The Milsteds

Alexis The NICU is a stressful place to be, and being a twin mom I knew that my girls had a higher chance of needing additional care. My girls arrived at 34 weeks, and did required the care of the Neonatal Unit. It was scary and intimidating, but here are some steps to help survive the NICU. Take care of yourself.  I know it's hard to think of yourself right after you bring a tiny helpless human into the world, but they have professionals taking care of them. Make sure you are eating, keeping hydrated and sleeping when you can. The twins are my first children, so I didn't have children at home that I needed to take care of, I was able to go home every evening and rest. My husband also made sure I left the NICU to get meals, and take a break from the hospital atmosphere. This was essential, I knew that once they were home they would only have Jake and I to relay on.  Take "Home" with you.  Make things more comfortable. I brought our boppy pillows w

Life with twins is hectic. The only thing that keeps me sane is our routine. With the girls only being 3 months old we are still working on perfecting our routine. Our night time routine is down pat. We start our night off with a feeding. The girls take 4-6 ounces every 3 hours. We then do story time. The girls need to be kept up right for 15-20 minutes after their feedings. This is due to their reflux Alexis at 2 months old Next is bath time. Not only does this help clean the girls up from their day, and of spit up, it also helps calm them down. We use the Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Bath, once out of the bath we moisturize with coconut oil, and get dressed in our pajamas. Once we swaddle their girls and place them in their crib, they will sleep for 4.5 hours. I usually do a one dream feeding, and they wake up for an early morning feeding. The time the go to bed is led by them. They don't have a set nap schedule yet, so their bed time is anywhere in between 8-

Bringing premature babies into the world is a challenge. Seeing my girls in the NICU for the first time brought on an array of emotions. They are covered in wires, and monitors, they look too small for the bed they are in. The sounds are frightening, especially since you aren't sure what all the sounds mean. You're unsure how to hold your baby, your timid with your movements because they seem so fragile.  Alexis Olivia Your goals start out small. One goal was to have them breath on their own. Olivia did not need extra help, Alexis did need the CPAP machine to help her. The next goal was to eat, and grow. The girls would be weighed daily, the nurses measured how much they would take in at each feeding. Olivia was a great at eating her feedings. . Alexis would fall asleep and not be able to finish. They eventual had to put a G-tube (feeding tube) in her nose. Lastly they would need to hold their own temperature, this was another goal that Olivia was able to reach b

My world flipped upside down once my girls arrived. I truly thought I was prepared for them, but i was wrong. When you become a mom you instantly have a thousand more worries, and countless sleepless nights. That being said, being a mommy is the most rewarding thing I have done in my life. The baby smiles, the giggles, and the cuddles make up for the sleepless nights, and the frustration. I would not change it for the world. Me at 33 weeks & 5 days Motherhood also makes you incredibly insecure, and question your abilities. Carrying a child and bringing them in to the world is traumatic for your body. I carried two little lives in me for eight months. There were weeks I didn't think my belly could get any bigger, but it did. By the end of my pregnancy, I could not walk, sleep or eat comfortably. Once the girls made their exit, my body was left with loose skin, stretch marks, and a scar. In the end I can handle the physical changes, but its so trying to constantly think you

My best friend happens to be my husband. I can not vaunt about this man enough.  I can confidently say that I love this man more today, then I did when I said "I do". I met Jake during a difficult time in my life, and he was exactly what I needed. When had a fantastic courtship, and an engagement that helped us test the waters. Followed by the perfect wedding day; we bought a house, a couple of cars, and now have two beautiful daughters. During all this time, he stayed my best friend. In some ways he seems to be my opposite, he is calm, and I'm hyper. He goes through out his day with a purpose, and I am more erratic. He was able to keep me level headed during our time together. He is the backbone to my support system. He is thoughtful, understanding and kind.  Watching Jake take the role of a "dad" has been remarkable. He is so patience, and loving with our girls. He has stepped out of his comfort zone to raise them, and he has become an expert at cha

Let me introduce my girls to you. They are spontaneous, fraternal twins. Although these girls are twins, their personalities are completely different. The girls are 3 months old today! Lexi weighs 9 pounds 4 ounces, and Livi is 10 pounds 2 ounces. Alexis Belle was baby A in utero, even than she was ornery. We had a sonogram appointment where we witnessed her kicking her sister in the head! She was stubborn from the get go. She spent 22 days in the NICU, she needed to work on her eating, and her brady spells. She loves attention, she wants to be held as much as possible, and she is a drama queen. Alexis Olivia May is as calm as can be. She is a very content baby. She is very much a daddy's girl. She came home after 9 days. She was in the NICU just to grow. This girl loves to be heard, she coos and squeaks constantly. She enjoys her sitting up and watching all the action at home. Olivia Both girls love story time, singing, and bath time. They both have great head

We found out that we were expecting twins in June of 2016, they were due to arrive February 21, 2017. I was both elated and nervous. This was my first pregnancy, and twins did not run in my family at all. What followed was a blur of appointments, worries, and celebrations. January 11th my life turned upside down. My water broke. 36 hours of labor and an unplanned cesarean and my two little angels where born on January 13th. Alexis Belle, 4 pounds 11 ounces, and her sister Olivia May, 4 pounds 5 ounces. They were the two most perfect babies ever. They had also arrived 6 weeks early, they needed NICU time. I tried to prepare myself for the NICU the moment I found out I was carrying twins, but nothing did. I got one brief glance at both girls in the operating room, and they were taken away. In recovery I said goodbye to Alexis as they took her to a different hospital, Olivia followed several hours later. Olivia May Alexis Belle  Recovery was rough. I was alone most of my stay.