Nursing twins

[starbuckmom]

Mods: I know this is about breastfeeding but its concerning twins so thats why I am posting here in the multiples forum.



My twins are only 2 weeks old. They have nursed since day one. I am happy that we haven't had to supplement with formula. My problem is the evenings. I know that in the evenings, babies like to cluster feed. It's hard with just one baby, but with 2 wanting to nurse all the time in the evenings, well, it's harder! What are your experiences with this? Any type of advice? I am afraid that they aren't getting enough milk. At least I get a break from when they go to bed at 9 till they get up in the middle of the night for their feedings. By that time I am somewhat engorged. I pumped for the first time today. I got 1oz from one side. I know that the babies get more when they nurse. I would like to get a supply of bottles up so that they both get a bottle of breast milk before bed.

Any type of help would be great.

[starbuckmom]

bump cause I need help. I am about to quit nursing and start using formula. Thats how desperate I am.

[hlstevens]

I am not a mom of twins, so you can disregard this if you want!
(oh and maybe try posting in the BF section anyway? Maybe you'll get more responses??)

But I was wondering if you are trying anything to boost your supply? It sounds like your supply is doing pretty good, (and I remember how empty and frustrated i felt in teh evenings too, and I only had one)
But maybe adding in some oatmeal for dinner with a couple glasses of water? Oatmeal is a great supply booster, I've read about moms just eating an oatmeal cookie and they felt a strong letdown.

How often are you getting up at night to nurse them?
Do they nap at the same time? Could you fit in a pumping session when they nap? And after a few days your body will get the hint that it needs to produce more at that time, and you can work on getting a stash for bottles at night.
I know that nobody will fault you for adding formula if needed. Sounds like you are doing great with them, I so admire moms who nurse twins!

I know I'm not offering much advice, but I just want to say Way to go! You are doing great, and if one bottle has to be added to their diet, they will be okay! Many babies take to both nursing and bottles. Good luck:hugs:

[Jenney17]

Congrats on you twins! :lostit: I have been nursing my guys for almost 13 months and what you are going through is normal.:hugs:

2 things:
The cluster feeding is normal. t kind of sucks though IMO. :giggle: There were a few weeks there when I literally sat on the sofa with no shirt on at all, EZ 2 nurse pillow around my waist and a bottle of water next to me.

Second, eventually I did supplement purely for my own sanity. I would pump what I could, split among 2 bottles then add formula to make it a full 4 or 6 oz bottle. Sometimes I needed the formula, sometimes I pumped enough. I know some people are anti formula and bottles, but I only did it once a day, right before bed. It gave me a break and DH got to feed one. We never had nipple confusion or stomach problems. They slept with binkies until they were 4 moths old too. Teh cluster feeding thing only lasted a few weeks. The night feedings disappeared by 6 months.:hugs:

You are doing a great thing here! BFing twins is not easy. Be gentle with yourself Mama.

ETA: Have you read this page on cluster feeding at Kelly Mom? That sight saved my sanity in the beginning.
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussy-evening.html

Hang in there!

[greek4]

I like to consider myself a pumping expert. I started pumping at week 3 to build a supply. I started pumping onces a day and only got an ounce or two. When I started getting more at that pumping after about a week, I added another pumping session. At 7 weeks I was pumping 4-5 times a day because I was back at work. I built a nice supply and was able to give DS EBM until he was 12 months even though he weaned at 10 months.

I was more than willing to supplement and I did in the first couple of weeks and DS had no nipple confusion or stomach issues. I think you are doing a great job, keep it up.

**I don't have twins but I did have a twin pump**

[smbaliff]

Mods: I know this is about breastfeeding but its concerning twins so thats why I am posting here in the multiples forum.



My twins are only 2 weeks old. They have nursed since day one. I am happy that we haven't had to supplement with formula. My problem is the evenings. I know that in the evenings, babies like to cluster feed. It's hard with just one baby, but with 2 wanting to nurse all the time in the evenings, well, it's harder! What are your experiences with this? Any type of advice? I am afraid that they aren't getting enough milk. At least I get a break from when they go to bed at 9 till they get up in the middle of the night for their feedings. By that time I am somewhat engorged. I pumped for the first time today. I got 1oz from one side. I know that the babies get more when they nurse. I would like to get a supply of bottles up so that they both get a bottle of breast milk before bed.

Any type of help would be great.

It sounds like they are getting enough. If they weren't, they wouldn't ever be satisfied. Are you tandem nursing or feeding one at a time? I would suggest tandem if possible. I know it's not easy when the cluster feed but it won't last forever. I can't give advice for pumping as my twins refused bottles completely. :hugs:

[BumbleBear]

I never had luck with pumping - I had a really hard time getting letdown, the most I would get was maybe 2 oz. I did end up supplementing with formula, mainly because by the end of the day I felt like my supply was low. So I'd give them maybe an ounce or two at bedtime.

The way I looked at it is I had to do what I could to keep my sanity (PPD hit me hard when mine were about 2 weeks old). They were still getting the benefits of BFing and the amount of formula we used was minimal (I never bought into the "formula is poison" mindset anyways - we used Nestle Goodstart).

Hang in there! Like the pp said, the cluster feeding will pass. I believe 2 weeks is a growth spurt point - IIRC there was one about every 2 weeks for the first couple months...

[jessc82]

First off, kudos for nursing twins!

Just a suggestion for pumping that I got from my LC. I always felt engorged at night when I pumped but didn't get hardly anything out. My LC suggested getting larger breastshields and I started getting 2-3 times more out of each breast. I have a Medela PIS advanced and just ordered the larger shields from their website. I don't know if other brands do this or not. It worked for me and my LC said that is why a lot of moms have trouble pumping.

Good luck. :goodvibes:

[HeatherlovesCDs]

Congrats on your new babies!! Great job BFing them thus far! It's a challange and very worth it. I personally didn't want to supplement, although I don't think it's a horrible thing to do or anything, so I didn't. Here's my suggestions. I would definitally start now learning to tandem nurse them. I used the EZ2 Nurse twin nursing pillow and it really, really helped, but I did use a regular boppy before I got that. If you need me to give you some step by step instructions for getting them both on by yourself, let me know and I can. If you have help, just put the pillow around you and have someone hand them to you. It's easier, but since it's not always possible, I would suggest practicing by yourself. Some twin mom's don't tandem nurse, but personally, when I didn't I always had a baby on the boob and I could get anything done and I have another child to take of too. So, that will help at night. Anytime you feed one, feed the other, even if they are sleeping. It really, really, really helps to have them on the same general schedule. So, when one wakes to eat, wake the other. (sometimes there are excpetions, but you get the idea.) It cuts your feeding time in half. :thumbsup: It does sound like they are getting enough to me also.

As for the pumping, I was a pumping maniac. I like to be able to give them bottles when I am out of the house, because it's too hard IMO to nurse two if you aren't home. You really can't tandem in public and it takes too long to feed them separately. JMHO though. So, I would start with pumping an hour or 2 after they go to bed at night. I continued that until they were 12 months. My body got so used to it that I got enough for a full feeding every evening. You can also pump right after they eat. One of the best times to do that is first thing in the morning. I suggest a double electric pump if you don't already have one. In order to get the most out of a session, make sure you message the breast while you are pumping and you should get at least 2 let downs. Sometimes the 2 letdowns are like 5 minutes apart for me. Just keep pumping, it will happen. If you want to up the supply a bit, then pump for an extra 3-5 minutes after the milk stops flowing the second time. (some women even get a 3rd letdown.) Also, if you want to up it, then I pump several times in a short period of time. Like, pump 3 x's with 20 or 30 minute breaks in between. Or instead of waiting for 2 hours after they are asleep, pump once an hour after and then again an hour later. Once I had enough EBM saved up, I did start to give them one bottle a day as their last feeding of the day. I needed the break. However, I did usually pump that feeding instead. I did that for maybe 2 or 3 months and then when things were more manageable and I was feeling less taxed, I nursed them for all their feedings unless we were out or I wasn't home. I hope that helps. You can do this and this phase doesn't last long. If you stick with it, it's so,so worth it. I could not have imagined what I pleasure it is to nurse these two now that they are older. We had a very, very rough and rocky start and I wanted to quit, but I couldn't let myself and I'm so greatful I didn't give up. :mrgreen:

[mamashu6boys]

Hello,
How are you doing? I don’t have time to read your other replies right now so forgive me if this has already been said.
It’s not the end of the world if you do use a little formula, but I understand why you would not want to with the risk of allergies and the fact that it will not help increase your own milk supply to meet the needs of your babies.
I have nursed my twins without supplementing or pumping, but it took a lot of time! I had to stop everything and just sit and nurse for a few hours at a time. It was really hard sometimes since I had 3 other young boys to care for too, and my husband was gone from 7am till 8pm every weekday.
I had to try and plan for all the needed time nursing by having lots of frozen meals, and non cook meals available. And all other things like laundry only got done on the week ends. Learning to nurse them while reclined in a chair or lying in bed also really helped me get some rest. I didn’t get 3 hours of sleep in a row for the first 9 months but I survived!
Can you get family or friends to take turns coming over once or twice a week to help you out, especially in the late afternoons? I always felt like it was a good day if I could take a shower!
I got thru the tough times by remembering that nursing and caring for my twins was the most important thing I could do for them, and everything except my other kids had to take a back seat.

The most important thing I did for myself and babies as a nursing mother was to join an information support group. For me it was La Leche League, they can help you on the phone 1800- LA LECH or in local meetings (check phone book) and on the web http://www.llli.org/resources.html?m=0
I hope you’re feeling better and getting as much rest as you can. Take lots of pictures; the first months might feel like a blur later!
Best wishes,
Tiffany
Mama to 6 beautiful redheaded boys
http://babyhomepages.net/5smurfyboys/index.php
Rory age 15, Evin age 11, Brandel age 7, identical twins Keegan and Conley are age 4. Owen Born 6-23-08. 


Keegan was born with congenital scoliosis that progressed to 85 before he had corrective surgery at age 31/2 on 2-12-08. He had a hemi vert at T6 removed and fused from T5-T8, then “Shilla” growth rods wear placed. Post OP laying down he measured 22° his rotation and rib hump look almost gone! currently his standing x-ray is 26° to the left in the thoracic spine and 20° to the right in the lumbar. Keegan’s unilateral bar is expected to still progress but will hopefully be kept to a minimal amount. He also has two fused ribs, several partial vertebrae fusions, a solitary left kidney, scattered areas of abnormal signal within the brains white matter, sacral hypogenesis, L2 conus with a filar lipoma and a syrinx causing minor lower limb nerve damage. Tethered cord release surgery was on Oct. 18, 2006 when he was 2; this slightly reduced his lower curve but didn’t help drain the syrinx as hoped.

[Knits on Earth]

all I can say is it gets better. it's harder, the first few months are hard hard hard, but pull through, chin up :) it gets better.

[Knits on Earth]

further to that. I honestly felt like for weeks my life consisted of breatsfeeding. that felt like all I did, my entire life. I often thought and even talked about giving up. when ym girls were born I wanted to nurse for a year. by the time they were a few weeks old I just wanted to make sure I got to six months, as days went by I just wanted to get THROUGH THAT DAY. some days I just had to get from one feeding to the next. by the time we got past 3 months I knew I could get to six months easily, a few weeks later I knew I could get to a year. I went on to nurse my twins 23 months until they weaned themselves.

[FallBabies]

Hi Mama!
First off, I want to say good for you for wanting to nurse. Some people give up before they ever even get started. There was some good advice given from other moms, so hopefully that'll help a bit.
I want to let you know that just about every month, probably every week, even, I felt like giving up. It was a pain in the neck to nurse two at times, but I promise if you stick with it, it will be so worth it down the road! Once everyone (you and babies alike) completely get the hang of everything, you will find that nursing is SO much easier than bottle/formula feeding, and you will be glad you stuck with it.
Here are some things that helped me with my twins:
- In the early days, we supplemented when necessary (pumped what I could, added formula to get correct fill in bottle.) One of my boys had a hard time learning to latch and stay latched, and it took about six weeks for him to learn and for me to really get the hang of things myself.
- I HATED tandem nursing. I did it every now and then, but to me, it was uncomfortable and difficult. I found it easier to have one cuddled by dad while the other nursed, then switch them off. My boys were fairly fast eaters (about 7 minutes each was all they needed), so the "waiting" baby had to be patient, but not for terribly long. I still used the EZ 2 nurse pillow, but for just one at a time. Once they grew and I was comfortable with nursing, I stopped using it for support.
- When I pumped (I gave it up after a few months b/c I didn't really need to), I found it best to use the hospital grade pump. It's fast, it's powerful, and well worth the money to rent if you just use if for a few months. I think I had mine for three months, then bought an electric, then stopped pumping a few weeks later.
- Middle of the night feedings: This was the rule... Dad gets up to get the baby and put baby back to sleep. My job was solely to nurse. The boys naturally/instinctively would wake one at a time after only a few weeks, so one would wake and eat, then the other would do the same immediately after.

Hope some of this will work for you. I nursed for 12 months, and the boys weaned themselves the week before their bday (they didn't even wean, just lost interest altogether.) Whenever one would get sick, I would be SO thankful I stuck with it, because I knew my body would produce antibodies to help them get better quickly. No matter how "okay" formula may be, it just doesn't have that ability. I felt good that there was something I could actually do to help them when they became ill.

You are in a rough time right now (those first weeks are a killer), but really try to hang in there. Learning to nurse takes time as it is, and with two it is extra work. I couldn't imagine paying for formula, constantly having to fix and clean bottles, and still having to get two babies fed at the same time. To me, nursing just makes the most sense, even if it feels like a losing battle at first.

[Prairiemom]

Congrats on your babies!! Way to go for getting this far with nursing, you have gotten through the tough stage of latch etc. I haven't read the other posts so I hope I'm not just repeating stuff.

At this age they are going to be going through a big growth spurt for a bit. Are you tandem nursing? I'm hoping you have the easy2nursetwins piillow. If not, get one right away!!! Tandem nursing not only makes your time cut in half, it also stimulates milk production better. You need to set yourself up on the couch with a drink and the remote and tell your family that you are going to be having a tough bit here for a while and they are going to need to get the phone, refill your water (this is really imortant)and do everything for you and themselves for now. It will get better!!!!! Take advantage of any free time you have to rest and eat, let your housework and laundry go right now, you can't wear yourself out. If you can get help for the cleaning that's great. If people want to help, tell them things they can do. they are not going to be helping you by sitting and holding a baby. If people want to visit, maybe during the cluster feeding, to keep your mind busy. You will be nursing for hours every night during this time. I remember at around 3 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months it was like this. It will be settling down in about a week and a half I would bet. Keep going mama, once you get through this tough time nursing them will be soooo much easier than bottles!!!! I would highly recommend NOT trying to build a stash right now. You need to do this cluster feeding so they can build your supply up for their next stage. I wouldn't give them a bottle until they are a month old or so. Once they get them, they will lose patience with you. (not all babies but many). I started building my stash once they started missing their 11 pm feeding, not till they were about 4 or 5 months old. I would just pump when they would have nursed.
I really hope that you can make it, but if not, the babies and you will be just fine!!! I hope you get some help from this thread and can get through the next bit.

[esaesa]

Haven't read all the responses, sorry if i repeat.

Yes, the cluster feedings are nerve wracking. Zone out into the tv if you need to. I didn't have a lot of luck with the ez2nurse pillow. My dh had to help me get babies in position for tandem feedings at that age. I sat up in bed, put two bed pillows next to my hips, maybe two on each side to adjust height, then each baby in the football position. Or, get comfy in the rocker/couch, and just nurse them one after the other. DH can take the one not being fed. I too had worries about my supply, the more they nurse, the more milk you have. I knew that, but the worries remained. For several months, I took Fenugreek (capsules from health food store) and noticed an increase in about 2 days. Remember that pumping will never get you as much milk as bf, so don't be alarmed if you only get a tiny bit of milk. That, and their tummies are only about as big as a walnut, so it isn't like they need a gallon each feeding anyway. You may also try bf one, and laying the other in a crook of a boppy or crook of your feet and giving a bottle of ebm. If you can't tandem, don't worry. Feed one for a few minutes, switch, switch again, switch again. . . crying for a second while you are doing the best you can do is ok. I too rarely tandemed until recently. Now at 11 months, they tandem at every feeding.

[esaesa]

Here are a few links
http://www.naturallyparentingtwins.com/drupal/taxonomy/term/12
http://www.naturallyparentingtwins.com/drupal/image/tid/22

This position didn't work for me as I am not busty enough, but depending on your size you may be able to lay babies on floor or bed, and kneel over them, insert nipple and tandem feed that way. I think it is called "cow position" or something dreadful like that. It is cow position - here is that direct link, same website as above http://www.naturallyparentingtwins.com/drupal/node/65

good luck, don't give up, YOU CAN DO IT! :hugs:

[rkirkeby]

I have not read all the responses, so I'm sure I'm probably repeating someone :) You can do this :hugs: and it does get better. My girls are 4 months now and have not been cluster feeding for a month or so. It sounds like you are committed to breastfeeding, so just take it one day at a time. There were many nights when I just sat on the couch with my EZ2 nurse pillow around me & DH catered to me. Do you have a good support at home? That can make a world of difference. If you need someone to vent to, you can PM me.

[Prairiemom]

Just wondering how you are doing today. Hope things are getting better.

[nuggetsmom]

From the sound of it, you're doing great, so give yourself a break.....I remember the first month being such a blur, because of the sleep deprivation....but we all lived, and so will you! It looks like you've gotten some great info already, but I wanted to reiterate the theme of tandem nursing....( I pretty much just wore a robe around the house the first month or so for easy access.) I didn't start pumping until about 4 - 6 weeks. That let my milk really get established and let the girls grow enough to where they were sleeping for just a little longer stretches at night. Then, I pumped a couple hours after they went to bed for the night. Things all finally started falling into place for me around 6 weeks. If you can get any help with meals, housework, etc. at least til then, it's so helpful! And don't forget to keep yourself well fed too! Breastfeeding twins burns up to 1000 calories a day!
Don't give up...Best of luck!

[starbuckmom]

I want to thank everyone for all their support! I have read thru all the responses now and am grateful for all the advice and the web sites to check out.

I am tandem nursing at night, right before they go to bed. In the evenings, each one gets both sides. I nurse one as the other is usually being held by daddy or sitting in the bouncy seat then I switch off. I am using lots of pillows and a boppy to help tandem nurse. I don't really want to spend the money for one of those EZ2 Nurse pillows. I just use what we have here and it seems to work.

I have been pumping but not as much as I should. I have 5 oz already and am pretty proud of that number! I am going to start pumping more starting tomorrow even tho it hurts, I need to do it. Also, I am going to start eating oat meal in the morning. Oh, and make another batch of oatmeal cookies!

Ok, I wanted to write more and hoped to write this all out before someone woke up and wanted to eat again! I will finish writing later.

[Jenney17]

I want to thank everyone for all their support! I have read thru all the responses now and am grateful for all the advice and the web sites to check out.

I am tandem nursing at night, right before they go to bed. In the evenings, each one gets both sides. I nurse one as the other is usually being held by daddy or sitting in the bouncy seat then I switch off. I am using lots of pillows and a boppy to help tandem nurse. I don't really want to spend the money for one of those EZ2 Nurse pillows. I just use what we have here and it seems to work.

I have been pumping but not as much as I should. I have 5 oz already and am pretty proud of that number! I am going to start pumping more starting tomorrow even tho it hurts, I need to do it. Also, I am going to start eating oat meal in the morning. Oh, and make another batch of oatmeal cookies!

Ok, I wanted to write more and hoped to write this all out before someone woke up and wanted to eat again! I will finish writing later.

Good for you! I am glad you are feeling better and things are going better. I totally agree about the tandem nursing. It has worked great for us.

The EZ2 nurse pillow is expensive IMO. But I got mine from Freecycle. Also make contact with your local twins group. Most of them are actually not for profit organizations and have a person who's job it is to help twin families get what they need. No doubt there is a twin mom all done with her pillow. After I got mine free I eventually passed it off to another twin Mom. :thumbsup:

[mamashu6boys]

Hi,
Pumping should not hurt. Your nipples should not be rubbing on any plastic or be smashed to tightly. You can get bigger attachments if you think that’s the problem. Another possibility is that your suction is set to high for you. I strongly recommend that you see a lactation consultant; most insurance should pay for a visit even if you’re not having problems.
In addition you can talk to a La Leche leader for free on the phone or see them at a meeting. It's my personal experience (mine and many moms I've spoken with over the last 15 years of LLL meetings) that pumping in the first several weeks can cause more problems then it helps. You're tired and still learning to be a nursing "team" with your babies. The exception would be if you have to be separated from your babies in the very near future.

My ez2 nurse pillow did help quite a bit in the 1st 6 months, if you can get one free or full price, I think it would be worth the effort and money. They sell very well on eBay so you could get most of the money back later. I kept mine since my twins (age 4) still like to play with it. With my ez2 pillow I could get more rest because I could sit up straight up against many pillows leaning against my head board and get the babies started nursing, then I could scoot and wiggle in to an inclined position and doze off knowing that the babies were held securely in place. I also figured out a few ways to nurse while lying in bed once the babies were about 3 weeks old.
Most importantly take the ideas that feel right to you, trust yourself foremost! We all have done the best we could utilizing different techniques and priorities for our different needs. You’re already doing great! The hardest part is already over, and it will slowly get better each day.
Best wishes,
Tiffany
Mama to 6 beautiful redheaded boys
http://babyhomepages.net/5smurfyboys/index.php
Rory age 15, Evin age 11, Brandel age 7, identical twins Keegan and Conley are age 4. Owen Born 6-23-08. 


Keegan was born with congenital scoliosis that progressed to 85 before he had corrective surgery at age 31/2 on 2-12-08. He had a hemi vert at T6 removed and fused from T5-T8, then “Shilla” growth rods wear placed. Post OP laying down he measured 22° his rotation and rib hump look almost gone! currently his standing x-ray is 26° to the left in the thoracic spine and 20° to the right in the lumbar. Keegan’s unilateral bar is expected to still progress but will hopefully be kept to a minimal amount. He also has two fused ribs, several partial vertebrae fusions, a solitary left kidney, scattered areas of abnormal signal within the brains white matter, sacral hypogenesis, L2 conus with a filar lipoma and a syrinx causing minor lower limb nerve damage. Tethered cord release surgery was on Oct. 18, 2006 when he was 2; this slightly reduced his lower curve but didn’t help drain the syrinx as hoped.

[starbuckmom]

Good for you! I am glad you are feeling better and things are going better. I totally agree about the tandem nursing. It has worked great for us.

The EZ2 nurse pillow is expensive IMO. But I got mine from Freecycle. Also make contact with your local twins group. Most of them are actually not for profit organizations and have a person who's job it is to help twin families get what they need. No doubt there is a twin mom all done with her pillow. After I got mine free I eventually passed it off to another twin Mom. :thumbsup:

We do have a MOM group here in St Louis but it does cost to join and I just don't want to spend the money. I do want to start my own group here this summer. I just want it to be a play date group that gets together to support each other. I hope to have questions to ask and info to give etc. each time we get together.

[starbuckmom]

Hi,
Pumping should not hurt. Your nipples should not be rubbing on any plastic or be smashed to tightly. You can get bigger attachments if you think that’s the problem. Another possibility is that your suction is set to high for you. I strongly recommend that you see a lactation consultant; most insurance should pay for a visit even if you’re not having problems.
In addition you can talk to a La Leche leader for free on the phone or see them at a meeting. It's my personal experience (mine and many moms I've spoken with over the last 15 years of LLL meetings) that pumping in the first several weeks can cause more problems then it helps. You're tired and still learning to be a nursing "team" with your babies. The exception would be if you have to be separated from your babies in the very near future.

My ez2 nurse pillow did help quite a bit in the 1st 6 months, if you can get one free or full price, I think it would be worth the effort and money. They sell very well on eBay so you could get most of the money back later. I kept mine since my twins (age 4) still like to play with it. With my ez2 pillow I could get more rest because I could sit up straight up against many pillows leaning against my head board and get the babies started nursing, then I could scoot and wiggle in to an inclined position and doze off knowing that the babies were held securely in place. I also figured out a few ways to nurse while lying in bed once the babies were about 3 weeks old.
Most importantly take the ideas that feel right to you, trust yourself foremost! We all have done the best we could utilizing different techniques and priorities for our different needs. You’re already doing great! The hardest part is already over, and it will slowly get better each day.
Best wishes,
Tiffany
Mama to 6 beautiful redheaded boys
http://babyhomepages.net/5smurfyboys/index.php
Rory age 15, Evin age 11, Brandel age 7, identical twins Keegan and Conley are age 4. Owen Born 6-23-08. 


Keegan was born with congenital scoliosis that progressed to 85 before he had corrective surgery at age 31/2 on 2-12-08. He had a hemi vert at T6 removed and fused from T5-T8, then “Shilla” growth rods wear placed. Post OP laying down he measured 22° his rotation and rib hump look almost gone! currently his standing x-ray is 26° to the left in the thoracic spine and 20° to the right in the lumbar. Keegan’s unilateral bar is expected to still progress but will hopefully be kept to a minimal amount. He also has two fused ribs, several partial vertebrae fusions, a solitary left kidney, scattered areas of abnormal signal within the brains white matter, sacral hypogenesis, L2 conus with a filar lipoma and a syrinx causing minor lower limb nerve damage. Tethered cord release surgery was on Oct. 18, 2006 when he was 2; this slightly reduced his lower curve but didn’t help drain the syrinx as hoped.

Thankfully I have a friend who is a lactation consultant so I can go and see her for free! I have a few other friends who happen to be lactation consultants too. I have lots of support that way. Also, I should clarify that when I pump, the only time it hurts is when I am waiting for another let down. It doesn't hurt when there is milk coming out. I will look for shields that are bigger. I know that Babies R Us sells bigger ones. I just need to go and get some. Great idea!

Again, thanks for the support! My friend who is a lc happens to own a Maternity and childrens ware resell shop and she and her dh have a nursing support group gather at their shop. I have been to my first group since having my twins. I joined the group when I had my ds. I hope to attend almost every Thursday that I can. There is another mama there that has twins too.

[Jenney17]

We do have a MOM group here in St Louis but it does cost to join and I just don't want to spend the money. I do want to start my own group here this summer. I just want it to be a play date group that gets together to support each other. I hope to have questions to ask and info to give etc. each time we get together.

I emailed our local group and asked them to waive the join fee for me and they did. Then sent me some target gift cards to get things for the babies!

[Rollins4]

Hey Lynn,
I am replying late, I actually just found this forum:blush:

Anyhoo,, I nursed my boys (they are now 28mos old) up until about 3 weeks ago (they self weaned). I EBF'd never supplemented with formula, and it is so hard when they are that little. I was nursing like every 2 hours and then when they would cluster, I would just sit on the sofa and nurse, continuously. It was so much easier than taking them off and on. I would gather my other two peanuts up (ages 4 and 2 at the time) and get snacks books, beverages, remotes:giggle: and just hang out and let the twins nurse while we hung out. I did pump too for supplement or to let Dad help when I needed a break and I was pumping about an ounce or two at a time. Your correct they get more when they nurse. I also, switched breasts at every feeding and that helped quite a bit for milk production.. HTH!

BTW Congrats on those babies!!

[mammaof??]

My ez2 nurse pillow did help quite a bit in the 1st 6 months, if you can get one free or full price, I think it would be worth the effort and money. They sell very well on eBay so you could get most of the money back later. I kept mine since my twins (age 4) still like to play with it. With my ez2 pillow I could get more rest because I could sit up straight up against many pillows leaning against my head board and get the babies started nursing, then I could scoot and wiggle in to an inclined position and doze off knowing that the babies were held securely in place. I also figured out a few ways to nurse while lying in bed once the babies were about 3 weeks old.


I just want to add that I agree with what this poster said 100%. I have breastfed all of my kiddos, but the twin nursing pillow was essential with my first set of twins. It's much more stable than a Boppy and they both sit safely there. It puts them in a football hold position or easily sidelying and does allow mom to scoot down and sleep. I am using it now with the new set of twins- born 1/20/09.

Make sure you are eating an extra 500 calories/day and getting good quality protein and iron and taking calcium.

Is anyone helping you with meals? That has made a huge difference around here, let me tell you.

As for pumping, just do whatever feels good to you, but don't make it stressful.

You are doing a great job!!!

Cheers!:thumbsup:

[starbuckmom]

I just want to add that I agree with what this poster said 100%. I have breastfed all of my kiddos, but the twin nursing pillow was essential with my first set of twins. It's much more stable than a Boppy and they both sit safely there. It puts them in a football hold position or easily sidelying and does allow mom to scoot down and sleep. I am using it now with the new set of twins- born 1/20/09.

Make sure you are eating an extra 500 calories/day and getting good quality protein and iron and taking calcium.

Is anyone helping you with meals? That has made a huge difference around here, let me tell you.

As for pumping, just do whatever feels good to you, but don't make it stressful.

You are doing a great job!!!

Cheers!:thumbsup:


I am trying my best to eat the extra calories and making sure that it is a good meal. However, I don't have much of an appetite sometimes. I think I am going to google breastfeeding and nutrition and see what I can come up with for ideas to eat.

Yes, we have people helping with meals but that has stopped a bit now. We have some meals in the freezer. We had 3 lasagnas and 2 spaghetti bakes delivered from different people! We put 2 of the lasagnas in the freezer for another time. We also received 2 gift certificates to 2 different restaurants so that helps.

I ended up getting some More Milk Plus capsules today. I am hoping those work. Kinda expensive but if they work, I am going to get another bottle on line where it is cheaper. I just want to up my supply so I know that both boys are getting lots of good milk.

To the mama who suggested bigger shields: I am going to head to Babies R Us tomorrow and see if they have some bigger ones. I am just trying to figure out what size to get.

Thanks again for all the kind words and support. I am taking this nursing relationship one nursing session at a time and one day at a time.

[baby1577]

I am trying my best to eat the extra calories and making sure that it is a good meal. However, I don't have much of an appetite sometimes. I think I am going to google breastfeeding and nutrition and see what I can come up with for ideas to eat.

Yes, we have people helping with meals but that has stopped a bit now. We have some meals in the freezer. We had 3 lasagnas and 2 spaghetti bakes delivered from different people! We put 2 of the lasagnas in the freezer for another time. We also received 2 gift certificates to 2 different restaurants so that helps.

I ended up getting some More Milk Plus capsules today. I am hoping those work. Kinda expensive but if they work, I am going to get another bottle on line where it is cheaper. I just want to up my supply so I know that both boys are getting lots of good milk.

To the mama who suggested bigger shields: I am going to head to Babies R Us tomorrow and see if they have some bigger ones. I am just trying to figure out what size to get.

Thanks again for all the kind words and support. I am taking this nursing relationship one nursing session at a time and one day at a time.

I PMd you about some extra "super shields" I have. LMK if you want them!:thumbsup:

[TwinsMake9]

I just wanna say I wish you the best of luck! Its difficult and very time consuming to nurse twin but you can do it!!! I think alot of people here gave you some super advice.

I have a twin nursing pillow that I do not use and I would sell it. PM me with an offer

[mammaof??]

I am trying my best to eat the extra calories and making sure that it is a good meal. However, I don't have much of an appetite sometimes. I think I am going to google breastfeeding and nutrition and see what I can come up with for ideas to eat.

Yes, we have people helping with meals but that has stopped a bit now. We have some meals in the freezer. We had 3 lasagnas and 2 spaghetti bakes delivered from different people! We put 2 of the lasagnas in the freezer for another time. We also received 2 gift certificates to 2 different restaurants so that helps.

I ended up getting some More Milk Plus capsules today. I am hoping those work. Kinda expensive but if they work, I am going to get another bottle on line where it is cheaper. I just want to up my supply so I know that both boys are getting lots of good milk.

To the mama who suggested bigger shields: I am going to head to Babies R Us tomorrow and see if they have some bigger ones. I am just trying to figure out what size to get.

Thanks again for all the kind words and support. I am taking this nursing relationship one nursing session at a time and one day at a time.

Glad you got some supplements! There's also Mother's Milk tea (traditional medicinals) which is helpful and little less expensive than More Milk Plus. And calcium helps also.

As for meals and extra calories, I understand about not being super hungry but even having something like Luna bars on hand, for a quick, balanced snack would be good. Eating small meals of whole grains and lean protein as well as fruit and salads is super important.

Sounds like you are connected with LCs and BFing groups, just communicating with them is fantastic. I am sure one of them has a scale and can help you weigh the babies if you are worried at all. Also keeping babies skin to skin with you as much as you can is good for you and for the babies.

Doing awesome! Cheers! :thumbsup:

[mamasewsbest]

I have a friend who also got a perscription of domperidone for her supply. She is BFing twins (now 7 mos) and wanted to have enough milk to pump as well. Domperidone is great for that and has helped her a lot.

[mammaof??]

I have a friend who also got a perscription of domperidone for her supply. She is BFing twins (now 7 mos) and wanted to have enough milk to pump as well. Domperidone is great for that and has helped her a lot.

that does help but it's not available in the states. not fda approved for nursing. my friend got some online from some tropical area. and clearly it is available in Canada...

[skatiem]

I take Fenugreek when I feel like my supply is suffering and that seems to help it. Other than that I drink a TON of water (so thirsty!) and I guess I eat a lot. I forget sometimes :) Hard to keep weight on at this point though, I think they are sucking it out of me! Too bad I have a jiggly belly that will probably never go away :giggle: