Mother Gives Birth to Two Identical Sets of Twins

Statistically, this multiples birth story should never have happened.

A Texas mother beat the odds this Valentine’s Day by giving birth to two sets of identical twin boys, reports TODAY.

The babies were conceived without any fertility drugs and were delivered at 31 weeks by C-section. According to The Woman's Hospital of Texas, where the mother gave birth, the chances of naturally conceiving two sets of identical twins is one in 70 million. “The incidence of spontaneous quadruplets is somewhere of the order of 1 in 500,000,” Dr. Brian Kirshon, a specialist in maternal and fetal medicine at Houston Perinatal Associates and the Montalvo’s doctor, told TODAY. “And then if you take two sets of identical twins in the quadruplet set, the incidence must be one in many, many millions. It’s an extremely rare occurrence.”

Tressa and Manuel Montalvo Jr. of Houston had only been trying for one baby brother or sister to keep their 2-year-old son Memphis company. When Tressa was 10 weeks pregnant, the couple was told that they would be having twins.  But they were in for an even bigger surprise when they learned at Tressa’s 12-week checkup that they would be having four babies, not two. “If I wasn’t already on the table lying down, I’m pretty sure I would have hit the floor,” Tressa, 36, told TODAY. Manuel was thrilled: “The first thing I said was ‘Home run!’ and then I started jumping up and down.”

Plus: 13 Celebrity Parents of Twins

Ace and Blaine came first weighing 3 pounds, 10 ounces, and 3 pounds, 15 ounces, respectively. A minute later Cash and Dylan arrived weighing 2 pounds, 15 ounces, and 3 pounds, 6 ounces, respectively.

Plus: Getting Twins to Sleep

Manuel has said that he’d like to keep trying for a baby girl even with a family of five boys, but Tressa isn’t ready to agree to anything just yet. “My husband was quick to answer for us in interviews,” she told TODAY. “For myself, I thought, ‘OK, can we get through this first before I answer that?’”



source: http://www.parenting.com/blogs/show-and-tell/leonora-parentingcom/identical-twins

Conjoined Twins From Uganda Survive Separation Surgery

After a 16-hour operation, 11-month-old conjoined twin girls have been successfully separated.

The Short of It

Baby sisters Acen and Apio Akello, 11-months-old, were born in Uganda—joined at the pelvic region and hip. After a long journey to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio and a very delicate, complex 16-hour surgery that included a team of surgeons and approximately 30 people in the OR, the girls were separated last week and both are now recovering. Like other conjoined babies who have been successfully separated, the twins are expected to lead independent lives.

The Lowdown

According to a Nationwide Children's press release, first, specialists untwined their spinal cords, while technicians monitored nerve functions to identify which nerves belonged to each twin. Next, the girls’ soft tissue was divided—and after a 16-hour long reconstruction process, the girls became two distinct thriving bodies. "The look on the parents' faces when you tell them the babies are separated is something that you'll never get out of your mind,” Dr. Gail Besner said. “You remember it for the rest of your life.”

Conjoined twins are incredibly rare—occuring in about 1 out of every 200,000 pregnancies—and separation surgery is fraught with danger for the babies. Surgeons at Nationwide have successfully separated four sets of conjoined twins since 1978. In this case, tissue expansion prior to surgery and 3-D modeling helped make the surgery a success.


The separation will allow the babies to grow up together, but apart—like any other set of twins. “The surgery is going to be very helpful to the children because they will be able to feed on their own," the girls' mother, Esther Akello, said through a translator. "They'll be able to grow up like normal children."



The Upshot


"We have the potential at Nationwide Children’s to take two patients who would never have been able to have a normal life as they were before and make them into two separate individuals who, I expect, will have healthy and normal lives,” said Dr. Besner. Praise! We are so lucky to live in America with some of the best doctors in the world and the science—or is it magic?—of modern medicine. We wish these special sisters a speedy recovery.


source: http://www.parenting.com/news-break/conjoined-twins-uganda-survive-separation

1 in 70 Million: Quadruplets Born in Two Sets of Identical Twins

Quadruplets born to parents who struggled with infertility for eight years

The Short of It

A Utah couple, Ashley and Tyson Gardner, tripled their family in one delivery when Ashley gave birth to quadruplets. The parents have been trying for eight years to have a child. With the help of in-vitro fertilization, they conceived two sets of identical twins. The odds of conceiving two sets of identical twins are about 1 in 70 million.

The Lowdown

Sunday afternoon, the Gardners welcomed their four newborn daughters—Indie, Esme, Scarlett and Evangeline—into the world. The girls arrived at 28 weeks and were born via Caesarean section, but the delivery went smoothly for both mother and babies.

The decision to deliver the four dark-haired beauties was made after doctors discovered that Ashley had ruptured some of her membranes and was having contractions with progressive intensity. On average, quadruplets are delivered between 28 and 34 weeks of pregnancy.

Three of the baby girls weighed a little more than 2 pounds at delivery, while the fourth weighed slightly less than 2 pounds.

The Upshot

The new parents say that they're "overwhelmed with joy" at the safe and healthy arrival of their baby girls and want to thank everyone for their prayers and support through the delivery.

The Gardner family will be part of a new TLC series about first-time parents and their newborns. The show is set to air late next year.


source: http://www.parenting.com/news-break/1-70-million-quadruplets-born-two-sets-identical-twins

Kids Health QA: Co-Sleeping Twins

Q. I'm pregnant with twins, and thinking about putting them to sleep in the same crib. Is that safe?

A. The "official" answer: The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages having babies sleep with siblings because of the possible risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but its policy doesn't directly address twins. However, lots of newborn nurseries do put twins together, finding that they fare better that way -- their vital signs are stronger, they're calmer, they feed better. It makes sense; being side by side is what they've always known. Every mom of twins I've known has put them in the same crib at first, too.

If you do let your infant twins sleep together, separate them once they start looking crowded in their crib, and certainly when they start rolling over. Until then, try to make sure you're taking other SIDS precautions:



Place your babies on their backs to sleep. Always.


Don't overdress them (overheating ups their SIDS risk).


Don't use blankets, bumpers, stuffed animals, or pillows.


Make sure the crib mattress is firm and the sheet is pulled tightly over it.


Quit smoking (we know it's hard!). Smoking before and after giving birth increases your children's risk of SIDS.


Consider using pacifiers -- they may decrease SIDS risk.


Breastfeed, if you can, for the same reason.



source: http://www.parenting.com/article/kids-health-qa-co-sleeping-twins

After Her Twins Were Diagnosed, She Left Her Job of 15 Years

Our readers shared their stories as one of the 1 in 50 families coping with autism. Discover more stories at parenting.com/autism

What does autism look like?

It looks like putting your 25-month-olds on a public school bus just three weeks after an initial diagnosis.

It looks like leaving your job of 15 years.

It looks like afternoons spent in a waiting room, relishing the quiet, but also the camaraderie of other parents who understand.

It looks like stacks of paperwork on every surface.

It looks like private swimming lessons in a therapeutic pool. 

It looks like eating hot dogs at every meal after carefully preparing their first foods from fresh organic produce and vowing never to let them eat processed junk.

It looks like holes in the wall—from furniture, from toys, from shoes—from anything that isn't bolted to the ground.

It looks like piles of well-worn books and bins of never-played-with toys.

It looks like not leaving the house unless you have an extra set of hands (and legs!) to help keep everyone on task.

It looks like doing all of the things you said you would never ever do before you had kids (let them watch TV, have a sippy cup of milk in bed, use candy as an incentive) because you have to pick your battles.

It looks like leaving family functions early and cancelling playdates. 

It looks like smiles in the morning. It looks like “fishlip” kisses at bedtime.

It looks like the loves of my life.

By Erin Clotfelter, mom of Lincoln and Wyatt, 4, Judah, 2




source: http://www.parenting.com/article/after-her-twins-were-diagnosed-she-left-her-job-15-years

Twins Fake Naptime and Get Caught Red-Handed

Holy Cuteness! Mom commands her kids to lay down with a simple hello over the baby monitor. You'll want to watch this 20 times. 

The Short of It

A baby monitor helped one mom win at a surveillance sting in a hilarious new viral video. When she catches her twins standing up and blabbering, her voice over the monitor does more than startle her not-so-sleepyheads, it commands them to lay back down. 

The Lowdown

Any mom will attest to the fact that a baby monitor is a life saver and a must-have. They help tired parents monitor baby from another room, alerting them to every cough or crying fit, plus every other thing that might go down in the crib when they're not around (wacky sleeping positions, diaper explosions—we've all been there).

 But, as a new video posted by ItsJudyTime attests, a baby monitor can give some moms superhero skills. The YouTube star's hilarious video shows how she puts an end to her twins having a party in their respective cribs during nap time.

 When she sees her babies standing up, holding onto the railings, and blabbering over the monitor, all it takes is her sweet voice and this cute phrase: "Hi babies!" for the twinsies to instantly lay down, butts in the air (so cute!) and assume the sleeping position.

 Her Facebook caption: I rarely talk with the girls through the baby monitor. But when I do, this usually happens." The viral video has garnered more than 15 million views, thanks to the babies' adorable reaction to mommy's voice. See for yourself: 

The Upshot

Aside from giving us all a much-needed end-of-the-week laugh, this video is the sweetest because the babies actually recognize and respond to their mom's voice. And let's be honest: This shows that Mom is a total boss—and we love it!



source: http://www.parenting.com/news-break/twins-fake-naptime-get-caught-red-handed

Couple Marries in NICU After Losing One Twin Son

Texas couple marries beside surviving son in hospital NICU

Short & Sweet

A Texas couple married in the NICU Tuesday beside their infant son after suffering an unthinkable loss: the stillbirth of their baby's twin brother. But the Nelsons want their story to inspire, not sadden.

The Lowdown

Kristi Warriner and Justin Nelson said "I do" in a rather non-traditional place: the neonatal ICU at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

"We wanted our family together. He couldn't leave the NICU, so we brought the wedding to him," Kristi Nelson told TODAY.com about her son JJ, who was born prematurely in September at just 1 pound, 13 ounces.

The Nelsons have been by his side ever since. Amazingly, JJ now weighs 6 pounds, 5 ounces.

JJ played an important part in his parents' wedding, despite being just 36 weeks old. He sported a tuxedo onesie and looked after the wedding rings on a white pillow during the exchange of vows.

Although this was a happy day for the family, they have endured many days of unfathomable sadness. JJ's twin brother Colt was stillborn and will always be in their hearts. And their days of worrying about JJ are not over. He is expected to remain in the hospital through Thanksgiving.

"It is the most heartbreaking thing to ever go through as a parent. Our mission behind all this was to hopefully let others [know] that have been there, are there, or unfortunately one day could be in a similar situation as ours, and let them know they are not alone," Nelson said.

The Upshot

As many as 450,000 preterm births occurred in the United States last year. Thank you to this brave family for sharing their story and for trying to bring hope to other families who are holding vigils in NICUs across the country.

More from News Break

2 Dads + 3 Surrogates = 3 Babies in 7 Months and don't forget to like us on Facebook and Twitter!


source: http://www.parenting.com/news-break/couple-marries-nicu-after-losing-one-twin-son

Can Twins Share a Crib?

Should newborns come home to two cribs or one?

You're already double-stocked with car seats and diapers—do your newborns need to come home to two cribs, too? Opinions differ. "Traditionally, parents felt twins would be more comfortable sleeping together," says Shelly Vaziri Flais, M.D., author of Raising Twins. 

"But for safety, they really should be split up." Other experts, though, point to research showing preemies in the neonatal intensive care unit tend to do better when co-bedded. "It's more of a gradual transition if they're still together," says Stephen Turner, M.D., chief of general pediatrics at Long Island College Hospital of Brooklyn, and himself the father of a 2-year-old duo. If you want your newborn twins to co-bed, follow these tips:

Space them out

Place the twins at least two feet apart—and always on their backs, says Dr. Turner. Putting them head-to-head in the crib will make it easier to pick one up without disturbing the other.

Keep 'em regular

Assigning each a certain spot will help you keep track of who's who—even in the bleary night.

Know when to part

Once your infants start rolling or kicking off any swaddling blankets, the suffocation risk increases, so be sure to move them to separate cribs.



source: http://www.parenting.com/article/can-twins-share-a-crib

Twins: A Survivor's Manual

I sometimes forget that I didn't decide to have twins. It's so like me: I've been a lifetime subscriber to the if-one's-good-two-are-better philosophy of living.

I took a double course load in graduate school; I drink double lattes; I spent years racing triathlons (oops, that's three). So when the doctor said, "Wow, you're awfully big for 11 weeks," and then, while moving warm goo across my belly and staring at the monitor, continued with, "You knew you were having twins?", my response was a deep laugh. I felt a surge of adrenaline that I think was joy mixed with fear, yet something seemed right about it too. After all, if I could've chosen to have twins, I probably would have.

But having survived those first few months of my sons' lives, I now know that mothering twins is very different from all of those other twos I took on. I always had the option of dropping physics midquarter, or going on the caffeine wagon, or walking the last leg of a triathlon. But once I learned I was carrying twins, I was committed. And the truth is, caring for two newborns was far more overwhelming and far more difficult than 22 upper-division credits. Think motherhood is intense? Motherhood times two is unbelievably intense. Herewith, some tenets that helped me to not only survive those early months, but also to enjoy my beautiful newborn sons.

Go Ahead. Panic.

I know it's trendy to believe that we don't have to give anything up to be parents. And some parents, even some parents of twins, go a long way to prove this. I have friends who, upon learning they were pregnant with two, started buying double sets of outdoor baby gear and mapping out trails for family wilderness excursions. Two months after the birth, they went cross-country skiing, pulling their babies behind them in a toboggan. But to tell you the truth, they didn't look as if they were having fun. I imagine they were just as tired as I was, only cold and wet, too.

To make it through our first few months of almost constant nursing and very little sleep, I had to accept the fact that life would be different. Birth, like death, is dramatic. It happens all the time, but it's still a big deal when it happens to you. Just as no one gets over the death of a loved one during two days of bereavement leave, I was not going to adjust to the birth of twins in the allotted six-week time frame.

What worked for me was surrendering to the idea that my life was going to be out of my control some of the time. I had to admit that I was going to feel overwhelmed—overwhelmed by fears, overwhelmed by diapers, overwhelmed by love. When I let go of the expectation that my life was going to resemble its previous form, I could put the pieces together slowly and in a way that I actually liked. In some ways, having twins gave me more opportunity to do that than a singleton pregnancy would have. People consider giving birth to one baby a normal thing, and therefore expect new moms to be able to handle it. The fact that I had twins gave me permission to completely freak out.

Send up the Flares.

A crucial tenet: Everyone who wants to help gets to do so. Many people offered to babysit during those early days, having no idea what they would be in for. Occasionally we'd take them up on it, always doubling up on sitters. But in the beginning, what I needed more than sitters was help accomplishing simple, everyday tasks.

For the first few weeks, my mom stayed with us, which meant all I needed to do was feed the babies and sleep when I could. All my husband needed to do was go to work during the day and hold me or the babies when we cried at night. The problem was, after my mom left, those "duties" were still all we could handle. Even simple errands had become complicated; the logistics of getting two babies ready and into the car took all the planning most people allow for a week-long vacation.

So, I retrained myself. When people offered to help, rather than saying "No, thank you, we're fine" (a lie), I started saying "Yes, thank you" and offering options. For example, I needed someone to assist me when I went grocery shopping, or I'd ask someone to mail a package or pick up a carton of milk. Other friends helped by weeding the garden, doing the dishes, or folding laundry, which would otherwise have become a permanent mountain on our bed. I even asked the next-door neighbor to come over one day so that I could take an uninterrupted shower.

While these requests seemed huge to me, they were but small favors for my invaluable friends, who emerged into two distinct sets. The first group has children. They understand. The second group doesn't have children. They have time. Today, both groups have become a community of adults who consider my boys to be special because they helped take care of them way back in the beginning, when they were babies.

Gear Up.

If you have twins, people will ask you whether you are going to dress them alike as though it's your biggest concern. Most of the time I dressed my sons in whatever I could grab from the shelf while I nursed one baby and kept the other from rolling off the changing table. I used similar criteria to select my own clothes, although I tried to avoid black because it really highlights spit-up.

Like most new moms, I received three or four catalogs a day describing the latest baby gear. To sort it all out, I found it helpful to talk to other mothers of twins. They told me which items truly saved time or effort. For instance, when selecting strollers, it's important to have not only two seats, but two seats that recline, for those weeks when the twins are too young to sit up on their own.

Some gear that offers convenience for singletons diminishes in usefulness with twins. For instance, the infant car seats that double as carriers become a bit burdensome with two babies. Besides, taking twins into a restaurant with the expectation of sitting through a nice dinner would take an incredible degree of optimism. Parents of twins are much more likely to opt for pizza. Delivered.

Everyone Eats at Once. Everyone Sleeps at Once.

Many pediatricians recommend feeding infants on demand during the first couple of months. We followed this recommendation with one amendment: When one demanded, both ate. This rule was particularly crucial in the middle of the night. Though it was tempting at first to let one baby sleep peacefully when the other woke up crying for food, I didn't do it often. When I did, my sleeping child would begin crying not ten minutes after my satisfied boy had drifted back to sleep. So instead, when one woke, my husband would wake the other, and I'd feed both simultaneously. Then we'd change both diapers and put them back to bed. This increased our chances of having a full hour of uninterrupted sleep.

During the day, this rule applied to me as well. When both babies drifted off to sleep at the same time, there was only one wise thing for me to do, and it was not clean house. Nothing increased my ability to cope more than a few extra moments of sleep.

The rule of everyone eating at once worked for the whole family, too. I needed a lot of fuel and a lot of water to make enough milk for twins. Before sitting down to nurse the babies, I'd grab a pitcher of ice water and a simple meal and place them next to the couch where I nursed. While mothers of singletons can often feed on the run, mothers of twins have nursing stations, complete with food, drink, reading material, a telephone, and a remote control.

Hang on to You.

The first time I left my boys for a day, was to go to a writing conference. I was preoccupied by the odd sensation of both hands being free when a women told me she liked the necklace I was wearing. I was startled by the comment, and it occurred to me how long it had been since anyone had noticed anything about me besides my babies.

I love being a mom. I cherish the experiences it has brought, and the way it has changed and deepened me. But at times the connection between my sons and myself has been so powerful that I felt I barely existed apart from them, and I needed to remind myself that I was a whole person all on my own. This desire didn't drive me back to what had fulfilled me before my sons' arrival, though, because my needs had changed. For instance, before having twins my idea of a good time was to go for a run in the foothills by myself. But during those first few months with the babies, I craved adult conversation more than anything. So it made more sense to go for a walk with a friend.

Eventually I realized that exactly what I did to acknowledge myself wasn't nearly so important as the fact that I did something at all. Every woman has different activities that nourish her. I went to the coffee shop for steamed almond milk with friends. I read for pleasure, though it took me months to make it through Snow Falling on Cedars at the pace of four lines per night. And once I got into this habit, I saw how valuable it was to my own well-being and to my relationship with my sons.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel is Not a Train.

The other day a store clerk gave me an odd look when I approached the counter with six pairs of new size 5 jeans. "I have twin boys, and they just outgrew all of their old ones," I explained.

"Twin boys," she said. "How do you handle it?"

"It's easier than one at a time," I answered. And at that moment, I realized that I meant it.

The good news about having multiples is that nothing is ever as hard as the first few months. When people tell you otherwise, don't listen. They've forgotten. Nothing overwhelms like two babies who don't sleep through the night, not even a pair of toddlers in their terrible twos. In fact, just about the time they turn 2, the balance starts to tip and twins actually become easier to raise than different-aged siblings. For example, my sons were ready to learn new skills at the same time, like how to use the potty and how to dress themselves. And once they learned to put on their own shoes and buckle their own car seats, I felt like I had it made.

At 4, Gabe and Dylan entertain each other for hours at a time. They create imaginary worlds, they sing preschool songs, they teach each other things. And this speaks to one of the sweetest blessings of having twins. My sons have a head start on some traits that are sorely needed in this world, like empathy, compassion, and tolerance. To them, even sharing comes easy. They have done it their whole lives.


SOURCE: http://www.parenting.com/article/twins-a-survivors-manual

Twins: Double the Milestone Anxiety?

Of course you can't help comparing your baby's accomplishments to those of other tots, but when the one who's leaping ahead happens to be his twin, you're bound to have double the anxiety. Why is one twin not like the other? Because no two babies are the same, even though they were womb-mates. So don't worry if your twins aren't hitting their early developmental markers at the same time.

Fraternal twins are just like any brother and sister pair. Did you and your sibling roll over or walk at exactly the same age? Probably not. Though identical twins may have a similar rate of development, there are many reasons why there could be disparities.

Twins with very different birth weights often have different development schedules. And since multiples are more likely to be born preterm, there can be medical conditions present that affect their early development.

Keep in mind that slight differences don't mean much. With preemie and low-birth weight babies, expect to see some delays in milestones like holding up their heads, smiling, rolling over, and grasping objects. But if one twin is significantly lagging behind the other, let your pediatrician know.


SOURCE: http://www.parenting.com/article/twins-double-the-milestone-anxiety

Breastfeeding Twins

Nursing one baby can be tough enough. Here's how to nurse two

Getting the hang of breastfeeding one baby can be tricky enough, let alone learning how to maneuver two to the boobs. A special twin nursing pillow and an extra set of hands, if possible, will help. 

Then, here's what to do:

Double-cradle hold Nestle Baby A in your left arm, cupping her butt in your hand, and raise her to your left breast. Place Baby B in the same position in your right arm and latch her to your other breast. Their heads should be apart but their legs and feet crisscrossed.

Double-clutch hold Place Baby A on your left side so her feet tuck behind you. Support your left breast with your right hand and pull her close with your left arm. Once she is latched on and sucking well, do the same with Baby B on your right side.

Cradle-clutch hold Nestle Baby A in the cradle hold on your left side and Baby B in the clutch hold on your right side.

Adapted from Twin Set: Moms of Multiples Share Survive and Thrive Secrets, by Christina Boyle and Cathleen Stahl. Copyright © 2008 by Christina Boyle and Cathleen Stahl. Published by Three Rivers Press, a division of Random House, Inc.


source: http://www.parenting.com/article/breastfeeding-twins

Ask Dr. Sears: Persistant Cradle Cap

Q. My 5-month-old twins have very bad cradle cap and dry patches all over their bodies, especially under their necks, behind their legs and in the creases of their arms. The pediatric dermatologist we went to said they don't have eczema. My babies have reflux, so I've been mixing a little rice cereal with their formula (Enfamil Lipil) since they were 2 months old. Could they have an allergy to the cereal? What can I do to cure the cradle cap?

A. Your babies' cradle cap, also known as seborrheic dermatitis, is likely caused by the overproduction of the oil glands in the skin of the scalp. The glands produce an oily substance called sebum, which cakes on the skin. The good news is that while it may be unsightly, it's usually not irritating or bothersome to babies. Eczema has a similar appearance to cradle cap but can be intensely itchy and uncomfortable. It tends to be located in the spots you've described. But since your pediatric dermatologist has ruled out eczema, the most likely cause of your babies' dry patches is an allergy, and the culprit is probably the milk-based formula your babies are on, rather than the rice cereal. It's important to note, however, that formula allergy rashes are usually more pronounced on the face. Also, if a baby has an allergic reaction to formula, intestinal discomforts are typical, namely bloating, colicky abdominal pain and diarrhea. Try this step-by-step plan to clear your babies' skin.

Use a hypoallergenic formula

Consider switching to a formula that has less allergenic proteins, such as Alimentum or Nutramigen. If the dermatitis is indeed due to a formula allergy, you should see improvement within a couple of weeks. Be sure to consult your babies' doctor before making this change.

Oil your babies

To cure cradle cap, massage a vegetable oil into the crust-like scales. Let the oil soak in for fifteen minutes to soften the scales, then remove them with a soft baby hairbrush. To completely get rid of the scaliness, use an over-the-counter tar-based shampoo once a week. The omega-3 fats found in fish oil are another effective remedy due to their anti-inflammatory properties (the dermatitis that you've described is most likely due to a generalized inflammation of the skin). While omega-3s are now added to the latest infant formulas, they may not be present in high enough doses to efficiently work as an anti-inflammatory on your babies. Ask your doctor to recommend a pharmaceutical-grade fish oil. Add no more than 500mg a day to your babies' formula: Simply open a 500mg capsule and squirt it into the bottle. Once the dermatitis has cleared, gradually wean your babies off the added fish oil but keep them on an omega-3-enriched formula. If there's a recurrence, simply resume the fish oil. If the dry, scaly skin persist throughout their toddler years, I suggest you feed your growing twins at least 3 ounces of wild salmon a couple times a week.

Hydrate the skin

The dermatitis you described may also be due to the inability of the skin to retain moisture. Try this trick: After bathing your babies with a mild, moisturizing soap such as Dove, rinse the soap off well. Gently pat the skin partially dry, leaving a slight layer of water on the skin  -- just enough so you can feel the moisture. Apply an emollient ointment (such as Soothe and Heal by Lansinoh) over the affected areas. The ointment seals in the water above the crusted areas and hydrates the skin. Also, offer each baby an extra 8-ounce bottle of water to drink daily. Using these hydration methods, you'll water the skin from the inside out.

Humidify the air

Dry skin loves humidity. Central home heating during the winter months robs the skin of much-needed moisture. Run a warm-mist vaporizer in the nursery. Vaporizers not only moisturize the skin, but they act as a heat source, allowing you to turn down the drying heat in your home.

Babies who begin life with sensitive and irritated skin are likely to retain this quirk throughout childhood. This means you'll need to keep a diary to identify the dry-skin triggers, such as food allergens, irritating clothing or detergents. Through trial and error you will gradually formulate your own personal skin-care program, arriving at the a diet and environment that's just right for your twins.


source: http://www.parenting.com/article/ask-dr-sears-persistant-cradle-cap

Surrogate Carries Baby for Her Identical Twin Sister

When a New York woman found out her identical twin sister would not be able to have a baby, she stepped in to give birth to her own nephew.

The Short of It

A New York woman served as a surrogate for her identical twin sister and gave birth to her own nephew on Aug. 5.

The Lowdown

In 2009, when Allison Ardolino Dinkelacker was 30 weeks pregnant with her first child, she found out she had Stage 3 breast cancer and needed to start chemotherapy as soon as possible. Her son, Dylan, was delivered by emergency Caesarean section at 31 weeks, and Allison went on to become cancer-free.

When she wanted to have another baby, her doctor told her she shouldn't conceive again because the hormones could bring back her cancer. Her identical twin sister Dawn Ardolino Policastro offered to be her surrogate immediately.

"Well before he (the doctor) even finished his sentence, Dawn jumped in and said, 'It doesn't matter because I am going to carry their child,'" Allison wrote on her Facebook page.

Dawn gave birth to her nephew, Hudson, on Aug. 5. Professional photos of the sisters during Dawn's pregnancy show the two holding signs saying, "My bun" and "Her oven," have gone viral.

The Upshot

The gift of carrying a baby for another woman is an incredible one, whether you're doing it for a family member, a friend or a stranger.

"How can we begin to thank you for the tremendous generosity and sacrifice you have so willingly bestowed these last few months?" Allison wrote on her sister's Facebook page.


Bringing a baby into the world is always an amazing story, but doing it for someone else is truly selfless.


source: http://www.parenting.com/news-break/surrogate-carries-baby-her-identical-twin-sister

Man's Unborn Twin Fathers His Baby

"Even geneticists are blown away by this," geneticist says.

The Short of It

A 34-year-old white man has learned he is a rare human chimera, which means he absorbed his twin early in the womb. Incredibly, it was the cells from the vanished twin that fathered his child and led to this first-of-its-kind discovery.

The Lowdown

Parents (who prefer to remain unidentified to maintain their privacy) in Washington state conceived their first baby through IVF with the help of a fertility clinic. When they learned their new bundle of joy had a blood type that didn't match theirs, the couple assumed the clinic had mistakenly used the wrong sperm.

An at-home paternity test confirmed their disturbing suspicion that the man was not the baby's father. A second test administered by a lab returned the same, unsettling results. But when the man and his wife confronted the clinic, they were told just one white male donated sperm on that day, so there couldn't have been a mistake.

A geneticist named Barry Starr then recommended the man take a more advanced genetic ancestry test, which showed the man was actually the child's uncle! Since the genes in the man's saliva differ from his sperm's, Starr began to believe the man was a chimera, especially given his two-tone striped skin, an indication of the phenomenon.

"That was kind of a eureka moment," Starr told BuzzFeed News. He was able to determine 10 percent of the man's cells match his son's, while the rest belong to a twin brother that was never born.

The Upshot

It's believed that one in eight births start as a multiple pregnancy. Only 100 reports of human chimeras exist in medical literature, however. This is truly a unique situation that will likely never happen again in our lifetime.


"Even geneticists are blown away by this," Starr said.


source: http://www.parenting.com/news-break/mans-unborn-twin-fathers-his-baby

13 Months after Losing Conjoined Twins, Parents Welcome New Baby

"God is good, and he decided to bless us again with Seth," dad says.

The Short of It

Just 13 months after losing their conjoined twins, a Georgia couple is overjoyed by the birth of their new baby boy!

The Lowdown

Robin and Michael Hamby gained national attention in December 2014 after welcoming conjoined twins, Asa and Eli. The boys were joined at their sides, a condition known as dicephalic parapagus, and shared a torso, arms, and legs. Doctors warned the Hambys their sons' condition meant they could not be separated and had little chance of survival. Sadly, they died less then two days after being born.

But within months, Robin was pregnant again. And on Monday, she gave birth to Seth Michael, a healthy baby boy! "He has eaten and pooped and all the things you want babies to do," she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Michael credits the couple's faith with helping them move on after the death of their twins to their next stage of life.

"The Lord blessed us with Asa and Eli last year, and we miss them dearly," he said. "God is good, and he decided to bless us again with Seth."

The Upshot

What an amazing story! I think we could all learn a thing or two from the Hambys' positive outlook in the face of such heartbreaking tragedy.

"Let me tell you something, y'all," Michael said following the death of his sons. "I love the Lord even more than ever. I'm not mad at Him. I'm not hurt or anything of that nature when it comes to my boys because I know they are in Heaven and they are waiting on me."


The couple also has a daughter, Selah, who will turn 3 this month



source: http://www.parenting.com/news-break/13-months-after-losing-conjoined-twins-parents-welcome-new-baby

Valco Baby Recalls 12,000 Single and Twin Jogging Strollers

The strollers pose a strangulation hazard

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of about 12,000 Valco Baby Tri Mode Single and Twin Jogging Strollers. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Importer: Unique Baby Products USA LLC, of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Manufacturer: Valco Baby, of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Hazard: The opening between the grab bar and seat bottom of the stroller can allow an infant's body to pass through and become entrapped at the neck by the grab bar, posing a strangulation hazard to young children when a child is not harnessed. When using a stroller, parents and caregivers are encouraged always to secure children by using the safety harness and never to leave them unattended. To learn more about the importance of stroller safety, download CPSC's safety alert: www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5096.pdf

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves the grab bar on Tri Mode Single and Twin strollers. "Valco Baby" is printed on the head rest and the padding on the footboard. The grab bar is optional and can be removed from the stroller. The stroller's model numbers are located on a white sticker on the left hand side of brake bar. The recalled strollers with the affected grab bars are listed in the chart below.

Model Numbers

RUN6140

RUN6141

RUN6142

RUN6143

RUN6144

RUN6145

RUN6146

RUN6147

RUN7710

RUN7711

TRI8800

TRI8801

TRI8802

TRI8803

TRI8890

TRI9103

TRI9104

TRI9105

TRI9106

TRI1033

TRI1034

TRI1035

 

 

Sold at: Juvenile product stores and websites including www.amazon.com between November 2007 and March 2010 for between $480 to $700.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately remove the grab bar from the stroller and contact Valco Baby to receive a free replacement grab bar.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Valco Baby at (800) 610-7850 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, visit the firm's website at www.valcobaby.com or email at recall@valcobaby.com

source: http://www.parenting.com/article/valco-baby-recalls-12000-single-and-twin-jogging-strollers