Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Adventures in Breastfeeding!

Breastfeeding has not been what I thought it would be. Instead of snuggling in with my babies and providing ample nourishment, I am instead having intimate relations with my breast pump to help build up my supply.

So here is what I do:
I take an herb called fenegreek-- probably spelled wrong
I take Ra.eglan 3 times a day
I spray oxytocin (refrigerated) into my nose 10 minutes before nursing or pumping
I am trying to eat oatmeal. I think I have finally found the perfect consistency.
I pump every 1 1/2 to 3 hours.
I visit with a lactation consultant from the nicu once a week


I am trying to be exclusive, but they are SO hungry! I don't feel like this has been working. I never have extra anything in my fridge or freezer. I am not and/or barely keeping up. The babes get formula 1-2 a day. Not bad, but not good either! Or Jelly gets it all and PB gets formula. (Her stomach does NOT tolerate the formula very well).

It is quite the production to nurse to babies at the same time. I have to get my water, the remote controls and/or book and/or computer, and the very best twin nursing pillow! It is made so that you can nurse 2 babies without holding them. They lay in the "football" hold and the pillow keeps them turned in to my body and at the right height.

So any other suggestions? Has anyone out there struggled like me and turned a corner sometime after 2 months? Because I go back to work at 3 months, and if it isn't any better I might just have to give it up.

Here is me nursing! I couldn't get my head to fit, so it is just the good parts!


And I just have to add some pictures I found. I don't think I ever posted them and I think they are hilarious. This is my cheerleading uniform from HS. Normally, I still fit it.


4 comments:

anofferingoflove said...

i dont know which pictures i like more - the sweet one of pb&j's heads or you in the cheerleading outfit - too funny!! :)

Two Moms, Two Monkeys said...

Hang in there! I wish I could say it gets better but for me everyday has been a struggle for one reason or another. I have always had the milk but with the lil guys meds I've had to pump for him half the time and bfeed the other half and bfeed exclusively for the big guy. So basically I stay home all day everyday without a shirt on because I am either pumping or feeding! It feels like forever that we have been doing this but we are barely going on 6 months! I imagine I won't be able to keep this up once I go back to work in 3 months. I will have to pump as much as I can prior to going back but with as much as they are eating now I barely have a few bottles left at the end of each day, which get eaten up if I miss a pumping for whatever reason! ugh! Twins are hard. Lets not forget I exclusively pumped for the first 3 months because they were so small! The only motivation is that they can't tolerate formula so they get NONE! I never thought I'd want to give them formula, but if there were a brand they could take I'd be buying it in bulk right now!

If you figure out a better way please let me know!! I feel your pain!

tireegal68 said...

I don't have any suggestions except to cheer you on!
Whatever you can do in the milk department is going to give them the best start.
I am a twin and my mum likes to tell this story about how she didn't have enough milk for both of us so she had to use a bottle with formula to supplement - but I got mostly breast milk because I could not get the hang of the bottle. I am not sure whether I come off too well in that story, but because I was too dumb to get the bottle I lucked out and got more breast milk!!!
I am going to check out that twin nursing pillow - you know, just in case!!!

Cristin said...

Oh my.. that is so funny and wrong, I LOVE It!!!

I rocked nursing ONE baby, rocked the shit out of it... can't begin to imagine sustaining TWO hungry bellies!!

You're a superstar.