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If you welcomed twins into your family within the last year, you're likely soaking up all the sweetness that comes with having newborn babies in your midst.
(Yes, there ARE sleepless nights and endless cycles of feedings and changings, but let's not delve into that here…but if you ARE in the throes of the newborn stage with your twins, feel free to check out our advice for getting through the early days).
As you approach your twins' first birthday, you're likely planning for two things: their birthday and their first-year wellness check-up with their pediatrician or health care provider.
You'll want to check over each of your twins ahead of their doctor's appointment and make a list of anything you want to ask about.
On our list was a strange white bump I'd discovered on one of our baby's heels. It was hard and rock-like and was firmly embedded in his foot.
It ended up being heel-stick calcinosis, which is commonly seen in premature babies who spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit and require repeated heel pricks for blood testing and monitoring.
You can read more about what exactly heel stick calcinosis is, what causes it, and how it can be resolved in this article, here.
Once you discover a bump (or anything out of the ordinary) on your little one, you'll want to monitor it and do what you can to keep things under control until you can book an appointment to discuss your concerns with their pediatrician.
When our twin presented with this peculiar papule on their heel, we had a previously booked wellness visit that was only two days away. Since the issue didn't seem to be bothering him, we decided to wait it out and made sure to keep him comfortable until their appointment.
One thing we did was make sure he wore socks to keep anything from irritating or getting caught on the nodule.
Our favorite socks for babies in the first year are Kushies. In our opinion, they're the best. They don't fall off, which is in incredible and miraculous feat for your wee babies' premature feet, which tend to be smaller than a full-term baby's.
These socks also don't shrink or warp after repeated trips through the washer and dryer, and they do a great job at keeping babies with lower birthweights at a comfortable temperature, which is important when they can't necessarily regulate their temperature in those early days at home.
TwinsyTwins Shop
Kushies Newborn Terry Socks, 3-6 Months
Socks That Actually Stay On
Kushies socks are comfortable and actually stay on tiny newborn feet. We know from personal experience with our own twins that they are the very best socks for newborn or premature twin babies.
You can read all about why we love these socks, here.
The other way we kept our twin comfortable was by keeping up with our usual moisturizing routine after bathtime, using a baby lotion that's specially formulated to be gentle on their sensitive skin.
There are a lot of lotions out there, but our favorite one for our children is CeraVe's baby lotion because it's hydrating but still gentle on your little one's skin. It might sound silly, but it does a great job of keeping things as smooth as, well, a baby's bottom.
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CeraVe Baby Lotion
Gentle on Sensitive Skin
This lotion is not greasy, and it has no parabens, perfumes, nor dyes. It's formulated with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin E, so it moisturizes your little ones' sensitive skin to help maintain their protective skin barrier.
Listen to your gut
If you're ever unsure about something with your babies, don't keep quiet about it. If your parent's intuition is kicking in, listen to it.
If you find something on your child's body that you aren't sure of and want more information about, book an appointment with your babies' pediatrician and ask for their expertise.
Take pictures and bring up any concerns you may have with their doctor.
Take pictures and bring up any concerns you may have with their doctor. And monitor your little ones for any changes from when you first notice the issue until after it's been resolved.
What had shown up right around the 12-month mark (less than a week after their first birthday) ended up resolving itself just before their 18-month check-up. The calcium deposit left a tiny little "ball-shaped" indent where it had pushed itself out of my baby's foot, and that area eventually healed and filled itself in over the following days.
If your gut tells you there's more to it, do some additional research, ask more questions, request tests or other opinions, and monitor things closely.
Parents know their babies best, so they're most likely to know when something needs further investigation. It's up to you to bring it to the doctor's attention.
Did either of your babies have heel-stick calcinosis? Did it resolve itself or was surgery required? Let us know in the Comments section below.
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