The Hoff Twins: Wednesday, 11/2/2009 "A Day in the Life of..."

I've received quite a few requests from some of you who would like to hear about what our daily schedule looks like. The first time I got this question, I had to ask myself "Crikey, when does my day start actually??" and "Does it ever stop?!" ;) But then I realised that this could be useful information particularly for friends who would like to know the best times to call etc. So here goes:

00:00 crawl into bed (BLISS!)
02:00-02:30 first machine milking session (target 2x60mL)
05:00-05:30 second machine milking session
07:00-07:45 wake, shower, get Nikita and Jojo up for breakfast. Chris gets them dressed and to school by 08:30
08:00-08:30 drive to hospital
08:30-09:00 wake, bath (or massage), weigh Louie.
09:00-09:30 feed and reweigh Louie (then can see how much he's eaten - not usually enough:/) Change bed, put Louie back to bed for more sleep.
09:30-10:00 wake, bath (or massage), weigh Jules.
10:00-10:30 feed and reweigh Jules (he's a big eater this boy, so Mummy very happy:) Change bed, put Jules back down for sleep
10:30-11:00 milking session nr 3
11:00-12:00 should try to nap in this time, but use it to do all the evil administration stuff that comes with having babies in Belgium - aargh)
12:00-12:30 quick sandwich before boys start to wake
12:30-13:00 wake, change nappy, weigh Louie
13:00-13:30 feed and reweigh Louie. Put him back down for another! sleep
13:30-14:00 wake, change nappy, weigh Jules
14:00-14:30 feed and reweigh Jules. Put him back down for another! sleep
14:30-15:00 milking session nr 4
15:00-15:30 drive home to pick up Nikita and Joakim from school
15:30-19:30 Home time! get dinners, check stuff for school, wash baby clothes, read and play with Nikita and Jojo. Try to get 30mins shut-eye
19:30-20:00 drive back to hospital
20:00-20:30 wake, change nappy, weigh Louie
20:30-21:00 feed and reweigh Louie. Put him back down for another! sleep
21:00-21:30 wake, change nappy, weigh Jules
21:30-22:00 feed and reweigh Jules. Put him back down for another! sleep
22:00-22:30 milking session nr 5
22:30-23:00 drive home
23:00-00:00 prepare late night supper, sterilise milking gear, prepare stuff for next day, blog

As you probably guessed, most of my day is about generating enough milk to feed the boys. Thankfully, I have a great little electric milking machine that I can use to pull off any milk that the twins aren't taking directly during their breastfeeding sessions. Have to admit that I feel (and probably look like!) like a cow most of the time LOL!

So my schedule is not too bad actually. We have many deviations too, it's not always running to schedule. For example, Jules will decide that he's hungry at same time as Louie and I have to do a 'double whammy' feed, ie., I got two boobs right? Works very well actually:)

Oh yes, during the night when I'm at home, the boys are fed (my milk that I have been fastidiously pumping with my electric milker all blessed day) by the neonatal nurses.

I will be very glad tho' when the boys come home and I can use that travel time to try and catch some much-needed sleep. Which is due about now actually. Am even slightly AHEAD of schedule! WOO HOO!!!! Nighty night all:)

The Hoff Twins: Sunday, 8/2/2009 The Hoff Quartet

Another day and another big milestone:)

Joakim and Nikita came to visit their little brothers today for only the second time since their birth (they visited first during the twins cyborg phase). So, this visit was much more relaxed and more funny for our two eldest who got to hold and cuddle their little brothers. While Joakim was a little apprehensive (tho' u couldn't tell from these photos - such a performer!), big sister Nikita proved to be completely at ease and indeed serene.

(In photo: Joakim & Louie; Nikita & Jules)