Tandem Nursing

Post by The King on July 17, 2008

Update by: zACk
Due to mamafiza’s still not fully recovered from her sickness, I’ll help to post her “draft post“. Thank you.

Dear Lovely Mommies,

Wish you were in sweet moment *hugs*

This week, I love to share some tips on tandem nursing due to I’d received lots of inquiries regarding to the above matter.

Tandem nursing is very rewarding for mom and kids alike.

Alhamdulillah, I’ve been doing it continuously for more than 4 and 1/2 years now and have found that the benefits definitely outweigh the challenges.

Tandem nursing kiddies

Wherever I go, people always ask me the same thing:

You are nursing HOW many?
Are you STILL nursing?

Yes, I’m still nursing the baby and my 2 and 1/2 years old and I’m pregnant our no. 4th!

I’m tandem nursing 3 siblings becoming 4 (all: direct feeding *Alhamdulillah*).

It is just the way things worked out, because I had my babies close together, and I am letting them self-wean.

To tell the truth, it’s not that big a deal, and not very different from tandem nursing just two.

Nursing older kids isn’t the same as nursing babies.

They don’t nurse as frequently, and they can wait a while if the location or time is not convenient for nursing.

——————————————————–

Why I Choose to Tandem Nurse?
Most people know that breastfeeding is best for babies, but fewer are aware that it’s also very important for toddlers and beyond, for emotional as well as nutritional reasons.

The immunological benefits of breastmilk for a toddler are the same as for a baby.

Nursing toddlers get sick less often, and usually less severely, than those who have been weaned.

If a toddler does get sick, it’s nice to have food available that is easily digested, full of antibodies, and offered in a warm and comforting way.

Breastfeeding is also a great way to calm out-of-control children, especially if you are visiting a place where they can’t roam around freely.

It gives busy toddlers a few rest periods in the day, to get more energy and security to go on exploring. At night and before naps, nursing helps children unwind and relax for sleep.

Plus, a woman’s risk for breast cancer decreases the longer she nurses *Insya-Allah*.

Me & Beloved kiddies

The Sweet Moment
Tandem nursing really has helped my children accept a new baby.

The nursing will generate a lot of prolactin, the “mothering hormone“.

It also has been reported that siblings who are tandem nursed seem to experience less sibling rivalry.

I can’t confirm this, since I don’t know how it would have been if I had not tandem nursed my kiddies, but it makes sense to me. It is so enjoyable to see my 2 years old put a loving hand on her baby sister when they nurse together.

Relaxed weaning is one of the biggest advantages of tandem nursing, in my humble opinion.

I want my kiddies to nurse as long as they need it, and tandem nursing enables me to not push them into a stressful and premature weaning.
My oldest son began weaning himself from the breast, nursing less frequently and often skipping days at a time.
One day he nursed and then told me, “Now all the breast is for our baby”. And he didn’t nurse again!

The Test:

Tandem nursing can be a challenge at times. Some women worry that the baby will not get enough milk if a toddler continues to nurse.

This usually is not an issue, since breastfeeding is a supply-and-demand system-if there is greater demand, there will be greater supply. (Just think of all the mother who successfully nurse twins!)

——————————————————–

How to Do Tandem Nursing:

Tandem breastfeeding, or tandem nursing, is the breastfeeding of two children at the very same time.

You can tandem breastfeed twins, or children of different ages, such as a newborn and a toddler.

Tandem breastfeeding takes some patience and practice, but lets you feed two children at once.

Lets try these steps to breastfeed your babies:

Step 1 : Eat a highly nutritious diet.
In order to provide adequate nutrition for two or more breastfeeding children, you need to make sure that you fill your diet with healthy foods, including lean meats, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy products.
Try to incorporate foods into your diet that provide high levels of protein, iron, calcium, folic acid and zinc. Junk foods will have to be limited in order to successfully tandem breastfeed.
Do drink lots of mineral water.

Step 2 : Think about the order in which you will breastfeed your children.
In the first few days of your newborn’s life, you will want to make sure that you breastfeed the newborn first so he will get the nutrient rich colostrum from your breast milk.
After your milk comes in, however, you can breastfeed your children in any order or even breastfeed them simultaneously.
The way in which you tandem breastfeed depends on your children’s feeding schedules and on your own personal preferences.

Step 3 : Consider positions for tandem breastfeeding if you choose to breastfeed your children at the same time.
You can use a variety of positions to accomplish this. You may choose to hold both children in a cradle hold or both children in a football hold.
You can even do a combination hold, with one child in a football hold and one child in a cradle hold. You can also tandem breastfeed in a semi-reclined position or while lying down.
Utilize the holds and positions that work best for you and your children.

Step 4 : Understand the advantages of tandem breastfeeding.
When you’re nursing children of different ages, tandem breastfeeding can help eliminate the jealousy that the older child feels towards her younger sibling.
With the older child allowed to still nurse at the breast, she will continue to get the many health benefits of breast milk.
The mother also will get rest, relaxation and quiet time if she chooses to breastfeed her children simultaneously.

Step 5 : Relax.
The best advice I can give is to relax.
I figured out a way to nurse them both at the same time, lying almost flat and using a lot of pillows.

Step 6 : One-on-One Conversation.
You may tailor the limits you set to your own situation; for example, let the toddler nurse on demand at home but not out in public.
Which approach is best? That depends on the individual mother-child relationship.
And if one approach doesn’t work, you can always try the other or make up something for yourself.

YunaFi-cHan & Me

It’s such a lovely feeling to have both my children in my arms nursing ~ mamafiza

——————————————————–

How to Breastfeed while Pregnant:

If you are pregnant, but still have a breastfeeding toddler, you may be wondering how to breastfeed while pregnant.

Many women successfully breastfeed their toddlers throughout their pregnancy and then tandem feed; breastfeed both children successfully.

Step 1 : Prayer & positive mind.
Please pray for your baby and toddler before you start to breastfeed them, may Allah help both of mama and baby while breastfeeding for a pleasing moment.
It is a very personal decision which should only be made with careful thought and prayer.

Step 2 : Prepare for sore nipples, even if you’ve never had sore nipples.
The hormones in pregnancy make a woman’s nipples more sensitive.
Leave a drop of breast milk to dry on your nipples after breastfeeding to help deal with soreness.
If the soreness is extreme, talk to your care provider or a lactation consultant for suggestions (e.g Madam Kamariah from SusuIbu.com)

Step 3 : Remember, your toddler may refuse your breast milk.
Pregnancy seems to change the flavor of breast milk.
While some toddlers don’t care, others will actually refuse the breast.
Continue to offer breast milk to your toddler so he gets used to the new flavor or consider weaning.

Step 4 : Experiment with positions.
As your belly grows, you may have to work with your toddler to find comfortable positions to breastfeed in. Luckily, toddlers are good at finding positions that allow them to get the milk they want, while making allowances for their mother’s growing belly.

Notes:

Do not suddenly decide to wean your toddler as soon as your baby comes along.
This sets up sibling rivalry and can be extremely stressful for your toddler.

Do not breastfeed your toddler while pregnant if you are at risk of miscarriage.
If you’re uncertain about whether it’s alright to breastfeed while pregnant, speak to your care provider, enhanced your knowledge by reading more information regarding to tandem nursing (books or Internet).

——————————————————–

May you enjoy breastfeeding time with your baby & toddler! *hugs*

Gambatte ne mommies! God bless!

Filed Under Mama's Talk, MamaFiza's Blog | 11 Comments

Behind the Scenes: LittleKittle.com on WHI, TV3

Post by MamaFiza on July 16, 2008

Konnichiwa to our devoted readers

Wish ya all the best and may you enjoy your day. Amin~

Alhamdulillah, we had just completed LittleKittle.com’s LIVE show on Wanita Hari Ini, last Friday (July 4th, 2008) at Sri Pentas TV3.

Everything was smooth sailing. Thank you so much for your encouragement and du’a. *hugs + tears*

gazillion thanks to my dear hubby, lovely kiddies: KiruaMi-cHan, ReiHi-cHan, YunaFi-cHan and lil HidE-cHan (inside tummy)

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing ~ Albert Einstein

——————————————————–

Below are some pictures of us; behind the scenes

We would like to thank you to Tv3 & Crew, WHI Producer: Miss Ifawani, Miss Ruhil Syafinaz, WHI Host: Miss Azizah Ariffin, Miss Azura, WHI Cameraman, Technicians, Miss Professional Make-up Artist and the rest of TV3 family for their love to us.

Arrived!

KiruaMi-cHan: ouside of waiting room *uh oh with Uncle Rosyam Noor*

Credit to our best partner of the day: the King & lil YunaFi-cHan

Lil fishes seems to be “TOO” interested in YunaFi-cHan

Big bro & big sis with new “pet”

Tadaa~ they even managed to spot Mr SpongeBob SquarePants

Accomplished to give our biz cards to Sir Rosyam Noor *he is so kind!*, TV3 Producers & Crew *alhamdulillah*

Superb team; WHI Producer – Madam Ifawani, WHI Presenter – Madam Azizah Ariffin, Camera & Technical Team~

Sir Cameraman~

Getting started~

1,2,3:Action!

Stop for a while…

Get ready kiddies

LIVE action~

KiruaMi-cHan & ReiHi-cHan: focused on drawing~

Keep on scribbling munchkins ~

Me & my beloved kiddies!

Uh oh
Yes, I’m 37 weeks pregnant with my 4th baby!

Together with this posting, I attached our WHI LIVE shows videos, dedicated to all supportive parents out there.

*Credit to Sir kocut & Miss SickBoo from JIWANG Torrent Crew for recording matter*

p/s: Due to I’m still not fully recover, please ignore my sore throat voice. Thank you

WHI: Sekolah di rumah – Part 1

Note: Please click here if you can’t view the above video.

WHI: Sekolah di rumah – Part 2

Note: Please click here if you can’t view the above video.

Madam Azizah Ariffin told me that there were too many questions left unanswered due to lack of time.

——————————————————–

Keep on rollin’ mommies Homeschooling is ROCK!

May Allah swt always help & guide you. Amin~

Gambatte ne! *hugs*

*winks to Miss CoachSha*

Filed Under MamaFiza's Blog | 16 Comments

Malaysian Homeschool Unite Playgroup

Post by The King on July 13, 2008

Update by: zACk
Due to mamafiza’s still not fully recovered from her sickness, I’ll help to post her “draft post“. Thank you.

Dear Trusted Readers,

Wish you were in a splendid weekend

Just a lil update soon; please do share your thoughts. Gazillion thanks *hugs*

Update: OPEN for Registration: MHU Playgroup 2008/2009

Do check this links:

Thank you for supporting us. May Allah swt bless your day. Amin~ *cheerio*

Filed Under Mama's Talk | Leave a Comment

About The Author

A youthful mum [born in 1984] living in boulevard of peace, loving my treasured family, fully breastfeeding my 4 kiddies (tandem nursing), Work-at-Home-Mom, homeschooler, no-pacifier and no maid rules!

*Praise to God*
Welcome Note
- TV @ LittleKittle.com
  
  MamaFiza, Wanita Hari Ini, TV3
  
  LittleKittle.com's Kids, MHI, TV3
  
  MamaFiza, Warta Tengahari, TV1
  
  MamaFiza, Respons, TV1
  
  LittleKittleTV, YouTube
- Our Fun Homeschool
  
  Sneak Peek of Our Homeschool Homeschools Daily Life Glimpse of Homeschool 2010 Big Bro & Study Table Homeschool Wall 2011 Homeschools "Chatter" Moment WAHM Workshop with MamaFiza
- Had Been Featured On ...
- Beware @ LittleKittle.com
  
  LittleKittle's Police Report *alert*
  Address to All the Haters *alert*
- Our Book In-Print
  
  Sorry SOLD-OUT! Thank U >w<
  
  Only eBook still available today.
- Our Family WorkStation
  
  Mr Z + MamaFiza's work corner :)
- Homeschool Modules
- Recently Written
- Recent Comments
  - Megan Putna:Cool :), amazing article. Than
  - shafaric:Hi MamaFiza, Saya dah add b
  - HANA:Hi MamaFiza,we have put your b
  - anne:hi there.. ive got 7year old d
  - Sue:Dear mamafiza, i really need y
  - Ummi Hanie:oic .. so it's like an aquariu
  - hada masayu:wow!!!that's very inspiring!!!
  - Nina Lamberts:Hi there! Someone in my Facebo
  - Julie Velasco:this is a really good science
  - elly:hai nak tanya kat mana u anta
- Categories
- Archives

Important Announcement!

Dear Honorable Clients,

Thank you for your patient. LittleKittle Studio crew (management office) will be online again (up and running) by 31st January 2012 with official website to update & reply your inquiry/email/payment confirmation to enhance our services.

Meanwhile, please do resend your request email to support[@]littlekittle.com

New order for custom made design will be offer again on April 2012 due to new designers are strictly on full schedule for registered clients and redesign work.

Thank you. -ADMIN-
We're Hiring