Introduction thread

Hi all -- I've loved reading all the intros!

I'm Becca, SAHM to three kiddos, Nadia (who will be 4 on Monday, egad), and my little ones Kevan and Karina, 7 months.

I nursed Nadia for nearly 10 months with very few problems, and had great support from my mom and DH. She weaned before I was ready -- unsure now whether it was just a nursing strike, or just standard 9-month lack of interest, or what...but I gave supplemental bottles on the ped's advice, and that was the end of that.

So, I was determined to BF my next baby for longer....didn't expect twins, though, LOL. Still, I expected to nurse them, bought the EZ 2 Nurse pillow, read Mothering Multiples, and prepared as much as I could.

They came a little early, and neither latched in the beginning....and for quite some time, actually. Then, Kevan was diagnosed with a breathing issue that also caused feeding problems, essentially making it impossible for him to latch without gasping for air....couple surgeries later, he's doing much better, but still deals with the issue.

So, I've pretty much been pumping since the beginning, with a little nursing here and there. Neither kiddo was keen on nursing after getting spoiled by bottles, especially since we had to use the fast-flow nipples to make it easier for Kevan to eat. I debated just nursing Karina and pumping for Kevan, but it was hard for me to manage....

I haven't been able to meet their demand with just pumping, so I've had to supplement all along -- and I'm just now getting to the point where I'm not beating myself up about it. I feel good that they've gotten so much breastmilk (more than half), and that I'm still managing to pump for them. My regret mostly lies in missing out on that nursing relationship, because I loved it with my older one...and these are my last babies, so I won't get the chance again.

A little about me, hmm -- I am a former journalist-turned-techie, married to another former journalist-turned-techie, LOL. I am *not* the outdoorsy type, hate to exercise, and don't play a sport (hopelessly uncoordinated). But, I do love to read (Laramie, you freakin' crack me up!), shop and EAT...

 

My girls are 2 months and while we had a relatively easy start, we are going through a challenging time now (see my post from earlier today). I pumped while they were in the NICU and tried to be there so I could BF each one at least once per day under the supervision of the NICU LC. Like other posters have mentioned, I am currently in the "its for their wellbeing" phase. I dont necessarily see whats so great about BF itself, but I figure most people end up really loving it and maybe it will eventually click for me but right now it mostly feels like a job. The girls are growing well - and pooping like crazy - so I know its working out well for them. I think it will get better once the tounge thrust and startle reflexes start to go away and their personalities come out more. I have tried tandem a number of times but it is pretty hard right now since my girls have very little conrol of their heads - so they end up falling off easily, but I will keep trying periodically and hope we will get it to work soon - just for the efficiency factor. So my goal is to BF until they start solids (4-6 mos) and then reevaluate the situation. I am a little concerned about what will happen when I go back to work - but I guess we'll cross that bridge when it comes.

 

QUOTE
I dont necessarily see whats so great about BF itself, but I figure most people end up really loving it and maybe it will eventually click for me but right now it mostly feels like a job.


Just wanted to give you a hug and tell you that's totally normal at that age. In the early days, there were a lot of times that I flat out hated BFing. But as it got easier and the babies got easier in general, I started to love it. And now I'm one of those "Aww, it's so sweet and wonderful" people. But yes, in the beginning, it is work, and hard work at that! Give yourself a big pat on the back for slogging through the hard days! :hug99:

 

QUOTE(caryanne07 @ Jan 9 2008, 12:33 PM) [snapback]564552[/snapback]
Hi everyone. I don't post on here often (due to lack of time) but I'm always lurking.


That describes me too...I try to get on when I can but sometimes weeks pass in between logons, hence the reason I am just seeing this thread almost a month after it was started.

I'm Kelly and the mom to 5 month old twin girls and a 2 year old little boy. I nursed my son exclusively for six months and then BF and supplemented with formula for the next six months. With the girls I pumped for the first three weeks while they got strong enough to nurse and then got them on the breast at 3 weeks and have been going ever since. I am working 4 days a week so currently I am BF 2x a day, pumping 3x and then I just started supplementing them with one bottle of formula at their night time feeding about two weeks ago. They only gained 3 & 6 ounces between 4 and 5 months (5 month weights were 10 lbs 3 oz and 10 lbs 6 oz) and my nurse and pediatrician thought I should add in one more feeding a day to get their weights back up. I initally started giving them the formula while I pumped that extra feeding to get my supply up, but it was getting so exhausting that I decided to stop pumping that one feeding and just rely on the formula. I really struggled with guilt over giving that pumping up, but I would just dread hooking myself up to that pump for the fourth time of the day and I really need my husband to be able to help out with that feeding for my sanity so it's for the best I think. I am hoping the extra feeding makes a difference in their weights this month as the "am I giving them enough" question has been really shaking my BF confidence lately.

I think I would like BF a lot more if I didn't work. On the days I don't work I really enjoy it but I just despise pumping so having to do it 3 times a day when I am at work puts a damper on the whole experience. I would say my goal is to get to a year but I haven't figured out how much supplementing I will do in the next six months. I would like to just keep it to the one bottle, but time will tell. I told myself I wasn't going to feel guilty if I couldn't BF them or couldn't BF for as long as I did with my son, but of course reality kicks in and I feel guilty for even giving them one bottle of formula. Why are we mom's so hard on ourselves?


At any rate, I just wanted to say hello because even though I don't post often, I do get a lot of support by reading tis board. It helps me to feel like I can keep this up for at least a year. So thank you!

 

Hi there! I'm expecting my twin boys on March 17th.

I nursed my singleton DD until she lost interest after 1 year. The firsst few months were so hard! That suprised me. I had every complication in the book: yeast, mastitis, clogged ducts, milk blisters, bleeding and cracking.
It was very difficult and I had to tell myself "one more day", then you can decide if you will continue. I hated dreading the pain of each feeding but was determined to "succeed". I think it had a lot to do with the guilt issues I carried over needing a c-section delivery (and "failling" to delier vaginally) Whatever it was that go tme through, I'm so glad I did.

I'm going into this pregnancy with a lot more confidence about BF'ing and am so happy to have found this amazing forum of support!

Angela

 

Hi y'all, I'm Aimee, and I am new to breastfeeding, but never questioned that I would do it!

I had a horrible experience in the hospital with nurses threatening to forcefeed my babies because they were losing weight, taking them out of my arms and taking them to the nursery to see the pediatrician, then giving them formula bottles before bringing them back, even though I said over and over again that I didn't want them given formula.

When we got home from the hospital, Joel was finger-feeding through an SNS tube because he wouldn't latch (even though he had latched great within a few hours of his birth), and Roman was exclusively breastfeeding. Roman was gaining weight and Joel was not, so I decided the **** with the nurses and the SNS tube, and so on, and I waited until Joel was good and hungry and brought him back to the breast--and he has been breastfeeding and gaining weight ever since!

Now they are almost three weeks old, and I plan to continue to breastfeed them for as long as I can.

Oh, and thanks to the breastfeeding, I am 15 lbs. below my pre pregnancy weight at 3 weeks post partum.

 

Hello,
I delivered my sweet babies Alexander and Elizabeth 2 weeks ago at 34weeks in an emergency c/s . The babies spent one week in the NICU due to typical 34wk feeding issues (wore out easily and had frequent spits - on Neosure before my milk came in) and jaundice. Once my milk came in, they tolerated it so much better. The babies latched on good from the start, but had weak sucks and tired so easily. Since coming home, I've been nursing a few times a day for Alex and just a couple for Elizabeth (she still wears out ) then follow up with a bottle of EBM. I nursed my older sons for a year each and I am looking very forward to being able to nurse exclusively. Some days I wonder if we will make it there, but as of yesterday they are both back to birth weights and I am hopeful that once they start to put some more weight on and have more energy, nursing will come easier

 

While pregnant, I tried hard not to set my heart of BFing in case it didn’t work out. I thought I’d just aim for giving them the colostrum … and then I aimed for 6 months exclusive BF … and at one year none of us were ready … and now I’m ready, but the girls aren’t .

It took them both a couple of days to learn to latch but by the time I left hospital we managed. Their personalities shone through even at a couple of days old: if I couldn’t get her to latch immediately, Tal just fell asleep whereas Maia had total screaming meltdown. Not a lot has changed!

I supplemented a tiny bit for the first couple of weeks, but weaned them off that asap. I was scared it would impact upon supply or mean I couldn’t BF exclusively, but the hospital staff were adamant and in the end it was fine.

It was pretty tough for the first few months as I tandem BF them every other hour for an hour (ie hour on hour off all day and night). I guess I never really learned to tell when they were feeding vs when it was mummy the pacifier. Once past 3 months they gradually speeded up and spread out. DH’s support throughout all this has been crucial. I’ve been pretty lucky. At the beginning it was pretty sore and even now sometimes, but otherwise I’ve only had blocked ducts a couple of times and nothing worse.

Although I pumped some for the first few months, we almost never used the milk as I had lipase issues and it smelt foul on defrosting. Instead I was just always around at mealtimes, which took some planning but we were lucky to manage it.

It seems amazing to realise we’ve been BFing for 21 months. It’s down to 2 or 3 times a day now. I’m thinking about slowly weaning towards their second birthday, but they appear to love it more and more every day so I’m a bit stuck.

It really has been one of the most wonderful and unique experiences of my life. I feel so blessed to have been able to do it. Also, linked to something a pp said, after having to have a c-section, BFing has been the thing that helped me to feel I succeeded as a woman (as I ‘failed’ to have a natural birth let alone a vaginal one). It was a healing experience.

I love reading, walking and um … Wow, it’s hard to think what I love to do as I get to do so little of it, asides from reading (another reason to love BFing!) and walking (the girls to and from day care). I used to love yoga, hiking, tennis, photography, being with friends, cooking, swimming. Sounds like time to find some space for me that’s not being a mom, a cleaner or a working woman (psychologist).

I hold this BFing site totally responsible for my being able to breastfeed for this long or at all for that matter. Everything I know comes from you guys: moderators, questioners and answer-ers. I think you’re all wonderful - thank you! :love0028:

 

HI all! I am Andie ebfing sahm to Evie and Annalise 7 month old fraternal twin girls. I have a son, Aidan, who I breastfed for 12.5 months. I struggled in the beginning with all three (clogged ducts, milk protein allergies, cracked nipples and so on). I never realized how determined I was to breastfeed until I gave up almost all food except chicken and lettuce in order to continue to breastfeed my son while he struggled with allergies.

There are days when I love breastfeeding and days where it is just what we do around here! I love certain things like my Evie- bear playing with my hair while nursing and Annalise looking up and smiling at me!

I am making their baby food which is also really fun and an accomplishment...

I feel a real sense of accomplishment about bfing twins. It is such an amazing gift to give so kudos to all of you!!

I was an elementary school teacher pre-kids, completed my masters 5 weeks before the girls were born and don't intend to go back to work any time soon. There are days where I spend hours on the internet searching for jobs but realize I am not going back. Dh travels a lot for work (up to 6 months a year) so me working outside the home would put a strain on our household. I love to read, watch trashy tv :blush: and use the internet. I am just starting to try to get in shape.
Twinstuff has brought me lots of new and wonderful information. Thanks to you!

 

I just want to say that BF'ing twins is one thing that I am most proud of ... it ranks right up there with running a marathon!

I/we have been through ... nursing one then double pumping for my NICU baby, figuring out how to nurse 2 when my NICU baby came home, getting to stop supplementing (with a syringe tube taped to my breast and pushing out a little high cal formula when they nursed) my teeny girls at 2 weeks old, finding out that I had bad blisters b/c my ID girls are BOTH tongue tied (I never had them clipped and we still do just fine at almost 7 months old), nursing the COLIC TWINS (questioning supply, milk protein allergy? reflux? ... etc etc ... when it was just plain, old fashioned colic), nursing the bottle refusing babies (still don't take one ... but much easier on me now that they started solids and don't nurse as often), tripling our birthweights on BM alone, and now ... to nursing the "I want to poke my sister's eye or scratch her face or tug on Mommy's hair or watch the dog or anything but eat" girls ...

It has come with one challenge after another ... but MAN when one of them giggles at me while latched on and milk comes all out of her mouth and all over me ... there is just NOTHING like it ...

I love breastfeeding and the thought of weaning makes me want to cry! I hope to go to about 15 months or so!