Need some support

[Wind]

I am very sad. I have been exclusively breastfeeding for 8 weeks now. I honestly love it even though it is exhausting. Unfortunately I have a medical issue that keeps coming up. I think I will be put on meds in the very near future that will prevent me from continuing to breastfeed. I am so upset. I feel like my babies will hate me or that they won't be so close to me anymore. I know it sounds stupid, but I can't help but worry.

How do I even begin to switch them over? How do I deal with the physical pain of engorged breasts while waiting for my supply to diminish? How long will it take? I am a wreck.

 

[Mea]

Try not to beat yourself up so much, feeding 2 babies is really difficult and it's also not your fault you have to stop! I actually only managed 2 weeks and I also felt like you as I bf my singleton for over 6mnts. But my bond with the twins is no different to with him!

As for the pain with your breasts as long as you cut down gradually they should be fine, my midwife got me to start missing one feed and replacing with a bottle for 2-3 days then cut out another carrying on like that till you have replaced all the feeds and then my milk dried up within about a week.
As for bottles we tried a couple of different ones and ours really liked the Nuby bottles and teats.

 

[chetnaz]

Aww Hun, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling down. You have already done so well and have given them a great star. It's not your fault that you have to stop. If you need mess then you have no other choice. Your health has to come first as without mummy being healthy, she can't be there for her babies! Of course you'll still have a bond with them and that bond will grow by the day. As mea said, cut down gradually and you should be fine. Hope you'll be feeling better soon x

 

[heyyady]

Good job, you for exclusive BF twins! You have given them a wonderful gift and a great start-
^To dry up you supply you can drink sage tea (Also add sage to as much of your food as you can)
Take ibuprofen for discomfort- use ice packs
No nipple stimulation- no hot showers
It takes about a week or so

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

are you sure the DR cant give you meds that you CAN BF on? Sometimes if you tell them OR the pharmacy youre BF (even if they prescribe you something else) they can get you on one that you can BF with.

You could call a La Leche League leader or get on their site LLLI.org and ask just to make sure, but i know many people feel they need to stop for meds but sometimes its just a switch and you can continue.

If not, then you did well and dont feel bad.

 

[wondertwins]

Wind- Congrats on exclusively BF for 2 months! That's great!

Don't beat yourself up, and don't let anyone make you feel guilty. Your little munchkins would suffer far more if their adoring mama was not medically well. As for bonding, I think you'll be fine. One idea: once your milk has dried up, you can still simulate the skin-to-skin aspect of BF by cuddling your little ones against your bare chest while you feed them.

As for weaning... here's what I remember about it from 11 years ago when I stopped BF my DS: In the first day, I cut out one feeding altogether, and during a second feed, I pumped. Pumping was good enough to relieve the pressure without stimulating milk production in the same way that BF would have. The next day, I cut out an additional feeding and pumped during one feeding. I kept cutting down from there, and never suffered any real discomfort or engorgement.

 

[chan8180]

I promise your bond will be no different, i breasted both twins but totally stopped with one at 12 weeks as he just wasn't getting it and had health issues. I agonised and felt incredibly guilty but shouldn't have as i have just as much as a bond with him as i do his brother who bf until 12 months. My bottle fed one was actually the more cuddly one towards me so makes no differnce. I would gradually cut down, it takes approx 4 days to adjust to dropping a feed so to do so does take time. If you find you get too engorged just express enough off to ease but not enough to stimulate too much and use cabbage leaves in the bra which is supposed to help reduce milk. Once you have made the transition you should feel incredibly proud you have given them a fantastic start x

 

[Wind]

are you sure the DR cant give you meds that you CAN BF on? Sometimes if you tell them OR the pharmacy youre BF (even if they prescribe you something else) they can get you on one that you can BF with.

You could call a La Leche League leader or get on their site LLLI.org and ask just to make sure, but i know many people feel they need to stop for meds but sometimes its just a switch and you can continue.

If not, then you did well and dont feel bad.

One of the meds is a narcotic. (the one I'm worried about.) I can't take anti-inflammatory meds due to my condition and tylenol won't even begin to touch my pain. It's the same drug that was prescribed after my c-section and they knew I was breastfeeding then. Maybe I should ask the pediatrician. I have managed to replace one feed with a bottle but it's a fight.

 

[Mom.to.Many]

You have done an awesome job! Congrtaulate yourself!!! Many MANY babies are not breastfed even from birth (those adopted, some mom's choose not to, etc) and although it's not a competition you have given your babies 2 months of a wonderful thing.

But check this out... My mother did not BF me at all. She Bf'd my sister for 2 months and then put her straight on whole milk (yep... you read that right.) My sister was a 10 lbs baby and my mom's milk supply just couldn't keep up. So she took the advice of some old grannies in our family and gave her milk with baby cereal. My sister grew up just fine... and even is the smartest in our family (beginning her PhD program in psycology next year). She did not BF me and both me and my sister are SUPER close to my mama and always have been. (I think I had a closer bond with her, but maybe it cuz I was the baby of the family...) BTW I am not advocating giving babies whole milk... I don't know what my mom was thinking

The point is this... weaning is hard to do. I felt HORRIBLE when my daughter started to wean at 12 months. I kept offering her the boob but she didn't want it any more (she's still a picky eater). Emotionally its tough but you have accomplished A LOT so give yourself some snaps girl!

Besides all that... it's my personal theory that babies who are switched to bottle feedings are less picky eaters and they may sleep longer throughout the night meaning one big WOO HOO for you!

Good lock hun

 

[KELLYBD]

Just wanted to send you a to be honest I never got to breastfeed my twins as they went to SCBU straight away and I never got my milk properly, just tiny tiny amounts, I was told it was because of the seperation as my twins were in SCBU for 3 weeks and the stress I'd put myself under with Callum's complications prior to me having a csec and having to get Callum out early etc.

My babies are such happy little individuals, they are 4 1/2 months and laugh at Mummy constantly they love hugs and just sitting on me knee or just looking up at me from their mat so I don't think we've lost a bond or anything.

Obviously I'd feel the same way as you if I'd managed to breast feed from the beginning but if I hadn't have got them on the bottle they would have been stuck in SCBU alot longer so it was a Catch 22 situation.

Bless you hunny, don't get yourself upset, you've done an amazing job and it's not your fault you have medical issues. Your babies will love Mummy as much as they always have so don't beat yourself up, just give them extra hugs xxx