Breastfeeding Part 20: in which the 8 month old get his first bottle

Teeth.

The girls were slightly grouchy, bit me more often, and then POP! a tooth.  We didn't even use teething gel until they cut their first molars. I kind of snorted at everyone who drugged the mess out of their kids on everything from pain meds to teething tablets to amber necklaces.

Confession: I've been doing a drug cocktail with the boy for 48 hours... and now I ordered an amber necklace.

Apparently his teeth hurt so bad that I'm experiencing my first nursing strike.  Wednesday he didn't eat from 1 until 9pm (to be fair... he was also recovering from the stomach flu).  Thursday he didn't eat from 3-9pm.  Today was trending to be the same.  I'd be fine with that... but he screams pathetically for like 2 hours of that time, then cries himself to sleep, and then I wake him to nurse.  All that screaming (and crawling after me where ever I go) is way more that I can handle (+ two year old twins).

Today required drastic measures.  I borrowed a pump.

And the 8 month old got his first bottle.

I know he was relieved.  And I sort of was.  At least from the screaming.

But I was sad that he had to have a bottle at all. (Self-righteous humility-struggler that I am.)  Oh, and I hate pumping.  Hate it.

So I had a talk with the boy and said I'd only pump the dinner time feed for him... and help him through the other three with well-timed drowsy feeds (during which he will nurse).

But I do believe he liked that bottle... just... a... little... too... much.

Don't you think?

Breastfeeding: Part 18

I finally narrowed down the food that makes Sedryn turn into a chaotic ball of fussiness for hours.  It's like he's a different baby when I eat eggs!

It's took me over 3 months to figure it out.  His worst days were Christmas Eve, Christmas, and 3 days 2 weeks ago.  Seriously, my folks thought he was an terrible baby when they were here for Christmas.  He did nothing but scream!  On those days I had eaten a frittata and baked French toast.  On those 3 days 2 weeks ago: omelets and quiche.  With no eggs in my diet, I know have super content baby all the time!  Sedryn is so easy going :) 

Fortunately, I'm allowed to have brownies and other baked goods: those amounts of eggs don't bother him!

However, I have been hit for the first time this go round by the evil that is called Mastitis.  It was the perfect storm of sleeplessness, followed by an weekend of vomit that found me sleeping accidentally in a nursing tank, and a missed feeding.  Youch!   I picked up some grapefruit seed extract today (a natural antibiotic) and have rested a ton.  Hopefully, I'll be in the clear soon :)

Breast Feeding Part 17: A New Beginning

Let's just say that breastfeeding a singleton after twins is a so easy.  A full term almost 9lb baby with a mom who knows what to do have a learning curve that while still steep, isn't nearly as hard as it was the first time. 

In the beginning, the only issue we had was a bad latch on the right side.  It turns out that, because of the twins on their nursing pillow, I'm pretty much incapable of latching a young baby on the right side except in football hold.  So that was an easy fix ;)

And then my milk came in.  Holy Milk Cow Momma!  Um... hello, body, we're not needing milk for two again! So I had to block feed Sedryn (one side for every 3 hours).  That solved issue number two.  Score!

But issue number 3 isn't going to be so easy.  Momma overloaded on dairy the last two days.  And momma's ears have been paying for it.  The little guy has screamed from 1pm-10pm (praise God he's allowing it to be during the day time!) both days.   So I'll be dairy light through the holidays to see if he improves... and after the holidays if it's still rough, I guess I'm heading back to dairy-free land. 

Hello Almond Milk Smoothies: I've missed you the past 13 months!  (no really, I have!)

Breastfeeding Part 16: Closing Thoughts

Well it's been two weeks since I last nursed.  The girls are carrying on like normal.  I suffered a pretty severe plug 8 days after our last nursing.  I no longer have a pump so I googled hand expression and then took Aeralind into the bedroom and had her latch on.  She latched and gave me a hysterical look along the lines of "Are you serious? That stuff tastes weird!"  However, she got the milk flowing and I was able to hand express the plug in two sessions. (Seriously, why didn't anyone teach me hand expression before now!  It would have been perfect in those early days!)  8 Cabbage leaves later and the worst was over. 

Looking back, I am so glad I fought to nurse these children.  My primary reason for breastfeeding was always financial: we couldn't afford formula.  However, I also know the scientific benefits and I loved that I wouldn't have to clean bottles.  But those first three months... whew.  I would not have made it through except for that commitment and the support of my husband and the lactation staff at St. Francis.

Was it worth it? Yes.  Even though I had to pump so much.  Even though I had mastitis 3 times.  Even though they didn't latch skin to skin until three months.  Even though I quit eating dairy for their sake.  Even though I hated being a milk cow.  Even though I hated pumping and also hated being stuck to their time table (as far as how long I could be away from them).

I will cherish those moments of close snuggling and the fact that my body was able to nourish those babies.  I feel blessed that I stayed the course.

But I am so glad this season is over :-)

To those of you reading these words and going through the initial stages of breastfeeding or considering breastfeeding your multiples, I would love to support you however I can.  I put my story out there on the web to support you and I have made two friends because of it and been emailed a total of four times.  I know that breastfeeding twins takes the support of many people and I would love to be able to assist you however you can.

Hang in there.  It's a wild ride, but remember, even in the thick of your worst day:

It's only a season.

Breastfeeding Part 15: And the Dairy is Closed

Wednesday morning the mom dairy closed for business (at least with this set).

13 months and 9 days is the final tally.

My Aunt Flow came for a visit and my supply usually drops during that time, the girls were being all crazy while nursing and I was just done.

So I closed up shop.  It just seemed like perfect timing for all of us.

So far so good.  But with all my issues with mastitis and no longer having access to a pump, I'm slightly nervous. 

In any case: the fridge is stocked with cabbage and the medicine cabinet has ibuprofen in case mastitis comes and both birth control pills and sudafed to slow up production if things start getting ugly.

Let me tell you as sad as I am that this time is over, I am glad I'm done. 

I feel so free.

And the girls are happy as clams drinking coconut milk from their straw cups.

I fought the good fight.  I saved us a ton of money.  I did the hardest thing I've ever done and I have two precious 19lb babies/toddlers to show for it.

I say it's a win/win situation :)

Breastfeeding Part 14: Weaning

We're suddenly down to just a morning and night feeding over here. 

It kind of happened unexpectedly.  Derek was home on vacation for a week and looked at me early in the week and said "You know they're ready for 3 feedings right?" Well, I didn't know, but I trusted his judgment and the next day we gave it a try.  And to my surprise it worked well!  I didn't replace that feeding, but we did do their dinner earlier and make sure they ate lots of food and drank extra water.

I had expected that dropping the middle of the day feed would take awhile so I added a little coconut milk in anticipation of dropping that feed.  However, last Tuesday there was some crazy drama involving skipping a morning nap, playing at a friends house, and two separate trips to the doctors' office.  By the time I left the second doctor's appointment it was 2pm and the babies were exhausted.  When I got home, there was no way I was waking them for a feeding.  I plopped them in their cribs and let them sleep until 4:15.  So I took them straight from their nap to the dinner table and then nursed at bedtime.  It worked.  So I tried it the next day... and have been doing it since.

They're eating a ton more at each meal and sucking down two 4 oz sippies of an almond/coconut milk cocktail with breakfast and lunch. Occasionally I toss in a banana smoothie with dinner.  I'll start trialing dairy again this weekend and hopefully we can do cow's milk or homemade yogurt instead of the expensive alternative milks soon.  But other than that... routine is much the same.  I think the bedtime feed will be the next to be replaced, because they are crazy and all over the pillow, and standing up trying to nurse, and a whole mess of other activity that is either response to them being done with that feed or a response to drop in supply.  I don't know which?   But I do love my morning nursing the most as well ;)

Emotionally, it's not as bittersweet as I thought it would be.  Maybe it would be more sad if I just had one child and if these two were my last babies, but since there are two of them and I hope to have one more... I just suddenly feel free. I also feel less like a dairy cow. I mean... I could be out of the house all day and not have to pump (which I hate!) or come home to nurse.  That's hugely freeing!  I can only imagine how freeing it will be to be able to go on a retreat for a weekend.  Wow. 

However, I did make it to my goal of 1 year :)  And I'm actually probably going to make it at least a month beyond.  I feel like I just ran a marathon.  And I'm so proud and so thankful for the support that I was given along the journey.

Breastfeeding Part 13: The 10 Month Update

For us breastfeeding has pretty much been getting easier since the 12-14 mark.

However, there was a really rough patch at about 6 months when they decided they wanted to eat every 2-3 hours in the middle of the night, but we stopped that as soon as we realized they didn't need the extra intake.

There was also another little rough patch at about 7 months when I realized how exhausted I was from feeding them 6-7 times a day.  Soon after I started offering the breast less often, and today I'm attempting to get them down to 3 feedings (altough that seams impossible most days...)

Right now we're going through another rough patch that I think is related to teething.  Bronwyn has 2 bottom teeth and Aeralind has 1.  They're both about to pop another one I think.  However, when they nurse they're doing this crazy latch on/latch off cycle almost the whole time.  They're not distracted from nursing because they howl in hunger (or teething pain) while they're latched off.  Bronwyn started this cycle last week and Aeralind started this week.  I've tried disciplining them for it and that just results in more howling.  And I've tried holding their heads still so they can't latch off (or at least not violently...ow), but even that has varied results.  I'm frustrated and sore.  Hopefully, the painful teeth will pop soon! But this is definitely making me feel like a year can't come soon enough!

On other breastfeeding news, we gave them cow's milk yogurt.  The results: mommy is now having dairy again after nearly 8 months of going without!  However, my whole dairy perspective has changed: it's no longer a necessity in my mind and more of a splurge item in the grocery budget.

I truly believe they did have a diary sensitivity in the beginning.  I can remember (even in my sleep deprived state!) how much they changed from fussy reflux-y babies to happy little girls when I quit eating dairy.  I am, however, not sure when they outgrew the sensitivity.  At 4 months when I trialed dairy, it was horrible.  At 7 and 8 months when I trialed it, they were both gassy and fussy but at that point it was hard to tell if it was solids, over tired/stimulated, or milk in my breast milk that caused the reaction.  At 9 months, I decided we'd just put the dairy in their system directly to know for sure.  And neither baby seems to be suffering from it!  Even Bronwyn's eczema is holding steady.  I'm still hesitant about straight milk (especially the nasty homogenized/ultrapasteurized grocery store variety), but cheese and yogurt are back in all three of our diets!

Perspective Shifting Thanks

I've been eating cheese on and off for about 2 weeks now.  I thought the girls may have been outgrowing their dairy sensitivity and honestly cheese is the only thing I miss. We've had no diapers rashes, and no weird diaper fillings, and the girls have mostly been themselves.  But over the last 2 weeks we've seen an increase in terrible gas attacks: 3 since I sneaked my first cheese.  Couple this with Bronwyn's new eczema and I'm certain that the three of us will be diary free for the next four months.

Tonight's gas attack was a major 2 1/2 hour episode. Derek and I had lost track of time last night and stayed up until midnight and the girls woke this morning at 6:15.  Normally a screaming baby under those circumstances would result in me loosing patience and crying to have a moment alone, a moment's rest.  But tonight as I rocked and snuggled with my screaming children, I thought: what a blessing it is to have extra hours to snuggle and rock a precious baby who will only be this small for such a short time.

I'm not even halfway to a thousand yet, but this blessing counting, this thanksgiving: it is changing me.  For thanksgiving (the art of reflecting glory back to the One who owns it all) is what we all were made to do. 

442. 2.5 hours of extra snuggling and rocking time on the last night these little ones will ever be 7 months old
443. Finally catching my first girls smiling together photo since 4 months. 
444. A walk with Derek while the girls happily suck on prunes through a mesh feeder in their stroller
445. Visiting Lindy and making her a milkshake before precious little Brandt arrives
446. Watching God strengthen all of us in our small group as He cares for little Brandt and provides for all their needs
447. Aeralind laughing hysterically at Lindy's dog Shelby after being licked
448. Bronwyn petting Shelby
449. Someone who understands the acronyms/trials of NSTs and BPPs
450. A Mason Jar Bouquet of backyard flowers

451. Dancing with Margaret and the gang at the Seminary on our anniversary
452. Both girls playing happily on the floor 1.5 hours after bedtime so we could dance
453. 4 years of marriage
454. A playdate at Sarmite's
455. Seeing Jenny again
456. Unexpected new toys from Sarmite
457. Craisins
458. Air Conditioning
459. Grapes, Melon, Strawberries

Breastfeeding Part 12: Just a Litte Celebration

A month and a half ago I reached a milestone that I never even acknowledged.  Sure, I'd been a mom for half a year and having 6 month olds was a blast!  They're even more fun now at 7 months :)  But I had reached a milestone even more amazing than that: I had supplied every single ounce of their nutrition for 6 solid and sometimes difficult months (except for 3 days supplementing with some formula at the beginning).  We had struggled through c-section recovery, latching difficulties, plugged ducts and mastitis, overactive letdown, oversupply, reflux, a milk protein sensitivity, and the doubts/misinformation supplied by the well-intentioned folks around me.  We had all cried so many times figuring each other out and working to get through it all. 

But that six month milestone went unnoticed. Uncelebrated.

And that makes me sad.  Breastfeeding is indeed beautiful and a very special bond, but it is also difficult and requires so much out of the dyad (or triad) to learn and maintain.  Why don't we as women celebrate this accomplishment in a noteworthy manner?  Why don't we take each other out for coffee or show up at someone's doorstep with a balloon and a cookie and congratulate them on the biggest accomplishment to date?!

Instead, at six months we start hearing things like: when are you going to stop feeding them so often?  When are you going to just pump and put milk in a sippy? You've made it to the 6 month mark, why don't you give yourself a break and just do formula? Now that they're on solids, you can relax.

Why can't we just stop and celebrate? Lets take some time to enjoy the accomplishment and the sweet nursing relationship that has evolved from that steep 6 month learning curve.

Oh and, my friends who nurse, expect a chocolate chip muffin and some other little surprise when you get there. You deserve it :)

Breastfeeding Part 11: Solid Food

I can't believe the girls are starting on solid food.  I just can't process it!  We've been doing solids seriously for about 2 weeks now.  Avocado, Peas, Apples, Rice Cereal, Sweet Potato and Mango(just tried it today) are on the menu.

Bronwyn really seems to like just about anything we put in her mouth.  She grabs the spoon to chew on and suck off of and brings her mouth right to the spoon in excitment.  She also screams if I spend too much time feeding her sister in between bites!

Aeralind is starting to like it more. She's especially drawn to the avocado and peas and generally tolerates plain rice cereal better than her sister.

I feed them solids twice a day. Lunch occurs about 30 minutes after they wake from their first nap and have a good nursing. They also eat dinner with us.  That's usually an hour after a feeding, but it works for us to keep them awake until about 7:30 without having to eat our dinner with them screaming at us.

For me, this is really an odd period.  They still depend on me for all of their nutrition.  They can't really sit up in a high chair for very long.  They can't feed themselves.  I'm almost amused by it.

So the next stage is the introduction of the Sippy Cup.  Any tips on when and how and which cup would be greatly appreciated. For some reason sippy cups scare me ;)

Got Milk?

Milk Allergic/Sensitive Convenience Foods

One of the hardest parts about going dairy free and breastfeeding at the same time is the lack of dairy free convenience foods!  Seriously, as if breastfeeding a fussy baby every 2-3 hours wasn't enough, all of a sudden you're also forced to make your own snack food because you're having trouble finding anything dairy free; there just isn't enough hours in the day!  I hope this list of quick things to eat or make will help you on your way.

Dairy-free Snacks and Treats*:

•  Fresh Fruit
  
• Thomas Bagels (Wheat and Cinnamon Raisin for sure)
• Sara Lee Wheat Blueberry Bagels
  
• Jiffy Cornbread Mix
• Duncan Hines Brownies
• Martha White Muffin Mix (Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Honey Bran, Chocolate Chip for sure)
• Original Sun Chips
• Synder's Pretzels
• Wheat Thins Tuscan Herb Flat Bread
• Regular Wheat Thins
• Earth Grain Honey Wheat Berry Bread (love this stuff)
• Natures' Own Bread (Honey Wheat, 7-grain, Wheat)
• Marshmallows
• Graham Crackers
• Quaker Instant Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal (our store brand doesn't have milk either)
• Ritz Crackers
• Pop Tarts
• Nesquick Chocolate Powder (with rice milk this makes a convincing hot chocolate, but it's less than appetizing with soy or almond milks)
  

* Always read the labels to ensure that these items are dairy-free. Formulas change from time to time and some companies have different ingredients depending on where the product is manufactured.

Please help me add to this list if you can!

This Sweet Little Face

The owner of this sweet little face discovered that she weighed 5 ounces less than her sister yesterday.  So yesterday night, she made it her personal mission to gain all 5 of those ounces by eating every two hours.

This tired momma face needs a nap.  And she'll probably be wearing PJ's all day in anticipation of that nap.

Breastfeeding: Dairy-Free Resources

 These are some resources that I've found useful in my dairy-free journey.  Feel free to e-mail me with links to other dairy free resources that you've found or a link to your blog with your own dairy free resource post!

Resources
Kelly Mom Hidden Dairy Handout: The most concise handout on hidden dairy out there.  Print this, go through your cabinets with it in hand, and go shopping with it in your bag.  Especially if your child is super sensitive.


Reflux Rebels: Click over on the side for information on Milk/Soy Protein Intolerance.  I had no idea that 50% of babies who react to dairy also react to Soy.  My girls react to large quantities of soy(as I found out with my homemade tofu chip dip), but handle hidden very well.

About.com Dairy Free-Cooking Group: Great recipes (though a little vegan focused) and it has a free newsletter with recipes sent to your inbox once a week.  Great dessert ideas :D

Go Dairy Free: Articles and recipes. My personal favorite part of this site is the Dining Out section with it's Fast Food Restaurant list.  Seriously, who would have guessed that McDonalds fries have dairy in them and that the only main dish I can eat at Chick-fil-a is the Grilled Chicken Sandwich (though I've heard they'll make you grilled nuggets if you ask)


I Can't Believe it's Vegan: A wonderful list of everyday convenience products that are dairy free. I wish I had seen this in the first 2 weeks of the Dairy Elimination Diet!
AllRecipes: I've had great luck here searching for Dairy-Free or Milk-Free.  I also love that there are reviews so I can see what others thought about it. I'm sure other recipe sites are good too.  I'll highlight some of my favorite All Recipe meals soon!

St. Francis Baby Downloadables: Scroll down for the Milk Free Foods for Nursing Mothers. A great list of quick convenience foods.

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital: A fantastic simple run down of what you can and cannot eat.  Easy to understand.

Dairy-Free Moms is a forum group on Baby Center.  These ladies are so helpful and answer questions promptly.  Plus it's fun to talk to other moms in the same boat!

Mom Recipe Blogs: 
The longer I've been dairy free, the more resources I find!  Here is a list of some dairy-free blogs, I've stumbled on over the past 5 months.  I'll keep adding stuff as I find it!


dairyfreetoddler.blogspot.com/
nowheymama.blogspot.com/
avoidingmilkprotein.blogspot.com/
milkallergymom.blogspot.com/
nosoynodairy.blogspot.com/
www.foodallergymama.com/

Breastfeeding: Dairy Replacement Reviews

I'll add to this list as I find and use other dairy-free products. However, if you're also on a Dairy-free journey and have a recommended product feel free to email me the link to your review or email me a review to add to this post. I would love for this to help others!


Milk Substitutes
Rice Dream: I've not personally had a drink of this product, but Nana made my pumpkin pie with it. I was quite the fan of the pumpkin pie so I highly recommend it for baking fantastic pumpkin pies ;) Update: I did buy a half gallon of this. It's super chalky tasting and really watery. I was not a fan.  But it made fantastic hot chocolate when mixed with Nesquik powder where Almond and Soy milks just tasted weird.

Almond Breeze: I've only had their refrigerated varieties but I imagine the aseptic containers contain a similar or equal high value product.
Vanilla (sweetened): This a fantastic drink product. I love the way it tastes. There is a slight almond-y taste to it and a sort of usual milk/sweet beverage aftertaste, but it is great cold in a tall glass.
Vanilla (unsweetened): I've been addicted to making banana and fruit or banana, chocolate syrup, and peanut butter smoothies with this product. It's perfect for adding a creaminess to a smoothie without adding unneeded sweetness.
Original: I think this tastes just like milk on cereal, but keep in mind it's a long time since I actually had milk on cereal... But it doesn't have the soy bean aftertaste, so it's got to be closer...

Silk:
Silk Almond: Well it's better than their soy products, but it's not as good as Almond Breeze and I think the Vanilla version is super close.
Original: Definite traditional soy bean-y aftertaste, but it's not too bad. Store brands generally tastes the same.
Vanilla: Also has a bean-y aftertaste, but a little less than original. It will work for cereal great, if you don't mind added sweetness, and isn't too bad to drink either. Store brands also taste the same.
Unsweetened: Great for baking. I just made pumpkin pancakes with this and they taste great. It's cheaper than other alternatives too.
Chocolate (full fat): My chocolate milk drinking snob of a husband will fight me for this stuff. It's fantastic and well... addicting. Buy with caution.
Pumpkin Nog: A great seasonal treat. Soy aftertaste, but it's really good flavored (though I'm somewhat miffed that there's no pumpkin in it whatsoever...)
Soy Nog: Has a traditional eggnog type flavor but is missing the stick to your throat creaminess of eggnog. I wouldn't buy this if you're an eggnog snob lover like I am.
Chai: A really tasty chai latte tasting drink. I really, really like this and I'm a chai tea snob. It does have the bean-y aftertaste though.

Butter Replacements

Smart Balance Heart Right Light Buttery Spread: Tastes like butter, but is only good for eating on a bagel or toast (not recommended for baking). This goes on my morning Thomas Bagel (dairy free!) sometimes with a little cinnamon sugar added. So good!

Earth Balance Shortening Sticks: We made my husband's double chocolate chip cookies with this product. They tasted the same. I'm sure a pie crust would be perfectly made with this too!

Earth Balance Vegan Sticks: I'm not going to lie: I spread this on a bagel while starving and running out the door. I gagged on it it tasted so bad.  I actually picked around in on my bagel.  That said; it does bake up into a fantastic muffin.  I can't master cookies with it. Maybe I'll mix it with the shortening sticks.

Ice Cream and Yogurt
Turtle Mountain Products: I'm quite a fan of Turtle Mountains Ice Creams and to top it all off I can find most of their products in normal grocery stores.

• Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream is really rich and creamy and just about perfect, but you have to like coconut cause you do taste it!
• Chocolate Obsession is really good too, though you can taste that soy flavor. However, my ice cream snob husband will happily down a pint of Chocolate Obsession.
• Coconut Milk Yogurt This has less of an obvious coconut flavor than the ice cream and a good yogurt bacteria zing... but it's not at all comparable to the taste of my beloved Publix brand yogurts. I personally don't think it's worth the extra money (something like $.60 a piece), but it's not bad tasting. I can only find it at Whole Foods locally.
• So Delicious Minis Ice Cream Sandwiches These taste super soy beany to me in the ice cream content, but the chocolate brownie parts saves the whole deal. Not too bad at all but the Tofutti Cuties are better (and cheaper!).
  

Tofutti Cuties: My sister used to get these back in her vegetarian days. They were very tasty and you honestly couldn't tell the difference between these and your run of the mill ice cream sandwich. In fact, I'm not sure why I haven't looked for them locally yet... P.S. The mint chip variety is my new favorite treat now that I've found them locally!

Chocolate
Whole Foods Brand Vegan Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Not as melty as milk based chips, but the flavor is perfect for a semi-sweet. At our local store these are $2.99 a bag, which is a steal compared to a fancy chocolate bar.
Whole Foods Brand Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: These have the same ingredients as the Vegan ones, but have the added warning that they were processed in a plant that also processes dairy. Since I don't think the girls have an allergy, I'm not too worried about trace amounts of dairy so I started buying these. They only cost $1.99. I like keeping that extra dollar...
Bakers Chocolate Semi-Sweet Baking Squares: This is what I use to make fondues with almond milk and pudding.   Tastes like chocolate to me :)

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.

Breastfeeding Part 9: Latching

My girls may be 3 months old, but in a way we're still breastfeeding newborns. I've been bf them at the breast with a nipple shield for every feeding about 3 weeks now.  During that time I've been trying both girls without the shield one or two feedings a day.  To my surprise Aeralind is latching rather well.  My tiny girl who could barely manage to suck a feeding from a bottle on her 4th day of life is latching! She is patient and opens wide and can even deal rather well with the overactive letdown I have on the right side (I wonder if it's common to have overactive letdown on just one side, but with all the plugged ducts/mastitis on the other side I guess it makes sense for me).

Bronwyn, the one who actually managed a feeding on that first night, is a latching mess. She has no patience and wants to clamp right down on the nipple.  Sometimes it's all I can do not to scream before detaching her and re-latching her about five times each feeding.  But I'm being persistent and have managed to do two days worth of daytime feedings sans the nipple shields. The nighttime feedings I don't even try yet... I'm too brainless and tired to help them latch.

After doing this for two days, I have a huge amount of respect for ladies who have taught/helped both twins to latch in those first few day postpartum. This is hard business, but I can already see the rewards.  Twice now I've been able to feed both girls separately in public with nothing but bibs and burp cloths. I find the latching much easier separately and in cradle or cross cradle holds, but I'm slowly figuring out both girls in the football hold on the pillow at home.

Oh and just for a good laugh, at the Breastfeeding Support Group feed and weigh, Bronwyn took 2.8 ounces which is about what she needs for her weight doing 8 feedings a day.  Aeralind on the other hand took an impressive 5.5 ounces. I'm still trying to figure out where she's hiding it since both girls weighed in at 10lbs 5oz!

Breastfeeding Part 8: Milk-Free Holidays

We tried the breast milk that I had pumped that was full of cow's milk products on the girls on Sunday.  The results? Instant fussiness that only a warm bath soothed for Aeralind and projectile vomiting from Bronwyn. Based on further research I would say that the girls definitely don't have a milk allergy but rather a milk sensitivity, so this thing should disappear before they are one.  The plan for the moment is to go another month milk free and try some high fat milk product like cheddar cheese (drool) to see what happens.  For me that means milk-free holidays.

Have you every thought about all the dairy products in a holiday meal? Butter and milk in your mashed potatoes. Butter in your stuffing.  Cheese and milk in the broccoli casserole. Ice cream.  Butter in pie crusts and milk in my personal favorite pumpkin pie. Sigh. 

Having just come from thanksgiving at the farm with our beloved Nana, I'm here to say, it wasn't as bad as I thought. I had a delightful plate of turkey, sweet potato casserole, salad, a roll, and some jello salad. And to top it all off, Nana made me a dairy-free pumpkin pie.  I love that woman! Nana is such a blessing to us!

In other news, the girls have started to smile socially! They loved being passed around all afternoon and making faces at each new person.

Breastfeeding Part 7: Cabbage Leaves

It seams that for every minor step forward on the breastfeeding front, I'm bound to have a major setback.  Well, folks, lets just say I have a cabbage leaf in my bra.

My major concern with doing the 3 am feeding by breast has always had to do with the amount of milk I pump at that hour.  Seriously, I've regularly pumped 16 + ounces at that feeding, a whole pint!  That is at least two whole feedings for the girls! So this weekend when I decided to give it a whirl, I was pleasantly surprised that I neither woke up in a puddle each morning nor felt particularly engorged.  Sweet!

Monday morning I had the hardest time falling asleep after the girls at the middle of the night feed. I was freezing and my heater husband was somehow either evading me or not nearly warm enough. I noticed a tender spot on the left breast and assumed I had another plugged duct.  I worked it out while Aeralind ate her next meal. When I got up, all my joints were achy like I had the flu.  I was so scared that I'd already given a nasty bug to the girls.  But then I noticed a red splotch all across my poor breast: Mastitis.

So here I am on a regiment of ibuprofen, heating pad before nursing, pumping after nursing to make sure they got it all, and a cabbage leaf in my bra (feels so good!). I've pumped the night feeding again the last few nights and while my body has adjusted to their demands rather well... it still has to make a little less.

Forgive me for all the breastfeeding posts. But honestly I spend 20+ minutes every 3 hours on this task (not including burping or dealing with reflux issues), and it seems to be my life at the moment.  I'm still hoping that my posts will give new mom's of multiples an idea of what to expect.  Please let me know if these posts are helpful.

Breastfeeding Part 6: Unassisted!

Yesterday was a super big day for Aeralind: she took two meals without a nipple shield! This is a super accomplishment for the child who could barely manage to suck a meal out of a bottle her first week of life! We're finally getting there. She'll only do it though if she's super hungry and screaming. And I can only manage it on my right side because somehow latching her and balancing her sister on the tandem pillow is just beyond my capabilities at this moment. I'll keep trying.

Oh and yesterday was the first day where I nursed them for every single feeding in the 24 hour period! Derek and I had been bottle feeding them their 3 am feeding while I pumped simultaneously. Well, the tandem feed in the middle of the night actually took less time and was especially fun because Derek changed both the diapers while I got set up ;)

On the milk allergy/sensitivity front, today was a varied and yummy diet!

• Breakfast: Raisin Bran and Almond Milk. Almond milk is actually yummier than soy in my opinion.
  
• Lunch: Papa John's The Meats Pizza with no cheese. Neither their crust nor their sauce has any milk product in it. I was super excited to read this as Papa John's is my favorite pizza place (even though we hardly ever order out).
• Dinner: Salmon, sweet potato, and braised brussel sprouts.
• Dessert: Pumpkin and vegan chocolate chip cookies. Without butter, these cookies are very much like cake. I'm affectionately dubbing them "Cakies". Mmm...

So eating dairy-free isn't shaping up to be as bad as I feared, but the snacking in between meals is super hard. I made a bunch of muffins, but I really don't know what else to eat for snacks besides trail mixes, granola bars, and fruit. Please leave a comment with some suggestions if you can think of some!