Hi Jessica and all,
RE: Mom Of twins needs help
As many of you know, my twins were exclusively breastfed. It is
entirely possible!
My thoughts are:
- be absolutely certain what *her* breastfeeding goal(s) are
- offer her a "menu" of ways to deal with her situation, let her choose
- give her all the pros and cons of each item on the menu so she can
make informed choices.
I wholeheartedly agree with Cheryl, if the babes are getting formula and
mom is not doing some correlary milk removal, supply will suffer.
Do your best to stay far away from pessimism, no one benefits from that.
Don't lose sight of the realities of her situation, but be as
optimistic as you can be. The power of positive thinking can be
immeasurable.
WHat has she been doing as far as pumping?
- with what pump
- beginning when (how soon postpartum)
- how often
- for how long at a session
Does she switch the babes to the opposite side when they become
restless?
Are both babies nursing at about the same "level" of competence or is
one doing a little better?
What kind of help/support does mom have for breastfeeding as well as
household help?
Is she interested in herbal or other galactagogues?
WHat is the weight gain history of these babes? WHat has she been doing
to supplement thus far? Be careful to just take babies off all
supplementation "cold turkey" if they have been doing so regularly.
As for food, water, sleep and help, remember, that these can have a huge
impact on mom's ability to persevere. They are however not relevant to
the volume or quality of her milk.
If she is interested, try some visualizations with her. Teach her how
to do them on her own. Picturing milk flowing into the pump, or as a
fountain or a river. Imagining the babies nursing contentedly at the
breast. Linda Pincus, from New Jersey, did a wonderful workshop on the
subject at the Lactation Consultant in Private Practice Conference in
Philadelphia a few years ago.
Feel free to have the mom contact me directly or you may also call me at
(302) 322-5950.
Please keep us posted,
Kym
--
Kym Smythe, MEd, IBCLC
Bear, DE, USA
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