Tandem Nursing

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.

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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!)

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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

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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).

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

Gambatte ne mommies! God bless!