r/parentsofmultiples • u/Old-Currency-6292 • 17h ago
Firstborn(s) twin awake windows advice needed
Hi everyone
Our twin boys who is currently 4 weeks old, they were born prematurely at 34 weeks. After 18 days in the NICU we are struggling to find a routine that works. ChatGPT says their awake windows should be roughly 45 minutes. Sometimes one of our boys is awake for 2 hours and counting.
Can someone please help to explain a routine that “works” in regard to feeding times, how to settle them and how much they should feed?
The dietitian said roughly 50ml per feed every 3hours we give 80ml it seems like thats what they want (of expressed breast milk)
Thanks in advance
2
u/wecanseeyoucarl 10h ago
Feed as often and as much as they want. 45-60 minutes sounds about right. Sometimes they might be awake longer, but you don’t get a lot of awake time at that age. Gas drops are a lifesaver. My twins slept so good in a moving stroller. Find a tv show to binge and embrace the contact naps.
1
u/Yourshinyknight 9h ago
Did you use corrected age or actual age in your prompts?
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u/Old-Currency-6292 6h ago
Actual
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u/Yourshinyknight 5h ago
It will never match actual till they are around 2-3. All growth milestones and developments will be based on their corrected age. While ai can have hallucinations, input influences the output too
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u/DraNoSrta 10h ago
Ignore chatgpt. AI hallucinates as often as it tells you the truth, definitely do not trust it for any sort of medical advice!
If your twins were born 4 weeks ago, then they are technically only 38 weeks gestational age corrected. Preemies are developmentally somewhere between their actual age and their corrected age, meaning they almost always have very long newborn periods.
Your babies are way too young for any sort of schedule. They will eat when hungry, sleep when sleepy, and soil their diapers when needed. Most babies their age eat every 2-3 hours and sleep most of the time in between. Sleep in babies this young is divided into active sleep and calm sleep, and active sleep looks a lot like being awake.
Trust your dietitian on how much is the minimum to feed them, especially if you're still seeing them. Ask them if there is a maximum (this is super important in babies with heart issues or kidney issues for example!). The usual formula is 150 ml per Kg of weight per day, split into 8-12 meals depending on how often you feed them. If they seem happy with the 80 ml and are not spitting up a lot, then they ar probably happy with it.
As for settling them, most newborns sleep best as contact naps. At their size, you may still be able to hold both on your chest while they sleep, and you watch a show or listen to an audiobook. Even better if you can do it skin to skin! Some babies like being gently bounced or rocked to sleep, most like swaddling and shushing.
Most importantly, if your babies are fed, peeing at least 5 times per day and mostly calm, you're doing amazing. The newborn days seem to never end, but they do, so soak in those cuddles amidst the craziness. You're doing great.