Thursday, March 29, 2007

Breastfeeding Basics

Unless you have nipples of steel - breastfeeding hurts like $&*#@*&$%^&# in the beginning. No one ever told me that, so I learned the hard way.

Some other things I learned were that the herbal supplements Fenugreek and Lecithin are important to help boost your supply and thin your milk which may prevent clogged ducts.

The prescription Reglan will further boost your supply, if you had a low supply to begin with - or - if you need enough milk to nourish a small community.

Until you "toughen" up - lanolin is great for cracked nipples and gel pads can make any clothing (except a wool bra) that comes in to contact with your chest more tolerable.

Cabbage leaves (although not something I've ever tried) are purportedly a wonderful aid for engorged breasts.

A hands-free pump bra is a must have if you intend to pump - and a great conversation piece at boring dinner parties.

If you suspect that you have mastitis - a fast diagnosis and treatment with an antibiotic (i.e. Keflex), is critical.

This concludes my breastfeeding public announcement. If you want to hear more about my personal experience ... read on.

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For a long time, I've been wanting to write about my experience nursing our triplets.

In case you are wondering - no - I didn't put them all "back on the boob" even though the thought had crossed my delirious mind after our sixth straight month of sickness. But even I'm not that crazy to attempt re-lactating for our 2-year old triplets when I'm 6-months pregnant.

Crazy enough to think and write about it ... definitely not crazy enough to do it.

Instead, I wanted to write about my decision to breastfeed our triplets and how I accomplished this seemingly monumental task.

Within two days of our babies being born, I was visited by a team of lactation consultants in the hospital. They arrived in my room with a hospital grade pump, an instruction manual and an assortment of goodies that were intended to make my nursing experience that much more enjoyable. The assortment of supplies they provided me included gel pads, nipple cream, and a coupon for $5.00 off a hands-free pumping bra.

What they forgot to put in that goodie bag was a bullet to bite. Because in all honesty, I think that a bullet in my goodie bag would have provided an excellent segue for how - in the beginning - breastfeeding a baby, might be the most excruciatingly painful thing you've ever experienced.

In your entire life.

Yes, even more painful than seeing and hearing Sanjaya and knowing that he'll still be around ... next week.

My lactation consultants - bona fide cheerleaders who waved flanges instead of pompoms - emphasized the importance of sitting down with my feet up as much as possible - and that any time I sat down to nurse or pump - I should have a big glass of water to sip on.

They showed me how massaging the breast and nipple prior to pumping or having your baby latch on will help with "let down". They told me that warm compresses can also help to facilitate let down and they stressed that although I might not recover much milk in the beginning ... it was critical that I begin pumping immediately, and continue every three hours, round-the-clock.

They suggested that I start taking the herbal supplement Fenugreek, three tablets with every meal, and they also suggested that I keep a nursing journal - so that I could keep tabs on how my milk supply was increasing with time.

Before they left, they told me that not all breastmilk is created the same. My breastmilk, was perfectly formulated for our babies at that exact point in their lives. I learned that with time, my breastmilk composition would change to fit the nutritional needs of our children. So, when our babies were full-term, my milk would have a different chemistry and fat base to satisfy their needs, than it would when they were 31-week preemies.

Never once did they warn me that hooking a manual pump up to my naked chest - or putting a hungry baby to breast - would be anything like unleashing a ravenous tiger on fat vulnerable prey.

Oblivious to what I was in for - and anxious to get started - I hooked myself up to the pump and sat on my hospital bed, fully expecting to see the little 2-oz bottles that they provided me with, instantly fill up with milk.

Instead, after a solid 20-minutes and nothing to show for my efforts, I decided that maybe I hadn't massaged enough or maybe the pump wasn't set at an intense enough level.

So, I massaged more and pumped more.

And more.

And more.

Still, nothing.

Even though I did everything that the lactation consultants told me to do - I still had not produced a single drop of breastmilk after two days and a grueling amount of time hooked up to the torture equipment I had set on "high".

By this point, our babies were still receiving donated breast milk - I was feeling like a complete failure that I couldn't produce the milk that was needed for their survival - and my nipples had almost completely chafed off my chest.

Although there was nothing I could have done to control our babies from being born 9 weeks prematurely, I felt like I could control (or at least try to control) my body's ability to produce breastmilk - which according to the lactation consultants, was the most important thing I could provide for them. So I kept on pumping, despite the agony.

And finally - colostrum appeared. Although at first sight, I thought it was the liquefaction of my breasts from all the pressure they'd been subjected to over the past week.

Within a week from the appearance of colostrum, I was producing approximately 8 ounces of milk a day. This continued to go up with time, and because our babies had not yet mastered the suck, swallow, breathe reflex - I was able to record the volume of milk I was producing.

After a few more days, the lactation consultants put me on a prescription for Reglan, in addition to the Fenugreek I had been taking. Incidentally, Reglan was the same prescription that our newborn girls were on for reflux - but in my case - it was intended to help boost my breast milk supply even more. As was the oatmeal, beer and large volumes of Mother's Milk Tea I was devouring. Later, I also added Lecithin to my diet, which was another herbal supplement used to thin breastmilk and help prevent clogged ducts. (I didn't learn about this until after my second bout of mastitis.)

Within a few more days, my supply had increased to approximately 20 ounces a day ... and continued to go up, topping out at approximately 70 ounces per day. Considering our babies were consuming more and more with each feeding - I was just barely able to keep up with their intake. However, I was told that my milk supply would go up even more, when I finally transitioned the baby to breast - because apparently - a baby does a better job extracting milk than the best pump on the market.

After everything that my nipples had been through with a hospital grade pump - that seemed unbelievable to me.

Unfortunately, just as I was preparing to put our babies "to breast", I broke out from head to toe in hives. At first my doctors thought that perhaps I was having a relapse of HELLP Syndrome, but it was soon discovered that in my quest to be a milk machine ... I had overdosed on Fenugreek. During an exam, one of my perinatologists caught a glimpse of my barren chest and told me that it looked like someone had slammed my boobs in a car door. Much to my dismay, I was given strict instructions to eliminate Fenugreek from my diet and cut back on my marathon pumping sessions.

When I was finally able to attempt nursing, the reality of my experience was not at all what I had envisioned. It certainly wasn't like any of the movies I had seen where a newborn hungrily latches on and the mother smiles contentedly.

Instead, I sat with my compulsory Boppy Pillow (which I never liked) and my premature newborn who was 1/2 the size of my engorged breast. With one hand on the baby's head - I tried to use my other hand to maneuver a nipple in to my baby's tiny mouth.

All told, out of 100+ nursing sessions I attempted - I was able to sucessfully have a baby latch on twice. And both times, the baby promptly turned blue - setting off numerous alarms - and I was convinced that my boobs would ultimately be responsible for the demise of my child.

So, I gave up on nursing and continued to pump. For several months, I continued to pump. Despite two cases of mastitis, cracked nipples, and an overwhelming desire to sink my breast pump to the bottom of the ocean.

One day, after the babies had been home for two months, Charlie and I went out shopping. While we were at the store - Carolyn reminded us that we were rapidly approaching feeding time. We quickly made our way back to the car and when I opened our cooler and realized that all of the bottles were ice cold - I panicked.

Because it would take at least 15 minutes to warm up the bottles and 30 minutes to drive home, I decided that I had two options: 1) Give our babies cold milk ... or 2) attempt nursing. After Carolyn spit her cold milk at me and continued to wail - I had no choice but try Option 2.

In the backseat of our van, I gingerly brought her up to my chest and as I wracked my brain trying to remember how to maneuver the nipple in to her delicate mouth - I was absolutely shocked that she latched on with such ferocity I fell backwards in the seat. What was even more shocking was that my once tiny baby, had developed such a strong reflex, she could have easily sucked the chrome off a bumper.

Was it possible that my baby was actually nursing? Was it possible that she was getting all of the nutrition she needed - directly from me - and without a bottle?? How would I know if she'd had enough to eat - I certainly couldn't gauge how many ounces she had consumed?!

Despite my worries, after 10 minutes, she stopped nursing - let out a big burp - and promptly fell asleep with a drunken smile across her precious little face.

I felt totally vindicated. I could DO this!!!

Because I was anxious to rid myself of the pump, I instantly made the decision that I would try nursing two babies during each feeding session. The third baby, who I would rotate through, would receive extracted breastmilk and a formula supplement, from a bottle.

The advantages to this new feeding approach were tremendous and I could see my life transforming before my eyes.

I would be saving a huge amount of time ... no more pumping and THEN feeding!

No more flanges, bottles and nipples to wash!!

With my spare time - I could maybe start a scrapbook. Or, clean the house. Or take a nap!!!

Best of all - I would be bonding with my babies!!!!

Yet after less than 24 hours, I thought for sure I was dying. The pain of anything (including gel pads) touching my nipples was absolutely excruciating and water spray from the shower was pure torture, despite smothering myself beforehand in Lansinoh lanolin.

When I placed an emergency call to La Leche League, I was informed that although breastfeeding might be "uncomfortable" it most definitely should not be painful. After telling a consultant that whenever a baby latched on, I had to bite a cloth diaper to prevent from screaming - and my toes would curl up underneath my feet - the woman on the other end of the line told me that I was obviously doing something wrong.

For days, I tried to figure out what I could do better.

I spoke with girlfriends, sisters - my mother. I called the Lactation Consultants at the hospital. Everyone that I spoke to would tell me that although breastfeeding might be a tad bit uncomfortable - they didn't remember it feeling like someone was trying to cut their nipples off with a pair of rusty scissors.

Which made me question what my problem was. I mean really, how in the world has humanity survived thousands of years if breastfeeding was such a brutality??

It made no sense.

But then again - in the history of humanity - how many women (except wet nurses) attempted to breastfeed more than one baby at a time??

In the midst of this chaos - I contemplated throwing in the towel. I didn't want to keep up with the pumping and I certainly didn't want to subject myself to the torture of nursing. All three of our babies had been successfully supplemented with Similac Isomil, due to William's lactose intolerance, and I knew that they would grow in to healthy, happy babies just fine on a formula diet. But I was stubborn.

After a week of nursing hell, William spit up blood all over my shirt. At first I was terrified that he was bleeding internally ... but then Elizabeth and Carolyn spit up blood all over Charlie's shirt. I did a self inspection and couldn't see that I was bleeding - so placed a frantic call to our pediatrician. When I told him what was happening, he assured me that the blood was most likely coming from me. He also warned that I'd probably come down with another case of mastitis in the next few days because bacteria from the babies' mouths would cause an infection.

It turns out, I had cracked nipples and although the blood wasn't immediately visible - when our children latched on with their little mouths that are infact, the best damn pumps available, they were sucking so hard they drew blood.

My children drew blood.

FROM ME.

Sure enough, the very next day - I woke up with the tell-tale symptoms of mastitis. Since this was my third case, I called my doctor - informed him of my diagnosis - and dashed off to pick up my prescription of Keflex. The pharmacist - having seen me several times over the past month - shook his head and asked "Why do you keep it up?"

I responded, "Because - I know that it's got to get better. It sure as heck can't get any worse." With my sincerest thanks to all the powers that be, eventually, another week or two later - it did get better.

It got to the point that I wouldn't break out in a cold sweat and stuff cloth diapers in my mouth whenever I brought a baby up to my chest ... my toes wouldn't involuntarily curl up underneath my feet ... and I stopped looking at the clock with pure dread as feeding time drew near. Amazingly, I soon would learn to feed two babies at once and found great satisfaction in knowing I, alone, could calm a fussy baby down in a matter of seconds.

With time, I stopped pumping all together and I reduced my nursing from every feeding ... to only three feedings a day. I would nurse all three first thing in the morning - one at lunch - and all three just before bed. As I reduced the volume of breastmilk they were receiving, I increased the amount of formula they were consuming.

Although I know women who exclusively breastfed their triplets ... this was not something I wanted to do. I did not want to be "tied" to the breastpump after every nursing session - which would be necessary to help keep my supply high enough for three babies. I also craved the freedom to get out and do things during the day, without having to lug a pump along with me. Bottles, particularly Podee bottles were my saving grace at these times.

I also know a lot of women who exclusively formula fed their babies. Some feel guilt about this decision, some do not. In my opinion (borrowed directly from my mother), it's not as important what you feed your child - as how you feed your child.

You can nurse your baby with love - just as you can bottle feed them with love.

If you are a stress case because you want every meal to be breastmilk - and you are up round-the-clock with a fussy newborn, that may not be the best solution. Sometimes women do not produce a sufficient amount of milk - sometimes they have issues with a baby successfully latching on - sometimes a baby is allergic to their mother's milk - or sometimes the pain, frustration and exhaustion is so great they decide to stop.

I was doggedly determined to breastfeed. But because of the challenges I faced, I can easily see how women beat themselves up when they feel like they are not able to accomplish this task which should be second nature.
Despite my overwhelming desire to breastfeed, I didn't nurse exclusively because I firmly believe that formula is not a bad thing.

I'm pleased that I stuck it out, but I nursed when I wanted to nurse - not necessarily when the babies needed to eat. If I had nursed them whenever they needed to eat - I would have been glued to the couch for the first 6-months of their lives. In the end, I feel like breastfeeding our triplets helped me to quickly lose the 100-pounds I packed on during my pregnancy and it also gave our babies a much needed boost to their fragile immune systems. More than that - I will always have fond memories of snuggling with a baby in the early morning - or just before bed - and holding their little bodies close.

Even though William weaned himself after approximately 11 months, I continued to nurse Carolyn and Elizabeth two times a day until they were 16-months old. I suspect if I hadn't decided it was time, our girls would have happily nursed until they went off to Kindergarten.

And well, that might be a little awkward.

27 comments:

  1. I wish I had had the ability to nurse. I had reduction surgery when I was 19 (in 1989 before they changed the techniques) and was told I'd have a 10% chance that the milk ducts would reconnect themselves. From all appearances, a couple did on each breast as I managed to get colustrum but my milk never came in. With my oldest, we fought, argued, screamed and cried for 5 days before I gave up completely and with Presleigh, I didn't even try - it was not a challenge I needed to overcome. For us, we bonded during Kangaroo Care both in the NICU and at home and I firmly agree with your mom.
    Good for you for keeping trying, but owie on the rusty scissor feeling.

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  2. WOW! I needed one of those bras!!!! Though I only had one baby, we had tremendous difficulties feeding and several birth defects went undiagnosed for several months...I pumped around the clock and was stubborn as all H*ll....mastitis and everything...it was hard!! Thank you for sharing, I was never able to nurse, as you were, ( I pumped for almost 5 months) but its comforting to hear your story and maybe next time:)I'll be able:)

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  3. Like you I was stubborn too. Even the lactation consultant told me she was stunned at my tenacity. And, like you I just didn't want to "fail" at it. But again, like you, I finally accepted my limitations, decided to combine nursing, bottle feeding and pumping to suit our family life, not just the baby's.

    Your post is one I feel all new mothers need to read. Actually I take that back, it should be read by fathers as well because try as he might my husband just did not "get it" when I was expressing, whether it was expressing my feelings, or expressing the breast milk, and found it difficult figure out how to be supportive, etc. Poor guy, he really was trying, but despite being a decent communicator, I was so wrapped up in trying to be a decent bovine, I really wasn't giving him a complete picture either.
    I love your post! It is a wonderful way to get moms to think about breastfeeding and that there is nothing wrong if a mom cannot, should not or just plain doesn't want to breast feed. Look for a little present for you on our blog later this week! : )

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  4. Gosh, you wrote this well. Breast feeding can be a very personal decsicion that many women (and men) have opinons about. I myself started to pump...I pumped and pumped and pumped and it HURT! My babies were to small to nurse at first and it felt very forceful to shove my big breast into their tiny mouths so I just pumped. I too was not prepared for the pain that I would have and I also had Matis. NOT FUN! I never brought my babies to breast when they got bigger. I wish I had. I pumped for exactly 6 months. I had the supply from GOD. At my high I would get between 10-12 oz per breast like 5 or 6 times a day! I would have to stop the hospital grade pump and switch the bottle just to continue pumping. My ped called me a "Dairy Cow". I never intended to breast feed/Pump but once I learned that it would be so beneficial to my preemie babies there was no stopping me. I was very determined and it paid off in the end. I stopped at 6 months because my supply was slowly diminishing. I had gone back to work and I just did not have the time to pump like I had in the beginning. I annouced to my husband that it would be my last pump and it was. It never hurt or anything, the milk just went away. What an awesome experience it was to provide breast milk for my babies. It is something I never thought I would do but I am so glad I did. Thank you for the post! It feels good to read about triplet mommies and their challenges/experiences. I swear we have so much in common. Think about what a breeze it will be to nurse just one baby. I have been told it doesn't hurt as bad the second time around either. You will have to let me know.
    Nicole

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  5. I've just weaned my 13.5 month old (a couple days ago actually) and I can't imagine what nursing 3 little ones is like (even with the little supplimenting that you did). You should be a poster child for a successful breastfeeding experience. I'm pretty sure 99% of people in your shoes would have given up after a few days.

    Since you weaned slowly like I did, when did your milk go away completely? I weaned my daughter 3 days ago (we were only nursing 1-2 times a day for the last month and half) and my milk is still holding on. I'm not leaking or anything, but getting pretty full. Any suggestions? lisadugan02@yahoo.com

    Thanks for a great post!

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  6. Once again, your life makes me say "Wow!" I've never heard of anyone being so determined to breastfeed before. You are amazing!

    I was really surprised after nursing my oldest till 2 (longer than I wanted to or would ever do again), that I got nipples just as sore with my 2nd, 3rd and 4th babies. Surprisingly, though, no sore nipples with my 5th! I'm not sure why, other than he's been easier to get to open wide and get the "whole thing" in there.

    I also discovered with this one that when you get those tender spots from plugged milk ducts, you can buy heat patches that are self adhesive and apply heat for 8 hrs. Awesome, especially since I don't have the leisure time to hang out with a heating pad these days!

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  7. Nursing was one of the most painfull experiences I've ever had... and I've had kidney stones! It took about 3 weeks to get those nipples (I can't believe I just wrote nipples...LOL) in breast feeding form. It did feel like they were being cut by rusty scissors! I remember how I sent poor Mark to the grocery store to pick up a head of cabbage at 11 pm! He came back with it and cut little holes in the middle of the leaf for me.... what a relief! Cabbage was a life saver!

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  8. I LOVE what your mom said - my pediatrician said something similar when my first newborn had crystals in his diaper because breastfeeding was not working. I was so determined to breastfeed and afraid that if I gave him a bottle he'd NEVER take to the breast and the only advice I got from La Leche league was to walk around shirtless all day with my baby in a sling and if he got hungry enough he would nurse all on his own. I'm not even kidding. Guess how much bawling I did after that phone call? :) We ended up with three months of struggling and supplementing with a bottle, I bonded with the electric pump, then three months of decent breastfeeding but could not do it in public because he would not tolerate anything over him or near him while he suckled. Lots of people got to see my breasts a couple of times. Then three months of absolute circus nursing in which he would literally twist his body up over my shoulder and knee me in the side of the head while he fed. The first time he bit me, I was just done. :) My second baby was a textbook breastfeeder and it made me so happy for the first few months, but then for four months he and I passed thrush back and forth despite every precaution and it got uncomfortable (and bloody)and we just had to stop. Plus, he also was a non-public nurser and had to be able to look around while eating. I'm looking forward to giving it another go around, because I wholeheartedly agree that "breast is best" - it just truly isn't the all-natural, super comfortable or convenient thing that I always thought it was. It does take skill and patience...and persistence. I'm impressed once again with your efforts and success with your triplets!

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  9. Gosh, nursing was just a bit uncomfortable with my first (it did take us a few weeks to get the hang of it since he had elevated bilirubin) but it didn't hurt at all with the second baby. In fact, he latched on 5 minutes after birth and nursed like a champ. It was awesome. Granted, I'd nursed #1 until he was 29 months old and I was 4 months pregnant so it had only been 4 1/2 months since I'd last nursed a child. And #2 was a little preemie and accidentally born in my bathtub! But he was fine and didn't need to go to the hospital or anything.

    I'm sure you can credit W, C & E's good health and lack of typical prematurity health issues to all the milk you were able to give them. That's so awesome!

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  10. Nursing is indeed a very painful experience but you did well. I did not have a good start and therefore only managed to breastfeed for a couple of months. Thanks for sharing your experience.

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  11. You are awesome Jen. I gave up the pump after 2 weeks!!! I often think if I would have just had a little more time to recover before they came home maybe I could have done it. Or maybe if one had come home first I could have gotten the hang of it. But they all came home on the same day and I was just a wreck, physically and emotionally so that made it easy for me to quit. You are my hero for taking on that much pain AFTER PREECLAMPSIA!!! Good God woman!

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  12. you are going to find one baby SO easy. Wow, you went through a lot. I applaud you. Breast is best (I nursed 5 out of 6 of mine and was grateful for formula for my bottle baby!)

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  13. Like the previous poster, I read this and thought- you will find one baby so easy!

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  14. I think it's weird that the lactation "experts" told you nursing shouldn't hurt. It killed me! Esp with the first baby, for about a week. I cringed every time he started to eat and had to do labor breathing to get through it. I was so sore and tender, I think that really soft and thin skin just had to toughen up. It was never as bad as that with the others, but there was definitely soreness for a few days with each one. Not to mention when your milk comes in and you feel like you have a pile of rocks inside you stretching from the top of your chest all the way under you armpits! After a while it was fine, but I definitely had those towel biting moments. I'm amazed that you kept up with it, esp after mastitis. I hope this next one will be much less of a struggle and you can just enjoy it thoroughly! Another interesting thing, I've had all boys, and now that I'm expecting a girl, my breast soreness has been so much less than with the other pregnancies. I guess not as much hormone conflict?
    Take Care!

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  15. This is such a funny blog and so true. I laughed so loud at your writing. When I first started to nurse Wally, my sixth, I felt like my TIT was going into a wringer--like on the old washing machines. You probably have never seen one. I used to think, "Oh No, do not bring that baby back I cannot stand it."
    However, with you, it was a piece of cake and I think you had no problems nursing at all. The only problem I had was with Auntie, she thought it a disgusting thing and would scream upon entering the house " Are you doing it?"
    You are so funny---where do you get you wit? It has to be from my Dad.
    Love,
    MOM

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  16. So funny you are!

    I totally remember the toe curling feeling in the beginning of my breastfeeding journey. Everyone kept telling me the same thing - it shouldn't hurt. Liars! My mom was the only honest one that said it would hurt for the first 2-4 weeks and then it will all go away. And Thank God it did!

    I commend you for being so insistent on breastfeeding, but realistic enough to accept that doing it excusively wasn't necessary. I breastfed my twins exclusively for several months and then my supply dwindled. I was constantly breastfeeding or pumping and I still couldn't make enough for my hungry boys. They would nurse until it was dry and then we supplemented with formula. And I breastfed them until their second birthday and I was done. One of my guys would still be nursing now if I let him, he loves his milk.

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  17. My mom breast fed me until the day before my 3rd birthday. She knew I was her last child (her 4th!) so she didn't want to let go. Of course, she likes to pull out this information at inopportune times, and people stare at ME like I'm the weird one. I don't rememember it, people!!!!

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  18. I nursed all four of my kidlets. I WISH someone would have told me about the sore nipple thing. It's one of those honest, real things --- "your boobs aren't used to being sucked on 24hrs. a day, it's GOING TO HURT for a short bit. Beyond that, it's probably a latch problem."

    I knew I problems with child #2 when I tried pumping 4 days post-partem and pumped blood. We rushed to a lactation workshop and fixed our latch issues ---THANK goodness!

    I give you TONS of credit for being successful and making it work into a beautiful, natural bonding experience.

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  19. You are my new hero! I had the reverse of you. My singleton was 20 months old when my 29 week triplets were born. I was able to pump until a couple of weeks after they all got home. It was just more than I could physically do. I have PCOS and wasn't getting anywhere. They were outpacing me 3 to 1 on their consumption.

    I love this post. You wrote it so well. Enjoy your singleton this summer!

    I just added you to my blogroll, so I'll keep checking back.

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  20. Jen, I just found your blog through one of my posts on the Triplet Connection website about beach wagons for triplets. I'd like to add your site to my blogroll (www.disneyfamiliesandmore.wordpress.com). Would that be okay?

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  21. Jenn -

    This is such an inspirational and "how to" story for breastfeeding triplets! You should share it with MTM for the benefit of new moms and moms to be. I might link the post to some other multiples boards I'm on!

    Jessica

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  22. Very Funny! Nursing definately hurts!! And seemed to hurt worse with each one I had.
    In fact, my milk came in so fast with the last two that I practically starved them. They both lost a pound after 2 weeks.
    The pain finally subsided after about 6 LONG weeks. And they all nursed for about a year.
    And then when you stop! It hurts too!
    With James; A VERY STUPID resident told me to stop nursing after about 9 months and NOT to NURSE AT ALL. (because he bit me) STOP. Cold turkey. Well. It damn near killed me. I ended up at the hospital when a nurse told me to NURSE THAT BABY NOW!!
    I do have to say that once the bullet pain subsided I enjoyed the it a great deal.
    By the Way... Love the message from your Mother - my Mother just about fainted each time I nursed James. Finally, she's a little better! So funny.

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  23. I got to the stage where my boobs looked like they'd been run over by a truck. The bruises took months to go away.
    I was only feeding one baby, but I tortured myself in much the same way you did, only for me it didn't have such a happy ending. I was never able to get away from the pump and at the height of my production I never managed more than 11oz in one day.
    I'm having my second in August and I feel much better informed this time around, so hopefully things will go better. That said, if it doesn't, despite the torture, I'm not sure I won't pump for another 10 months, no matter how crazy people think I am.

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  25. It was nice to read about your nursing battle with your triplets because im 20 and im pregnant for hte first time and its with triplets and ive been really worried about breatfeeding because ive always had it set in my mind that i wanted to. luckily ive been expressing milk already and im only 25 weeks pregnant and this has been going on now for a few months so i know i will have some for them but i just dont know how much, but you gave me reassurence about it and now i know that if you can do it after all your problems then i can too!

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  26. A friend of mine just linked to your post, and I have to say THANK YOU! I loved every bit of your piece, and while I was not nursing triplets, I (in a small way) feel your pain! My baby was a little sick when he was born, so I had to pump for a few days until he was able to latch on, and boy did my breasts hurt! I thought it would get better once he was sucking, but it didn't start to be "ok" until he was closer to five or six weeks old! I suffered, but now I am glad! He is now six and a half months old, and stills nursing.

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  27. I loved your encouraging and inspiring BF story.Excellent advice.
    I wish I had known about the hands free bra - I have twins (also IVF) now 17 months - Twin One took to breast at about 2.5 wks just as we were leaving the special care nursery. He hated the bottle and in fact we stayed a few more days than necessary because they said he was a poor feeder and refusing the bottle -so they left the NG feeding tube in.
    The day I left Special care nursery was the last day he had a bottle ever. (except daddy's beer bottle)

    Twin 2 - loved the bottle -screamed at the breast.I pumped exclusively for 5 months then one day he latched on - we are still going strong. The amount of times I had to juggle breastfeeding one and pumping because Twin 1 helped the let down reflex (a few times a feed). The milk I spilt because of the 'juggling' - I never knew such bras existed but sure as anything I would have happily chopped holes in mine if I had known LOL.
    Thankfully I never developed mastitis though I few times I had sore/lumpy breasts.
    I did have cracked nipples and pain a few times - torture - you are awesome to have continued through that torture.

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