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Multiples
Does this MoM LC advice make sense?
I had a LC that helped me last time who was really great. So much more helpful than the LCs I had in the hospital. She also happens to have twins and an older singleton, so I tracked her down to ask some twin questions.
She said you can try to tandem with them right away, but it's hard because they're just learning to nurse. So she suggested giving it a try and if it wasn't working to just nurse them one at a time for a few weeks while they learn to nurse. She also suggested doing it mostly in a football hold so they're used to nursing in that position.
She also suggested nursing each baby on one side and just switching sides at each feeding and to feed on demand and your body would keep up. She wholeheartedly agreed with the advice I've seen here to wake the other baby to eat when the first eats.
Does that make sense, or was your experience different? My DS was SO hard to get nursing that the part about them learning to nurse makes sense. I figure if I get 2 barracudas, I'll give the tandem a shot early on but otherwise wait a month or so to do it regularly.
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Re: Does this MoM LC advice make sense?
This is EXACTLY what I did. My girls had a hard time nursing (I did too, because I'd never nursed before) so they didn't start tandem feeding until Week 5, and by Week 6 we were pros.
I know plenty of women on here though that could tandem feed from Day 1. I did try once a day to do it, and I think after about Week 3, I should have tried it more and probably could have done it sooner. I felt very discouraged though, like I would NEVER be able to do it, so I think that's why it took me so long. But the first 3 weeks? My babies (not everyone's, but mine) could never have tandem fed.
Everything she said makes perfect sense to me. I honestly never did start regularly tandem feeding. I kept trying but it was a disaster--they were (and are) very different sizes, so I would be wrestling with props, etc., and by the time I'd finally get them settled one of them would need to burp...and the whole works was shot. By the time they were mature enough that it was possible for me (because they had better neck control), I'd observed that they were both pretty efficient eaters, and that it was just as easy for me to feed them separately. So I just kept at that.
One thing I did that was different than her suggestions: I switched boob assignments day-to-day, rather than feeding-to-feeding. Just easier that way. But whichever is fine.
Sounds right to me : ) I did start tandem feeding from day 1. I used receiving blankets to prop their heads at first. I found that it helped to get the first baby latched well first, then you can concentrate on the 2nd baby, rather than trying to figure out 2 latches at the same time. Even if they are fussy while you're working to get a proper latch, it's WELL worth the wait because a proper latch is key to your comfort level and supply for them.
Also, take the time to make sure you're sitting up straight with shoulders back. I found that sometimes I'd rush to get them latched and end up slumped and uncomfortable with a back or neck ache. Definitely worth the extra 10 seconds to make sure everyone is comfy : ) That's pretty much the bottom line with everything having to do with bf'ing... slow and steady, patience, and persistence!