Breastfeeding Fraternal Twins-My Story
I had made it very clear from the very beginning that Mark and Madelyn were to be breastfed only. I had already encountered many negative nurses during my multiple trips to the hospital for Non-stress tests.
I was told very adamantly by one nurse that I would not make enough breastmilk for twins and would have to supplement with formula. I looked her dead in the eye and said "No I won't, I make enough milk to feed the whole world" She went completely silent and never returned to my room.
Mark David Elijah and Madelyn Mandy Anne were born July 22, 2003 by cesarean section. It was one of the most incredible moments of my life. Mark was born first and Madelyn one minute later. Madelyn was laid on my chest first and then Mark. A feeling that I can never describe in words but is forever imprinted on my heart.
I can still hear my mom's voice as they were pulled from my uterus. The gasping sobs of us both as my third and fourth children were born.
I kept repeating that I wanted to nurse them from the moment they wheeled me into recovery. I was told that I couldn't see them until my legs came back to life and I was coherent. I kicked my legs as soon as I could feel them. At one point when I was very dopey a nurse came in and informed me that Mark and Madelyn had very low blood sugar and needed to be supplemented to get it up. I was not quite aware of my surroundings then and I believe I was alone. I honestly didn't know that breastfeeding them would have helped. They were supplemented, I believe finger fed.
I was transfered to my room after about 2 hours in recovery. I can't remember exactly. They stopped at the nursery so I could see them but they had an emergency patient and I wasn't able to. They took me to my room. The details after this are quite fuzzy. I will most likely edit it this after I speak to my mom to get a refresher. :)
I know I tried to nurse one of the babies shortly after they were brought in my room but I was so ill with nausea that I couldn't do it. I was moved across the room and given more space by my bed for both babies and I finally got to have them both in my arms. It was amazing.
I was very lucky they took to nursing very well. My nipples were huge compared to their little mouths but they latched on well with help from my mom and would nurse feircely. They still had low blood sugars and they were checking them regularly and the nurses insisted they needed formula to bring it up. So they would finger feed them after I nursed. I regret this tremdously.
At one point I had a nurse tell me that letting them "comfort nurse" meant they were hungry because they weren't getting anything from my boobs. She went and got two bottles of formula and insisted I give them each an ounce. She grinned with satisfaction when they gulped it down. I felt so guilty but it was late at night, it was their first day in the world and I was completely unsure of my body.
That was the last time I let them have formula there.
I was roomed in with two other women. Both were formula feeding and I watched as the woman across from me overfed her tiny little baby 4oz bottles every hour or so. She even gave her water. The poor thing cried and cried. I had 2 nurses pull the curtain around me when I was nursing for "privacy" I told them to open it, I am claustrophobic. :)
The only lactation counselling I recieved was a 2 second comment by their Pediatrician who said "Oh make sure you get more of your areola in their mouth" That was it.
I took Mark and Madelyn home 2 days after they were born. I had several setbacks of my own in the hospital and I just wanted to go home.
They saw a Pediatrician the following day and I was told to nurse them every 1.5-2 hours until they gained lots of weight. Including during the night. I spent the next 2 weeks waking them every 1.5 to 2 hours to nurse them. They would nurse so well every time. They surpassed their birth weights within 5 days and the Pediatrician was amazed. Heck, everyone was amazed that I was making enough milk for twins.
I was alone with them by the time they were a week old. My older children were amazing during these early days with newborns and only mommy to deal with it all. I spent the first 3 months of their lives on the couch with them beside me in their bassinette. I nursed, slept and ate, while they nursed, slept and pooped. I kept track of every feeding and every wet/poopy diaper.
I don't ever remember thinking, I can't do this. I was so in awe of my newborns that I wanted to do the very best for them. I was not able to tandem feed when they were very little so sometimes one would have to wait while I nursed the other. I always tried to feed them around the same time so eventually I could nurse them together. They have always eaten, slept and played at the same time.
The time went quickly. We survived growth spurts with no real issues. I rarely got engorged, they were always nursing, not time to get overfull.
Madelyn was always a much more efficient nurser than Mark. He was the lazy nurser and likes to take his time. Once Madelyn was mobile (which was fairly early) she just wanted to nurse and be gone. :) Mark would stay with me for an hour sometimes, happily nursing away.
I began them on solids earlier than I should have only because I honestly did not know better. I know now I should and could have waited until they were over 6 months. We began with tastes when they were around 4 months. It took them a long time to be interested in anything but boobie.
I developed a blocked milk duct when they were about 8 months old and it was excruciating. I tried for two days to unclog it. I nursed as much as I could handle from that side, I hand expressed, massaged, heat cloths, nothing was working. I checked out website after website trying to find a remedy. Several suggest I prick the white head that was on my nipple to open the milk duct. I did this, thinking I was crazy while I did it. It worked, the milk started streaming from my nipple. It hurt a lot when I did it, but was completely healed in a day.
Around 11 months Madelyn decided that nursing was not her thing. She was a new walker and was into exploring. The bonus of twins is that when one has a nursing strike, there is always the other to make up for it. It lasted about a week. Madelyn would only nurse in the morning and evening and maybe once more during the day, Mark picked up the slack and nursed constantly.
Mark has never had a nursing strike in 20 months. Madelyn has had several.
At around a year old we were finally able to master tandem nursing. I would lay a large body pillow on my lap and they would crawl up and lay head to head and nurse in the football hold together. It was amazing the first time we accomplished it. They rarely nurse seperately now. Occasionally I will lay on the couch and they will lay on top of me to nurse. They like to do that before nap time. I think it relaxes them.
When they are sick they nurse more often, just a few days ago I spent 2 full days on the couch where they nursed almost constantly, taking breaks to sleep and play a little. They were both ill and just wanted their "boo-boo's" I wondered if there was even enough in there for them. My breasts were so sore I just wanted to cry but breastmilk was the only thing they were keeping in their sick tummies.
SO here we are at 20+months old. Still nursing with no end in sight :)
I have had my fair share of both positive and negative experiences with nursing. I have done my fair share of nursing in bathrooms away from people because of the reactions I have gotten. I have only seen maybe 3 other women nursing in 20 months. I helped start a twins group and I was the only nursing mother there. They all whined about how hard it was.
My ex was never supportive of breastfeeding and called it perverted to nurse after the twins were a few months old. I have heard the "when are you going to stop nursing" "are you still nursing" questions, I have seen the looks when I nurse them in public (which I still do occasionally).
I have also had some of the best positive moments. My mom being so supportive, she's the only boob nazi formula feeder :) She has been known to say "oh Melody just stick your boob in his mouth" when we've been out in public. She's stood up for me many times. :) The way older women have told me how blessed I am and what a good job I'm doing when they have seen me nursing them. Those are the moments we all need to have.
Considering that Mark and Madelyn are my last biological children that I will get to nurse (unless there is another plan that I don't know about) I hope to continue until they are ready to wean. :)
****Updated April 04/06****
Mark & Madelyn are now 32 months old. They nurse at most once per day now. They are still very much boob addicts but have become very independent. They are both smart, funny and happy children. I do not see them completely weaned anytime soon, but if they do, we've had a good nursing relationship.
It is so bittersweet to watch your babies grow into little people.
Edited to add **At 33 months they completely weaned, it was quite a shock to me as they were still very much addicted at 32 months, it just happened very suddenly, they just stopped asking, Madelyn would go 2 or three days without it and then nurse for half hour, pat my breast and be fine. Mark just stopped one day and never asked again.
It saddens me that they weaned before they were 3, but I know that they are happy, independent, loving, special, wonderful, beautiful, amazing kids, and I think nursing them helped that along.
Madelyn Mandy Anne
Mark David Elijah
