Sunday, February 13, 2011

Our Story

We found out we were pregnant on January 23rd, 2010. After trying for 4 months to conceive we were extatic and extremely hopeful that this would be our girl we were hoping for to complete our family by joining our two boys River who was 4 and Journey who was 2 at the time. Our due date was September 27th, 2010.
In February I went to the ER because I thought I was experiencing an ectopic pregnancy. The ultrasound tech who did my exam asked if twins ran in my family and when I told her they did not she responded with "They do now!" I was 6 weeks pregnant. When I was 9 weeks pregnant we confirmed the twin pregnancy by ultrasound.
At 17 weeks we found out that we were expecting identical twin GIRLS. We joke now that they were a buy one get one special. I spent the rest of my pregnancy obsessing over how to make breastfeeding twins work. I bought a twin nursing pillow, I read books geared toward tandem nursing, a joined support groups. I was ready for it.

The on 8/16/2010 my water broke at 4am at just 34 weeks pregnant. I went to the hospital where the girls were born just 2 short hours later by c-section.

Both girls came out breathing and yelling but they were small.

Kaeda Skye was born first at 8:04 am weighing 3 lbs 13 oz and 15.5 inches long

Ember Rayne joined her sister at 8:06am weighing 5 lbs 4 oz and 17.75 inches long



They spent 2 weeks in the NICU where I worked to try and get them latched on while pumping every two hours around the clock. Neither girl ever really latched on. I was determined to pump for them regardless. I pumped for 2 months for them while feeding and caring for them and their two older brothers. The girls were very high maintenance. They cried constantly. We took them back and forth to the doctor. They told us it was acid reflux and placed the girls on Zantac. After 2 weeks of trying the Zantac they hadn't gotten any better.

We returned to the doctor (they were now approaching 2 months of age and I had been exclusively pumping for them as neither girl ever figured out how to latch) and that's when they started pushing formula. They said they needed the extra calories. They said they need something that was lactose free. They said they needed something with rice in it. So I caved in and we started on Similac Sensitive RS. They got worse. We switched to Alimentum with a brief period of improvement. Then Nutrimagen Ready to feed.. Then finally we were put on Elecare which is an amino based formula that can only be ordered through the company who sells is for 35 dollars a can.

Mean while the girls spend their days screaming and resisting sleep and spitting up every time they eat. They are 6 months old and the doctors are now telling is it's just colic. I gave up breast feeding because I thought it was best for my girls and I regret not fighting harder every day. I feel like I've failed my girls. So with everything we've been through I have decided that I am going back to the basics and putting my daughters back on breast milk. However, this means I now I am desperate to find donors for my sweet girls. Desperate to bring them peace however I can.


Please please if you have the ability to help my sweet girls, every oz counts!
They currently require about 60-72 oz a day so that's a huge order to fill and every bit of help we can get matters to me greatly!

PLEASE help me give my daughters the best nature has to offer!
Contact me at Chrijodo@aol.com or my drop centers to donate.

6 comments:

  1. My heart goes out to you and your girls, my life was a lot like yours except I didn't breastfeed because I was taking an anti-depressant for post partum. My daughter cried every day, very high maitenence. I though that she was just colicy and dealt with it. It wasn't until she turned two and on a whim we removed milk from her diet and WOW! It is the non human milk protien not the lactose so any other "milk" supplement is still not gonna work. She had been horribly constipated the entire time which I'm sure was just torture to my poor sweet baby. I am now convinced it was the formula the whole time. I'm so sad that I can't go back and fix it but I pray that God blesses you with the best food available for your gorgeous twins! So much love to you all, Jenn

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  2. Have you thought about re-latctating?

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  3. Mother Hen.. I have thought about relactating but I had a hard enough time keeping my supply up originally let alone trying to start one from nothing. I don't have a pump, the pump I used while pumping for the girls was a hospital grade pump that WIC supplied us with because of their prematurity. And I doubt that either girl will latch with nothing to reward them so I would need to invest in an SNS to have any chance but yes I am looking into it. I am reading the link on kellymom that a friend supplied me with but if anyone has any knowledge or helpful tips I would appreciate it.

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  4. If you are interested in re-lactating look for a lactation consultant who is willing to come out and help you often. The only reason I am able to breastfeed my twins is because my mother (an RN aspiring to be a lactation conslutant) went to the nicu with me three days straight and helped me latch my boys. It is still rough with one of them, he does not like to work for the milk. If you have questions you can also email me directly and I will be glad to answer any. I lost my milk when they were 2.5 mo due to an extended stay in the hospital. It took a long time and a lot of patience but I am breastfeeding completely with only the cereal/baby food to supplement. I have chosen to use formula only when making their cereal because I have a 2.5 yo and can't pump while caring for the three of them. It is also good they have consistent calories in their cereal. The Doctors really pushed formula supplementation with me and I said a big NO because I knew I would easily lose my milk again. Good luck with your search and I hope if you decide to attempt relactation you are very successful :) Just know however long it has been is how long it will take to get it all back.

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  5. if you are with the state insurance check with wic and see about having the insuance by u a pump. my twins were born at 34 weeks also and the state insuance here in wy paid for a double pump for me through wic. hope this helps

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  6. Tosha, thanks for the suggestion, WIC provided the pump I used for the first 2 months of the girls lives but have a strict breast fed only rule for their pumps and when I had to supplement they took away my pump. Florida is definitely not very helpful when it comes to helping to facilitate a nursing relationship

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