Having a baby is both exciting and terrifying! You are blessed with a beautiful gift of life to treasure and nurture, and you worry yourself sick as you vow to protect him. Now, if you are having twins, the happiness, and the anxiety multiplies exponentially. Not to mention, your workload also multiplies. You have to be doubly patient with their sleeping and especially, their feeding routines. That is what I felt when I had my twins, and I am not exaggerating. Here are some of the things I learned when my twins came along:
- You Have Sufficient Breast Milk: Initially I doubted if I could feed two human beings. I mean I am a single person, and I did not know if I could handle the nourishment of two babies. Then I found out, that all my worries were pointless. Lactation is a supply on demand process for most mothers, so you should have enough milk to feed both your babies. However, sometimes, in the initial months you may not be producing enough milk to feed both your kids. Don’t worry, because as months progress, you will be slowly make up for the lack in milk production. You have to remember that your body is getting used to a new change and it may need some time. However, if you continue to have delayed or insufficient milk production, you should consult a doctor.
- Feed Them Together: When you have to raise two kids simultaneously, you need time to recuperate. You need to catch up on sleep if you want to take care of both of them. So when one of your kids wakes up from sleep and needs feeding, wake the other one up and feed him too. Once they have been fed, you can put them to sleep together. You will, thus, be syncing their sleep patterns. It will give you time to do your household chores or hit the sack.
- You Need Your Nutrition: Since you are responsible for both of them, you need your nutrition in increased quantities. You should not be negligent towards yourself. Eat a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Include adequate fiber in your diet that will keep your gut clean. Also, since breast milk is the primary source of antibodies for your babies, you have to include antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries, strawberries, and cherries.
- Use A Pump: Before I brought home my little darlings, my friend suggested I get a powerful pump. I thought she was joking, but then I figured the usefulness of the pump. It is a savior. You can pump breast milk into bottles and refrigerate them. So you don’t always have to hold your kids against your chest to feed them. Your partner can now help you feed the babies while you take a break. The act of pumping will continue to give your body signals to produce milk naturally. It will also ensure that your nipples are less sore.
- Try Alternating Breasts With Each Baby: You could hold you babies in two different positions – chest hold and football hold – while you feed them. With the chest hold, as is obvious, you hold your baby over your chest while he feeds. The football hold expects you to hold your baby more along your side for him to feed. You could hold both kids over your breasts in the same position or interchange. You should also try alternating breasts with each baby. The pump will ensure that neither of your breasts runs dry. If one baby feeds more than the other, alternating breasts will even the supply in both breasts.
Children are the most exceptional gifts that you are blessed to bring into the world. It’s not always going to be easy; neither is it going to be painstakingly difficult. Raising twins is simply challenging yourself, and trust me, you will survive it. After you have, you will have raised two strong, confident, kind and just individuals.
