oooh my poor nips!

[ZippysMum]

Afterna wobbly start (2 and 3 days in NICU with tube feeds of expressed colostrum and formula), my DTs (16 days old) are breastfed.

I have had zillions of very brill people supporting me and checking my latch, and after the first few agonising days it has been pain-free - heck, I was even starting to enjoy it - and both DTs are putting on weight. Both are back over their birthweight.

BUT since yesterday my nipples are agony agai when feeding - whatever I do, the nipples seem to be a bit 'leant backwards' (towards the babies) when they un-latch, with the bottom edge of the nipple very sore.

Also, I have been on antibiotics for mastitis - how do I spot thrush in the bbs??

Many thanks in advance.

[ZippysMum]

ps I am mostly tandem feeding - rugby ball hold. When I feed each DT individually, I use a cross-body hold and don't have this problem. So I guess it is to do with the hold. But if I start with the baby further forward (to avoid tipped-back nipple), then they don't start nose-to nipple and it is hard to get a good wide latch...

[shabbapinkfrog]

Morning Zippy - ouch, ouch and treble ouch!!! I BF my biggest twin and expressed my milk and bottle fed the smallest twin...its just how it worked out. I only managed 3 weeks but I can remember not knowing which was most painful - my boobs or my 'undercarriage!!!' I haven't a clue what to suggest but feel sure one of the multiple mums will help out.

You are doing a brilliant job, by the way. The pictures are just so beautiful xxx Well done my friend xxxx

[ZippysMum]

Hello Shabs

Nice to see you here! Sorry to hear you had sore nips too but glad it's not just me! I have also expressed a bit (managing to express about 1 feed a day - it's tricky, isn't it, because there doesn't seem to be an hour in the day when I haven't either just fed or am just about to feed!

Glad you like the pics! I will try to upload some more soon!

[shabbapinkfrog]

I used to feel like 'Daisy the Cow!!' Its a constant round of feeding at first isin't it?

You can almost feel your boys soft skin and I swear if you got close to the pics you would get that wonderful baby smell

They are good enough to eat! xxx

[ZippysMum]

I have DT2 on my lap feeding at the moment and it's not that beautiful newborn smell but another smell entirely wafting from him. (He's terribly sophisticated, don't you know. Likes to 'soil' in a freshly applied nappy.)

Was looking at them this morning and they are changing so much already! DS2 giggled in his sleep yesterday.. It seems amazing but I think I can already see their little personalities coming through; did you find that with your babies too?

Oh, DT1 is stirring. Time to start the baby juggling!

[shabbapinkfrog]

Oh yes their personalities seemed to suddenly arrive from nowhere and I looked like this I knew from a couple of weeks old that Gareth had a shocking temper and Danny was so laid back he was asleep

Awwwwww your lads are so lovely - luckily it does not make me even slightly broody

[TheShockoftheTwo]

Hey there! V excited to find other multiple mums here! Hope you are enjoying your twins - sounds like it from your posts? My boys are 5 months old now - can't believe how fast time has flown!

I too found that I had UNBELIEVABLY sore/stinging nipples at around the 2 week mark for a few weeks (maybe 3?), and was convinced I and/or they had thrush. In my case, it coincided with doing the tandem hold at every feed (I fed one at a time first week or so) and also with my milk really coming in, I mean, it had come in at about day 3, but at around 2 weeks it started tingling etc, so presume was as their appetite increased.

I got a friend who's a dentist to check their mouths and it wasn't thrush. You could perhaps make an appointment to see the GP to double-check? If you're on anti-biotics then it could possibly be thrush and you want to get it cleared up asap. Symptoms probably on NHS or NCT website?

As it never went beyond extreme stinging, and i didn't change hold (tandem/rugby hold) or anything, I have since put it down to the inordinate quantity of nipple action in feeding twins, that neither breast gets to rest and also a bit of getting the hang of the latch. That is my experience though. I found splashing with water after every feed, dabbing dry and then liberal quantities of Lansinoh helped soothe it until it stopped stinging.

I think the key thing is not to stress if you feel that they haven't latched properly, and be confident that they will latch again if you take them off and repostion them. I did this and think it helped. Also - do you have a specialist cushion? I started off using pillows and - thinking about it now - it got a whole lot more comfortable when I started using the EZ 2-Nurse.

If it is in any way reassuring, I am still solely breastfeeding my twins at five months, and they are doing great, putting on weight and sleeping well too. We have had some more overwhelming moments, and some ultra hungry times, but overall the experience has been really positive.
www.theshockofthetwo.blogspot.com

[shabbapinkfrog]

there's even more multiple mums here!!