep sleep so woke at 5am hungry again.
I've tried tickling, undressing and even wiping face/hands/feet with cold wash cloth but nothing appears to rouse him. I might tickle him enough to take one more suck but not able to keep him awake long enough to finish a full feed.
Really need ideas to help address this as having one twin wake 3 times in the night means what little sleep I was getting has become virtually no sleep!
Does anyone have any ideas or has anyone experienced a similar thing with their baby please?
.png "Interview With Expat Saanika Gandhi, Author of Children's Book 'The Yellow Kite'")
