Twin Pregnancy - Week 27 - Maternity Photos + Thoughts on Breastfeeding
Hi Everyone! I've made it to the third trimester! We're now on the home stretch! I still have a lot that I need to do to be fully prepared, but if they were born today, I think we would be okay.
Week 27 has been uneventful so far. We did have an ultrasound on Tuesday and everything looks wonderful. Babies measured at 2lbs and 2lbs 5oz.
Last weekend my sister Jessi took some really lovely maternity photos of me! I've posted some at the end of this entry.
I've been learning A LOT about breast feeding over the past few months. Yesterday, I got to go to a breastfeeding class at the hospital and I got to meet my lactation consultant. After doing all my research and taking with the lactation consultant, I'm really confident that breastfeeding is going to work for us, and will be great. I know that some women really struggle with it, and end up getting super frustrated and quitting. I don't think that will happen with me. I've prepared myself with lots of information, I've watched a lot of videos on how to do it, and I feel like I know where the pitfalls are and how to avoid them. Some may laugh at my certainty in this matter, thinking I have no idea what's coming. Maybe it will be a challenge at first, but I know that approaching this with a positive attitude and confidence will make a big difference it my success, so I will not let anyone burst my bubble on this! (also this is probably true of motherhood in general)
There are a lot of reasons why I'm going to be breastfeeding. Obviously the largest reason is for the many health benefits for the babies as well as my self. But also, it just seems like breastfeeding is going to be way more convenient. I mean, what sounds easier: sterilizing a bottle, mixing up some formula, heating it to the correct temperature, then washing the bottle after the feeding is over OR simply pulling down your shirt and latching on your baby? No prep work required or anything!
When the time comes where I'll need to spend time away from the babies, for work or errands or whatever, I will need to express and store breast milk so that someone else can do the feeding while I'm away. I figure I'll probably need to get a breast pump at some point. However, my research has brought an alternative to my attention: expression by hand. We learned about this in the class yesterday. Pretty much this is where you squeeze out the milk by hand rather than pump. The lactation specialist made it sound like women can get quite efficient at expressing milk by hand with practice, and it may work as well as pumping for some! It sounds like it's not a very common thing to do for collection and storage, most women just go for the pumps. But, I really like exploring alternatives, so I think I might try this hand expression thing. I know it must work at least somewhat because yesterday after the class I tried a few squeezes and got some out! Not going to try this again until the babies come, I was just wondering if it would work and it did. Sorry for the TMI, but since I can express now before the babies even are born, I think I will just see how far I can get without spending several hundred dollars on a pump.
And now for the maternity photos!
Week 27 has been uneventful so far. We did have an ultrasound on Tuesday and everything looks wonderful. Babies measured at 2lbs and 2lbs 5oz.
Last weekend my sister Jessi took some really lovely maternity photos of me! I've posted some at the end of this entry.
I've been learning A LOT about breast feeding over the past few months. Yesterday, I got to go to a breastfeeding class at the hospital and I got to meet my lactation consultant. After doing all my research and taking with the lactation consultant, I'm really confident that breastfeeding is going to work for us, and will be great. I know that some women really struggle with it, and end up getting super frustrated and quitting. I don't think that will happen with me. I've prepared myself with lots of information, I've watched a lot of videos on how to do it, and I feel like I know where the pitfalls are and how to avoid them. Some may laugh at my certainty in this matter, thinking I have no idea what's coming. Maybe it will be a challenge at first, but I know that approaching this with a positive attitude and confidence will make a big difference it my success, so I will not let anyone burst my bubble on this! (also this is probably true of motherhood in general)
There are a lot of reasons why I'm going to be breastfeeding. Obviously the largest reason is for the many health benefits for the babies as well as my self. But also, it just seems like breastfeeding is going to be way more convenient. I mean, what sounds easier: sterilizing a bottle, mixing up some formula, heating it to the correct temperature, then washing the bottle after the feeding is over OR simply pulling down your shirt and latching on your baby? No prep work required or anything!
When the time comes where I'll need to spend time away from the babies, for work or errands or whatever, I will need to express and store breast milk so that someone else can do the feeding while I'm away. I figure I'll probably need to get a breast pump at some point. However, my research has brought an alternative to my attention: expression by hand. We learned about this in the class yesterday. Pretty much this is where you squeeze out the milk by hand rather than pump. The lactation specialist made it sound like women can get quite efficient at expressing milk by hand with practice, and it may work as well as pumping for some! It sounds like it's not a very common thing to do for collection and storage, most women just go for the pumps. But, I really like exploring alternatives, so I think I might try this hand expression thing. I know it must work at least somewhat because yesterday after the class I tried a few squeezes and got some out! Not going to try this again until the babies come, I was just wondering if it would work and it did. Sorry for the TMI, but since I can express now before the babies even are born, I think I will just see how far I can get without spending several hundred dollars on a pump.
And now for the maternity photos!
Hey Sammy, check with your insurance on the breast pump! Due to the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are required to provide you with a breast pump free of charge! Some have stipulations such as you have to rent a hospital-grade one or you can only get one from a medical supplier, but the hospital-grade ones are fantastic and medical suppliers will also have a great selection. Check with your insurance, mine will be covered 100%, even the nice double-electric Medela I've been eyeing!
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome!! Maybe my insurance will help, you're right, I need to call. If I do get one, I'll probably go for one of those double electric Medelas too. They definitely come highly recommended! I'm jealous of your insurance, I have a feeling mine will not be as nice.
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