August 31, 2024 • 20 mins
In this episode, JayCee Wall shares her experience of giving birth to twins. She compares the pain and preparation for twins to her previous births. She discusses the options she had for delivery and ultimately chose to have a C-section. JayCee also talks about the emotional challenges she faced during her pregnancy and the support she received from her family. She shares some helpful gear and equipment that made caring for twins easier. JayCee offers advice for other moms of twins and emphasizes the importance of treasuring the small moments.
CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and Background 00:32 Comparing the Birth of Twins to Single Births 01:37 Delivery Options for Twins 07:13 Helpful Gear for Caring for Twins 22:08 Favorite Book and Mom Squad Secret 22:33 Conclusion and Thank You
RESOURCES 12 hours by 12 weeks
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:05):
It's the Best Birth Podcast, wherewe interview experts that elevate
you as you prepare your heartand mind to have the best birth.
Each episode will interviewprofessionals so you are prepared
for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
Our experts will build your confidenceand empower you to trust your
intuition throughout your pregnancy.
This audio is takenfrom videos on YouTube.
(00:27):
Watch the entire episodes onYouTube at Birth Made Mindful.
Ride The Wave MediaPodcast Network [00:03]
You're listening to thebest birth podcast today.
Our guest is JC wall and todaywe'll be talking all about twins.
JC wall is a mama for she'sa lover of Pilates, yoga,
pickleball, diet coke, cheese.
(00:49):
She loves to make people laughand she loves to laugh and for
her there is nothing betterthan giggling uncontrollably.
Welcome, J .C.
Thank you.
You are the mom of twins.
How did that birth compareto your other two births?
(01:09):
when I was pregnant with mytwins, I was in a lot more
pain than I was my first birth.
I was like almost 38 weeksand I was so beyond done.
And I was at Sunday dinner.
I remember with my mom andsister and I was like, I'm just
going to head to the hospital.
And they're like,
Are you in labor?
And I was like, I don't know.
But at this point, I don't care anymore.
(01:30):
I am so done.
And I feel like when I was greeted whenI had my first, you know, they're kind of
like, well, don't get settled, you know.
But when I mentioned I washaving twins, it was like they
rolled out the red carpet.
It was like you welcomed with open arms.
And luckily, I was dilatedto a five when I got there.
So
(01:51):
They let me stay.
But yeah, very different, very different.
And so when you were pregnantwith twins, were you given a
lot of options on delivery?
absolutely.
Like the whole time my planwas, definitely vaginally.
I had a vaginal with myfirst and I really liked it.
(02:12):
All went well.
So I really wanted to do that with twins.
I don't know if most people knowthis, but when you are pregnant
with twins in the last four weeks,you get checked every other day.
So you go into the specialist, theymonitor you for like 45 minutes.
So on Thursday, when I wentin for my monitoring, both
(02:33):
babies A and B were head down.
But when I went into the hospital,obviously you go every other
day, but then the weekend.
So I went in on Sunday.
By that time, baby B had flipped.
back up into my ribs.
So A was head down, B was up.
So I was obviously planningon going vaginally and like I
(02:54):
said, I was dilated to a five.
When that happened, they like definitelyoffered to me that we can try, we can
try and flip, but like the chancesof it turning into a C -section are
really high at that point becauseinstead of dealing with one, you're
dealing with two and there's justsome more complications and I just...
(03:14):
decided to go C -section.
And then how was it with your fourth?
Did you do a V BAC after Idefinitely chose to do a V back?
I like the recovery a lot more on that.
And like I said before, I didn'thave to have a C section because
of like complications or anything.
was just luck of the drawthat baby had flipped.
(03:34):
So smooth sailing on one and four.
And like I said, C sectionwith the twins, which
It's great, it worked out,but the recovery it definitely
a kick's you in the butt.
Well, let's talk all aboutyour pregnancy with twins.
So that was a fantastic,you know, delivery when you
were pregnant with twins.
Were there a lot of emotional thingsthat you had to overcome as far as, know,
(03:59):
like getting ready for having now threebabies that were going to be reliant on
you and, and needing you all the time.
Totally.
so
when I got pregnant with my twins, me and,Jess and we'd been trying for 18 months.
And we finally got pregnant and I wentto the doctor and he was checking me
(04:26):
doing the usual things like the eightweek check or I think it was like seven
weeks that I was going out of town.
And he kind of was hemming and hawing andsaying these things and he was like, he's
writing, I went to a new doctor so he'swriting on this pad and he looks up and
he's like, how big was your first baby?
And I was like six, seven.
He was like, are you sureyou're right on your,
dates of like period and everythingand I was like, pretty sure, you know,
(04:48):
I've been tracking for 18 months.
I was pretty aware ofwhen my last period was.
And he was like, well,it's one of two things.
You're either pregnant withtwins or you've got a tumor.
And I was like, I don't like A or B.
Can I get another option?
So I actually didn't tellanyone that for like two weeks.
(05:10):
I just thought he waslike cuckoo cabana and.
an old man who didn't know what he wasdoing and this was just by feeling.
hadn't had an ultrasound or anything yet.
And he was like, I'd like toschedule you for an ultrasound as
soon as possible to get you in.
And I was like, well, it's summertime.
I've got my family reunions.
I can't be bothered with this.
(05:30):
I was like, as soon as I can getback, I think it's like three weeks.
And he was like, okay.
So I think I was in like serious denial.
And then literally two weeksafter that doctor, right.
But I was.
at the mall with my sister and I was like,kind of thinking about what he had said
and I was like, Kinsey, do you rememberour old doctor who had retired ever
mentioning anything to you about twins?
(05:51):
And she was like, whatare you talking about?
And I was like, well, he said thisand she was like, you're kidding.
I'm like, no.
And so, week later, obviouslyI go in for the ultrasound.
Justin was taking a finalexam, who's my husband.
My mom was having knee surgery andmy sister has three kids at the time.
So my dad actually ended upcoming with me to the ultrasound.
(06:14):
And she didn't put it on, notfor two seconds, lifted it up and
she was like, yeah, it's twins.
And I just shot up and just thetears started running down my face.
My dad started crying and I was justlike, I am not prepared for this.
And I for sure went into a little bitof depression for the next few months.
It was really hard for meto wrap my head around it.
(06:34):
Justin, my husband, was still.
very early on in his schooling and I wasstill the full -time breadwinner and I
was like how the heck am I going to bein charge of three kids, pay the bills
and be up all night long with friends.
So it took me a long time to get excited.
I actually don't know ifI ever really got excited.
(06:56):
I think I was always more nervous andjust trying to always compute it in
my head how I was gonna do it all.
Hmm.
Wow.
You share some of the realities ofthis pregnancy experience and just
all the emotions that come withexpecting and expecting multiples.
What were some of the thingsthat you use to help you when you
did have those three children?
(07:17):
Were there gear or, know, thedouble boppy for the twins?
my gosh.
The double boppy was myliterally game changer.
It saved my life.
I didn't breastfeed.
So I would literally just stickthe bottles in and it would take
me 45 minutes to do a feeding.
They were 410 and 414.
(07:41):
And after seven days, Cocowent back into the PICU
was there any other piece of equipment,some gear, that helped you with twins?
so I the twin Bobby, whichI thought was amazing.
every night I pre -made their formula andI would make 52 ounces every single night.
Cause they had to be on the specialformula cause they were crazy
spit uppers and all this stuff.
(08:02):
So it took so long to dissolve.
So I would make it at night.
So by the morning that it's like all hadnot been clumped out because if I put
it into their bottles, which had suchsmall nipples, it would get clogged.
So I had to like have it allprepped the night before.
I used just like, I literallylike a Kool -Aid jug.
So I made that every night.
That was a big thing.
Swaddles, I went through likesix swaddles a day because my
(08:22):
kids were profusely spit up.
So they would drench them.
So I loved all my swaddles.
My stroller and car seat, game changer.
I had the UPPAbaby.
I absolutely loved it.
You know, your sound machines,I'm a pretty basic mom when
it comes to like the needs.
didn't, but those few thingslike game changers, like so good.
(08:47):
But I even saw one of those babycarriers that was made for twins.
had, I had one of those.
was like, they were just kind ofstarting to come out with those,
but I, me and Justin both, heliked love to wear them too.
So we had two baby carriers.
So we would do that more than the.
other one, I don't feel like we everlike got the hang of the multiple
(09:11):
one, but baby carrier game changer.
At one point I would keep, they were sotiny, I would keep both of them in one.
And that was amazing.
But that didn't, I mean,obviously it didn't last too long.
I feel like even in the lastseven years, they've come out
with so much more baby stuff.
It's so crazy.
A lot of moms who say that they've hadtheir kids a little bit further apart
(09:33):
are amazed by the new gear comes out.
yeah, totally.
mean, my twins and Brody are five and ahalf years apart and I felt like I was
doing this all over for the first time.
There's just so muchmore new, amazing things.
Well, you talked a little bitabout feeling some depression
was that during pregnancy?
For sure, for sure.
(09:53):
was, I had a little bit more ofthe blues when I was pregnant.
After I delivered my twins, Ithink I went into survival mode,
which I'm sure like most moms do.
I don't really remember the healingpart of it because like I said, Coco
went to the PICU at seven days andshe stayed there for seven days.
(10:14):
And then two weeks later, she wentback again for another five days.
And at the time, I had Frankie at homeand Frankie couldn't come to the PICU.
So I had a four pound baby at home.
I had a four pound baby in thePICU and I had a three year old.
And it was like trying tofigure out where to be.
Me and Justin pretty muchsplit days and nights.
(10:35):
He was at the hospital during the night.
I was in the hospital during the day.
My mom would.
Frankie during the daywhile I was at the hospital.
and so my healing, feel likeit was just like, have to heal.
Like you got to move on becauseyou're moving on with this, you know?
But I definitely went into a more of,I wouldn't say as much as the blues
anymore, but I definitely had like, I,I don't know if it was like severe OCD.
(11:03):
I would clean my countertopslike 50 times a day.
I couldn't have anything out of placebecause it would make me like go crazy.
I still have like things like that,but it was like really heightened
the first six months, so extreme.
was neurotic about everything.
just being on their schedule.
And I think, like I said,it was just survival mode.
(11:24):
I couldn't have a pieceof laundry in the hamper.
Like it was crazy.
And, I was crazy.
I was for sure a little, little.
little crazy, but you know whatyou do what you have to do to be
in that survival mode, you know?
And that's obviously what I chose.
That was how I coped and how I felt incontrol was to have things in control.
(11:48):
But I'm glad that I've got rid of a littlebit of that because it was a crazy time.
The first six months arevery, I don't remember a lot.
And I had a really hardtime connecting with Coco.
the first, like I remember sayingto my mom, looking at her one
day and saying, I feel nothing.
And I don't know if it's cause shewas like at the hospital so much
(12:09):
when she was first born, but itwas like this weird disconnect.
And my mom was like, itwill come, it will come.
I'm like, when?
Like it's six months.
This is insane.
then the mom guilt comes in.
You're like, this is just crazy.
Cause when you have your first,it's just like such this instant
love and like all these things.
And I don't know when I had thetwins, I, really struggled connecting.
(12:32):
And I think that's cause Iwas just like on autopilot.
Just, I was check -marking.
Did you feed?
Did I change your diaper?
There was never any holdingand cuddles and loves.
was literally just a constantnever ending checklist.
And at the time I was stillworking like full time.
And I remember I hired two 15 year olds.
So I would do lashes likeall throughout the day.
(12:53):
And I hired two 15 yearolds, paying them each, know,
however much I was paying them.
And they both screamedbloody murder the whole time.
And I said to my mom, Idon't even know what to do.
I'm hiring, two people to dothis and it still cannot be done.
So it was definitely a crazy time.
But with every mark Ifeel like with twins,
When you have one, it'slike, you're sitting.
(13:15):
But when your twin sat, you cried.
You're like, this means I can sityou down and walk over somewhere.
When your kids slept through the night,you were literally over the moon.
mean, was just like every mile markerwas so much of a bigger deal with twins.
And they walked later than my daughter.
(13:38):
Not super late, like it was 13months, so, but my other one walked
at nine months, but when they walked,was like, praise, because carrying
them around was so, so heavy.
I mean, I would carry one on my hip,both on hips all the time, frontwards
usually, because they puked all over me.
But yeah, just mile markers and things.
I feel like you just reallyappreciated that more with twins.
(14:00):
That's an incredible story.
for our listeners, recognizing that,yes, there are moments that you're
going to feel crazy, but you haveto keep going and you will be okay.
It's going to take some time, buteverything is going to settle down.
You will come up for air eventuallyand absolutely do what you need to do.
(14:21):
Bring in that village.
Like you said, you had your momand your partner and babysitters.
trying to take it one day at atime, one step at a time, treasuring
those magic moments with thosebabies, but also giving yourself a
lot of room to just do the basics.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
I will say so I don'ttraumatize too many people.
(14:42):
Like I said, with every age, it goteasier and more enjoyable with twins
and like three, I saw so much lightand now my twins are my greatest joy.
They are.
so sweet to each other.
They are each other's biggest cheerleader.
you get to see all the amazing things now.
You get to see your girls walk intoschool every day and always have a buddy.
(15:03):
there's so many amazingthings about twins.
but those first three yearsthey'll kick you right in the butt.
And then you get to see alot of wonderful, wonderful
things that come from it.
What age are they now so thatwe can freeze that age in time?
I know they're seven and it is.
amazing.
Seven is such a good number.
(15:24):
Seven.
If all our kids could juststay seven forever, right?
Yeah.
And then gangly teeth come in yet.
have another boy, he is howfar apart from the twins?
Brody's five and a halfyears younger than the twin.
(15:45):
And how was that process?
little surprise.
my gosh, that's beenthe best do -over ever.
It's been so fun.
We weren't planning on it and it was the,
you know, best surprise ever andthe best, me and Justin both say,
best mistake we've ever made.
We get to see our threegirls be little moms.
(16:07):
He's definitely the mostadored in the family.
He's unanimouslyeveryone's favorite and...
It's so fun to like do it over alittle bit older and I feel like I'm
way more relaxed and I've gotten toreally, I feel like enjoy the baby
infant phase with this one and likejust not wishing it away because I for
(16:27):
sure think I felt that with the twins.
Do you have any advice?
for our listeners on how toenjoy those small moments.
Are you saying withtwins or just your one?
Just for one.
Just for one.
No, they're twins too, but obviously, likeyou said, there's an element of survival
mode and it's probably the wrong advice totell a mom of twins to enjoy the moment.
(16:50):
Exactly.
No.
I really, I wish I knewwhat the advice was.
I think it's just like adifferent stage of life I'm in.
I'm working less for thefirst time ever and I've
really just have gottento completely enjoy it.
It's been such a good experience andreally fun to have helpers and they
enjoy helping, which is so fun to see andhe's also been just a really easy baby.
(17:15):
So it's just been easy to enjoy.
He was just our little,our little bundle of joy.
So great.
I've learned from Sarah, thispodcast experience that it's almost
a reframe of choosing to view yourrole as a calling instead of a job.
And I think that can help switch with thework that it is because it is demanding.
(17:35):
It is a lot, you know, it requires alot of things, but we can also do it.
We're equipped with those tools.
absolutely.
And I.
I think women are so freakingstrong and get a lot thrown at us
but we'll rise above it and thereis light at the end of the tunnel.
(17:59):
We love to share resourceswith our listeners.
Do you have a favorite book orfavorite resource you'd like to share?
So I always did Baby Wise before, twins.
I was big into Baby Wisewith Jonesy and I loved it.
She slept great, it worked for her.
When I was having the twins,I was like, it's not clicking.
(18:21):
There were some things thatwere off, just little tweaks.
And I feel like a lot of thesebooks are very similar in ways, but
I did find it's like old school.
It's a book called 12 Hours by 12 Weeks.
And it was a twin mom.
took it and ran with it and my twinsdid sleep 12 hours by 12 weeks and I
(18:43):
swear that was my saving grace becauseevery single night, no matter what had
happened through the day, I mean it couldhave been insane and most days were.
They went to bed at like 6 .50 andwould sleep till like 7 .45, 8 the next
day and that was like my saving grace.
Cause I knew that when they went to bedthat time I had the evening that I could
(19:05):
do whatever I want whether that was
run to freaking Popeyes and get a freakingspicy chicken sandwich and eat every
carb in site with a large diet coke oryou know whatever I needed that night.
That was my resource and I thinkit saved me from you know going a
little crazier than I already was.
Maybe maybe saved me a few Cloroxwipes because I was already going
(19:27):
through them like a wild woman.
That is so fantastic.
Thank you for sharing that resource.
We also share a momsquad secret of the week.
This time it's Liz and she says,in the last few weeks of pregnancy,
focus on relaxing your pelvic floormuscles instead of doing Kegels.
Those good little tips thatwe all need before labor.
(19:48):
Absolutely.
I wish I would have hadmore tips before labor.
That is amazing.
JayCee, thank you so much forbeing on our podcast today.
We absolutely appreciate you.
Well, thank you, ladies.
You guys are amazing.
Thanks for joining us on today's episode.
We hope you've been elevated andinspired by this week's expert.
(20:11):
Subscribe today so you never missan episode and please share our
podcast or post on your socialmedia so that other moms and dads
to be can also have the best birth.
Please note that the informationprovided is based on the expert's
insights and personal experience.
It is not intended as medical guidance.
Please seek the advice of yourmedical provider as it applies
(20:33):
to your specific condition.
It's the Best Birth Podcast, wherewe interview experts that elevate
you as you prepare your heartand mind to have the best birth.
Each episode will interviewprofessionals so you are prepared
for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
Our experts will build your confidenceand empower you to trust your
intuition throughout your pregnancy.
This audio is takenfrom videos on YouTube.
(00:27):
Watch the entire episodes onYouTube at Birth Made Mindful.
Ride The Wave MediaPodcast Network [00:03]
You're listening to thebest birth podcast today.
Our guest is JC wall and todaywe'll be talking all about twins.
JC wall is a mama for she'sa lover of Pilates, yoga,
pickleball, diet coke, cheese.
(00:49):
She loves to make people laughand she loves to laugh and for
her there is nothing betterthan giggling uncontrollably.
Welcome, J .C.
Thank you.
You are the mom of twins.
How did that birth compareto your other two births?
(01:09):
when I was pregnant with mytwins, I was in a lot more
pain than I was my first birth.
I was like almost 38 weeksand I was so beyond done.
And I was at Sunday dinner.
I remember with my mom andsister and I was like, I'm just
going to head to the hospital.
And they're like,
Are you in labor?
And I was like, I don't know.
But at this point, I don't care anymore.
(01:30):
I am so done.
And I feel like when I was greeted whenI had my first, you know, they're kind of
like, well, don't get settled, you know.
But when I mentioned I washaving twins, it was like they
rolled out the red carpet.
It was like you welcomed with open arms.
And luckily, I was dilatedto a five when I got there.
So
(01:51):
They let me stay.
But yeah, very different, very different.
And so when you were pregnantwith twins, were you given a
lot of options on delivery?
absolutely.
Like the whole time my planwas, definitely vaginally.
I had a vaginal with myfirst and I really liked it.
(02:12):
All went well.
So I really wanted to do that with twins.
I don't know if most people knowthis, but when you are pregnant
with twins in the last four weeks,you get checked every other day.
So you go into the specialist, theymonitor you for like 45 minutes.
So on Thursday, when I wentin for my monitoring, both
(02:33):
babies A and B were head down.
But when I went into the hospital,obviously you go every other
day, but then the weekend.
So I went in on Sunday.
By that time, baby B had flipped.
back up into my ribs.
So A was head down, B was up.
So I was obviously planningon going vaginally and like I
(02:54):
said, I was dilated to a five.
When that happened, they like definitelyoffered to me that we can try, we can
try and flip, but like the chancesof it turning into a C -section are
really high at that point becauseinstead of dealing with one, you're
dealing with two and there's justsome more complications and I just...
(03:14):
decided to go C -section.
And then how was it with your fourth?
Did you do a V BAC after Idefinitely chose to do a V back?
I like the recovery a lot more on that.
And like I said before, I didn'thave to have a C section because
of like complications or anything.
was just luck of the drawthat baby had flipped.
(03:34):
So smooth sailing on one and four.
And like I said, C sectionwith the twins, which
It's great, it worked out,but the recovery it definitely
a kick's you in the butt.
Well, let's talk all aboutyour pregnancy with twins.
So that was a fantastic,you know, delivery when you
were pregnant with twins.
Were there a lot of emotional thingsthat you had to overcome as far as, know,
(03:59):
like getting ready for having now threebabies that were going to be reliant on
you and, and needing you all the time.
Totally.
so
when I got pregnant with my twins, me and,Jess and we'd been trying for 18 months.
And we finally got pregnant and I wentto the doctor and he was checking me
(04:26):
doing the usual things like the eightweek check or I think it was like seven
weeks that I was going out of town.
And he kind of was hemming and hawing andsaying these things and he was like, he's
writing, I went to a new doctor so he'swriting on this pad and he looks up and
he's like, how big was your first baby?
And I was like six, seven.
He was like, are you sureyou're right on your,
dates of like period and everythingand I was like, pretty sure, you know,
(04:48):
I've been tracking for 18 months.
I was pretty aware ofwhen my last period was.
And he was like, well,it's one of two things.
You're either pregnant withtwins or you've got a tumor.
And I was like, I don't like A or B.
Can I get another option?
So I actually didn't tellanyone that for like two weeks.
(05:10):
I just thought he waslike cuckoo cabana and.
an old man who didn't know what he wasdoing and this was just by feeling.
hadn't had an ultrasound or anything yet.
And he was like, I'd like toschedule you for an ultrasound as
soon as possible to get you in.
And I was like, well, it's summertime.
I've got my family reunions.
I can't be bothered with this.
(05:30):
I was like, as soon as I can getback, I think it's like three weeks.
And he was like, okay.
So I think I was in like serious denial.
And then literally two weeksafter that doctor, right.
But I was.
at the mall with my sister and I was like,kind of thinking about what he had said
and I was like, Kinsey, do you rememberour old doctor who had retired ever
mentioning anything to you about twins?
(05:51):
And she was like, whatare you talking about?
And I was like, well, he said thisand she was like, you're kidding.
I'm like, no.
And so, week later, obviouslyI go in for the ultrasound.
Justin was taking a finalexam, who's my husband.
My mom was having knee surgery andmy sister has three kids at the time.
So my dad actually ended upcoming with me to the ultrasound.
(06:14):
And she didn't put it on, notfor two seconds, lifted it up and
she was like, yeah, it's twins.
And I just shot up and just thetears started running down my face.
My dad started crying and I was justlike, I am not prepared for this.
And I for sure went into a little bitof depression for the next few months.
It was really hard for meto wrap my head around it.
(06:34):
Justin, my husband, was still.
very early on in his schooling and I wasstill the full -time breadwinner and I
was like how the heck am I going to bein charge of three kids, pay the bills
and be up all night long with friends.
So it took me a long time to get excited.
I actually don't know ifI ever really got excited.
(06:56):
I think I was always more nervous andjust trying to always compute it in
my head how I was gonna do it all.
Hmm.
Wow.
You share some of the realities ofthis pregnancy experience and just
all the emotions that come withexpecting and expecting multiples.
What were some of the thingsthat you use to help you when you
did have those three children?
(07:17):
Were there gear or, know, thedouble boppy for the twins?
my gosh.
The double boppy was myliterally game changer.
It saved my life.
I didn't breastfeed.
So I would literally just stickthe bottles in and it would take
me 45 minutes to do a feeding.
They were 410 and 414.
(07:41):
And after seven days, Cocowent back into the PICU
was there any other piece of equipment,some gear, that helped you with twins?
so I the twin Bobby, whichI thought was amazing.
every night I pre -made their formula andI would make 52 ounces every single night.
Cause they had to be on the specialformula cause they were crazy
spit uppers and all this stuff.
(08:02):
So it took so long to dissolve.
So I would make it at night.
So by the morning that it's like all hadnot been clumped out because if I put
it into their bottles, which had suchsmall nipples, it would get clogged.
So I had to like have it allprepped the night before.
I used just like, I literallylike a Kool -Aid jug.
So I made that every night.
That was a big thing.
Swaddles, I went through likesix swaddles a day because my
(08:22):
kids were profusely spit up.
So they would drench them.
So I loved all my swaddles.
My stroller and car seat, game changer.
I had the UPPAbaby.
I absolutely loved it.
You know, your sound machines,I'm a pretty basic mom when
it comes to like the needs.
didn't, but those few thingslike game changers, like so good.
(08:47):
But I even saw one of those babycarriers that was made for twins.
had, I had one of those.
was like, they were just kind ofstarting to come out with those,
but I, me and Justin both, heliked love to wear them too.
So we had two baby carriers.
So we would do that more than the.
other one, I don't feel like we everlike got the hang of the multiple
(09:11):
one, but baby carrier game changer.
At one point I would keep, they were sotiny, I would keep both of them in one.
And that was amazing.
But that didn't, I mean,obviously it didn't last too long.
I feel like even in the lastseven years, they've come out
with so much more baby stuff.
It's so crazy.
A lot of moms who say that they've hadtheir kids a little bit further apart
(09:33):
are amazed by the new gear comes out.
yeah, totally.
mean, my twins and Brody are five and ahalf years apart and I felt like I was
doing this all over for the first time.
There's just so muchmore new, amazing things.
Well, you talked a little bitabout feeling some depression
was that during pregnancy?
For sure, for sure.
(09:53):
was, I had a little bit more ofthe blues when I was pregnant.
After I delivered my twins, Ithink I went into survival mode,
which I'm sure like most moms do.
I don't really remember the healingpart of it because like I said, Coco
went to the PICU at seven days andshe stayed there for seven days.
(10:14):
And then two weeks later, she wentback again for another five days.
And at the time, I had Frankie at homeand Frankie couldn't come to the PICU.
So I had a four pound baby at home.
I had a four pound baby in thePICU and I had a three year old.
And it was like trying tofigure out where to be.
Me and Justin pretty muchsplit days and nights.
(10:35):
He was at the hospital during the night.
I was in the hospital during the day.
My mom would.
Frankie during the daywhile I was at the hospital.
and so my healing, feel likeit was just like, have to heal.
Like you got to move on becauseyou're moving on with this, you know?
But I definitely went into a more of,I wouldn't say as much as the blues
anymore, but I definitely had like, I,I don't know if it was like severe OCD.
(11:03):
I would clean my countertopslike 50 times a day.
I couldn't have anything out of placebecause it would make me like go crazy.
I still have like things like that,but it was like really heightened
the first six months, so extreme.
was neurotic about everything.
just being on their schedule.
And I think, like I said,it was just survival mode.
(11:24):
I couldn't have a pieceof laundry in the hamper.
Like it was crazy.
And, I was crazy.
I was for sure a little, little.
little crazy, but you know whatyou do what you have to do to be
in that survival mode, you know?
And that's obviously what I chose.
That was how I coped and how I felt incontrol was to have things in control.
(11:48):
But I'm glad that I've got rid of a littlebit of that because it was a crazy time.
The first six months arevery, I don't remember a lot.
And I had a really hardtime connecting with Coco.
the first, like I remember sayingto my mom, looking at her one
day and saying, I feel nothing.
And I don't know if it's cause shewas like at the hospital so much
(12:09):
when she was first born, but itwas like this weird disconnect.
And my mom was like, itwill come, it will come.
I'm like, when?
Like it's six months.
This is insane.
then the mom guilt comes in.
You're like, this is just crazy.
Cause when you have your first,it's just like such this instant
love and like all these things.
And I don't know when I had thetwins, I, really struggled connecting.
(12:32):
And I think that's cause Iwas just like on autopilot.
Just, I was check -marking.
Did you feed?
Did I change your diaper?
There was never any holdingand cuddles and loves.
was literally just a constantnever ending checklist.
And at the time I was stillworking like full time.
And I remember I hired two 15 year olds.
So I would do lashes likeall throughout the day.
(12:53):
And I hired two 15 yearolds, paying them each, know,
however much I was paying them.
And they both screamedbloody murder the whole time.
And I said to my mom, Idon't even know what to do.
I'm hiring, two people to dothis and it still cannot be done.
So it was definitely a crazy time.
But with every mark Ifeel like with twins,
When you have one, it'slike, you're sitting.
(13:15):
But when your twin sat, you cried.
You're like, this means I can sityou down and walk over somewhere.
When your kids slept through the night,you were literally over the moon.
mean, was just like every mile markerwas so much of a bigger deal with twins.
And they walked later than my daughter.
(13:38):
Not super late, like it was 13months, so, but my other one walked
at nine months, but when they walked,was like, praise, because carrying
them around was so, so heavy.
I mean, I would carry one on my hip,both on hips all the time, frontwards
usually, because they puked all over me.
But yeah, just mile markers and things.
I feel like you just reallyappreciated that more with twins.
(14:00):
That's an incredible story.
for our listeners, recognizing that,yes, there are moments that you're
going to feel crazy, but you haveto keep going and you will be okay.
It's going to take some time, buteverything is going to settle down.
You will come up for air eventuallyand absolutely do what you need to do.
(14:21):
Bring in that village.
Like you said, you had your momand your partner and babysitters.
trying to take it one day at atime, one step at a time, treasuring
those magic moments with thosebabies, but also giving yourself a
lot of room to just do the basics.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
I will say so I don'ttraumatize too many people.
(14:42):
Like I said, with every age, it goteasier and more enjoyable with twins
and like three, I saw so much lightand now my twins are my greatest joy.
They are.
so sweet to each other.
They are each other's biggest cheerleader.
you get to see all the amazing things now.
You get to see your girls walk intoschool every day and always have a buddy.
(15:03):
there's so many amazingthings about twins.
but those first three yearsthey'll kick you right in the butt.
And then you get to see alot of wonderful, wonderful
things that come from it.
What age are they now so thatwe can freeze that age in time?
I know they're seven and it is.
amazing.
Seven is such a good number.
(15:24):
Seven.
If all our kids could juststay seven forever, right?
Yeah.
And then gangly teeth come in yet.
have another boy, he is howfar apart from the twins?
Brody's five and a halfyears younger than the twin.
(15:45):
And how was that process?
little surprise.
my gosh, that's beenthe best do -over ever.
It's been so fun.
We weren't planning on it and it was the,
you know, best surprise ever andthe best, me and Justin both say,
best mistake we've ever made.
We get to see our threegirls be little moms.
(16:07):
He's definitely the mostadored in the family.
He's unanimouslyeveryone's favorite and...
It's so fun to like do it over alittle bit older and I feel like I'm
way more relaxed and I've gotten toreally, I feel like enjoy the baby
infant phase with this one and likejust not wishing it away because I for
(16:27):
sure think I felt that with the twins.
Do you have any advice?
for our listeners on how toenjoy those small moments.
Are you saying withtwins or just your one?
Just for one.
Just for one.
No, they're twins too, but obviously, likeyou said, there's an element of survival
mode and it's probably the wrong advice totell a mom of twins to enjoy the moment.
(16:50):
Exactly.
No.
I really, I wish I knewwhat the advice was.
I think it's just like adifferent stage of life I'm in.
I'm working less for thefirst time ever and I've
really just have gottento completely enjoy it.
It's been such a good experience andreally fun to have helpers and they
enjoy helping, which is so fun to see andhe's also been just a really easy baby.
(17:15):
So it's just been easy to enjoy.
He was just our little,our little bundle of joy.
So great.
I've learned from Sarah, thispodcast experience that it's almost
a reframe of choosing to view yourrole as a calling instead of a job.
And I think that can help switch with thework that it is because it is demanding.
(17:35):
It is a lot, you know, it requires alot of things, but we can also do it.
We're equipped with those tools.
absolutely.
And I.
I think women are so freakingstrong and get a lot thrown at us
but we'll rise above it and thereis light at the end of the tunnel.
(17:59):
We love to share resourceswith our listeners.
Do you have a favorite book orfavorite resource you'd like to share?
So I always did Baby Wise before, twins.
I was big into Baby Wisewith Jonesy and I loved it.
She slept great, it worked for her.
When I was having the twins,I was like, it's not clicking.
(18:21):
There were some things thatwere off, just little tweaks.
And I feel like a lot of thesebooks are very similar in ways, but
I did find it's like old school.
It's a book called 12 Hours by 12 Weeks.
And it was a twin mom.
took it and ran with it and my twinsdid sleep 12 hours by 12 weeks and I
(18:43):
swear that was my saving grace becauseevery single night, no matter what had
happened through the day, I mean it couldhave been insane and most days were.
They went to bed at like 6 .50 andwould sleep till like 7 .45, 8 the next
day and that was like my saving grace.
Cause I knew that when they went to bedthat time I had the evening that I could
(19:05):
do whatever I want whether that was
run to freaking Popeyes and get a freakingspicy chicken sandwich and eat every
carb in site with a large diet coke oryou know whatever I needed that night.
That was my resource and I thinkit saved me from you know going a
little crazier than I already was.
Maybe maybe saved me a few Cloroxwipes because I was already going
(19:27):
through them like a wild woman.
That is so fantastic.
Thank you for sharing that resource.
We also share a momsquad secret of the week.
This time it's Liz and she says,in the last few weeks of pregnancy,
focus on relaxing your pelvic floormuscles instead of doing Kegels.
Those good little tips thatwe all need before labor.
(19:48):
Absolutely.
I wish I would have hadmore tips before labor.
That is amazing.
JayCee, thank you so much forbeing on our podcast today.
We absolutely appreciate you.
Well, thank you, ladies.
You guys are amazing.
Thanks for joining us on today's episode.
We hope you've been elevated andinspired by this week's expert.
(20:11):
Subscribe today so you never missan episode and please share our
podcast or post on your socialmedia so that other moms and dads
to be can also have the best birth.
Please note that the informationprovided is based on the expert's
insights and personal experience.
It is not intended as medical guidance.
Please seek the advice of yourmedical provider as it applies
(20:33):
to your specific condition.
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