"whodunit" <whodunit@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:5aJkk.34508$ZE5.6875@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>A little update, since I've been pretty busy lately. :-)
> Time for me to move on back to aiparenting too, so this will
> probably be the last baby updated at aipg.
>
> I'm not a nursing activist by any means, but I've always felt
> nursing was best for babies and tried to nurse exclusively. I was
> fortunate enough to nurse Maya for around 25/26 months, and I was
> hoping that I'd be able to nurse the twins without any problems as
> well--not really having any trouble with actual nursing procedures, but
> we have had a few problems--both babies had lost some of their birth
> weights (which is not abnormal) but they each had trouble regaining that
> weight--we learned Samuel was tongue tied and not nursing efficiently.
> Sarah seemed to be doing fine, gaining weight slowly but not losing any
> more since we left the hospital 2 weeks ago. The twins turned 3 weeks
old
> a few days ago.
>
> Since Samuel got his tongue clipped he's been eating like a champ,
> and gaining weight steadily...he is now pretty close to 7 lbs.
> Poor Sarah, who has been healthy and active and everything, just
> wasn't gaining any weight at all -we had her weighed last Thursday and
> she was 5 lbs 14 oz.--reweighed on Monday, and she weighed exactly the
> same after 4-5 days!! Not good for a newborn. :-(
>
> Prior to that the ped. and LC had me use a pump to give Sarah an extra
> ounce of breast milk after nursing both sides but after Monday's weight,
> the ped. upped it to 3 or 4 extra ounces per feeding after nursing--I'm
> pumping approx.2-3 ounces of milk at a time, so we have to top that off
> with formula (which DH has been wanting to totally switch to for awhile
> anyway, he believes it's better for babies than nursing)
I'm curious as to why he thinks formula is actually *better than*
breastmilk. I've never heard anyone say that before. *As good as*
breastmilk
maybe, but not better than.
but at least
> it's just a small amount of the dreaded 'f' word. :-) Seems to be
working
> since we took Sarah in for another weight check today--she weighed 6 lbs
4
> ounces, just 2 ounces short of her birth weight, so the
> supplemental feeding is working. Ped. and LC are at a loss as to why
> Samuel is thriving and Sarah needs extra--she could have a higher
> metabolism, and she tends to fall asleep a lot while nursing, they
aren't
> sure. DH is enjoying the time he gets with her when he gives her
> her bottle after nursing, he was pretty worried about her not gaining
> weight but was relieved at her weight gain of 5 or so ounces in just a
> few days. :-)
When I was in the hospital after the twins were born, I was determined to
nurse them exclusively. I would not allow *any* formula-feeding at all.
(The
hospital was *very* b/fing-friendly, so that helped.) We had latch-on
problems (despite working with several lactation consultants in the
hospital), so I pumped and gave them the BM via a dropper and spoon (and
then by bottle, to get more milk into them). When the twins started losing
too much, though, I had no choice but to supplement with formula (we
couldn't be discharged until they had gained enough). Once home, I gave up
on trying to nurse them and my plan switched to pumping for them and
supplementing with formula as needed. (I started out giving them 100% BM,
but over time the ratio of BM to formula became 75%/25%, 50%/50%, 25%/75%,
until I was feeding them formula 100% of the time.)
It can be disappointing when you're not able to b/feed all your children
exclusively (I had nursed Rayna til after she turned three, so I was
bummed
that I could not do the same with the twins), but really, ANY amount of
breastmilk a child receives is A Good Thing. What's im****tant is that your
babies are thriving. You're doing SUCH an awesome job with them! :)
> Maya has been blessed with our wonderful neighbors and her friends'
> families inviting her over for activities like VBS, and the movies, etc.
> and sleepovers...so very very few meltdowns or upset feelings over the
> babies getting so much attention. She is enjoying helping out with the
> babies and has really helped me as a 'gofer' since we got home. :-)
That's great to hear. :) She sounds like quite a good helper to you and a
great big sis to the babies. Rayna was the same way after our twins were
born and was a lifesaver to me with fetching supplies, etc. Having a
"mommy's helper" around really, really helps with twins!
> We finally got our professional pics from the hospital last week, they
> turned out so cute! :-)
> Samuel in his first suit:
> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=35jcsnb&s=4
> Sarah in her pink/white dress:
> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2vx2iyq&s=4
> Twins Together:
> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=1znosj5&s=4
> Official Birth Announcements:
> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2uqn9er&s=4
>
> Enjoy! :-)
Totally adorable!! :) Thanks for sharing!
Mary
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