These girls just cannot make up their minds when it comes to food. I took a step back for a couple of weeks and went back to strictly nursing. I've been working on a better nap and daytime schedule and trying to get them to sleep for longer stretches so we nurse before and after every nap. It's slowly getting better and last night they slept from 7 to 7 with only one wake-up each! I feel like a whole new person! After getting down a good 2 hour wake time between naps I started offering food at the halfway point so now our schedule looks like this:
Wake - Nurse - Play - Food - Play (in high chairs) - Nurse - Sleep
They're still only taking 1 hour max naps so they're still taking 3 naps a day but just yesterday they both slept for an hour and a half for their mid-day nap.
Despite the improvements in their schedule this week has been a bit off thanks to Juliette developing an infection. Upon further research (thanks internet and not our doctors) I think the stent may be the culprit. Apparently some nasty bacteria called enterobactrum found its way into her gut and other parents going through similar ordeals swear the plastic from the stent is like a feeding ground for these bacteria. So, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't I guess since not placing the stent may have caused her blockage to return (look for a whole post on this coming soon). The bacteria is manifesting as a UTI and she is now on Bactrim after being on amoxicillan and cephalexin for the majority of her life. Little lady is definitely not herself and has not been into eating very much at all. I still offer everything to her though and Vivienne is eating it all up! We were doing a mix of baby-led weaning and purees but Viv never cared much for the mushy stuff so she's strict blw now. She's a champ! Here's the foods we've tried and how it went:
Avocado (slices, in feeder, pureed) - No for both of them the numerous times we've tried. I think they don't like the texture but even on a spoon they make a face when they eat it.
Apples (sauce, shredded, chunks in feeder) - They liked the sauce but no go any other way. Going to try baking some this week and see if that helps.
Asparagus (steamed sticks) - Both tried it and Viv loved it. Jules made a face and put it down.
Bananas (puree, whole in skin like a pop) - First two times were great, now they won't touch it.
Blueberries (squashed) - Both touched, Viv tried. Trying again today.
Broccoli (whole steamed) - Both loved it at first, now they won't even pick it up!
Carrots (steamed sticks and purees) - Again, both loved at first, but not anymore. Jules loved the puree but breaks out when she has it so no more carrots for her for a bit. Viv sucks on the sticks.
Cheddar cheese (thin strips) - They both tried it but only Viv swallowed it.
Cucumbers (chips and sticks) - They both loved sucking on them the first few times.
Scrambled egg yolks - Risky since I had an egg allergy as a child. No matter, neither one would even look at it.
Green beans (steamed sticks, puree) - No go for either of them. Wouldn't even touch it.
Organic WW Toasted O's Cereal - True mama's girls they love their carbs. Both will work that pincer grasp and pick them up and sometimes Viv will even get them in her mouth. Of course.
Sweet potatoes (pureed and chunks in feeder) - Big hit initially, now they turn their noses. Going to try roasted sticks this week.
Toast (whole wheat sticks with unsalted butter and cream cheese) - Again, carbaholics in the making. They eat toast like no tomorrow. But now I'm noticing Jules breaks out after so I'm wondering if we have a wheat allergy too.
Steel cut oats (pureee) - Viv never liked it, Jules loved it with banana but again breaks out now. Documenting her exposure to grains to see if that's the problem.
Peanut butter skin test - No one broke out after I put peanut butter behind their ears for 6 hours. Going to try again this week for 12 hours before introducing it orally.
Water (straw cups) - They're quickly getting the hang of their straw cups and have drank some water.
I never thought in a million years that I would be dealing with a potential food allergic child. Yes, I was allergic to eggs from about age 1 to 3 and I have a sensitivity to dairy but no one in our huge families has anything more serious than that. I thought for sure we were in the clear. I'm beginning to wonder if being on antibiotics since she was a week (technically negative 4 weeks) old has something to do with Jules inability to handle certain foods (again more on that in her own special hydronephrosis post). So far she has definitely reacted to banana oatmeal (could be either one but she won't try either one now so I don't know for sure), toast and carrots. I hate that I'm dealing with this and I'm afraid for the future. I've cared for highly allergenic children before and it can be so hard preparing dishes safely. Here's hoping she grows out of them! Until then we're looking in to probiotics to help her gut. This week we will try yogurt and see if that helps.
I'm definitely happy to say our journey is going better than it was a few weeks ago. For the most part I'm not worried about them, I eat well enough and they get more than enough milk to sustain their growing bodies but I would like to be sure they are still gaining well (Jules seems to have plateaued at 14 lbs. while Viv is nearing 15) and getting all the vitamins and nutrients they need. I know breastmilk is the perfect food but I don't believe it's meant to be the sole food source past 6-7 months, if for no other reason than saving the twin moms sanity! Please, don't think I'm selfish... I just... Actually, go ahead, I am slefish. But this Mama needs a break! Nursing two babies 8-16 times in a 24 hour period may slowly be the death of me. So send us some good eating vibes (and maybe focuson the good stuff and not the carbs!) would ya?
Xo,
Maigen
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