24 December 2009

Breastfeeding Part 10: Turning the Corner

I've mentioned in some of my other post that the girls are latching without nipple shields! They've been doing so for about 3 weeks now and life is so much simpler because of it!

I haven't had mastitis or a significant plugged duct since Thanksgiving. I'll credit careful attention and a Soy Lecithin supplement (not to mention vegan chocolate chips also have Soy Lecithin).

The girls still have strong reactions to milk products.  I tried to sneak 2 spoonfuls of ice cream last week.  My ears hurt from the amount of screaming Bronwyn put me through and Aeralind was not happy with me either. I'll be posting more about the dairy free breastfeeding life in the weeks to come: recipes, resources, and milk substitution reviews are on the agenda.

I'll be honest, I cried at least once a week up until three weeks ago when they started latching and sleeping through the night. These first three months have been hard. Pumping, dealing with plugged ducts due to oversupply & pumping, mastitis, and  teaching two babies to latch, all while terribly sleep deprived definitely makes for an overly emotional journey

For those of you just starting such a journey: keep at it!  Surround yourself with supportive people: My husband would come home from work, tired himself, and when he saw me shed a tear he would gently send me to bed.  The lactation consultants at St. Francis were incredible.  I can't express to you how supportive they have been and how proud they are that I've made it this far.  Supportive people make all the difference.

Set yourself a goal; my first goal was 6 weeks.  Once you reach that goal reevaluate; at six weeks the girls were taking just about every feeding from me with the aid of a nipple shield and I still had more than enough milk. I decided I'd try to make it to 3 months.  At 3 months, a year seems like it'll be a piece of cake; it can only get easier from here!

For Moms of Multiples just beginning this journey, please feel free to contact me.  I'll do everything I can to encourage and support you.

1 comment:

Jessica said...

Hello Melissa...

I haven't commented much, but I started reading your blog a couple months ago, after I found it through the Sense & Sensibility forum. Being also pregnant, though a couple months behind you, I greatly sympathised with your breastfeeding trials, etc. Little did I know how well I would be able to relate to them!

On the 20th, my little boy, Cedar, came at about four weeks too early. We've been spending the days since his birth in the NICU due to some breathing problems that he had at birth. I've spent the hours pumping and (after his breathing problems stabilised) helping him learn to take a bottle. I don't think that his feeding journey was/is as difficult as your girls', but it certainly was very different from the scenario I had ever envisioned for myself and my baby.

Today we're finally able to take Cedar home and I found your post very encouraging! I'm not sure what it will be like learning to nurse him at home, but it's encouraging to know that others have come through similar experiences! :)

So...all this long comment is to say...thank you for being so vulnerable and open about your struggles with this...it has been and I'm sure will continue to be a big encouragement to me.

Have a glorious Christmas!
~Jessica