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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Is it possible to breast feed octuplets???????????

57 replies

yarrow5 · 27/01/2009 09:25

i've just read on yahoo news that someone has just given birth to octuplets and is planning on breast feeding them all. Is this really possible?! Surely not?!

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 27/01/2009 10:45

(wmmc I read the In The News thread as 'Woman gives birth to octopus'...)

whomovedmychocolate · 27/01/2009 10:47

ROFL - glad it's not just me then (you can imagine the midwives face though ).

spongebrainbigpants · 27/01/2009 10:55

I don't expect she chose to have eight babies - and I wouldn't imagine she's remotely prepared to deal with the reality either.

I wish her luck.

superloopy · 27/01/2009 10:57

I saw a woman interviewed on Oprah who had sextuplets (6 babies) and she fed them for their first 6 months.
She expressed and other people helped to feed them.
She said she felt like a cow!

Almeida · 27/01/2009 10:59

The more they bf the more milk she'll produce. She'll burn loads of calories!

whomovedmychocolate · 27/01/2009 10:59

spongebrainbigpants (nice name btw!) - I think she probably was aware it wasn't a singleton but perhaps like me, she'd be hoping they'd all make it but realistically assuming they may not while all those round her frantically tried to convince her to reduce the pregnancies

spongebrainbigpants · 27/01/2009 11:03

whomoved, I agree. I think it's time the US started to take a more responsible attitude to fertility treatment (I assume that's how they were conceived, although could be wrong ).

It must have been such a stressful pg - and she was only expecting seven!

Almeida · 27/01/2009 11:04

great name spongepants!

Almeida · 27/01/2009 11:05

spongebrainbigpants lol

ChopsTheDuck · 27/01/2009 11:06

I don't see how she could actualyl feed them on the breast, no way. Even with jsut two I felt that I was constantly breastfeeding. Mine were good weights, but still needed feeding every 2 hours to start with and not necessarily aqt the same time.

I think expressing could be possible. I could express enough for two full bottles in 15 mins. I'm sure I was told that more hormones with more babies can mean more milk initially, then I guess it is down to supply and demand.

I cvouldn't imagine how much she would need to eat to keep producing milk for 8 babies though, I was starving all the time feeding two and the weight still dropped off me.

whomovedmychocolate · 27/01/2009 11:08

Chopstheduck - in terms of volume of milk it's not that much but yes, she'll be eating about 4000 calories a day to keep her weight up! Which is actually quite hard to achieve. I struggle to eat 2000 calories a day!

FAQtothefuture · 27/01/2009 11:10

yes I'd say it was - I read the BBC report on it and another mother in the US who had octuplets 10yrs ago (sadly one died at 1 week old) breastfed her 7

Almeida · 27/01/2009 11:10

Not a problem for some of us whomovedmychoc!! I'd be up for the challenge

whomovedmychocolate · 27/01/2009 11:14

Almeida - did you see the documentary last night about people who are naturally thin and unable to gain weight. They were told to double their calorie intake and found it very hard to do so - it sounds easy but the actual volume of food you'd have to eat would leave you with permanent indigestion and nausea as well as meaning you'd basically have to suspend cream cakes from the ceiling while having a child latched onto each nipple

Almeida · 27/01/2009 11:17

Whomovedmychoc - Naturally thin - ok some people are this but many are not!

I like the idea of creamcakes suspended from the ceiling - perfect. Would be useful whilst on mumsnet as well I wouldn't have to stop to dunk my biscuit in my tea.

spongebrainbigpants · 27/01/2009 11:18

Alemida, thank you !

whomoved - nope, would have no problem eating 4000 calories a day!

spongebrainbigpants · 27/01/2009 11:18

In fact, that would mean going on a diet - maybe I would have a problem with that!!

Almeida · 27/01/2009 11:20

lol spongebrain. Would be great to bf all day & munch. Could combine this with watching tv. I'm assuming she'll have loads of help.

tittybangbang · 27/01/2009 11:25

4000 calories a day.

Wonder if she needs any spare wetnurses (the perfect job for greedy women).

whomovedmychocolate · 27/01/2009 11:25

Spongebrain/Almeida - are either of you the very big hungry caterpillar by chance?

spongebrainbigpants · 27/01/2009 11:25

You'd hope she has loads of help - although if she's insisting on privacy she won't have any interest from companies wanting to give her freebies in exchange for publicity.

spongebrainbigpants · 27/01/2009 11:26

whomoved, right on all counts but the caterpillar!

twoisplenty · 27/01/2009 11:27

Whomovedmychocolate - (sorry, hijacking), but what was the name of the documentary last night on thin people not being able to gain weight? Was it worth watching, I am one of those people who needs calories! TIA

Almeida · 27/01/2009 11:28

My cover is blown whomovedmychoc!! How did you guess? Surprised my keyboard still works with the crumbs. I'll join the wet nurse queue. Could eat buttery toast all day.

spongebrainbigpants · 27/01/2009 11:41

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/big_slim_whatever_weight_loss_club/692638-Did-anyone-see-Horizon-on-BBC2 -tonight

for twoisplenty