YEAH RIGHT!!!!!
After doing countless hours of research on breastfeeding while on bed rest and during late night nursing sessions, I came across a website that mentioned that the cave women didn't need to pump, and that the breast is all a baby needs. Well, no offense to the cave woman, but today's working mom can't pull her breast out and offer it to her baby whenever she pleases. We also have other demands, like clothing, the need to go out of the house occasionally, and for some to make money. I am blessed to have a job I love, and as a bonus I get school hours and vacations. But to be honest it is tough to be a working mom sometimes. I do have times where I am jealous of the moms who get to stay home, especially when you have a sick kid and you've been up all night with a screaming baby with an ear infection, and you know you'd rather go to work looking a hot mess than ever miss the first day of school. This happened to me, it was Charli's first double ear infection and my mom had to take her to the doctor. I still feel guilty about this, but at least her Mimi is amazing and awesome, and I remind myself that it does take a village.
So since we are not cavewomen, we must choose to occasionally give our babies bottles.
Supplementing can cause any new mom anxiety and stress. Fortunately for me, it wasn't a choice.
Since the girls were in the NICU it was never asked if I wanted to exclusively breastfeed, but rather I was eased into it. I had a fantastic nurse that whipped me into a milk-making, latching machine in 48 hours. The NICU nurses all encourage moms to pump at first on a time schedule, offer the breast always first, and then supplement at the end.
Breastfeeding Disclaimer: Make sure to get a proper latch, my nurse referred to it as "making sure she gets all the brown" you get the idea, and I will refer to it as "Get the Brown." Unknown to me...breastfeeding shouldn't hurt. If it hurts STOP! Going from Charli (who tore me up I literally had wounds!) to the twins was totally mind-blowing in the fact that I realized breast feeding was not painful. Rather, it is more frustrating when your trying to learn your baby and how they like to nurse.
Get some of this stuff to ease dryness at first or if you use a breast pump
Formula Disclaimer: We use the Neosure from Similac as recommended by our pediatrician. But, we had planned on using Similac's Advance Formula in the ready to pour bottles. If you can afford the ready to pour I prefer it especially for twins or any baby. I think it reduces gas, fussiness, and tummy issues, plus it is one less step for already busy mommas. The formula is mixed extremely well, and there are no clumps or excess bubbles like powder formula. The reason I will also use this is because Charli had horrible reflux d and she was on Nutramigen (liquid gold @ 24 bucks a can) and Prevacid. I think I have a powder-formula phobia now, and we will stick with the pre-mixed for one year. Any mommy of a baby with colic knows there is no putting a price on a happy baby, but if we had to put the twins on Nutramigen it would be roughly $48 every 3-4 days which would be over $1000 a month in formula and simply could not happen (or I guess it could, and we'd have to take on another job). Thank the Lord, that these two love their formula! and have happy tummies! But, I am convinced it is because of the ready-pour formula and Dr. Brown's bottles, served...ROOM TEMPERATURE. The reason I prefer room temperature is because I think of me when I drink water, I like it room temperature.
This is what the girls are on as recommended by the pediatrician.
Sign-up online to get these coupons, and have your family members sign up too! or if your neighbors or co-workers are willing to sign up that would be great so they can just drop the coupons off on your doorsteps or give them to you at work!
Pumping Disclaimer: If you can afford the hospital pump RENT IT! if not get the best Medela you can find! and buy a hand-pump. The hospital pump will get you empty in 10-15 minutes once your supply is established. By the way, I always despised when I heard "supply established" because I never thought my supply was ever good enough and I always wanted more. But, anyways after your milk starts hurting your breasts because you are so engorged I would say your supply has established itself, and now the key is getting it out..... ALL out. If you leave it in there it signals your breast to not make more the next time. Sort of like when you charge your phone every time its at 70% battery life...instead they recommend to charge it when it gets below 5-10%. This is the same with breastfeeding, drain those bad boys empty every time! This means pumping all the time at first! Also get a hand pump from Walmart or Target. You can pump in the car while your husband is driving you to the doctor (yes I did it, and I kept saying "Don't pull up next to that car!")
This is the pump I rented for 2 months from the hospital! It is one awesome machine!
Here is the hand-pump I used while in the car, and NO I wasn't driving :)
I had the pump set up on my night stand, and this bra-looking thingy is sold at Target. It is for "Hands-free" pumping! and it helps. I would wear this while pumping and simultaneously feeding the twins their bottles! Complicated I know, but saved me 20 minutes of sleep!
These bags are great for sterilizing your pump parts in case they can't make the dishwasher that day, plus you can throw their pacifiers into the bag when your 2 year old "tries them."
AT EACH FEEDING: This is exactly what I did in the NICU every day for 4 days straight, every 3 hours (pumping in between)and continued when we came home. If your baby nursed the whole time, and you felt it and heard swallowing you can offer formula and just let them eat about 1 ounce. If your baby did not nurse at all, either they fell asleep or just didn't nurse nutritively then offer more formula 1-2 ounces. This is where the STRESS went away for me, I could try breastfeeding and not worry if my babies were getting nutrition. It felt like I had training wheels on and it made me not anxious or overwhelmed. The moment I got overwhelmed I would just put the breast away and snuggle my baby with a bottle. What a relief, if I had only known to do this with Charli I might have breastfed her longer than 2 weeks, and she would have probably not had jaundice so badly because I was so worried about nipple confusion.
So I am going to break this down into an itinerary format so that it may help....
Are you ready to get PUMPED?!?! Here we go:
(This is for a newborn-1 month old) REMEMBER this is my schedule, the girls weighed 4-6 lbs and I was supplementing with Formula. Your baby may be bigger and you can stretch the times more.
6am: Offer the Breast- Make sure they "Get the Brown", 15-25 minutes max. Supplement with Formula 1-2 ounces (more if your baby is older). Pump 10-15 minutes no matter what to boost supply, and store it in a bottle in the fridge.
7:30am: Pump and store 20-25 minutes (remember you want to boost supply so you are making your breast produce more)
9:00am: Turn on "Live with Kelly"-- Offer the Breast- Make sure they "Get the Brown", 15-25 minutes max. Supplement with Formula 1-2 ounces (more if your baby is older). Pump 10-15 minutes no matter what to boost supply, and store it in a bottle in the fridge.
10:30am: Pump and store 20-25 minutes even if its just a drop
12:00pm: Offer the Breast- Make sure they "Get the Brown", 15-25 minutes max. Supplement with Formula 1-2 ounces (more if your baby is older). Pump 10-15 minutes no matter what to boost supply, and store it in a bottle in the fridge.
1:30pm: Pump and store 20-25 minutes or skip this one if your exhausted and need a nap.
3:00pm: Offer the Breast- Make sure they "Get the Brown", 15-25 minutes max. Supplement with Formula 1-2 ounces (more if your baby is older). Pump 10-15 minutes no matter what to boost supply, and store it in a bottle in the fridge.
4:30pm: Pump and Store 20-25 minutes: Do you feel like a dairy cow yet?
6:00pm: Offer the Breast- Make sure they "Get the Brown", 15-25 minutes max. Supplement with Formula 1-2 ounces (more if your baby is older). Pump 10-15 minutes no matter what to boost supply, and store it in a bottle in the fridge.
7:30pm: Take a break and don't pump, eat dinner and try to not look at your husband and wish to kill him. Just kidding, but no, I went through a week where I just got so frustrated with him, and he was so helpful and sweet to me. Poor guy, he helped clean, take care of Charli, buy groceries, and get all the hospital bills sorted out....but I still wanted to hurt him. I think it was hormones? Not sure exactly why I felt that way and I wonder if other moms felt this way too? Please respond if you did that way I don't feel like a total monster!
9:00pm: Offer the Breast- Make sure they "Get the Brown", 15-25 minutes max. Supplement with Formula 1-2 ounces (more if your baby is older). Pump 10-15 minutes no matter what to boost supply, and store it in a bottle in the fridge.
10:30pm: Pump and save 20-25 minutes
12:00am: Offer the Breast- Make sure they "Get the Brown", 15-25 minutes max. Supplement with Formula 1-2 ounces (more if your baby is older). Pump 10-15 minutes no matter what to boost supply, and store it in a bottle in the fridge.
1:30am: Don't Pump SLEEP if your baby is asleep
3:00am: Offer the Breast- Make sure they "Get the Brown", 15-25 minutes max. Supplement with Formula 1-2 ounces (more if your baby is older). Pump 10-15 minutes no matter what to boost supply, and store it in a bottle in the fridge.
4:30am: Don't pump SLEEP if your baby is asleep
6:00am: Start the entire process over!
Now when you first read this your probably thinking...who in the world has time to do this, but when you have low supply and your trying to boost it the constant pumping will help dramatically. After a couple of weeks you can minimize the in between pumping sessions down to maybe 2-3 in extra sessions a day. Use these pumping sessions to store milk and start your freezer supply, as well as, using any extra pumped milk to add to those. Finally, if you feel like your baby is beginning to get enough breast milk from nursing you can start minimizing the bottles given at each feeding.
For example, Josi nursed way better than Libbi so sometimes I would just offer her the breast only at feedings. Next, if you want to just do bottles overnight you have the freedom to pump and make bottles for overnight instead of having to nurse.
I decided at 8 weeks to go strictly formula simply because I was spending too much time pumping and nursing and I wanted the freedom to play with Charli, and not be cooped up nursing/pumping all the time. I told myself the whole time that the minute I started to dread nursing or get anxious about it then I would stop. I think that when you are anxious about nursing your baby can sense it and it makes them anxious too. I was extremely happy to make it to 8 weeks, and my doctors both my OBGYN and pediatrician were amazed I made it that long with twins. So it was completely my own decision, and now they are happy bottle babies! Dr. Brown's to be exact.
Grab from the fridge and go! Super Easy!
Now I set up 14-16 bottles once a day, 8 per baby, they eat every 3-4 hours during the day. I try to feed them on demand during the day to boost calorie intake which I think helps them to sleep longer at night because they are getting all their calories during the day. I store them in the fridge so I can just grab and go! Plus I can do one load of dishes, and set up bottles once a day BONUS!!!
If you have twins get 2 of these baskets seen below (Target or Walmart I assume) they will help to keep the nipple clean and clear, and use the "Sanitize"-mode if the dishwasher has one:
I found one of these at the flea market in White Settlement for like $2 bucks! They have super-clean baby clothes, gear, and toys. They wash, hang, and clean everything before selling. You can get things really cheap, and even request items and get on a wait-list. It is located on Cherry Lane across from that antique gas station, and it is super quaint looking but packs an awesome array of great finds!!!!
As for ways to increase milk supply:
Look online for lactation cookies! Here is the link to the ones I made and I was convinced they increased supply. They are very yummy!
http://www.food.com/recipe/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-lactation-cookies-by-noel-trujillo-192346
Next,
Note the location of the Mother's Milk tea, while it increase milk production, it also increases the production of something else! I felt like I had done a cleanse!!!! Plus when you are running to the bathroom every 15 minutes, you might have issues watching your three children! I was hurting that day! Use this stuff with caution.
Breastfeeding Dieting:
I had the luxury of twins which meant I could down 2700 calories a day and still lose weight. But, I still wanted to lose the 50 pounds I gained quickly. I drank TONS and TONS of water and I am convinced this helped. I would wake up in pools of sweat and have to change my clothes, I think I lost 5 pounds one night, your body retains so much water while pregnant and I learned in the hospital to get rid of swelling you have to flush it with water. Also, I ate almost no fast food while breastfeeding, I didn't want the girls eating processed foods, and it seemed when I did eat it, they would be fussy, gassy, and more irritable than normal. This is also true for spicy foods. My biggest recommendation would be to eat a healthy, clean diet, but DON'T count calories. And PUMP!!! if you trick your body into making more milk it might just help burn calories, but remember to eat healthy foods and do not starve yourself.
I also used a Belly Bandit to bind my tummy. I did this with Charli and now the twins, you wear it for 6-8 weeks. I absolutely believe this helps, and I am convinced that it pulls those muscles back together. My belly button, on the other hand, will never be the same, rest in peace cute belly button. And for stretch marks I was blessed to only get two small ones on my left side down by my waist. I am treating those and my c-section scar with Bio-Oil.
Also, eat sweet fruits, lots of protein, and whole grains (I ate 2 bowls of oatmeal a day) I found it boosted production, and made the breast milk taste sweeter. If I ate fast food it tasted bitter. And yes I got a taste when I checked the temperature of the bottles occasionally.
Now that I am no longer breastfeeding I am doing Shakeology and eating smaller portions. I tried working out to a work out video, that was a joke, as it took me 3 hours to do a one hour video because of breaks to tend to the twins. I still have 10-15 lbs to go. I got up to 190 with my twinnies and now I am stuck at 140. I am trying to watch what I eat now but, I'm not over-doing it.
Remember:
This schedule worked for me and made me feel comfortable with how I breastfed. I think we get scared sometimes to quit because of what we feel inside about stopping. I had tremendous guilt about quitting with Charli and I felt like a failure. But, with the twins I just said if it happens, it happens. I'm very happy with my choice and how it turned out for me.
Happy Supplementing-Breastfeeding-Bottlefedding-Pumping to you!
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