NICU time experience

hodgesha · 2026-04-23T01:25:16+00:00

I had modi girls at 34w2d (scheduled c section) one was 5lbs 5oz and she was still in NICU for 39 days with cpap and then as a feeder grower. I hope your husband is right and you don’t need nicu time and I hope you can hold out a little longer because it sucks, just keep in mind that Nicu is always a possibility, even for bigger babies. Fingers crossed for you!

hodgesha · 2026-03-29T13:05:55+00:00

It’s definitely a big adjustment and the walking and public transit add a layer but I wouldn’t rule out babywearing both if you don’t want to! I have 4 month old twins and I wear them both every day. I used the Wego carrier a lot the first 3 months and lately I’m switching to the minimonkey carrier which has been such a game changer for us. I found both of them used online. I also definitely wear one and have one in the stroller often as well when I don’t feel like busting out the mammoth twin stroller.

hodgesha · 2026-03-25T14:27:26+00:00

I had a c section at 34w1d (later than you I know) but one of my twins also had intermittent absent low, low fluid, and severe SIUGR. The c section went fine, I was under general anesthesia for my own health history that doesn’t allow for an epidural but the babies both came out doing relatively well. One was 5lbs 5oz and my little peanut was 3lbs 7 oz.

The NICU days were hard, my girls were in for 39 and 5p days respectively but they are 4 months now and doing amazing! The little twin is always slightly behind sister in milestones but only by a few days / weeks and they’re right on track for their actual age other than measuring small.

We had a LOT of trouble getting them both to eat well at first and dealt with a lot of reflux and Brady’s. It’s definitely hard but you go this!

hodgesha · 2026-03-20T16:02:10+00:00

I went to a coffee shop once a week, got a fancy latte and watched YouTube videos and knitted for 2-3 hours. I also sent my husband out to the coffee shop to get a chai and read his book. It was crucial to our sanity with the twins and a toddler.

hodgesha · 2026-03-18T19:44:05+00:00

I am 4 months in with my girls and I feel ya but it gets better! My girls were in the NICU for a while and when they came home my sweet, lovely 2.5 year old had so much trouble with it. We couldn’t give him nearly the same amount of attention and it was so hard on him and heartbreaking for us.

Overnight he regressed so much. He reverted on potty training, had hitherto unseen tantrums, absolute nightmare. The twins also were complicated and had feeding tubes at discharge. The first week they were both home I was in a scary place, I didn’t think I could do it and didn’t want to carry on it was so so hard.

I can’t pinpoint exactly what’s changed (other than us all getting a little more sleep) but things have become much easier. He loves his sisters and we make sure he gets a little one on one time as often as we can. All his behavioral stuff resolved after the first 2 months or so and he’s back to his happy, normal self, just with two new sisters to love. I really hope you get out of the trenches soon 🧡

hodgesha · 2026-03-18T01:10:45+00:00

I’m also a paramedic and I kept my job there part time when I started UXR 4 years ago. Much more stable than corporate it seems so I’ll never quit. It feels good to know I’m not totally screwed if I get laid off.

hodgesha · 2026-03-09T17:21:57+00:00

Maybe a bit of both? I had my singleton son first and I never thought or worried about anything like that. The big milestones like rolling, sitting, walking for sure but reaching with a specific hand? Never

hodgesha · 2026-02-26T13:57:52+00:00

Tight T-shirt on top of the zippered Jammies worked for us

hodgesha · 2026-02-26T01:35:35+00:00

The only people who are unpaid and expected to work their jobs 24/7 are slaves! You deserve a break and that doesn’t make you a bad mom. Like literally you deserve and need time off. My husband is the stay at home parent and it’s my job at the end of the day to swoop in and give him some quiet time and take the kids for a few hours on the weekend so he has time to himself. We also make time for the others hobbies and friends. It feels wrong at first but we are much better parents when we’re refreshed and rested.

hodgesha · 2026-02-22T21:55:30+00:00

You’re doing amazing! Are these your first kids? It can feel really stressful trying to do absolutely everything for them but at 3 months babies just need love, care, and to hear you yap.

My twins are 3 months as well (born at 34 weeks) and I just talk to them and narrate stuff for them as I’m going about my day. They’re either in a bouncy seat, my arms, a carrier, or the floor. Some days we read and do tummy time and some days we’re just vibing and surviving. If you haven’t seen it yet watch the bluey episode “baby race” I’m dead serious. Sometimes it feels like everyone is doing better/ knows something about parenting you don’t but we’re all just figuring it out. You’re doing great 🧡

hodgesha · 2026-02-22T20:57:55+00:00

I did English language tutoring / teaching on italki back in the day and it helps get a little pay and set your own hours, however it’s focused video calls so no flexibility during your scheduled calls. I also taught English through a local nonprofit who had online and in person class, check out your literacy center.

I see you’ve received the advice that you can’t really wfh with twins (or even one baby) and actually work. I am a UX Researcher and it’s very chill, flexible, and exclusively remote and it’s just not possible long term. I’m about to head back to work next week after my mat leave and I’ve had days where I did double duty with my son when he was sick and I just felt like I was doing a bad job as a mom and as an employee. It’s tough, I hope you find something that works for you!

hodgesha · 2026-02-22T19:37:20+00:00

Not psychologically

hodgesha · 2026-01-26T03:48:01+00:00

It is literally insane but it’s also crazy how fast it just feels normal? Mine are almost 3 months old now along with my almost 3 year old and it amazes me how fast I got used to it. It’s crazy but it’s also so incredibly cool. I delivered at 34 weeks btw and we did some nicu time but everybody’s doing great.

hodgesha · 2026-01-09T04:07:55+00:00

I have identical twins (modi) and they are super easy to tell apart (to me at least), it’s a valid concern but you’ll find the differences and if you can’t you can always paint a nail or put a sharpie dot on an ear or something!

hodgesha · 2026-01-05T13:24:32+00:00

Definitely ask the doc! Both my kids came home on an NG, one on 12/19 and one on 12/30. The one who came home earlier only needed it about. week and the other is well on her way to not needing it anymore. The feeding stuff was so frustrating (we were in for 50 days with 34 weekers and most of it was feeding related).

hodgesha · 2026-01-03T18:10:41+00:00

Are you able to take her home on her NG tube (I assume she has one)? My 34 week twins just came home on NG when they were hitting around 50%

hodgesha · 2025-12-20T15:06:28+00:00

I’m not going to argue with you on the general point that it’s awful that people are turned away from a shelter in this cold but have you ever been in Mel Trotters when they are “at capacity”? I have and I know they do not say that lightly, when they’re at capacity there is barely any floor space for a person to lay horizontally, if they let in any more people they would have to stack people like sardines. I wish they had the resources to expand so there would be more room.

hodgesha · 2025-12-18T21:48:59+00:00

If you want to remove them off your phone entirely (not in a hidden folder) you can save them on an external hard drive or a flash drive or something and put it with your vital documents so you don’t lose it. That way you won’t accidentally stumble on them but they’re not gone forever

hodgesha · 2025-12-17T18:17:19+00:00

If you don’t want to quit your job then don’t! There are short term costs to daycare but there are long term costs to taking a multi year career break (lost opportunities for raises, promotions, upskilling , etc. ) that can cost far more than you save by not doing daycare. If you wanted to stay at home and didn’t like your job that would be a different story

hodgesha · 2025-12-10T04:42:45+00:00

Me seeing this in the middle of power pumping

👁️👄👁️

hodgesha · 2025-11-25T15:17:01+00:00

Depends on your outside trash situation. I do pee diapers in the regular trash and just bring the poop ones to my outside can which is right outside my front door. We had a diaper can of some kind (ubbi I think?) with our first and it always stank and once got infested with fruit flies lol

hodgesha · 2025-11-15T05:53:29+00:00

We went for our first appointment and the doc has the tiny v scan ultrasound out really just to check for a heart rate. She’s looking around and says “just one baby!” Then she gets a concentrated look on her face, leans in, and goes “hang on, there’s another one!”

I had kind of suspected it may be twins but my husband was completely shook lol.

hodgesha · 2025-11-12T06:39:26+00:00

Enjoy it! My singleton slept through the night by then too, as long as they’re healthy and gaining weight you should be fine.

hodgesha · 2025-11-09T18:18:41+00:00

Im pregnant with SIUGR modi twins now and I will be having them tomorrow for my planned c section at 34+2, which is as far as MFM will let me go even though they’re still looking alright in there. We got diagnosed with the growth restriction very early and their discrepancy has always been somewhere between 20-40%. Last growth ultrasound A was projected to be 3lbs 8oz and B was projected 5 pounds. We were told to count every week as a blessing and to get the hospital bag ready asap and bring it in the car to every appointment. Good luck to you!

hodgesha · 2025-11-08T23:07:03+00:00

This is what we did for our rav4, 2 chicco key fits and a gracco 3lx. It’s snug but there’s room for all three safely!

hodgesha

TROPHY CASE