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One twin w/medical issue unable to nurse?

princessbrideyprincessbridey member
in Special Needs

My twin boys are 3 weeks old and exclusively drinking breast milk. One nurses without any difficulty but the other has a complete cleft palate and cannot nurse. We have been to see an Operation Smile specialist and he can have a surgery at 6 months or so whenever he reaches 16 lbs) to correct it. He is using a special bottle we have to squeeze when we feed and it has a specialized nipple so that he can create suction despite the cleft. The were induced at 38 1/2 weeks, weighed 6 lbs 6 oz and 6 lbs 4 oz and are otherwise perfectly healthy and gaining  oz per day as our pediatrician says they should be. 

 I have several questions:

1. Anyone with a baby who has a cleft have success nursing before the surgery? What about after it is done and he is older? IU nursed my 1st born until he was 18 months old so don't plan to wean early.  

 2. How did you keep your milk supply up? I am currently nursing the other twin 6-7 times a day on one side and then pumping both sides for 9 minutes every other feeding. I am storing about 5-6 oz per pumping and the twins are eating about 3 oz each feeding.

3. DH goes back to work this week. How have you been able to feed twins when only one can nurse and the other needs a special bottle? It seems impossible to do at the same time since I need to squeeze the bottle to feed him, not just hold it up.

 I know this is a fairly specialized bunch of questions but am posting on several boards in the hopes that someone else will have experience with this! Thanks! 

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Re: One twin w/medical issue unable to nurse?

  • rsd12rsd12 member

    First, congrats on the baby boys!  My oldest was born with a unilateral complete cleft lip & technically a bilateral palate. 

    1. Anyone with a baby who has a cleft have success nursing before the surgery? My son could not nurse. But I know there are some moms that have been successful.  Depending on the severity & the positioning of the baby.  Unfortunately,my son's palate issues were too severe.

    What about after it is done and he is older? IU nursed my 1st born until he was 18 months old so don't plan to wean early.  If you are pumping & nursing then I would think it could work.  But be prepared that he might not want to.  Just something to take into consideration.. I have heard of mom's that express milk into cleft babies mouth to introduce nursing or at least feel the bond. I tried but with the cleft lop & detached gumline & bilateral cleft palate - it would not work.  

     2. How did you keep your milk supply up? I am currently nursing the other twin 6-7 times a day on one side and then pumping both sides for 9 minutes every other feeding. I am storing about 5-6 oz per pumping and the twins are eating about 3 oz each feeding. Sorry no real advice here, I only pumped of 1 child for 3 months (had enough in the freezer for 6 months ; )  But I would think if you are nursing & pumping then you will keep your milk supply up for both boys.

    3. DH goes back to work this week. How have you been able to feed twins when only one can nurse and the other needs a special bottle? It seems impossible to do at the same time since I need to squeeze the bottle to feed him, not just hold it up. What bottle are you using?  We only squeezed in the very beginning just to get him started (first few days after born), but with the right bottle you should not have to squeeze at all.  We used the pigeon bottle & it has a special valve that open's & closes with pressure from the nipple & air flow (or something like that). 

    Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions!  & good luck!

    Boy 1 2/06 - Boy 2 12/07 - Boy 3 9/09
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