Breast Feeding :)

Okay I will admit it I am pro breast feeding... As I am preparing to hang up the breast pump for the last time I have been reflecting on my breast feeding journey and how different my experiences have been.

Firstly just let me explain why I am pro breast feeding.  Apart from the many nutritional benefits it is free!  Unlike formula which I have learned recently isn't cheap, we go through approximately one tin every second day and whilst we are waiting for an account to be set up this is about $18 per tin. 

Secondly it is the ultimate convenience food any where, any time.  If you are lazy like me it also means you don't have to take as much with you, a few nappies in the handbag, some wipes and your out the door.  Whereas the alternative means bottles, formula and if you have fussy babies like me a method to heat the bottles.  That isn't even taking into account the 5 minutes you are meant to boil the water for before you use it. 

I am sure there I was going to say but that will do for now.  But going back to my first experience with breast feeding.  Within minutes of Oliver being born just over 3 years ago he attached to the breast within minutes from birth and was exclusively breast fed for his first 5 months of life before we slowly started introducing other foods and he was weaned just before his first birthday, mainly because I had had enough.  We had an easy breast feeding journey and looking back it was for the most part a great relationship.

Now my feeding journey with the trio has been quite different... As you may recall they were born by emergency cesarean 10 weeks early and there was none of that gooey baby straight on your chest moments like I had experienced with our first born.  Instead they were whisked away (understandably) with the NICU teams with their father on their tail while I was sewn back on and eventually taken into to see them on my stretcher in the NICU on my way back to my room.  A few hours later I woke groggy to a persistent midwife squeezing my breasts as my precious babies needed colostrum now!  So that is what started at least a month of expressing 3 hourly around the clock until my supply was well established then I dropped down to just once over night.  Then were the daily milk runs and by the time they were about 4 weeks old (or 34 weeks) I did tried them all on the breast unfortunately they were never all that great at it and Spencer was the only one who ever fed well, so  by the time they came home 8 weeks later I had decided I would express what I could for them and top up with formula.  Which has worked very well for us until recently when I decided it was time to stop.

I am very much at peace with that decision now and looking forward to attempting to take up running after my big birthday next week.  30 eeeek!!! As someone kindly pointed out to me recently 9 months is a huge achievement and much longer than I ever thought I would last for. 

While I am pro feeding I am also a realist and know and understand for whatever reason sometimes breastfeeding just doesn't work out and that is fine too.  After all our babes have been on supplemented feeds for a while now and that's okay :)

One thing I have recently been privileged to be a part of is milk sharing.  While I am still lactating on a much smaller scale at the moment and no longer need to give my babies the milk I have discovered a wonderful community of mothers who either need milk for their babes or like me, they have milk to share.  I have been fortunate enough to have been able to assist two families in need and I am so grateful for being able to have had this experience.  Will have to cut this one short now as all three babies are awake and wanting some tucker...

Times are a changin!

There have been lots of things happening here the past few weeks and there are going to be a few changes.

Firstly, and probably what will have the biggest impact on us all is we have no more help. So from next week my mum will be here one day a week and hopefully we will be able to employ help at least one other day a week so I can have a breather. Our beautiful nanny has been with us for 6 months now and has become a wonderful friend and a part of our family. If it wasn't for help the past six months I am sure I wouldn't be in such a good head space now.

So with that I have made the decision to stop expressing. I have been expressing now for 8 months which is incredible on its own but I will struggle to find the two hours a day now to continue and have really struggled with my energy levels the past few months. I have also struggled on days out because of being so uncomfortable so hopefully now will feel more comfortable and able to stay out for longer periods of time. I knew this day would come eventually and I am so pleased that I was able to continue as long as I did with the support of my friends and family. I do feel as though my hand is being forced somewhat by no longer having the support during the day but feel it is time to move on. So lets just hope our little ones accept the change without to much disruption.

So what else has been happening in our lives? Mr TAN has decided to start back at uni this semester, he is just doing one unit to start with to see how things go. A few weeks ago when i was at the doctor I got a funny looking mole removed, turns out that it was a melanoma and I need to go for day surgery next week to get more skin removed. Luckily it was only a stage 1 and caught early so please be vigilant with checking your skin!

Apart from that not much else is new but will try to update more next week...

More to say

Perhaps what I was trying to say last night didn't come across the way I thought too clouded by fatigue.  But after a good nights sleep and a bit of reflection I have more that I wanted to add...

I always knew that it wouldn't be easy having three babies at once and I knew it would have an impact on my life with both the good and the not so good.  I didn't think that my babies were going to be difficult to feed, I had wrongly assumed that they would prop feed easily (but they don't at all), I didn't think it would be this tricky to get out and about with them.

Perhaps what I am suffering from is singleton envy... Now correct me if I am wrong for those of you that have had one baby at a time.  I had always thought that although one more baby adds a bit more complexity and busyness that you just put the baby in a carrier and away you go without too much interruption to your life's or your other children.  Your other children can walk to the car and are a bit more independent, as opposed to having to make 3 trips.  As time gets on I am aware that it will get easier in some aspects although I may need to find a way to chase toddlers in three different directions.  We are very lucky to have support here during the week while Mr Tan is working and to be honest I don't know what we would do without it.  Our help has become a wonderful friend and companion.

What I also forgot to mention last night was that we had another check up with the neonatologist this week and he is really happy with everybody.  Addison's umbilical hernia is shrinking away, they are all following their curves on the percentile chart and they can stop taking their vitamins.  We also don't need to go back for another 3 months. 

One year on.....

This week marks that it has one year since we found out we had triplets on board.  I vaguely went into the ultrasound room hoping to see a heartbeat, never in a million years did I expect to see three. 

What a whirlwind the last 12 months has been from being told all these dreadful statistics and risks, deciding to wing it and not go down the selective reduction path, growing and delivering 3 HEALTHY babies, going through the NICU and premature birth experience and now managing a crazy busy life with a toddler and 3 infants.

To say that the last 12 months have been emotionally and physically draining would be an understatement.  It has tested our beliefs, our relationships, our patience and most of all our strength.

Now we are blessed to have 4 beautiful children who are all growing beautifully.  The bubs are now close to 7 months old (or 5 corrected.)  We have started solids which is messy!  Addison isn't all that keen on most food, but the boys just love it.  Spence and Hudson are both rolling however it is not being used as a mode of transport, yet.  They are continuing to sleep through the night and are up at 6 just like their big brother.  They are all full of smiles and laughter and are really starting to interact with each other whether it be sucking each others toes, holding hands or even weeing on each other. 

There was a period a few months ago where Oliver was going through a real patch and was taking it out on his siblings.  I am pleased to report that this has now eased and has been replaced with blowing 'blueberries' on their tummies and kisses.  I can also now say that after a few days of hard work, lots of smartie rewards and a few extra cloths in the wash we now only have 3 children in nappies full time. 

I am now starting to have trouble sleeping myself which doesn't seem fair.  I am really struggling to 'switch off' and am such a terribly light sleeper it really doesn't take much to wake me.  I also thing that now that we have been home for nearly 6 months I am really starting to feel trapped.  I am struggling to get out with the kids both on my own or as a family.  I find it tricky as the bubs don't really feed all that well and if I am out for any length of time I still need to express which can be awkward when out and about.  I am also starting to feel isolated from my friends particularly at the moment I think because of school holidays and a lot of our normal activities have had a break, but as a whole I have found I am not seeing my friends as much as I would like.  So not sure whether it is because it is assumed that I am too busy or perhaps they are busy with families of their own. 

I have reached a stage where I would be happy to give it up expressing and am amazed at how long I have persisted for but at the same time it gives me a wonderful reason to sit and read a book etc for 20 minutes a few times a day.  If I were to stop then I would have no excuse to put my feet up a few times a day.  So for now I am happy to continue.

On that note I am going to take myself of to bed while there is still peace and quiet and enjoy an early night...

Hudson loves his tucker, I guess that is why he is the biggest!

Spencer loves his too!

Addison isn't real sure which is why she is still the littlest by about 2 kilos!

Bath time with all my babes!

 

 

My last few blog entries :)

Well I will keep this short and very sweet but it appears as if our darling Oliver has worked out how to post blogs here from my phone!  I have now deleted them but I have kept the post that where he managed to post 4 photos from my iphone, this is something that even I struggle with...

So there is a post with 4 photos on it, and I am just eternally grateful that they are not the photos he took when he followed me into the bathroom, especially considering it took me nearly a week to discover these little entries.

Apart from that all well here and will update in my detail in the not too distant future...

We survived 6 months!

Yesterday marked our fabulous trio's 6 month birthday, it was also one year to the day that we found out we were expecting a new addition to the family.  Yesterday afternoon was a stinking hot day and as is our annual tradition on the 23rd of December each year our town has a very cute Christmas pageant in the evening.  So the family gathered here for a barbecue before heading down the street for the celebrations.  Oliver was very excited as he got to ride on one of the fire trucks with Mr TAN and had a lovely time riding the fire truck and waving to all his friends that he knew, although by the end he was exhausted.  The rest of us watched on and the trio were very well behaved.

We are ecstatic to have survived the first 6 months as parents of Higher Order Multiples and although our lives have changed very dramatically for the better I now couldn't imagine it any other way.  Our lives have been busier, and we probably don't venture out of the house as much I would probably like but when you see the smiles on those 3 little gorgeous faces it is all well worth it. 

Last night was another major achievement Addison, Spencer and Hudson to celebrate decided to sleep through the night without a peep until 6am.  So with any luck it will become a regular occurrence.  Hudson has now started rolling and Spencer and Addison are not far behind. 

I am also very happy to have reached a huge milestone in that I have now been expressing milk for them for 6 months.  This is such a huge achievement for me, as my original goal had been for the duration of their hospital stay I have well and truly surpassed that now.  One of the benefits I have recently discovered apart from all the health and financial benefits is I get at least 20 minutes of time to sit and do nothing 6 times a day.  So in this time I often make phone calls, Facebook, emails etc but recently I have discovered it is also a great time to read.  In the last 2 weeks I have started (and finished) the first two twilight books and straight after I finish this I will get to start the third. 

Oliver is very excited to be celebrating Christmas this year and is really getting into the spirit of Christmas and we managed to get down for a Santa photo.  So this Christmas is very exciting for us and really has renewed our spirit. 

So on that note on this beautiful Christmas 'silent night' I am going to pour Santa a glass of bubbly and get ready for the next feed. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all