Dear Angela,

I have a friend who is on bed rest and will probably have premature multiples. I gently asked whether she plans to breastfeed and she responded with comments about how she isn’t sure but she’s sick of strong pressure from very pro-breastfeeding women. She says she’ll commit to at least 4 weeks of “trying,” but I could already hear excuses in her explanation, such as “I’m really tiny and I don’t think my body will produce enough”, and “I’ve heard they actually don’t want you to breastfeed premies because the babies don’t get all the nutrients they need, plus they can have trouble latching on.” She also says she’s having a night-nurse and that formula will be easiest for that situation. She also constantly comments on how she hates that she’s gained weight and is worried about getting “much bigger” during her pregnancy. I do know that she wants to do what is best for her babies, and I want to help her get her past her body issues that might be keeping her from focusing on what she needs to do. Any advice on what to say to give her the best advice without seeming to pressure or judge her?

Thanks for your expertise!

Readers, please chime in and leave a comment with your thoughts on how to reassure a pregnant woman about her ability to breastfeed. Any mothers of multiples and/or premature infants out there? I’d love to hear from you on this one.

I do have several thoughts to get the discussion started. I will break this complex question down into various issues that have been raised.

Information versus Advice

It is lovely that you want the best for your friend and her babies, and I am glad that you are trying to be sensitive to her feelings. One way to help her without pressuring her or judging her is to focus on sharing information rather than advice.

While breastfeeding cannot be considered a religion, or, heaven forbid (pun intended), a cult, bear with me while I make an analogy. Which person is going to have more success: (1) the one who gives someone a cross and says “You should pray! If you’re not religious, you are subject to eternal damnation!” ["You should breastfeed! If you don't, your babies will be sicker!"], or (2) the one who gives someone a Bible and says, “This really helped me. You might find it interesting” ["I found this parenting and breastfeeding resource to be really helpful. I thought you might like to have it"]? What about (3) the one who says, “I can’t believe you don’t plan to go to church on Sunday!” ["You're going to formula-feed?!"] compared to (4) the one who says, “The service on Sunday is about a topic you might like. I can give you a ride if you want to join me”? ["I know you have questions about milk supply, breastfeeding twins and breastfeeding premature infants. Here's the phone number for free breastfeeding information and support." Or, "I attend a La Leche League meeting each month. Let me know if you want to join me!"]

Contrary to popular belief, La Leche League leaders are trained to give information rather than advice. Leaders are there to support women who want to breastfeed, not to convert women who have no desire to so. Breastfeeding is a personal decision. Giving a pregnant woman factual information empowers her with the tools to make her own informed choice. Lactation consultants are also invaluable resources for information and support (and sometimes it can be easier for women to process the information when they are paying for the service — they’ve paid their money for the information and now it’s theirs to do with as they decide).

Breastfeeding after Infertility

The question does not mention whether this pregnant mother conceived through infertility treatments or not, but as someone who experienced primary infertility, I can recognize the self-doubt that sometimes comes into play. It’s hard to trust your body to do what it is meant to do (make breast milk to feed babies) when your body “failed” you when it came to getting pregnant in the first place. Add to that a need for bed rest, and it’s no wonder this woman is worried about her body producing enough milk.

A 2007 study showed that women who use assisted reproductive technology such as IVF to conceive are less confident about their mothering skills, more anxious about caring for a newborn and less likely to be breastfeeding at three months. Such women could benefit from additional parenting information and extra support for breastfeeding.

Small Breasts Make Plenty of Milk

The size of a woman’s breasts does not matter when it comes to milk production. Milk production is simply a matter of supply and demand (the more a baby or babies suckle at the breast, the more the mother will produce). Breast size can affect milk storage capacity (but not necessarily).

Milk supply is one of the biggest concerns among breastfeeding women.

Using Formula in the Night

Given that milk production is a matter of supply and demand, any feeding during which a baby or babies receive formula is a feeding during which the breasts are not being stimulated to produce milk, which in turn lowers the mother’s milk supply. Overnight feedings are particularly important for milk production. Substituting feedings for “convenience” in the night can become a vicious cycle in which the mother’s milk supply drops and she feels the need for further supplementation. Especially in the early weeks, if a mother is not putting a baby to the breast for a feeding, she should consider pumping during that time. Pumping is not as efficient as a baby’s suckling, but it can help maintain milk supply.

Breastfeeding May Help Promote Healthy Weight Loss

The good news is that breastfeeding burns extra calories! Many, but not all, women find that breastfeeding helps contribute to post-partum weight loss.

Breastfeeding Premature Infants

It’s troubling that this pregnant mother is already hearing negative things from medical professionals about breastfeeding. Unfortunately, doctors get very little (1-2 hours) of training on breastfeeding during their medical education. Check out this piece I wrote on how to get good medical advice on breastfeeding (it also has links for other articles on where to get good breastfeeding information). There is a lot of good information out there on breastfeeding premature infants.

To ask questions or read other mothers’ stories, check out this kellymom.com breastfeeding forum on NICU babies. La Leche League also has a forum on breastfeeding premature infants.

For inspiration, read this mother’s story of breastfeeding her triplets, born at 32 weeks and 4 days (they spent 18 days in the NICU).

Breastfeeding Twins

It is a myth that breastfeeding twins is too difficult to manage. One of the wonderful parenting and breastfeeding resources out there is Mothering Multiples: Breastfeeding and Caring for Twins or More! In this interview with the author Karen Kerkhoff Gromada, she shares her experience breastfeeding twins and offers lots of helpful information.

Kellymom.com has compiled a fantastic list of resources for breastfeeding multiples. There is also a La Leche League forum on breastfeeding multiples.

Readers, what do you think? How can this woman best support her pregnant friend? Does anyone have a story to share about breastfeeding multiples or premature infants?

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

B123: What are some of the significant changes and additions you made to this revised edition?

KKG: Hmm, there have been revisions to just about everything – every chapter includes some changes and updates. Amazing how the science of lactation and “standard” practices can change in a few years. And I’m always learning new things or new thinking from the mothers of twins and triplets (MOT/T) in our Cincinnati La Leche League (LLL) Multiples group and from MOT/T in online groups to which I belong. The section on preterm babies has been expanded as have chapters on nighttime mothering, partial breastfeeding, and fussy babies. The chapter on fussy babies includes more about GERD, lactose overload, sensory integration, etc. Finally, key points for each chapter have now been added at the end of the chapter, so the busy MOT/T can easily find the nitty-gritty when there is not enough time to read more!

B123: Tell us a little about your experience mothering multiples.

KKG: My monozygotic (identical) sons were our 3rd and 4th children. Their older sister was 5 and their older brother was 3 within a couple of weeks of their birth. My husband was a medical resident then, so I was on my own a lot. He was “on call,” meaning he was at the hospital from 7 a.m., through the night, to 5 p.m. the next evening every 3rd day; every 3rd weekend he’d leave Friday at 7 a.m. and return Monday evening.

I was lucky because I carried the boys to 40 weeks, 5 days gestation – almost unheard of today. A (Tony) weighed 6 lbs. 6 oz. and B (Joey) weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. – 14 lbs. 1 oz. total. They roomed in from birth and were fully breastfed their first 6.5 months – usually gaining 2-3 pounds per month. Because of latching issues, it took 2-3 months before we got the hang of simultaneous nursing. But once we all figured it out, almost all daytime feeds were simultaneous because they usually wanted to eat at the same time. Lucky me – they usually woke on alternate hours during the night. We had a crib in our room and I played musical beds, rotating the one who woke to nurse with the sleeping one I’d drifted off with while breastfeeding an hour or so earlier.

Breastfeeding was the easiest part of mothering my twins! (I honestly cannot even imagine the work involved in feeding multiples any other way! Breastfeeding may take a bit longer for babies and mother to learn, but once learned it is sooo easy!) My sons were high-need babies, needing lots of contact. We lived in our rocking chair. But I felt lots of guilt about my older two children, whose lives changed so quickly, and about the babies because I couldn’t always meet one or the other’s needs as quickly as I had with my singletons….

I won’t even go into toddlerhood, which I thought was the most difficult period because of all they constantly got into – when they weren’t pushing, biting, or punching each other! But there’s a reason for the last few chapters in Mothering Multiples, and it isn’t because I’m the only MOT who found this a difficult phase!

B123: What bit of parenting or breastfeeding wisdom have you learned in your work with mothers of multiples that mothers of singletons might find helpful too?

KKG: Lots of bits. My LLL co-leader and I may do a presentation on this very topic this summer. Perhaps the most important thing is that some/partial breastfeeding truly is better than no breastfeeding – and that partial breastfeeding can work but it still has to work within principles of lactation physiology.

B123: What’s your top tip for breastfeeding multiples? What’s your favorite piece of mothering advice?

KKG: No fair asking for a “top tip” – but I guess it would be to hang in and keep breastfeeding (or pumping if both are preterm/near-term or either has difficulty). Unless a baby has an underlying physical problem, tincture of time, skin-to-skin mother-baby contact and a realistic method for supplementing that reinforces breastfeeding oral behaviors almost always leads to effective breastfeeding for all babies. It IS worth it – although it may be difficult to believe that when stuck in the middle of it!

B123: Is there a particular product (breast pump, nursing pillow) etc. that you routinely recommend to mothers of multiples?

KKG: LOL, mothers have been breastfeeding multiples for tens of thousands of years without today’s equipment. Today, everyone is convinced they need fancy-dancy equipment to breastfeed. I never pumped but occasionally hand expressed so I’d have “relief” milk in the fridge. Nursing pillows weren’t around 2-3 decades ago – yet we survived! So no, there isn’t a particular product I recommend. However, for babies who are preterm or near-term and not yet able to effectively breastfeed (remove milk from breast to GI system), I highly recommend an appropriate pump — an appropriate pump for this situation is a rental (let me repeat – rental), hospital-grade, electric, self-cycling breast pump that is used at least 8 times in 24 hours. If using a nursing pillow, a mother will get more for her money if she gets one that can be used for breastfeeding one or two at once. To breastfeed two most MOT/T suggest using a pillow with a wider and deeper “shelf” all the way around side-to-side, e.g. the EZ-2-Nurse.

B123: In your work as a La Leche League Leader and lactation consultant you’ve counseled thousands of mothers of multiples. What advice can you give to other breastfeeding counselors who have mothers of multiples come to them for help? Are there some key points to keep in mind when helping a mother of multiples?

KKG: Women breastfeeding twins or more deserve the best possible start, but they’re the least likely to get it. In addition to the increased likelihood of preterm/near-term birth, mothers are more likely to be affected by pregnancy or birth complications. Breastfeeding counselors of any kind often underestimate the impact of transitioning two or more preterm/near-term newborns to breast while still caring for them otherwise and recuperating from a more complicated pregnancy and birth. Helping strategies need to take into consideration the total situation. Strategies that make more sense for a woman with a single infant may overwhelm the mother with multiple newborns. Don’t lose long-term breastfeeding because of bias toward unrealistic (for MOT) interventions. (I’ve also found that strategies that work for MOT/T also tend to work for breastfeeding difficulties with singletons!)

B123: I’m assuming you’ve counseled some women who conceived multiples through advanced reproductive technology. I had a woman tell me that her reproductive specialist warned her she’d have trouble breastfeeding (why a doctor would sabotage a mother that way I don’t know). A recent study also indicated that mothers who conceived through IVF (whether or not they conceived multiples) need extra breastfeeding support. What are your thoughts on that? Are you aware of any data about assisted reproduction and breastfeeding success?

KKG: Probably most of the MOT/T I’m in contact with have been through fertility treatment. Most of these moms do great with pumping/breastfeeding IF pumping eight or more times in 24 hours, or babies are allowed to feed “on cue” vs. feed based on some ambiguous schedule. (Many organizations for parents of multiples seem to “push” more rigid scheduling instead of accepting that babies are babies no matter how many arrive at one time.) Inadequate milk removal, especially a concern in the first several weeks when lactation is being established, still leads as the top reason for insufficient production. There’s a perception that needing help to conceive means breastfeeding/lactation will be problematic, but that’s not necessarily so. The hormones that support conception are different than those that support lactation.

One condition that’s associated with fertility issues and insufficient lactation probably is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Addressing some aspects of that condition often improves milk production. Thyroid conditions can also affect fertility and milk production.

Multiples are two, three, more times the usual number of babies no matter how they were conceived, but parents who were “blessed” with multiples via fertility treatment often believe they aren’t “allowed” to feel overwhelmed, negative, etc. when babies’ care is 24/7.

B123: Thanks for taking the time to speak with Breastfeeding 1-2-3! Is there anything else you’d like to share?

KKG: Breastfeeding multiples is not always easy but it’s always worthwhile. And once you’ve hung in and breastfed multiples, you know you can do anything (if you want and put your mind to it)!

I try to always be available to MOT/T via phone, email (kgromada@fuse.net), etc. and I’m a member of the Yahoo group AP Multiples as well as check LLLI’s mother-to-mother forums for mothers breastfeeding multiples. There are links to these groups in addition to FAQ, photos, articles, etc. via my web site: www.karengromada.com.

Beyond that there’s tons to share – so many tidbits, so little time or space! Heck, I can talk on this topic for hours – and probably days! Speaking of speaking, I love to do so! Info is available on my page at the LactSpeak site: http://lactspeak.com/speakers/KarenGromada/.

Thanks for having me here!

B123: Thanks again Karen! For more discussion of breastfeeding multiples, click here.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

I’ll tell you my routine – it’s really exciting! I feed, I burp, I change diapers, I pump. And then I have a tiny window of time to myself. I can breastfeed them both at the same time, which for me is a huge accomplishment!

Marcia should feel doubly proud (pun intended) for breastfeeding her twins. A University of Melbourne study released last month found that women who use assisted reproductive technology such as IVF to conceive are less confident about their mothering skills, more anxious about caring for a newborn and less likely to be breastfeeding at three months.  Based on the study of 150 women, the researcher concluded that women who used IVF to conceive should receive additional parenting information, reassurance and intensive support for breastfeeding.

I recently spoke to a new grandmother who described the difficulty her daughter had breastfeeding after IVF. Explaining why her daughter stopped breastfeeding, the woman essentially said, ”Her doctor told her she might have a hard time breastfeeding after all the fertility drugs and she did.” I’m not aware of any research that supports the notion that fertility drugs cause difficulty with breastfeeding, but it’s very clear to me that the doctor’s words served as a damaging and self-fulfilling prophecy! How dare that doctor sabotage that woman’s ability to breastfeed! Even if the doctor had concerns, the expectant mother should have been encouraged to seek support to ensure the breastfeeding relationship–not told not to be surprised if it didn’t work out!  

The sad thing is that breastfeeding can actually restore a woman’s confidence in her body and help her feel empowered after infertility. That’s what Michigan mother Sue Stuever Battel described as her experience and that was my experience too! Based on the above quote from Marcia Cross about what a “huge accomplishment” it is to nurse her twins it sounds like she feels empowered as well! Congratulations to Marcia Cross on her new babies and her breastfeeding success!

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Oprah applauded Diamond for breastfeeding the sextuplets. The interview wasn’t entirely positive but it was amazing to hear Diamond say that she breastfed the six babies until they were six months old. She said that when she was pumping exclusively she pumped between 50-60 bottles per day! That accomplishment is even more amazing when you consider the fact that the babies were born at 26.5 weeks gestation and weighed between 12 ounces and 1.4 pounds. They were so tiny they could fit in the palm of their father’s hand, and his wedding ring could be pushed up over each of the babies’ thighs! Luckily the babies were born perfectly healthy and they are now thriving four-year-olds!  

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Tell us a little about yourself and your three children!
I am 23 years old and active duty Navy. I’ve been in the Navy for three years. I’ve been married for four years, and my husband just graduated from college in December. We were told we were expecting twins when I was seven weeks pregnant, and were ecstatic and surprised and a little scared. I experienced some bleeding a few days later, and it continued on and off for the next two weeks, so I had an ultrasound done during my first OBGYN visit, even though it was not anticipated. It was at this appointment that they told us we weren’t expecting twins, we were having TRIPLETS! The ultrasound technician told us that two babies were sharing a placenta (likely identical, although fraternal twins/triplets can have fused placentas that look like one, and only upon delivery is the fusion discovered) and the other was on his/her own. Later in the pregnancy we discovered we were having two identical boys and a little girl. My triplet pregnancy was fairly uneventful, a few trips to the ER early on, a few trips to L&D later on and many many many perinatologist appointments in between.

The babies were born at 32 weeks and 4 days, after five days of active but dysfunctional labor. Yes, I did break down and beg them to deliver these babies. And when it was clear to the doctor that the best decision was to deliver them my husband raced down I-5 to get to the hospital in time for the c-section. He made it by three minutes.

Tristan was born first, followed by Cassandra and then Ryland. Tristan and Cassandra spent 18 days in the NICU and Ryland spent 19 days there. They are now almost six months old and are very well adjusted babies for being 7+ weeks early. Tristan and Ryland weigh over 15 lbs and Cassandra is a petite little one at 12 lbs. They are so much fun and are rolling over, mimicking us, laughing at anything and everything, and I swear I heard Tristan say “addie” (daddy) the other day.

When you were pregnant, did you research the benefits of breastfeeding multiples?
Yes I did. I found the most useful resource to be the internet chat groups, where you can interact regarding your curiosities and ask questions specific to your situation. I found both a local group of moms of multiples, and a regional one for triplets and more.

What did you do to prepare yourself to get off to a good start?
I had some time to research breastfeeding while I was on modified bedrest with the babies. I found a lot of support with my local “moms of multiples” group that has an online support group/chat group. I also found a lot of support on The Triplet Connection website, which is a support group for triplets or more. There were a lot of positive and successful breastfeeding stories, as well as personal responses to questions I posted about the pumping verses feeding at the breast.

Were you and each of the babies able to breastfeed shortly after the babies’ births?
I was not able to feed the babies until five days after their birth due to the fact that I was put on magnesium sulfate to stop my contractions. I was on the magnesium sulfate for an extended period of time and the babies had very high magnesium levels. Therefore they had to wait a few days to feed them. And then they were given my expressed breast milk via gavage feeding (a tube into their noses), and then a bottle with my milk, and then about a week after their birth I was able to try and put them at the breast. I had a lot of support from the lactation department at the hospital where I delivered.

I know you are currently pumping a majority of the time. Did you pump right from the beginning to establish supply and to prepare bottles of expressed breast milk for your children?
Yes, I was very lucky to have a mother very involved in the aftercare of my delivery. Within two hours after the c-section, she had me in bed pumping. She describes me as being “three sheets to the wind” and was actually holding the pump flanges to my breasts as I was lying down on my side in bed. Then again two hours later, I was a bit more alert but still exhausted and in pain. Nevertheless, she had me roll to the side of the bed and she held the flanges and worked the machine. From there on out, for the next week, I was pumping every 1-2 hours, NEVER going more than two hours in between pumping sessions. A nurse in the NICU explained to me about pumping as much and as often as I can in the first 1-2 weeks after delivery to “lay down” as many milk producing cells as I can. I’m not sure how medically backed that theory is, but I can say that her support, encouragement, advice, and the support of my mother and husband were amazing.

Did any of you face any medical complications that affected breastfeeding?
When my babies were three weeks old, the day before two of them came home from the NICU I was in my OB’s office with a bad mastitis infection, fever of 102.5, body aches, chills, headache. I was put on an oral antibiotic and then went up to the NICU to visit the babies. Two days later, when we went back to get the third baby from the NICU and bring him home, I ended up in the ER due to the mastitis infection. It was very painful, and the pain was worse with pumping/feeding but is very necessary to promote the healing of a mastitis infection. I ended up on IV antibiotics in the ER, and was sent home on a different type of oral antibiotic than I had been given the day before. The infection cleared up in about a weak, and then pain lessened each day, but it was a very painful experience.

About a month later I ended up with another mastitis infection that required oral antibiotics and cleared up within a few days and then I experienced a third infection that landed me back in the ER. It probably would have only required oral antibiotics, but when I felt it coming on, we had been snowed in and I wasn’t able to get out of my neighborhood until 24 hours later. At that point, the only thing open was the ER and I was in enough pain that I was confident it couldn’t wait until the following morning. I was given antibiotics via an intramuscular shot and sent home to rest for a day. The worst part of the mastitis is most definitely continuing to pump/breastfeed through the infection. It was extremely painful for me for about 4-5 days each time I had an infection.

Mothers of singletons often worry–many times unnecessarily–about their milk supply. We know milk supply increases based on demand and that it’s possible (and wonderful) to breastfeed multiple babies, but I know many mothers are wondering, how is your milk supply??
Initially, my milk supply was pretty large. I am thoroughly convinced that it had to do with the pumping within hours after delivery though. And then continuing to pump every 1-2 hours for the next 1-2 weeks. I don’t have any singleton breastfeeding stories to compare it to, but I really think that’s what made my experience so successful and my supply so large. There were times, especially after I returned to work, that my supply dropped significantly. Enough that we had to pull some extras we had stored in the freezer, out for daily use. But once I relaxed in my work environment and got over the initial change of returning to work, things got better. My pumping time was also different at work than what I had been doing at home, so I just had to adjust and talk to my superiors about the importance of my pumping and the amount of time I needed to do so.

How do you manage feedings?
All weekday feedings are done with a bottle. On a few occasions, to console one of the babies, I would and still do feed at the breast. But due to working full time and having three infants to feed at once, it’s not very likely on the weekdays after an 8- or sometimes 12-hour day. On the weekends, I do my best to feed each baby at least once on the breast, just to have that bonding time. But there are weekends where that doesn’t happen. At first, I would feel really guilty about it and miss that bonding time. But as time passes, I realize there’s no sense in beating myself up over it and I can only do what I can do. Now that the babies are getting older, they are more interested in looking around and playing, so sometimes breastfeeding isn’t even on their daily agenda.

What sort of support have you received for breastfeeding? Did you attend a support group? Do you have any favorite books on breastfeeding, pumping and/or multiples?
I guess you could say that I had breastfeeding support, but I didn’t attend an actual in-person or online “breastfeeding support” session. I did however find a lot of support in chatting with other mothers on INCIID’s “babies born in October” forum (my babies were due in October) as well as my local moms of multiples club and the Triplet Connection. (INCIID’s website is www.inciid.org and is a WONDERFUL resource). (I agree!)

I didn’t do much reading about breastfeeding, so I cannot recommend any books. For me, I preferred to interact and be able to ask questions about personal situations and share my curiosities and get answers to them, which my online groups were able to provide me with.

What advice to you have for mothers of multiples?
I had many people tell me breastfeeding triplets would be impossible. For me, that just fueled my desire and determination TO breastfeed them. I would encourage mothers of multiples to talk to other women on support websites about their fears, concerns and questions. Breastfeeding was very different than I had imagined it would be. But it is so very fulfilling. Plan in advance to be pumping as well. In the end, some mothers of multiples are very successful at feeding at the breast. For other mothers, a combination of feeding at the breast and pumping is the choice that works for them. And still other moms choose to be pump only moms. Either way, your child/children are receiving that irreplaceable breast milk. I would also encourage moms to rent a hospital grade breast pump instead of buying one. I have not personally used both, but other moms have highly encouraged me to go with the hospital grade. Additionally, many insurance companies WILL pay for a breast pump or rental for a premature baby. I would recommend looking into that before the baby(s) arrive so that you have it all planned and there is no last minute running around to find what you need.

Do you have any tips for other pumping and/or working mothers?
Initially I cared about what people thought of me taking time to pump. And I realized that it was stressing me out and affecting my milk supply, and also making the whole process less than enjoyable. I realized that I am providing my children with the best nutrition possible and that as a mother, working or not, I have a right to do that. I would plan my pumping times at home so it would fit into a convenient schedule at work. For me, I’d rather be a bit engorged and uncomfortable at home while taking care of my babies and doing what I LOVE, than being in that same predicament at work and “sour” about the fact that I’m leaking and in pain and “should” be pumping but can’t. I had set in stone times that I pumped everyday, and that made it easier for my co-workers so that they could plan to have coverage for me while I pumped. Giving that schedule knowledge to everyone assisted so that I was rarely ever told that I couldn’t pump at that time. Working in a medical field, there have been unexpected situations and I can’t just drop what I am doing to pump. But at the next earliest opportunity, everyone understood (although not always happy about it), that I needed a break to pump.

If you were to do it all over again, would you do anything differently? Are you happy with your decision to breastfeed?
I would feel less guilty about taking breaks at work to pump. It’s a temporary situation and isn’t going to last forever, even the frequency and amount of time of pumping has decreased as my babies are getting older and are demanding less and eating more solids.

I am very happy with my decision to breastfeed. There were times, like my first few weeks back to work and the mastitis infections that I really wondered how long I could do this and if it was really worth it. But, I have yet to have sick children, and that’s pretty impressive for babies that were eight weeks early. And, I can’t imagine the cost associated with feeding formula to my three babies when I have breasts that produce enough milk to feed them.

How long to you plan to continue breastfeeding and pumping?
My plan is to continue until they are 9-10 months (7-8 months adjusted), and then wean down, and I imagine with my milk supply the weaning process will take a month or so. The babies are getting more active now and want to be played with together and individually, so the hardest pumping times are at home when I’d rather be playing with them than pumping. But I feel that 9-10 months will be a good time to start weaning, both for them and for me.

Thanks Julie! Congratulations on your wonderful babies and your success in breastfeeding and pumping!

If you’d like to share your breastfeeding story, click here. To read more breastfeeding stories, click here.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

checking oscar.

nail polish.
check.

breast pump.
check.

pump accessories (baggies, plastic parts, scissors, marker, pump vest, etc).
check.

black dress.
check.

Indeed, the Celebrity Baby Blog reports that Tammy even dished with Joan Rivers about breastfeeding:

Joan Rivers asked Tammy if she had exercised to get back into shape after giving birth to the twins. Tammy said, “No, I’m breastfeeding, I don’t have to do anything else.” Joan said, “Your breasts look great, so keep nursing!”

Tammy reveals more her weight loss on her blog:

I’m going to be honest here. I walked into that hospital tipping at 200 pounds. Okay. I lied. I didn’t walk into the hospital, I was wheeled in. I could barely walk. But whoooooo, howdy!! Breastfeeding twins, exclusively, is the world’s best kept weight loss secret. Some blisters, bruises, and burning breasts, and VOILA! 130 pounds. I’m quite shocked, to be honest.

Tammy keeps a sense of humor about breastfeeding and pumping:

so if i drink my own breastmilk,
does that mean that i will produce
super-power breastmilk
afterwards?

if breastmilk is alkaline… does that mean we can make alkaline ice cream with it?

do cats like breastmilk?

these are things i think while lying in bed after a pumping.

It’s great to have a celebrity setting a good example by exclusively breastfeeding multiples and even talking about it on the pre-Oscars show (love Joan’s comment “keep nursing”)! For those blessed with multiples as Tammy and Melissa were, La Leche League offers many resources on breastfeeding multiples.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Although Simms breastfed her two older kids, it’s a whole new beginning with her twins.

“What’s the most challenging part of breastfeeding them?” Simms said. “Positioning!”

“It’s very complicated because when one is on the breast the other has to be tilted and has to be slanted downwards.

“You’re feeding one and the other will suck on its tongue and you have to give it a soother or something because it wants food.

“We’re trying to figure out how to feed both of them at the same time,” Simms said, bursting out laughing.

See the full article “Conjoined Babies a Blessing, Says Mom.”

via Tanya

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3