If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Hello and breastfeeding question
Hello Everybody
I've been lurking for a few weeks to see what this group is like and thought I'd better introduce myself now. I'm Ellie, expecting IVF twins on teh 9th November, after many years of trying! The group is great and I've already had lots of good info but I have got a question about breastfeeding. I REALLY want to breastfeed and then move onto expressed breastmilk when I have to go back to work and my DH gets to take the nightshift instead! Any advice will be greatly appreciated on any aspect of breastfeeding twins. Ellie |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Hello and breastfeeding question
Hi, just to make the logistics of it easier, those angled cushions from
Blooming Marvellous are 'marvellous' for breast feeding and bottle feeding, they're a bit like a neck pillow but on a bigger scale. I used to lay the twins one either side with their heads together in front of me and hey presto!! they're really secure and you can relax and enjoy. Tanya Ellie wrote in message ... Hello Everybody I've been lurking for a few weeks to see what this group is like and thought I'd better introduce myself now. I'm Ellie, expecting IVF twins on teh 9th November, after many years of trying! The group is great and I've already had lots of good info but I have got a question about breastfeeding. I REALLY want to breastfeed and then move onto expressed breastmilk when I have to go back to work and my DH gets to take the nightshift instead! Any advice will be greatly appreciated on any aspect of breastfeeding twins. Ellie |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Hello and breastfeeding question
Ellie wrote: Hello Everybody I've been lurking for a few weeks to see what this group is like and thought I'd better introduce myself now. I'm Ellie, expecting IVF twins on teh 9th November, after many years of trying! Congratulations, times two! My best wishes for a happy, healthy pregnancy / rwst of pregnancy The group is great and I've already had lots of good info but I have got a question about breastfeeding. I REALLY want to breastfeed and then move onto expressed breastmilk when I have to go back to work and my DH gets to take the nightshift instead! Any advice will be greatly appreciated on any aspect of breastfeeding twins. Good for you to be thinking of this early -- breastfeeding is a wonderful thing to do for your little ones, and yes, it can be done. These are thoughts off the top of my head (while I pump milk for some bottle feeding by dad and Grandpa later!), so bear with me. I only have a few minutes so I'll start with the basics first...I'll address breastfeeding first, since your second concern, going back to work, *will* happen after you've had a good start with your little ones. If I have time, I'll write about pumping, storing milk, etc., I recommend a few things as the basics: -- a good twin breastfeeding pillow, something made for two babies. Mine is made by a local mother of twins who sells hers within the parents of twins club, but there are others online (you don't mention where you live). You could ask for one of these as a shower or baby gift, or invest the money yourself. EVERYONE I know with twins suggests one of these, including those who didn't breastfeed long (it was still useful in other ways). -- a good book on breastfeeding (since the reasons for breastfeeding and the techniques are the same for one as two or more), like _So That's What They are For_. Again, a lot of moms I know *swear* by this book for giving them the basics of breastfeeding in an interesting, easy to read manner without "lecturing" at you! --If you want more information or like reading, you should also read a good book on breastfeeding for twins, the La Leche League's _Mothering Multiples_ (Note that most books about twin parenting seem to be less enthusiastic about breastfeeding and/or contain inaccurate advice about how to start and maintain breastfeeding. This one's a good one, if a little preachy and biased at times.) This book is also a good general parenting book as well, so worth reading at any rate. (I packed this one in my bag for the hospital, and used it often in the early days! I'm still referring to it from time to time, introducing solids, dealing with going back to work, that sort of thing) --Get support at home. You'll **need** help anyway, and it's easier to breastfeed two (even if one at a time) than find the time and money for bottles of formula, **especially** in those early weeks and months when everything's a challenge. One of the reasons it's easier is because you can feed two hungry babies at once, or cuddle one on the pillow while the other nurses; it's more difficult to feed two babies by bottle at the same time without help (Ask my husband, who's alone with the babies 2-3 times a week). --Get support outside the home. Join a group of parents of multiples in your area. I'm not sure where you're posting from, but there are national, state/provincial and local/city groups of parents of twins/triplets and more. Seek out help from the group about twin breastfeeding...try to find someone who is/was successful with breastfeeding and pumping. Support outside the home includes visiting a breastfeeding clinic (if there's one around) and/or seeing lactation consulatants as you're able. We had no real problems but found it great to have that support and contact. We went weekly for the first month or so, and then still drop in every once in a while with questions. We got excellent information about solids and general health issues from our nurses/LCs on our last visit, in fact. --Tell the hospital staff **not** to allow bottles at all, and to consult you if they want to give anything at all. In my case, I had a very serious post partum condition so the staff gave my girls sugar water, then formula, while I recovered...they used nasal tubes (down the nose into the throat) to avoid any nipple confusion. This is *key* for some babies, not to get bottles early. --Be a little pigheaded about it. You've already got one of the important elements to successful breastfeeding (and successful parenting) -- a positive attitude with a willingness to learn and prepare to apply those new skills! A little stubbornness in this regard goes a long wya. Think of it this way: you don't wake up in the morning and say you'll "try" to walk or drive to work. You know that technically or literally there's some risk that you'll be hit by a bus or that your car will break down, but you put those risks in the back of your mind and go on with your day. Same with breastfeeding -- yes, there are increased chances for difficulties with breastfeeding twins but the longer you do it, and the more effort you put into it up front, the better success you'll have. And, as my late uncle used to say, "Don't let the turkeys get you down!" Ignore people who say things like, "Oh, my milk dried up at 6 weeks" (no, that was probably just a growth spurt, the baby drinking more to increase production...), "You won't have time to nurse two" (actually it's faster to breastfeed two - once everyone's learned how - than suse bottles; and heck, babies take time to care for anyway!), "I couldn't do it so you can't" (IU heard this directly and indirectly from other mother sof twins, and it wasn't true for me. I've had a very positive breastfeeding experience, in fact) Finally, on pumping - I have to sign off here, but here are a few tho8ughts:" (If I don't have time - here's my pumping advice in a nutshell -- Don't worry about pumping before 6-7 weeks unless your children need it (in hospital), Get a good quality double pump, like the Medela Pump in Style. A single pump won't likely help you enough -- you'll need soemthing stronger and faster. Try to build up a stash in your freezer a month or so before you go back to work. Drink lots of water. Make arrangements with your boss or employer to pump at work on breaks, at a regular interval. Nurse lots whenever you are home/have time) In summary: Get support from a pillow, from family, from parents who've "been there". Get information. Get to it ;-) Hope this helps, Barbara |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Hello and breastfeeding question
Julie Seely wrote: Hi, Ellie, and welcome -- I breastfed my two for 16 months, but I worked only one day/week. The *best* advice I got was to stick with it for six weeks, even if it's going poorly. In my case, that meant a lot of pumping and bottle-feeding, as my two arrived 5+ weeks early and took a long time to learn to nurse, but yes, at six weeks all of the early problems were gone. Yes, this is true for singletons and twins! Six weeks is the major turning point in breastfeeding and general infant care, I've found. Making 6 weeks your mini-goal may help a lot. Haivng the major goal of one year looming can be daunting....and six weeks is a good first step, especially if you're facing extra challenges like pumping for children in the hospital, fighting post partum issues and the like. Good luck! --Barbara |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Hello and breastfeeding question
Ducky Lawyer wrote:
Ellie wrote: Hello Everybody I've been lurking for a few weeks to see what this group is like and thought I'd better introduce myself now. I'm Ellie, expecting IVF twins on teh 9th November, after many years of trying! Congratulations, times two! My best wishes for a happy, healthy pregnancy / rwst of pregnancy The group is great and I've already had lots of good info but I have got a question about breastfeeding. I REALLY want to breastfeed and then move onto expressed breastmilk when I have to go back to work and my DH gets to take the nightshift instead! Any advice will be greatly appreciated on any aspect of breastfeeding twins. Good for you to be thinking of this early -- breastfeeding is a wonderful thing to do for your little ones, and yes, it can be done. These are thoughts off the top of my head (while I pump milk for some bottle feeding by dad and Grandpa later!), so bear with me. I only have a few minutes so I'll start with the basics first...I'll address breastfeeding first, since your second concern, going back to work, *will* happen after you've had a good start with your little ones. If I have time, I'll write about pumping, storing milk, etc., I recommend a few things as the basics: -- a good twin breastfeeding pillow, something made for two babies. Mine is made by a local mother of twins who sells hers within the parents of twins club, but there are others online (you don't mention where you live). You could ask for one of these as a shower or baby gift, or invest the money yourself. EVERYONE I know with twins suggests one of these, including those who didn't breastfeed long (it was still useful in other ways). -- a good book on breastfeeding (since the reasons for breastfeeding and the techniques are the same for one as two or more), like _So That's What They are For_. Again, a lot of moms I know *swear* by this book for giving them the basics of breastfeeding in an interesting, easy to read manner without "lecturing" at you! --If you want more information or like reading, you should also read a good book on breastfeeding for twins, the La Leche League's _Mothering Multiples_ (Note that most books about twin parenting seem to be less enthusiastic about breastfeeding and/or contain inaccurate advice about how to start and maintain breastfeeding. This one's a good one, if a little preachy and biased at times.) This book is also a good general parenting book as well, so worth reading at any rate. (I packed this one in my bag for the hospital, and used it often in the early days! I'm still referring to it from time to time, introducing solids, dealing with going back to work, that sort of thing) --Get support at home. You'll **need** help anyway, and it's easier to breastfeed two (even if one at a time) than find the time and money for bottles of formula, **especially** in those early weeks and months when everything's a challenge. One of the reasons it's easier is because you can feed two hungry babies at once, or cuddle one on the pillow while the other nurses; it's more difficult to feed two babies by bottle at the same time without help (Ask my husband, who's alone with the babies 2-3 times a week). --Get support outside the home. Join a group of parents of multiples in your area. I'm not sure where you're posting from, but there are national, state/provincial and local/city groups of parents of twins/triplets and more. Seek out help from the group about twin breastfeeding...try to find someone who is/was successful with breastfeeding and pumping. Support outside the home includes visiting a breastfeeding clinic (if there's one around) and/or seeing lactation consulatants as you're able. We had no real problems but found it great to have that support and contact. We went weekly for the first month or so, and then still drop in every once in a while with questions. We got excellent information about solids and general health issues from our nurses/LCs on our last visit, in fact. --Tell the hospital staff **not** to allow bottles at all, and to consult you if they want to give anything at all. In my case, I had a very serious post partum condition so the staff gave my girls sugar water, then formula, while I recovered...they used nasal tubes (down the nose into the throat) to avoid any nipple confusion. This is *key* for some babies, not to get bottles early. --Be a little pigheaded about it. You've already got one of the important elements to successful breastfeeding (and successful parenting) -- a positive attitude with a willingness to learn and prepare to apply those new skills! A little stubbornness in this regard goes a long wya. Think of it this way: you don't wake up in the morning and say you'll "try" to walk or drive to work. You know that technically or literally there's some risk that you'll be hit by a bus or that your car will break down, but you put those risks in the back of your mind and go on with your day. Same with breastfeeding -- yes, there are increased chances for difficulties with breastfeeding twins but the longer you do it, and the more effort you put into it up front, the better success you'll have. And, as my late uncle used to say, "Don't let the turkeys get you down!" Ignore people who say things like, "Oh, my milk dried up at 6 weeks" (no, that was probably just a growth spurt, the baby drinking more to increase production...), "You won't have time to nurse two" (actually it's faster to breastfeed two - once everyone's learned how - than suse bottles; and heck, babies take time to care for anyway!), "I couldn't do it so you can't" (IU heard this directly and indirectly from other mother sof twins, and it wasn't true for me. I've had a very positive breastfeeding experience, in fact) Finally, on pumping - I have to sign off here, but here are a few tho8ughts:" (If I don't have time - here's my pumping advice in a nutshell -- Don't worry about pumping before 6-7 weeks unless your children need it (in hospital), Get a good quality double pump, like the Medela Pump in Style. A single pump won't likely help you enough -- you'll need soemthing stronger and faster. Try to build up a stash in your freezer a month or so before you go back to work. Drink lots of water. Make arrangements with your boss or employer to pump at work on breaks, at a regular interval. Nurse lots whenever you are home/have time) In summary: Get support from a pillow, from family, from parents who've "been there". Get information. Get to it ;-) Barbara has pretty much covered it all. I guess the only thing I would stress is the danger of early introduction of bottles. One of my twins ended up nipple confused due to bottles in the hospital and as a result she would NOT nurse without her brother starting the letdown. Actually, it was more of a bottle preference but you get the idea. If you absolutely have to supplement, consider getting a device like an SNS or Lactaid. Listen to Barbara, she's doing it. Nursing, working, pumping. These are the type of people you want to surround yourself with (even if they are virtual) and ditch the nay-sayers. Pig-headedness is a virtue in this instance. :-) -- Brigitte aa #2145 edd #3 February 15, 2004 http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/ "Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare." ~ Harriet Martineau |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Hello and breastfeeding question
Brigitte ) wrote:
Listen to Barbara, she's doing it. Nursing, working, pumping. These are the type of people you want to surround yourself with (even if they are virtual) and ditch the nay-sayers. Pig-headedness is a virtue in this instance. :-) Yup! And speaking of pig-headedness, one interesting statistic I've read is that fewer mothers of twins may start out breastfeeding at all, but of those who do, a much higher percentage than moms of singletons are still nursing at one year. In my own case, I know it was made easier for me in some respects *because* I had twins -- because everyone in my family said Oh my gawd, twins, we have to help! and came and helped me through the early weeks (doing everything *but* feeding, I hardly changed a diaper for weeks). I don't think there would have been such a concerted effort if I had just had one baby at a time :-) --Helen |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Hello and breastfeeding question
Ducky Lawyer wrote:
snip Off the top of my head, I'd say agree with you that one of the challenges you faced was actually created by the hospital, giving your premiees bottles. That's really too bad (hospitals do vary in this respect; some would not have allowed/suggested bottles without exhausting other methods for example.) Ellie -- We've had a couple of women check in here re nipple confusion; I just want to check in as someone whose kids did NOT experience it (though the Lactation Consultant at the hospital, who was, in my opinion, overzealous (especially while my hormones were bottoming out!!!), told me that they WOULD have nipple confusion, and would NEVER nurse if I started giving them bottles of expressed milk; my sister, who was in Med school at the time, told me the same thing. The only dissenting opinion on this was the kids' pediatrician, who said he thought they'd be just fine, and that often "nipple confusion" was attributed to many unrelated nursing problems experienced even by those whose kids had NEVER had bottles -- bad latch, poor tongue positioning, etc. -- and though a risk, it was NOT as common as the LC and my sister thought). The kids were falling asleep immediately upon latching and getting no milk, a common phenomenon with preemies, and after a few days, they were still losing weight. I was offered the option of a supplemental nursing system, but I didn't choose that option. I just pumped, and we gave the kids bottles. Once we got home (we never had help at night), it was frankly *much* better that my husband could feed the babies in the middle of the night if I was too exhausted to do so. Just my experience, and I know that others' experience varies, but I don't want you to think that nipple confusion is an absolute given. It's not. The fear of it, though, is what made me make sure to let them try to nurse at least a couple of times each day, so that they had practice latching and sucking. Little by little, they stopped falling asleep, and started actually nursing. Did that make a difference? Maybe, maybe not. But I did it, so I'm passing it along. snip I think the tone and content of the responses is because the OP asked for help with preparing to breastfeed, and we (the responders/posters) respected that. Yes, this is exactly why I framed my response positively. I also feel it's important not to be hard on yourself if it doesn't work for you. But it absolutely, positively can be done, and indisputably benefits the babies. Julie Mom to Erica & Chris, 07/97 |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Hello and breastfeeding question
We did both bottles and BFing for 8 months. I didn't find BFing
particularly easier (sorry!), but stuck through it until the twins started to walk at which time they didn't want to sit still and so they carried their bottles, I continued to pump but that didn't pan out the way I wanted to so in total we did 9 months of BFing of some kind. The twins never seemed to have nipple confusion - our consultant actually said she didn't see a problem as long the babies kept growing and didn't refuse the nipple when offered. I heard from all kinds of moms who said they BF for over a year etc, etc, but I did what I thought was right and comfortable for me. We too had no support and it was just the two of us - my MIL didn't even see the babies until they were 5 months old!!! My SIL never saw them until just recently (8 years), I haven't any siblings and my dad did come to help when he could but dad could only do laundry. So I think mom's need to be patted on the back, and given hugs for whatever they mottle through this first phase of mothering. BFing is wonderful but it too is a personal decision. Shirley Chris and Kathleen 1/95 "Julie Seely" wrote in message ... Ducky Lawyer wrote: snip Off the top of my head, I'd say agree with you that one of the challenges you faced was actually created by the hospital, giving your premiees bottles. That's really too bad (hospitals do vary in this respect; some would not have allowed/suggested bottles without exhausting other methods for example.) Ellie -- We've had a couple of women check in here re nipple confusion; I just want to check in as someone whose kids did NOT experience it (though the Lactation Consultant at the hospital, who was, in my opinion, overzealous (especially while my hormones were bottoming out!!!), told me that they WOULD have nipple confusion, and would NEVER nurse if I started giving them bottles of expressed milk; my sister, who was in Med school at the time, told me the same thing. The only dissenting opinion on this was the kids' pediatrician, who said he thought they'd be just fine, and that often "nipple confusion" was attributed to many unrelated nursing problems experienced even by those whose kids had NEVER had bottles -- bad latch, poor tongue positioning, etc. -- and though a risk, it was NOT as common as the LC and my sister thought). The kids were falling asleep immediately upon latching and getting no milk, a common phenomenon with preemies, and after a few days, they were still losing weight. I was offered the option of a supplemental nursing system, but I didn't choose that option. I just pumped, and we gave the kids bottles. Once we got home (we never had help at night), it was frankly *much* better that my husband could feed the babies in the middle of the night if I was too exhausted to do so. Just my experience, and I know that others' experience varies, but I don't want you to think that nipple confusion is an absolute given. It's not. The fear of it, though, is what made me make sure to let them try to nurse at least a couple of times each day, so that they had practice latching and sucking. Little by little, they stopped falling asleep, and started actually nursing. Did that make a difference? Maybe, maybe not. But I did it, so I'm passing it along. snip I think the tone and content of the responses is because the OP asked for help with preparing to breastfeed, and we (the responders/posters) respected that. Yes, this is exactly why I framed my response positively. I also feel it's important not to be hard on yourself if it doesn't work for you. But it absolutely, positively can be done, and indisputably benefits the babies. Julie Mom to Erica & Chris, 07/97 |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Hello and breastfeeding question
I just have to respond here. Larry, I'm sorry I wasn't on this list when you
and your wife were going through this, as I would have been quick to stand up and say 'me too'. Our singleton DD was what our ped called a 'lazy baby' who just didn't want to BF. She was one month old and still had not regained her birth weight. So we reluctantly put her on formula and she gained 9 oz weight in 4 days. It was a no-brainer for us - Alison officially became an Enfalac girl. When the boys were born, I had no compunction about choosing formula from day 1. (There were a number of reasons for this decision, only one of which was the previous lack of success.) I am fully aware that breastmilk is nutritionally superior to formula, but you don't get the nutritional advantage if you can't get the breastmilk into them! I should also say that this NG has always been amazingly supportive about the different choices that parents make - completely unlike every other parent-related NG I have ever visited. This place has had discussions about BF, spanking, sleeping, etc. but they have always been thoughtful and respectful of other's opinions. So for anyone on the NG, you will find lots of good advice and support for breastfeeding multiples, but you will also find support if you choose for whatever reason to use bottle-feeding instead. Claudia (mom to Alison 8/95; Timothy and Cameron 4/99) "Digital Larry" wrote in message .11... Our boys never really got the hang of it. Born at 32 wks 5 d, they were tube, then bottle fed in NICU for several weeks, no doubt that contributed to the problem. DW did try repeatedly to BF in NICU with very limited success. Also no experience as these are our first. Another problem was that DW's nipples grew to about 5 times their normal size and preemie kids had very hard time latching on as their mouths were pretty small. For the record we did not make that excuse up, the doctor did. I was not much help. I don't read too much about people who have NOT had great success with BF, I think there is a great stigma associated with this "failure" and few women are willing to get up in a public forum like this and say "well it didn't work too well for me". I checked all the responses so far and nobody said anything other than: it was hard but it ultimately worked. My wife felt terrible about it but was able to pump and get a little bit less until 12 weeks where the amount she was getting was only about 5% of their total intake. This stress combined with general exhaustion (we do not have extensive network of able bodied in laws to take care of everything - just us two trying to handle everything). When you put the kid to the breast and he screams bloody murder and thrashes for 15 minutes, then when you give him a bottle he is just ducky... how many times is the average person going to repeat that scene? Today she talked with a good friend who did NOT have twins, their son was NOT premature, and had much the same issues and gave up after 3.5 months. OB/GYN and Ped. were both supportive in the "do what you can do" and "don't feel guilty" sort of way. I am just here to say that you may have an immensely difficult time, esp. if you do not have successful BF experience already and/or the active, ongoing support of other people with experience or perhaps even a professional lactation consultant. This may turn out to be a very unpopular point of view. I wish you the best of luck. |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|