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Multiples
gtbride&groom
member
When did you let BF go?
gtbride&groom
member
in Multiples
My twin girls are 15 days old and my milk supply still hasn't come in. (Girls were born 37 weeks 2 days via c-section at 7lbs 4oz and 6 lbs 3 oz). At our 2 week weight check they were close to their birth weight but only gaining about 0.5 oz/day and the pedi likes to see 1-1.5 oz/day. She suggested that I stop putting my smallest to the breast b/c she seems to be a lazy at nursing and is using more energy than getting in return. However, my largest one she suggested to keep at each breast for 15 min, then bottle feeding and then pump. When I do pump I hardly get anything. It takes me about 3- 20 min pumping sessions to get 5 mL off of one breast. Needless to say, with this schedule I get about 1 hr sleep before the next feeding.
I just don't know when to throw in the towel on BF. I would love to BF. I never imagined not. I'm having a hard time letting it go but I'm going crazy trying...How did you decide to give up (I hate using those words)???
Twin girls born Feb 2012
After another round of IVF, Baby #3 is on the way!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: When did you let BF go?
When you bottle feed are you giving them formula?
That was pretty much my schedule for the first 6 weeks (I had to do a supplement bottle of formula after BF). By 6 weeks my supply got a lot better, but I never got it to where I could only BF.
I did get it to where they each got 6 oz of formula/day and held that for a few months. So not too bad!
It's super hard in the beginning - BF was by far my biggest challenge with having newborn twins. I stuck with it because I had a couple friends that stopped because it was hard and regretted it. It IS really hard, really hard...but if it's something you want to do, keep at it.
Have you tried calling La Leche League in your area? They actuallly put me in touch with a woman who BF her twins and it was SUPER helpful. How pro BF is your pedi? My doctor is SUPER pro BF and actually got in touch with another patient of hers who BF twins so I had someone to talk with.
I thought .5oz a day was about right for BF babies? I would for sure talk to an LC before you give up. Pediatricians generally don't know much about BFing or what to expect for weight gain. I would take everything she says with a grain of salt and go to an LC for a good plan.
Also, when supplementing, you coudl try using a supplementary nursing system so you're getting breast stim while supplementing. It teaches them to suck better too (saved my butt with my singleton and my small twin)
We had a baby scale that we rented from a BFing supply store to monitor our little one's weight gain (he was only 4lbs 13oz at 37w3d)
Generally the first 6w are HELL. That was true with my singleton. I'd say the first 8 with the twins were pretty tough.
ETA: the advice that makes me raise my eyebrows the most is to stop putting the smaller one to the breast. Use a SNS if you need, but keep putting him/her to the breast. Camp them out there if you need to, but to be sustainable, introducing a bottle screws things up, IMO. Also, getting back to birth weight by 1-2 weeks sounds perfectly normal. I second the LLL rec to get an LC rec and/or a nursing twin Mom rec.
First - have you talked with a lactation consultant? Lacation consultants can be SOOO helpful - I think everyone should meet with one once they get home! If you haven't, I would definitely do that before throwing in the towel.
With my daughter, I struggled greatly with supply. I ended up having to pump after every feeding and only being able to feed her from one side because my supply was virtually nil on the other. I ended up needing to take a lot of supplements to increase my supply - the entire time I breastfed (but after thinking we weren't going to be able to at all for the first couple months, we ended up making it 13 months!). I took fenugreek, milk thistle and a prescription for domperidone (not approved in teh U.S. for increasing bm, but i did a lot of research and found a pro-bf'ing practice that would prescribe it). The domeperidone especially worked WONDERS. We woudn't have been able to EBF without it. But the herbs helped too. In addition, when my supply would dip, I would increase my water intake, drink Mothers Milk tea, eat oatmeal.
I found kellymom.com to be my bible on everything breastfeeding. Super helpful.
And, I'll just add this. With these boys coming, I intend to breastfeed them and truly hope that I can. But I also realize I need to relax a bit. If I have the same supply issues, its likely I'll have to supplement. And I am (at least trying) to set myself up emotionally that that is okay too - that my ability to be a great mom does not hinge on whether or not my children are exclusively breastfed - I hope you feel the same. If I were you, I would fight, fight, fight to continue but it just doesn't work for everyone. If you can, I would definitely give it a few more weeks though.
And p.s. - I totally give the side-eye to your pedi.
Photo by Melissa Glynn
After reading the PP's, my answer is definitley going to be different. I gave on BF at 3 weeks. I called and talked to a highly recommended LC in my area multiple times, and after the 3rd or 4th conversation with her on how to increase my supply, she actually told me that she wasn't comfortable taking my money to meet with me and the twins as I was only pumping 2 oz total from both breasts at 2.5 weeks and even though she could get them to latch better they still weren't going to get the amount they needed. I really wanted to BF but had absolutley no supply, had some medical issues PP that complicated things further and pumping on a strict 3 hour schedule per my LC's direction I'll be honest I gave up. It was stressful for me and pumping was not enjoyable at all. I started to resent it and was having PPD issues. I did have a hard time actually binding to get what little milk I had to go away, but for me and our family, it was the best decision for us and I was so much happier and enjoyed my LO's once I did "give up".
When it comes down to it, you're going to get a lot of pro-BF or EBF, which is all great and I agree with if it's possible for you. And I totatlly agree that you should meet with a LC if you haven't because it could be a latch issue and/or they can help you decipher the world of supplements to figure out what's right for you.
But, you need to make a decision that's right for you and your family and if you are literally going crazy, like I was, it's totally ok for you to stop, formula feed and start enjoying your LO's even more. I'm sure there are lots of women who will say I'm being blasphemous (sp?) but BF is not the right choice for everyone's situation. GL and I hope it helps for you to know you're not the only one dealing with this circumstance and the emotions that go with it.
I ended up giving up BF at 2 weeks old. I just had zero milk and was so exhausted I didn't have the time or energy to try to do anything to get myself a supply. I kept trying to pump but nada. Plus the girls had to have formula in the hosp so they were already getting used to it.
If you push on, then GOOD LUCK! If you decide to stop, give yourself a break. I was so hard on myself when I stopped, and felt so guilty, but ultimately you have to do whats best for you and your family!
Another vote to contact LLL or an LC. There is no way we would have made it BFing without the help of an LC.
The best advice the LC gave me was that the beginning was going to be incredibly hard, but that if I stuck through it it would become much easier. She was 100% right. I would definitely talk to an LC before you switch to formula.
I met with a multiple specific lactation consultant in the hospital and had the help of fabulous nurses...while one of my girls wasn't the best latcher, it was my supply that did me in. I decided after 2 weeks and still barely any milk that I would push through to the one month mark and if things didn't improve I would quit. well after the first month of bfing/ffing/pumping (for less than an ounce each time) I was done. and even tho the guilt still haunts me from time to time I know I made the best decision for me and my family....that is the biggest thing. to know that if you feel like you can't do it anymore, it is OK to stop. all the pro-bfing can get a bit much...especially for woman who just can't bf. telling htem to try harder just makes them feel worse for not being able to provide breast milk for their children.
at the end of the day a happy momma is the most important thing in the world...your LOs only know that they are fed, content, and loved.
I decided before the girls were born that I wanted to BF (I nursed my older children a year each) but I wouldn't let it make me crazy and I would decide in 6 week increments. At 6 weeks I decided to quit. I never had a great supply and so was always supplementing. The girls were fine on formula so it just seemed easiest. We've had no problem and they are in the 90th percentile on growth and healthy as can be.
So it's up to you. I think if your top priority is to BF then you can do it. Meet with an LC, call LLL, pump as much as you possibly can and probably with a hospital grade pump.
If you are okay giving it up, then give it up, or think about pumping several times a day and mixing it with formula. There are alot of options. Having nursed singletons successfully I found twins way more than twice as hard.
Obv not a mom yet but I've heard this is a good technique to go with, keeping in mind you may need to supplement for some or all of your increments. ?It lets you have an obtainable goal, so you're more likely to push through frustrations, while still giving you an "out" so you don't drive yourself bonkers.
I am currently 6 weeks out myself. I BF and then supplement with a bottle. I know the girls are getting way more out of the bottle than me. When I pump, I get anywhere from 1-2 oz from one side, and a very little .5 oz or less from the other side. I find it frustrating, but I keep going because I figure that any is better than none. Plus I know overall they are getting what they need, because they are growing well.
I understand where you are coming from completely. There were several times when I wanted to just give it up since they are getting so much from the formula already. But I am not ready to do that yet myself.
HUGS and GL Just do what is right for you.
I had to breastfeed, bottle feed, pump for the first 6 weeks and we didn't get the babies off bottles entirely until 8 weeks. It was rough, especially since my DH was working out of town at the time (5 days a week.) But the initial investment of time, lack of sleep, rental of a hospital grade pump, LC time etc was sooo worth it! I cannot imagine washing 16 bottles a day, plus bottle feeding time plus cost of formula etc etc! And that's not to mention the health concerns I had with FF. I think FFing is waaaay harder than BFing for sure!!
Talk to your OB about a Reglan prescription or fenugreek supplements, they may help. Also talk to an LC for sure! And are you pumping with a hospital grade pump? And I second PP about using a scale too.
Stick with it, get as much help as you can right now so you can sleep, eat and take care of yourself. Even if you hire a little help it will still be cheaper than formula in the long run!
All that being said, lots of FF babies are just as healthy or healthier than BF babies. Don't try to be super MoM if it just doesn't work for you.
It took 9 weeks for DD2 to latch. I spent those weeks in a blur of pumping, feeding, supplementing, and attempting to get her to latch. It was AWFUL! I was ready to throw in the towel several times. Luckily I went to a NICU follow up visit where the nurse told me how awesome I was doing and that based on the girls' growth I must have really great breastmilk. I decided to stick with it a little longer. One day it just clicked and we're going strong at 10 months. I work full time too (pumping sucks -- I haven't ever been able to pump enough).
Now breastfeeding has had its pros and cons. I have made a lot of sacrifices to continue. My best piece of advice -- Get a multiples breastfeeding pillow if you haven't already.
For me, it was worth it. I just always want to look back and know that I gave it all I could. Everyone has her own point when you can say "I did all I could". When you feel that in your heart, then you'll know it's time to move on (I like that better than quit
).