Breastfeeding with triates
By Monica Rubio
Today I sat down with Mayela and Fernanda to talk about their breastfeeding experience when their babies Marcelo, David and Fernando were born. I know their story personally and consider them an inspiration. Especially when it comes to breastfeeding, I have learned a lot from her experience. I hope you can take away something from our talk, even if you don't have multiples.
Let's start!
Tell me a little first about the pregnancy, how did you feel in general? Did you have any complications? What week were they born?
In general my pregnancy went well, at the beginning I got ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome due to having been under treatment and that was difficult for the first few weeks. Because it was a multiple pregnancy, it was already high risk, so I decided to take her calmly and rest. In general, my pregnancy was calm. In the last weeks, it was heavy due to the weight and size of my belly. I had to sleep and be in a recliner because I couldn't lie down on a bed or in a chair, I was short of breath 😅. They decided to be born at exactly 30 weeks, Marcelo and I need a blood transfusion.
Knowing that there were three since pregnancy, did you start preparing for breastfeeding? Did you turn to advisors? Where did you find out what you had to do to breastfeed with multiples?
I didn't prepare for breastfeeding, the only thing I did was follow lactation consultant accounts on Instagram to get to know myself a little, I honestly didn't think I was going to need help. I had planned to get advice a few days before the triates were born and they had told us the day before they were born that they needed 2 more weeks inside my belly.
They advised me at the hospital, here in the United States they have advisors who work right there and they helped me a lot the entire time the children were in incubators. They even lent me a professional hospital extractor in which the one I had bought arrived two days after the triates were born, there they recommended the Spectra brand and I loved it.
The truth is that without the advice I would not have been able to extract it, it is much more complex than it seems. Pam from @vialactancia also helped me a lot during the year I was breastfeeding. My advice is that mothers get advice long before their children are born and that if they decide to express instead of breastfeed, they have everything ready before their baby is born.
The best thing for our family was having deferred breastfeeding
Tell us about the routine you had to create to feed them and how it changed as they required more ounces. Did all three babies ask for the same amount of milk or did it vary between them?
I did the extraction every 2 hours, I was doing a milk bank from the beginning, because at first the children didn't drink as much, but as they grew up the demand was more and when they were 7 months old I had to combine them with formula, we decided Do it to achieve 12 months of mixed breastfeeding and not just formula.
We gave the 3 of them the same amount of ounce, sometimes they left a little or asked for a little more, but we always handled the same amount for the 3 of them.
Did you use a breast pump? Which one worked best for you?
I used a Spectra S2 Plus breast pump because they told me it was one of the models that is closest to hospital grade and I also bought the 9 plus premier portable model for when I went to doctor's appointments and had to pump, with triates every time. We went out for a long time and I always had to do it.
Was there ever a moment that you remember saying “I can't take it anymore”?
Wow, there were many moments in which I wanted to throw in the towel, but my goal was always to give them 1 year even if it was mixed breastfeeding in the last few months. If there were days when I no longer wanted to do it, it requires a lot of time, no sleep, dedication and effort, but Fernanda always supported me and motivated me when I couldn't do it. I also always told myself: 1 day at a time and little by little.
And when I decreased the extractions it was a bittersweet feeling, but I am very happy to have achieved my goal
I had mastitis once and almost had it a second time. At that moment it was very heavy, but you have to keep extracting because if it doesn't get worse, then you can't stop doing it. 😅😂😰
If you could give a single recommendation to a new mom, what would it be?
My only recommendation is to make sure you have one or more consultations during pregnancy and prepare as much as possible, it is also never how we imagine it and lastly, have your support network no matter who it is.