I had previously listed MOST (Mothers of Supertwins) as a resource for
families with triplets.  Today I read their Winter 1999 newsletter, after
the question of "scheduling" came up in my LLL group meeting this morning,
related to an article in this issue.  Here is a partial quote from the
article, titled "What has worked for me so far" by a mother of 6 (including
10 month old quadruplets) from Utah:  (It's long, but really captures the
flavor of this program, and you can see why this is so seductive to
sleep-deprived, overwhelmed parents of multiples who read it)

"At 6 months old when they were put on solids, I could no longer spend 20
minutes holding each baby and then feed each baby solids.  It was just too
time consuming.  I would sit them all in their high chairs (luckily they
recline) and give them each a PODEE bottle.  [see explanation below]  This
bottle has been a lifesaver.  I start them all on a bottle and fix their
food.  Then I go through and feed each baby.  Now at 11 months I still feed
this way: we have 4 feedings a day, breakfast around 7:30 to 8:30 am then
lunch 12:00 noon, dinner 4:00 pm and then a night bottle between 6:30-7:00
pm.  The best book to read to learn about getting babies to sleep through
the night (and so much more) is called 'Babywise' by Gary Ezzo and Robert
Bucknam.  Their whole philosophy is that by putting a baby (or babies as in
our case) on a schedule, the babies are happier and so are you.  This book
is definitely a 'must read' for mothers of multiples.... Our babies have
been on a feeding and napping schedule since coming home from the hospital
at 8 weeks old.  They started sleeping 12 hours through the night about 8
weeks later.  Due to their prematurity they were the equivalent of 2-month
old babies.  People are amazed when I tell them that our babies all go to
bed between 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm and they don't wake up until 7:30 am and
sometimes sleep as late as 9:00 am!  Since they're on such a good routine,
my husband and I can even actually go out to dinner and a show because I
put the babies down before the babysitter arrives, and I know they will all
stay asleep the whole time.  Also, on the days my husband is home [he
travels out of state 1 - 2 days and nights a week] I can run errands while
the babies sleep, etc.  Now that our older son is 12, we can even go out
and have him baby sit....

"I think that being on a schedule has also made them very happy babies.  In
the beginning of the book 'Babywise' it says: One day people will stop you
on the street and say your baby is so content, you're so lucky to have such
an easy baby.  And that statement is so true, we have seen its effect on 4
babies, we have taken them to restaurants (not often because we are such a
scene) and they never make a peep.  They almost never cry because they
don't need to.  They weren't demand fed so they don't need to demand to be
fed; they know food is coming.  They are put down for naps consistently so
they are getting enough rest and are rarely cranky.

"Ezzo and Buckman have a second book out called Babywise 2 which goes over
parenting your 5 month to 15 month old.  You really need to read both books
to understand the importance of directing your child's learning.  I'm just
starting into the second book as our babies are just reaching that level.
They stress the importance of teaching a child the right way to do things
rather than having to retrain them later.  As I am reading this book I
realize there are a lot of things which I did with my first child (he's 12
years old now) that if I had done differently would have made this whole
parenting experience much more enjoyable for both of us..."

The article is accompanied by a photo of a picture-perfect family, parents
smiling at the camera, the 6 children dressed in matching outfits,
unsmiling, the 4 babies perched on the parents' knees, the 9 year old girl
and 12 year old boy standing solemnly at attention between them.

I find this all very disturbing.  Aside from the harm to these babies,
does anyone else feel concern for this 12 year old son, expected to babysit
alone for 4 infants and a 9 year old while the parents are out?  And while
parents of multiples face very special challenges, I do feel there are
other ways to address them.  (Like getting help).

A footnote tells how to order Babywise books and PODEE bottles through
MOST's General Store and website, www.MOSTonline.org.  PODEE is illustrated
in color in a back page ad as a "Hands-Free Baby Feeding System."  The ad
above this is for a zippered net tent to keep babies in their cribs.

The e-mail address of MOST is [log in to unmask]
The newsletter editor and Executive Director is Maureen A. Doolan Boyle.

So from now on I will share this resource for mothers of triplets and more
with great caution and reservation, if at all.

Anne Altshuler, RN, MS, IBCLC and LLL leader in Madison, Wisconsin
mailto:[log in to unmask]

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