Twins/Triplets/Multiples Mum to be!

Thanks pinky!

Now i can pump out abt 60ml.. Thou also not enough to feed two... At least got some improvement from 40ml..

I let the twins feed on fm during night time where cl prepare fm for them... Then i continue to pump at night so they can have bm during the day...

Im trying my best liao... Telling myself i cant be too hard on myself.. Its not easy to wake up twice in the middle of the night to pump... V tiring... But i must perserve... When i see my twins drinking my bm.. I feel so pleased... At least like u say.. Some bm is better than nothing... Hope it will help to boast their immuity.. Cos they are premature bbs... They are only slightly over 2kg... Still so small....

 


baby,

see that's an improvement! keep it up. perhaps u can tell yourself that feeding FM helps to bring their weights up faster, so it's not necessarily a bad thing!

 
Hi everyone...



Been reading all the posts and learning the ropes to cope with the coming twins. I'm coming to 36 weeks now and getting real heavy. So far, gynae is still not scheduling any c-section yet, just told me to hang in there as far as possible but it's really tiring [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/sad.gif]. Another thing is i'm getting a bit worried cos 1 twin seems to be much more active, and the other one is quite quiet... sometimes to the point when i doubt if he/she is ok. How did you all ensure that both twins are ok inside the tummy? I find it very hard to tell them apart. From last scan, both babies' heads are at the top near my ribs, side by side but not sure if they have moved since.



I just stopped working 2 days ago and now want to get ready my hospital bag... is it necessary to bring the nursing pillow and what about the post-op support girdle? The nursing pillow is huge... haha... looks quite "kua zhang". My friend helped me to check with a pharmacy about the girdle and they say i should only get one after the op because there is some measurement to be taken. Is that true? Any recommendation on what brand or kind to get?

 
mail,

I brought my nursing pillow to the hospital. may look very kua zhang but as long as it helped me kick start my BFing journey with the twins I didn't mind. as for the post-op binder u can get 1 from the gynae's clinic, or if u want to get ur own a guideline is to measure ur current tummy size and minus about 4-5 inches off. i know 1 twin is usually the more quiet one, and also depends on where they r facing. if the twin is facing ur back then u won't feel as much movement as compared to the twin who is facing ur tummy.

 
Hi Pinky,

Thanks, I'll check with my gynae on the binder.



Other than knowing that they are side by side, i dunno where they are facing. In fact for the last 2 gynae visits, gynae wasn't able to scan the quieter twin in detail. Can see and hear the heartbeat but can't really measure the length of thigh bone and hence can't hv accurate estimate of the weight. It's always just an estimate in relative to the other twin. Hopefully by next visit gynae will schedule the c-section so that I'll be more assured that they are ok.

 
Hi everyone



I delivered my twins in late Nov by c-section... now coming to 3 weeks... still in confinement.. havent gone into the full cycle of taking care of twins yet as I leave them with CL to handle at night. As the days go by, i find it increasing difficult to cope even with CL around when both babies are yelling at the same time. Anyone can share if there's ways of coping with that? I will be taking care of twins alone.



Hi mail,



I didnt bring any nursing pillow to hospital but i later realise my ward provided it...Yet i still didnt use it during breastfeeding cos i couldnt put it around my waist due to my flabby tummy which sat on my stitches. For first few days, i didnt have any breast milk... had to use FM as supplement else the babies will cry badly after they latched on as there's no milk flow... i didnt get the binder too as the usage will be for 2-3 weeks only. For me the pain was bearable when I started to walk from 2nd day onwards after the op. My mobility was quite fully recovered by 10th day. Perhaps u can assess yr pain level and consider getting the binder after the op from the pharmacy?



My twins are also one active and the other relatively quieter. Do your babies kick u when you try to lie down on both sides? For me, i will sleep on both sides to test their responses. Else you can also try talking to them and stroking their heads.



Hi baby,



I read yr posts and felt I am in the same predicament as you. It's hard for me to bf twins. Also, it is indeed exhausing to take care of two babies esp their changing sleep and feeding pattern. My babies will yell when come to bathing and now one of my twins develop nanny rash which wont go away. There is new challenge almost every other day... now need to think of way how to handle alone when both twins cry at the same time. My CL is leaving soon and she too also find it exhausting to take care of them through days and nights. I can only hope the babies will quickly accept a routine soon so that it's easier to take care of them. Find it very daunting esp when both babies cry...

 
snowy,

I'm taking care of the twins on my own too. Sometimes add in #1's crying/whining and it's really chaos! Hahaha. I think you'll eventually learn to deal with the crying of 1 twin while u are handling the other. I usually settle my younger twin first (i) her cry is louder and (ii) she's a faster drinker. If all 3 kids cry I will settle the eldest one first. It can be very stressful when the babies are crying! Now at 2 months old the twins have longer feeding intervals and are more or less settled into a routine. So life is *slightly* better. Just tell urself things will get better!

 
Snowy

I guess cos we are first time mummy.. Somemore with twins.. Its definitely not easy... Im also not taking care of the twins now cos cl is around.. I only bottle feed them sometimes.. Most of the time im busy pumping milk... I also find it tiring to pump milk esp at night time when i need to wake up twice to pump... Each time will take half hr to one hr to pump...



But lets jiayou! Dont be too stress... Take each step at one time... ;)

 
baby



Why dont u switch to total bottle feed? I stopped breastfeeding when they were 3mths old because its very tiring to latch and pump at the same time so i switched to total pumping.. now they are already 8mths old and im still waking up to pump 3x every night, its really tiring but when u see them all big and chubby, u will forget all the hard work!!! But of course i am a SAHM and i have a helper around so its easier for me to leave them with the helper while i go pump.

 
Snowy,



Yes, I also try to lie down on both sides to test their responses... but the quieter one will remain relatively quiet, while the other one will wriggle and kick.



Pinky,



Is the binder meant to be used right away after surgery? Was it difficult to use the nursing pillow with the flabby tummy in the way?



Frankyly speaking, giving birth is no sweat compared to breastfeeding. The thought of it is very daunting... i was never successful with my no. 1... i really doubt i'll make it for twins. but still, i will have to try...

 
Hi Mail,



I also always seem to only be able to feel 1 twin kicking more vigorously when I was pregnant... but as long as the scan shows that they're both growing, it helps to assure me...



Yeah, I agree that the giving birth process is nothing compared to the breastfeeding/taking care of the twins process. Even until now (my twins are almost 3 mths old), I still struggle everyday with their crying/sleeping/fussing + #1's needs. =(



Pinky, my twins are still only doing 3 hourly intervals even at nite. Seriously, I wonder when they will be able to do longer stretches! How are your twins doing? My twins also have very strange bedtimes... They sleep very late... usually only by 9+ or 10. =( I'm trying to make them sleep earlier, but it's been rather tough... sigh, there are days when I'm just down and frustrated and I just let them do whatever they want. Haha.



Leah, you pump 3x a nite? Wow... that's amazing. I usually skip 1 pump at nite cos I will be too tired out from bottle feeding 2 of them. So I will pump at 12 am, and next pump is at 6 am. At nite, I just give FM. Actually I'm very sure that if I latch them, there will be enough milk. But they are very fussy at the breasts, always scream at about 10 mins into it. I'm also wondering how long to continue latching them for... getting discouraged abt the latching. Maybe just bottle feed completely...



Baby, if you're bottle feeding and taking care of the twins yourself (plus need to pump), you may need to rope in some help after your CL leaves... it can be very tiring esp during the night feeds. Is there anyone who can come by and help you in the mornings? Think it will help. It will be hard for hubbies to really help cos they have to work. Quite poor thing also. Or you can try to bf them totally but that may be more tiring (cos they may need to drink more often) in the beginning when working up your milk supply... you can ask Pinky for advice... she's really successful in tbf her twins. =)



Yeah, I do think it's harder for first time mums... even for a 2nd time mum like myself, I still struggle a lot with taking care of twins... so I can completely empathize with the first time mums... jia you and hang in there.

 
L,

I'm still alive! Hahaha, thanks for ur compliments. I think even as 2nd time mummies we're also struggling, thus it's a steeper learning curve for 1st time mummies who have no idea what to expect at all. But hang in there and don't be shy to ask for help!



Twin 2, my girl is almost sleeping through the night. Last night she lasted from 11pm to 6am. Twin 1, boy, with his eczema, probably around 4 hours maximum. I set bedtime at 8pm, but the twins don't necessarily sleep at 8pm. Fresh diaper and full feed. I make sure they are in their cribs at that time. They will either cry or stare into space. Hahaha. Until about 10-11pm then they slowly settle into bed. Initially they only sleep at midnight, so I guess it's an improvement!



By the way I noticed that for my twins, I get times where 1 will fuss and cry, then when he/she stops the other twin will start! They are not bothered by each other's cries though (my #1 is!), just that can get quite stressful when the crying doesn't stop.



BFing is really not easy and I can understand why some mummies give up and choose to FM. But I think once BFing is established, it is much more convenient than feeding FM. We can go out with the twins the whole day without bringing a big bag along. And once they are hungry, just stop anywhere, sit down cover and feed. The only investment comes from getting nursing bras & clothes, which IMHO is still much cheaper than feeding FM.



My twins are wearing M sized diapers now so I was very happy to switch them NTUC Fairprice brand. It costs $11.50 (I think) for 60pcs of M sized. When there's offer it's 2 packs for $19.95. My #1 uses it too, only at night we use Huggies Dry Comfort as she sleeps almost 12 hours straight. You mummies can check it out. Cheap and good. [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]

 
L



This pumping thing is like a routine for me already, if i dont pump, i will feel weird unless im out the whole day or im just lazy. usually i will miss a few pumps here and there but i try to make it up. In the beginning i pump every 2.5-3hrly and if i have the letdown feeling, i will pump. So far we used less than 5tins of fm and it really helped save alot of money. When my friends have extra, they will pass some bm to me as well. The plan now is to stop at 12mths then introduce fm. Im not a big fan of bfing cause it gets very frustrating for me.

 
Hey Pinky,

Can I ask, when you put your twins in their crib at 8 pm and they either cry or stare into space, how long do you let them cry for? You mean from 8 pm to 10 pm they can be doing that? Haha...



If you set their bedtime at 8 pm, what if they just fed at say 6.30 pm? Do you just feed them regardless at 8 pm so that they sleep with a full tummy?



I'm trying to let them learn how to sleep on their own, but having difficulty... always end up picking them up. =( Yikes. Sometimes they can drift off to sleep themselves, but I do give them the pacifier. Hehe.

 
L,

I let them cry/fuss for about 10min before picking them up. Maybe between 8-11pm they will sleep for a while, wake up make some noise, stare into space, go back to sleep. The objective is to let them know that it's night time very boring nothing to do, so might as well go and zzzz.



Yes even if their last feed was 6pm, I will still feed at 8pm. If they don't want then I wait till 8.30pm to try again. So far this has worked well. I also give pacifier to my girl but it keeps dropping out and I find myself constantly going over to shove it back into her mouth. So have decided not to do it anymore. sigh. hahaha.

 
Hi mummies,



i came back from 36 weeks' checkup and scheduled c-section this Saturday. now feeling abit anxious... esp about breastfeeding. Am i right to say that it's best to latch them on exclusively for 1st month until milk supply comes in? Is it necessary to pump after each feed? If i can only feed 1 baby at a time, i should offer them different sides, then if there are still "left-overs", pump to store? sorry, so many questions... can sense my anxiety hor? haa...



Anyone delivered at Mt Alvernia? Do they provide baby mittens, clothes, receiving blanket during discharge? i delivered my eldest at TMC and they provided all these, so i didn't have to bring any.

 
mail,

It's ideal to latch them on as they're the best pumps. If you are latching them exclusively it's not necessary to pump, but it *may* help stimulate milk production. For me I latched them on and pumped about 2 times a day. But after that I became lazy and gave it up. My CL encouraged me to pump after each feed as she said during this time when we are eating a lot of good stuff to recover the body we tend to have more milk. So the milk that I pump out can be kept for future use. Because I exclusively latch, pump or not depends on how lazy/hardworking I feel hahaha. Some mummies allocate 1 side to 1 baby, while for me I alternate. Eg: twin 1 feeds on left breast, next feed he will start feed on right breast. I think he drinks more so I do that to prevent lopsidedness.



At the beginning, however, you may find yourself offering both sides to each baby for a few times. Eg: twin 1 feeds on left for 15min, right for 15min, left again for 10min. It's perfectly normal as they don't drink so efficiently yet plus milk supply not yet established. If you have help can consider to tandem feed them together. Saves time & stimulates milk production. [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]

 
Thanks, Pinky!



So in the beginning, if only enough milk for 1 baby, ok to give the other baby FM right? i'll try to tandem feed together but worry is that both will end up still hungry [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/sad.gif]

 
mail,

don't worry about whether you have enough milk in the beginning or not. Newborns sleep most of the time so usually when they cry most likely is to ask for milk, thus u can surely depend on ur babies to cue for feeding time. Don't be surprised if they want to feed as much as every hour, which was why I suggested tandem feeding to save time. I'd suggest you latch them on during the daytime and if you're too tired to latch both babies on at night, feed 1 with FM. You can read up or Google on how to feed baby while lying on ur side. I used to do that for night feeds when I'm just too tired to sit up. The CL will bring the baby to me to latch on and burp & carry baby back to the crib once done. It is perfectly fine to top up with FM as you also can't produce much milk if you're too tired!

 
Hi pinky,



Sorry for the late reply. My girl play with my hp so I din realise that u sms me till hubby saw it and tell me which is yesterday.



The carrier is only useful to hold two bb while the other person at home can do other thing.I dun really feel that it is very useful or easy to use if u r the only adult around. So far my twin cry like no tomorrow whenever we put them in the carrier, is really not easy to put the vest on them, dun know why the twin bb in the demo look so calm and steady.



Is call maximom carrier and I got it from 4coolkids.com this site is cheaper and do international shipping.

 
Hi all,



My twins is about two months plus already.



Things seem to get better but still very tired. Am thankful that the twins are more or less settle they either wake up once or can z z z till about 6 hour at nite. There will be one part of the day that they will cry together and need to be carried that is where my twin carrier come in useful but not without much stuggle. I nurse my older twin thru the nite if she fuss lying down and hubby will feed the younger twin.now am working on nursing 2 at nite and only feed them bottle in the day but still working on it.



Life is still busy cos my 3 older girl also need quite a bit of attention. Everyone keep telling me life will be good after they grow up. [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/sad.gif]

 
doblue38,

I saw ur SMS but couldn't reply as my HP went dead. Switched to another HP but didn't have your no. inside. Anyway I think I will skip the twin carrier as I doubt I can use it for long carrying 2 babies. Will just get a normal carrier for my hubby to use as I find that sometimes it's very troublesome to push a twin stroller around, especially when the walkways are not generous enough & crowded.



Not easy to take care of so many kids! Hang in there. I am sure you are doing quite well. Definitely tiring but at the end of the day we will feel like all the effort is worth it!



My younger twin is starting to sleep through the night. Slept for about 10 hours straight! My elder one still not doing so but hopefully he will be once we find out the cause of his eczema. Heading to the clinic today to request for a stronger cream for him.

 
mail,

no problem. do voice out anymore questions that u have if i can i will answer them. have a very smooth delivery and fast recovery!

 
Thanks, Pinky [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]

 
Hi ladies

Delivered my bbs one week ago and each weigh 2.4kg and allowed to go home with me on day 4. Twin 2 failed the hearing test n asked to repeat one month later. Pd says it may be due to water inside the ear. I am very worried still has anyone heard or experience this before ?



It's very overwhelming for see my bbs the first time for me as ftm. The discomfort at the last stage is nothing once u carry ur bbs for the first time. So mummies hanging on, jia you [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]



I am trying to bf n pump to feed the bbs. I can't seem to get them to drink on my right breast. maybe my position is wrong. Now my left breast pumps more milk than right caused I am afraid to hold them to feed right breast. Any advice ?



Thanks ladies for ur encourgement during my pregnancy.

 
Hey Nann,



Congrats on your twins! They are of good weights too.



My younger twin also failed the hearing test (twice!) Got us really worried for a while... had to repeat it when he is 1 mth old. And thank God he passed it. It's true that many of the cases are due to water inside the water... I hope that it's the case for your twin too. =)



Also, it's quite normal that 1 breast produces more milk than another... what I try to do is to try and latch the baby on the "worse" breast cos the baby stimulates production. But don't worry too much about it... as long as they're latching and you're producing enough.

 
L

thanks for the assurance on the hearing test. Felt more relieved. I still trying to hold my bb to feed on the worse breast but think my angle not correct so bb keep crying. Will keep trying. Thanks again. May need more help from u wonderful mums when I encounter other issues in future [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]

 
nann,

congrats on the delivery of ur twins & I hope T2 passes the hearing test next month! You can try to search Google on breastfeeding positions and experiment with them to see which one works best with your babies on the right side. Takes a bit of trial & error sometimes. [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]

 
Merry christmas to all too!



Nann,



My twin 2 also fail the hearing test twice. I arrange for her to take the test a week later and she clear, dun worry. Congrats, take care and rest well.



Pinky,



will sms you when I am free and not in such odd hour. Just when I thot they are more settled they take turn to stay awake thru the night......sigh......

 
Pinky / doblue

thanks for the advice n assurance [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif] can be overwhelming to hear 2 newborns cry at the same time for FTM. I see the cl handle them so calmly while I start to panic to see if they need milk or diaper change !



Confinement is definetely different from what my friends w single bbs tell me. Was told to lie down as much as I can but sometimes both bb cry for feed at the same time I still need to get up n feed plus the pumping every 3 hrs. I am already experiencing backache [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/sad.gif]

 
Hi ladies

Long time no log in... Merry Christmas to everyone!



I'm letting go of an extra large TAF TAF play gym, (the same as this http://www.kidzloft.com/index.php?main_page=product&cPath=11&products_id=375) at a good price. I had 4 gyms so this was only used occasionally and kept in very good condition. It's an EXCELLENT play gym and each toy plays a sound or vibrates. It's nicely padded and very large - my boys often played together side by side.



My twins loved this but they are crawling now so it's impossible to keep them on their backs.

Please PM me for pics and price.

 
nann,

I agree with you with the lying down. During my confinement I tried to lie down and rest whenever the twins were sleeping but it was hard as I also had to keep an eye on #1. Even when I did have the chance to do so, 1hr later some one might be crying then I feel the need to get up and check on them. If can't lie down, then just sit down on a chair with a backrest as much as you can and try not to think of anything. [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]

 
I also didnt get to lie down... Not easy to just lie down and let cl take care of everything.. I also take part in feeding the twins.. Standing around to watch cl bathe the twins.. Change their diapers...

But i try to sit down when i can...



Btw, after baby full mth.. U gals resume to normal diet? No need to have restrictions? Can also bathe as normal?



And also how to stop bf? Take med? Or reduce milk gradually? How to reduce milk gradually? Will it cause engorgement?

 
Merry Xmas to all!!!!



Mail, I deliever at Mt A... U got to bring ur own bb clothes for discharge as they do not provide for bb. Same goes to mittens n booties.

 
baby,

I think most of the time I let CL bathe & change the twins diapers as doing these may cause a strain on the back. My hubby thinks she should be doing all these anyway since we're paying her so much! Hahaha. After full month I went back to normal diet, but I try to take more fish to improve BM supply & also try to avoid too much spicy stuff as it can cause baby to be fussy. I bathe during my confinement with warm water normally, so I think after that anything is okay.



To reduce milk you can ask the doctor for medicine, but the doctor will most probably encourage you to continue to BF. Without medicine, you can pump out only when you start to feel uncomfortable and pump out only enough to relieve the discomfort. Gradually you will find that you need to pump out less and less until the milk supply stops. It's possible that you may still have milk months later, but that is not really an issue as the amount will be very little. [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]

 
Hi Mummies,



I have delivered my twins yesterday morning. The gal is 2.2 kg while the boy is 2.3 kg. I'm trying to breastfeed both right now but today's 2nd day only and I already having sore nipples. Sigh.

 
mail,

get ur hubby to buy nipple cream! or squeeze out some breastmilk and apply on the nipples, then air them for about 5-10min. Congrats!

 
Hi Pinky, thanks! Yes, I'm already using the nursing cream after each feed. But each time the babies latch on, I cringe at the sudden pain.

 
mail,

if u're at the hospital can get the lactation consultant to come make sure u get the correct latch. but it also painful for me at the beginning as the nipples were not "seasoned." hope it gets better soon!

 
Those who has stop breastfeeding pls advise...



How to stop breastfeeding without engorgement? Take medicine? Or reduce milk supply gradually by skipping pumping session? Will it cause painful engorgement?

 
Hi, Merry xmas to all and congrats to nann and mail on your bundles of joy!



baby, i'm also trying to stop breastfeeding but it takes time. What I do is reduce the number of times I express. Now I am down to expressing 3 times a day. If you have engorgement, you need to either express or direct feed often then it will be ok.



I heard taking medicine to stop milk supply is not good. Better to do it the natural way.



My twins are 4 months now but they still wake up 1-2x to feed overnight. I have stopped the overnight expressing but sometimes my gal can suddenly be very alert after the overnight feed like 3am. And she just wont go back to sleep yet wants to interact or be held else she will make a lot of noise. Can be extremely trying. Any tips to make baby sleep through the night?

 
Thanks, Pinky. Yes, I hope to see the LC today as they were not around yesterday. I hope the nipples will toughen up soon before getting to blistered. I am trying to bf as much as possible cos milk has still not come in.

 
Mail

Congrats on the arrival of ur twins [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif] hope u milk supply kicks in soon



kikichan

ur twins already 4 months old [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif] seems so fast to me.... Hope my bbs grow up faster so can put them on schedule



pinky

my twins already showing signs of wanting to be carried to zzz especially the elder one. Was thinking after cl leaves and I handle the bbs alone, what should I do ? Let them cry ?? Heartpain for ftm...

 
Thanks, nann and tubao. I feel like giving up on breastfeeding already. My nipples are already bleeding. Sigh. It's just so painful. I'm getting a bit stressed up that I couldn't sleep last night. Geez....

Tubao, I actually worked until end of 35 weeks only as I intended to give birth at 36 weeks. So wanted to hv some rest. Think it was good break.

 

Me too.. Im trying to stop breasfeeding...

I have painful blocked ducts.. Called up parentcraft.. LC says stop pumping.. Cos if continue to pump milk will still regenerate... Ask me to Use hand to express milk out.. Then apply cold cabbage... Now my breast is still sore and painful...

I wonder is it normal to endure engorgement before milk can be stop completely...



Anyone here who successful stop breastfeeding can advise me? I have stop pumping.. When my breast feel real uncomfortable i will massage the hard lumps anduse hand to

express some milk out.. Then apply cold cabbage... The hard lumps wont go away.. Its still painful.. If i continue this way.. Will it get better after a few days? Cos i read the first 48-72hrs are the most painful.. Afterwhich it will get better.. Is it true?

 
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