Introduction:
Giving birth to twins and multiples is a special emotion so is breastfeeding them. When a mother delivers twins, triplets, quadruplets, and more, it can raise concerns about their feeding habits. Individual care must be given to each lactating child one at a time. Lactating multiples is possible, as it has been practiced for ages. Mothers should be educated and confident enough to adapt to the new changes of multiple births.
How Many Babies Can a Mother Accommodate in Her Womb?
Multiple fetuses can occur by subdividing one zygote into more than two parts or by combining both. Depending on the number of divisions, they are named accordingly. They are:
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Two children - Twins.
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Three children - Triplets.
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Four children - Quadruplets.
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Five children - Quintuplets.
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Six children - Sextuplets.
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Seven children - Septuplets.
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Eight children - Octuplets.
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Nine children - Nonuplets.
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Ten children - Decaplets.
The world record for the highest number of births in a single delivery was celebrated by a Malian couple who gave birth to nine children in the year 2021.
Multiple fetuses in a womb result from cell division of the zygote. A single zygote divides itself in two different ways, such as:
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Dizygotic or Fraternal Twins: This is caused by the fusion of two ova present during egg fertilization. Each ovum fertilizes independently with a different sperm. Each fetus develops from a different ovum and a different sperm. This can lead to children of different sex in the same womb. They have an independent genetic makeover. These kids will not have any resemblance to each other. They are divided by two different amniotic sacs within the uterus.
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Monozygotic or Maternal Twins: This occurs when a single ovum gets divided into two or multiple divisions. The kids born under maternal division have a similar facial resemblance, they will be of the same sex, and the genetic constitution will be the same.
How Can Breastfeeding Be Done in Twins?
The entire concept of breastfeeding is tiring for a mother as it requires complete attention for the newborn, being available all the time, sleep deprivation, maintaining hygiene, and dietary requirements. But this is a normal thing and has been happening for centuries. It is quite possible to take care of twins simultaneously. It is a time of double joy shared with double responsibility. One of the mothers' primary concerns is the sufficiency of milk to feed both children. Various breastfeeding techniques practiced in twins are:
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Rug Behold Technique: The babies are tied behind the mother's arm with their heads right in front of the breast. Both the babies are tied sideways in a likewise manner and fed.
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Cradle Position and Football Position: One baby is fed in a normal cradle position and the other in a football hold position.
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Criss-Cross Position: The babies are held in a criss-cross position and fed.
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Feeding One-On-One: Giving individual attention to one baby at a time can be practiced.
Other options available for breastfeeding are to use bottle feeding or a combination of both. Once the mother gets used to holding both babies simultaneously, breastfeeding becomes easy.
Is Breastfeeding Possible With Multiple Child Births?
Yes, breastfeeding is very much possible in any number of childbirths happening in a single delivery. The human body prepares itself according to the supply and demand mechanism. Breastfeeding in multiples can be completely successful under the right guidance. One of the most common complications of multiple births is the cesarean section, where children are taken out before complete maturation. This causes improper production of milk or a child’s inability to suck the mother's milk. The mother should rotate breasts according to the child's sucking ability. Apart from the nursing positions, certain accessories help make the lactation journey much easier, such as:
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Lactation Pillow: It helps in supporting the baby’s head.
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Illumination: A dull or bright light as convenient to the child should be adopted.
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Niche: A mother should create a comfortable place for herself with proper cushion support for her back while regularly lactating her child. This place should be an easily accessible place for other essential items like water for drinking, nearby electric sockets for adjusting lights, baby wipes, towels, pacifiers, extra wardrobe essentials for a quick change, and others.
Multiple babies can be fed in between the feeds by pumping the breast milk from one breast while the other is being sucked by a baby. Electric breast pumps can be used to pump breast milk and can be used to breastfeed crying babies. The help from an additional person at home can eliminate the trouble of multiple babies crying at the same time. Different sanitized nursing bottles can be used in this manner to feed the babies. Only two different babies can be breastfed at a single time using the mother's breast milk. Make sure to switch the babies according to the crying demands made by them. Babies can be put on two different pillows on a mother's lap and breastfed with the occasional pat on the back against burping action. The mother can switch the baby's positions accordingly.
What Are the Common Difficulties Faced During Multiple Births?
Several factors can affect the improper feeding mechanism in multiple births, such as:
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Cesarean section (C-section) could take place prematurely or could create a need for the baby to stay in hospital care or the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
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The inability of the baby to suck milk.
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Improper attachment of breast tissue.
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Unequal production of breast milk. One breast tissue produces more milk and the other less.
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Tandem feeding occurs when an older sibling breastfeeds along with the newborn baby. This helps in emptying the breast ducts with excessive milk.
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Pain in nipples due to improper latching and constant breastfeeding.
Conclusion:
Breastfeeding multiples vary from individual to individual, depending on how easily they cope with the situation. Always assisted breastfeeding with the help of other caregivers in the family makes the job much easier. Many accessories used while breastfeeding can ease the excessive strain, like using a proper cushion for back support, cushion for baby’s head support, light, and different positions adopted by nursing mothers all together help in better breastfeeding. The mothers can always consult a lactation consultant in case of need.
