Birthing Plans? Breast Pump?

My boys are both a little over 7 lbs already so I am trying to get things ready for the hospital should they come sooner than expected. So much to plan and get ready for!!!!
Do any of you experienced mothers of twins suggest taking a breast pump to the hospital for the stay? Or would it be easier to use the ones I have heard they have available. Did you store the milk you pumped while there? Where did you store it?
Also, did any of you write a birth plan for your twin delivery? Baby A is transverse so we are pretty sure it will be a c-section but I still have a few things I'd like to make sure happen according to plan (the hospital I will be delivering at is a student hospital CRAWLING with residents and students who make things pretty annoying). Anything in particular that I should add to the plan?
THANKS A TON for your help and suggestions!!!

 

Personally, I used the hospital pump while my guys were in the special care nursery and I was waiting for my milk to come in. Once it came in, I worked with the lactation consultant at the hospital to get them to nurse from me, but they had a hard time so I just continued to use the pump. When I would go to the SCN to nurse, I would bring in what I had pumped and it was labeled and placed in a fridge in there. That way they would use that for the next feeding if I wasn't there to nurse. (make sense?)
I to had a birth plan (thinking I was going to deliver vaginally) but then had a c-section scheduled due to pre-e. Then really the only thing I was concerned with was that they were breathing ok when they came out!!! And I wanted my DH to stay with them, not with me.
I think if there is anything you feel strongly about to let you OB know (or ask how you can be sure that the doctors and nurses in the room will honor your requests) My hospital wasn't a teaching one, so I can't really think of any concerns I would've had!!! Just let them know, and best wishes for a smooooth delivery!!

 

Wow, 7 pounds already?????

Sorry, can't help with the pump questions but I do have a sample multiple birth plan saved on my computer that I will try to attach (not sure if we can attach word docs?). I think the key is to share your thoughts and desires but also to know that the most important thing is a safe arrival of babies for both babies and mom.

Ok, it is taking forever to upload the file so the best way to find it might be to click on this link then click on Birth Plan for Twins (and some Triplet sets).

 

Dianne - thank you so much for posting this link. I haven't even considered most of what's on there and I'm sure we'll use it.

Cary

 

Yes, 7lbs!!! And I passed the GD test. My hubby and I are both 6 ft so this may have something to do with it... Or the due date is off. But hopefully they are going to evacuate the premises soon!!!

Thanks so much for the link! Exactly what I needed and helped me TONS!!!!!

 

Thanks also Stella Luna for the tips on BF! I needed all this info and again it helps me tremendously!

 

I used the breastpump at the hosptial but on my last day there were not enough pumps to go around and too many women who needed them! I had to wait 30 minutes beyond my usual time but other then that it was fine. I bought a pump through the hospital so my insurance. (Because my DD was in the NICU my insurance paid for part of my breast pump--something to look into)

They stored my milk in the fridge/freezer at the nurses station. It was labeled and dated.

 

Yes, i would use the pump that they provide. It's a hospital grade pump that will be very helpful! The nurses really helped me every time we breastfed. Remember that the babies, those first few days, don't need much. You have what they need and so put them to the breast as soon as possible after their birth and then regularly after that. That will stimulate your milk to come in and eventually how much milk you will need. Good luck! Feel free to visit us in the breastfeeding forum if you have further questions! Wow! 7 lbs already!

 

Don't have any info about breast pumps, I've only ever had singleton's up until now and never used on. As far as the residents and students. I know from my hospital, when you get to the hospital unless it's a planned c-section usually the doctor on staff (residents) will check you out before calling your doctor unless you've called them on your way. But, if you do a planned c-section your doctor will take care of it. And, for the students, someone whether it be the nurses or the students themselves should ask you if you are alright having them do anything. Whether it be observing to perform checks and stuff. At my MFM office, they have students. They don't help with basic's but I've been asked everytime if it's okay for them to observe. And, when I had my cerclage, I had a student ask if it was okay to observe the procedure. Which I did allow, but you can say that you don't want to allow any students it's your right.

Jen

 

Use the hospital pump for sure. Even if you get the top of the line breast pump it is not as powerful as the hospital grade pump, and while you are waiting for your milk to come in they will teach you how to use it... Since they are much more powerful than the kind you buy for home use they will help your milk come in faster. In fact with my daughter we rented the hospital pump for 2 months and I think it really helped increase my milk supply... I had tons of milk!!! Not only that, but the give you a pumping kit that you can keep and use on your own pump (particularly if you have the Medela Pump) which is really nice because then you can have one washing and use the other.

As far as a birth plan for twins, I plan to do one for my delivery regardless of the type of delivery I am able to have. I had a c-section with my daughter, and never even thought about the possibility that I might need one... As a result, I was not very satisfied with our birth experience. This time around I plan to make my wishes known for how I want things to go in the delivery room. Honestly, if I learned anything the first time I know that things don't always go as planned. With that said, I think that even if only part of the delivery goes the way you had hopped at least you were able to be a part of the decision making process... When you are going through it it is really hard to make decisions so tell your provider, and partner and have it in writing. I know that my husband would have felt a lot more confident in how things were handled had we considered the possibility that things might not go the way we had planned (alternative birth center w/ a midwife and no meds), and what we would want in that event.

Good luck in your delivery! No matter how it happens as long as you have two healthy babies in the end that is all that matters!