Breastfeeding: Slow beginning…..
We were committed to breastfeeding, and we needed everyone’s help to make it possible. Breastfeeding was affected by so many variables. Each baby had his/her own little challenges in the beginning. I began bringing them to breast from the first day, but they were born early, so the babies weren’t quite ready to fully feed at birth.
All three babies were snuggled tightly together in utero. Babies P and A were heads down, while baby W was head up. I began having contractions in the month coming up to their birth. The month of prelabor along with their individual positions in the last two months shaped each head and ability to latch differently. Their grandma Gigi urged us to get craniosacral therapy to help with the displacement of their cranial bones evident for each of their newborn heads, especially to help with breastfeeding and calmness.
Full on triplet feeding
Our babies also had variations in maturity and temperament. Baby P was the largest and first to find an easy breastfeeding rhythm. Initially the boys tired quickly at the breast. Craniosacral therapy helped their bones line up better, and to open their latch for easier, more efficient feeds. All the babies relaxed deeply during session and were calmer overall.
We were able to gradually increase the length of breastfeeding sessions and arrive at full breastfeeding for all of them. Although it took three months before all three babies were reliably breastfeeding, we all felt it was well worth giving continuously to make it eventually happen. The village came through to help do laundry, cook food, change diapers and to cuddle, so I was able to focus on being with my babies, breastfeeding and keeping myself as well fed and rested as possible. – mama J