Never Be the Same

Part 15

Becoming a new parent Is one of life's greatest and often most challenging transitions. Especially being a parent to twins. Twins are more than twice the work compared to one baby. While it is double love, it is also so much more. Being a twin parent, especially as a first-time parent, really sets you apart and creates some intense challenges that parents of singletons might not face. The first few months with twins can be a trying time for parents. Juggling the care of newborns is a round-the-clock job. Sleep deprivation adds to the physical strain. And sometimes it can take a toll on a marriage.

It's been three and a half months since the babies were born and a month since little Benny got to come home. It's been an overwhelming experience for Stella and Kelly. For the first two months, they would take turns staying the night at the hospital with Benny; Stella didn't want Benny to be without one of his parents. So, she would stay with him for a few nights at the hospital while Kelly stayed home with Shay. Then they would switch so both babies would get to spend quality time with each of their parents, but dividing your time between hospital visits and home was making life more stressful and bonding harder. Stella felt a lot of guilt during those two months, no matter where she was or which twin, she was with; she felt torn and guilty that she wasn't with the other one. Once they were both home, things got a lot better, baby-wise.

Now that both babies were home, Stella and Kelly established a daily routine. Keeping both babies on the same schedule was the best advice Stella got from the baby's pediatrician. Caring for two babies is hard enough! She told Stella to make it easier by keeping both babies on relatively the same schedule. Which has been a huge relief for them; they were finally getting used to their new life changes. And loving every minute of being parents.

But now that Kelly is back working, Stella is doing things solo, and one thing she's learned is that nursing two infants at once is tricky, but thanks to a blogger site, she learned to hold one baby in the football hold and cradle the other in front of her. With a U-shaped nursing pillow comfortably around her waist and keeping both babies at the breast, she leaves her hands free to adjust each baby's mouth to her breast.

On the nights Kelly was on shift, she felt the most anxious. It's been three weeks since he went back to work, three weeks that she has had to handle the twins alone—an overwhelming three weeks. But she was managing it the best she could. She loved being a mom, even on the no-sleep nights. Motherhood had its ups and downs. But she wouldn't change a thing about it.

Of course, Kelly worried while on shift; he would constantly call or text. And when he would get off shift, he immediately came home and took over so Stella could have a moment to herself. The best feeling in the world was coming home to his family. Fatherhood to Kelly was unlike anything he could have imagined. Between the good days and the bad days, just knowing he has these two lives depending on him and needing him makes him feel on top of the world, and sharing these beautiful blessings with the love of his life was the cherry on top of it all.

It was after a long shift that Kelly came home to a crying Stella sitting on the couch with both babies sleeping in the playpen. "What's wrong?" He asked her as he sat down beside her.

" Nothing."

"Babe, you're crying, so it's not nothing." He wrapped his arms around her. "Did the twins have a rough night?"

Stella looked over at the sleeping babies. "No, it was just a normal night."

"Then what's wrong? Talk to me."

"I feel guilty." She tells him.

Kelly lifted her chin. "About what?"

"In less than two weeks, I'm going back to work."