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Infant feeding

Some tandem feeding questions

9 replies

StealthPolarBear · 27/09/2009 10:13

Can I just use this thread to ask questions as they come to me to the expert tandem feeders??

Am feeding DS who's 2y5m and 1 week old DD. Some times I feed them together but most of the time separate. DS in theory feeds morning and night. He used to have a medium morning feed which I'd manage to finish with promises of breakfast. Now he attempts to make the feed last as long as possible and gets very upset when I try to end it. Counting down doesn't work. Have tried explaining that DD has nothing but milk so she has lots of it but he eats and so needs to save space for that. We also call DD's feeds 'milk' as opposed to his 'mi-mi' to try to make the point that they are for different things. We're getting there with that but I really struggle to end his morning feeds, any other ideas?
Also, I know there's no need to wash my breasts in between but he's on antibiotics and has been having calpol - is there definitely still no need?
Erm...think that's it for now but I'm sure the rest will come to me

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whomovedmychocolate · 27/09/2009 10:34

No need to wash boobs no. I bribed DD with 'would you like to come off now and have a chocolate button'. (which normally worked). Alternatively you could try a timer which rings and say 'when it goes we have to stop as mummy has to feed the cat/go wave at the postman/get you a button etc.

NB you will have enough milk regardless how long he stays on (I know it's frustrating for you but he won't be impinging on your DDs breakfast ).

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HeadInAWhirl · 27/09/2009 10:47

Thank you for starting this thread Stealth, I have just found out I'm pg with 3rd while DD is 10mo and still BFing quite a lot. What are the chances she will self wean during the next 18months? She is a big time velcro baby who won't take a bottle but will drink water from a cup quite happily but not milk.

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TAFKAtheUrbanDryad · 27/09/2009 11:11

I use chocolate/biscuits or anything to get him off me! Ds also feeds only morning and night In Theory, but also frequently asks to nurse together. Unfortunately, the sensation of nursing them together makes me want to kill things so they don't get to do that.

No need to wash AFAIK, but it's not going to hurt if you shove a flannel over your boobs!!

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StealthPolarBear · 27/09/2009 13:38

Thanks for the answers Chocolate - why didn't I think of that? But then I'd eat them myself
Don't think he'd pay attention to the timer
Not too bothered about supply - at the moment I'm usually so engorged that she can just get her mouth around a side he's finished I know my supply will keep up.
Go on then Tafka - assuming I can be bothered in the night Don't suppose she'll enjoy the calpol / amoxycillin stickiness!!
Congratulations HIAW Not sure about the self weaning thing, seems some do & some don't! Big help I know

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whomovedmychocolate · 27/09/2009 13:52

HeadinaWhirl - depends on the child, DD loved my milk when I was pregnant and when DS was a newborn but has pretty much selfweaned (she has asked about nursed once a fortnight for the past month and she's three in a couple of weeks). 18 months is a long time though!

I also found feeding both together really difficult - logistically and physically!

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CantSleepWontSleep · 27/09/2009 19:32

Stealth - firstly huge congratulations!! I had entirely missed your birth (don't have as much time to MN as I used to), but am delighted for you.
Secondly, I would just go with the flow in the early weeks, and let them both feed as much as they want (which will almost certainly be A Lot), and then worry about cutting ds back a bit once he is over the shock of having a sibling and getting used to the fact that mummy can love/cuddle/feed/play with both him and someone else.
I did this with dd (who was 2.8 when ds when born), and then introduced counting down after a few weeks. Well, it was actually counting up, as dd can count, but not in reverse, and it's important that they understand the method you are using. Can your ds count well?
I wouldn't be arsed with washing in between feeding them, but it's entirely up to you. You could just give them one breast each for now if that would make life easier. I introduced this for a while when ds was a couple of weeks old, as dd's feeding was leading I think to some oversupply issues, and ds got drowned and very upset a few times. In fact even now dd only gets 'her boo-boo' (she just feeds once a day now), although ds has both.

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Babieseverywhere · 27/09/2009 22:29

Congratulations Stealth

I went with the flow when I started to tandem nurse and I did nurse both children on demand. My oldest (2 years old at the time) went practically to full time milk - her poo went back to breastfeed curds even though she was still using the toilet. After a couple of months she went back to more solids though at 3 years old she still needs milk several times a day.

That said I know a RL mum who had good success in limiting feeds to the older child from the start.

No need to clean your breasts and of course you are protecting your little one from whatever it is your oldest has got, by breastfeeding.

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LeninGrad · 27/09/2009 22:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

StealthPolarBear · 28/09/2009 16:49

Thanks you three Not sure about the feeding on demand now - I've started making the point that he can't and so I don't want to confuse him now The other thing is we really really struggle to get him to eat food and I don't want to undo any work we've done there by letting him survive on bm - he will do (today I limited his morning feed to about half an hour for the first time and he had breakfast for the first time since A was born).
Will start to introduce the counting - he can count to about 12 so he'll have to make them long counts but I really think he'll ignore me!
I don't want to give them each their own breast as I rely on DS to get rid of my engorgement I'd be very lop sided! Think I'll just stick to being lazy and not washing, or a quick flannel down as TAFKA suggests (just like to point out I do shower every day - that last bit makes me sound disgusting )

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