On breastfeeding twins

Today is one of those nasty jelly bean mommy day I've had.  My little Callie is sick with colds.  Another restless night for me and for the lil' one tonight.  Dashielle, on the other hand did not catch the cold.

It feels bad saying this, but Callie have weaned herself off breastfeeding 3 months ago (After I've tried to change her bottle to a bigger nipple flow).  While Dashielle, still gets breastfed (but, not exclusively anymore). Dashielle, who gets 50% of her milk from me still did not get the cold I've had 3 days ago and I attribute it to breasfeeding.  Everytime I catch a cold, I kept on hoping that no one from the 3 little ones catch it.  I do try to sneeze with a Kleenex, and have earnestly wash my hands.  But somehow, it still gets into one of them.

Breastfeeding Dashielle kept her from catching my virus (Ice didn't get it either). Or rather, Dashielle might have gotten it but since she's breastfed, my antibodies from the virus is passed along to her system that protected her beforehand.

I love nature's way of producing pro-biotics to pass along to our kids... and that is through breastfeeding.  Breastfeeding the twins is one of the most memorable experience I'll ever have as a mom (since, I might not be able to tandem breastfeed again).

Breastfeeding twins is quite different and unique.  Here are some things I've experienced about twin feeding.

1. You'll have to feed them both together and at the same time.  Otherwise, you will go crazy as to who gets to be fed first or who hasn't.
   
2. Keep a milk journal especially the 1st few months, so you'll know what time and how long (or how much) a twin has been fed.
   
3. If you want to get some good (at least a maximum of 3 hours of night's sleep), then you'll have to master the side-lying position at night to breastfeed.  Otherwise, you will never, ever get to sleep unless you intend not to (which might turn you into a zombie).
   
4. Breastfeed if you must at night.  During the first 2-3 nights after the twins got home, I needed to formula feed them because I'm anxious that my milk has not let down a lot yet (which, I believed to be wrong).  During those few restless nights, I literally almost threw all the bottles out because it took me so much time and effort to simply make a single formula! It takes me 2 minutes to mix formula, 10-15 minutes to feed, 10-20 minutes to burp and 3 minutes to put back on the crib (A total of 45 minutes per baby).  By about the time I'm finally done and about to put one back to her crib... the other baby will start to ask for milk and the cycle continues.  I focused and mastered tandem breastfeeding and that's what kept me whole during the 1st few weeks.  I just slept while they feed, no more burping needed (at night), and even my little Ice Monster slept soundly w/o the long crying bouts of his sibs.
   
5. Do the cry - get - feed - put back method.  I personally think that babies should sleep in their own cribs/beds.  I find it safer and better for your back.  This method works so much for me, it goes...
1. Baby 1 cries
2. Mom to pick up from the crib and bring to bed
3. Mom to feed, side lying (so she can sleep a bit as well)
4. Then, finally... Mom to put baby 1 to her crib.
5. Repeat on Baby 2 (usually happens 30 minutes after #4)
   
6. You need help from your husband, but don't leave everything to him! You should mind your husbands good sleep as well, moms have the strength to do the mommy jobs!  I just want my husband to be off the night feeding as much as I can so he can help out for morning feeds while I just sleep a bit more.
   
7. No, you are not a milking cow.  Weird as it may sound, but some point in my breastfeeding felt  like a mommy cow (or a mother dog, which I can much visualize my old pet) who just stayed with her babies all day long.  It was tiring, no wonder dogs get mad when strangers go near their pups.  So, well... I needed some fresh air.  Surrounded myself with people who can encourage me.  Read good books while enjoying motherhood, blogged away, ate what I want, go out with the twins and just simply enjoyed the ride of motherhood.
   
8. The ultimate support you'll get is yourself.  I am not saying to disregard how you feel.  Of course, being a mom is not an automatic function.  You might feel tired, worn-out, pitiful and helpless.  But then, the joy of realizing that your child is entirely in need of your love... will give you so much strength to just get on and move on more than anything else.
   
9. Do not listen to old wives' tales, listen and get the facts right.  I learned Urban Legends before I send out some forwarded emails, so the same way with anything I just heard from random strangers about feeding my children.  Here are some carefully chosen links I love:

• www.raising-twins.com
• www.llli.org (La Leche League - International Breastfeeding Organization)
• http://www.kellymom.com/ - Evidence-based info on Breastfeeding, Sleep and Parenting