Anyone tandem nursing?

[lacysmommy]

I'm tandem nursing my girls. It's going pretty well, other than DD1 has some serious jealousy issues and is ALWAYS asking to nurse. Which would be okay, but DD2 is pretty laid back and only nurses when she is hungry (DD1 is a major comfort nurser, always has been) and I'm afraid DD1 will take all the milk while I'm still figuring out this whole supply/demand thing. Also we're still trying to figure out how to nurse everyone at the same time. Usually DD1 will take the other breast herself and stand or squat to nurse, but I doubt that's very comfy!

How are everyone else's experiences so far?

[tomtemama]

Originally Posted by lacysmommy

I'm tandem nursing my girls. It's going pretty well, other than DD1 has some serious jealousy issues and is ALWAYS asking to nurse.

I know exactly what you mean except that half the time that DD1 nurses my skin is crawling and it is all I can do to let her keep nursing. DD1 is also using nursing as a time for confrontation (she actually bit me yesterday). I am having a really tough time with this because I REALLY don't want to wean her but the way things are looking it may be my only option:. It breaks my heart to even consider this. I am a strong proponent for CLW and I just can't imagine taking this away from her while she still needs it.

I have no milk supply concerns as I seem to be an oversupply girl, which is one less thing to worry about anyway.

As far as nursing everyone at once the thing that works best for us is if DD1 lays down across my lap and DD2 lays on top of her. Laying down DD2 lays beside me and DD1 leans over my back. Adventures in Tandem Nursing has some pictures of other tandem nursing positions too.

I hope we all can get fabulous tandem nursing relationships going!!!

[dharmama]

i'm very committed to tandem nursing but i'm really struggling with it.

dd (24mos) is being SO demanding and asking to nurse so much. she has basically stopped eating all food. i'm really resenting her and nursing her right now and i'm struggling to work through these feelings.

on a positive note....ds is nursing great. gaining really well and is generally a happy easy going guy!

more when i can.....

[Mamabeakley]

Yes!

DS#2 is almost a month old now. DS#1 is 27 mo. I do NOT want to wean DS#1 but was having a really hard time. I absolutely cannot stand nursing both babes at the same time. And b/c DS#2 is a very laid-back guy, I was worried about DS#2 getting enough milk. And I get bad skin-crawlies when I let-down with DS#1 latched on. Oh, and DS#1's latch is terrible & he's teething. Sooo . . .

After much tearfulness and lots of "power struggle" stuff I re-read much of "Adventures In Tandem Nursing", called my LLL leader, and decided that if I didn't want to wean I'd better set some consistent boudaries I could live with. So I told DS#1 no nursing "together", baby gets to nurse first, and am having much success with having him latch by "hands on your tummy, open your mouth alll the way" and I put the nipple in his mouth for him.

This is SOOOO much better. I can even let DS#1 nurse to sleep and/or until he lets go without wanting to run away most of the time.

I wish I could nurse them together. But I just can't. It makes me more uncomfortable than I can handle.

Good luck!

[purpleheather79]

I'm nursing my twins (one month old now) and my almost 2-year old has asked to nurse a few times as well. I think he is pretty much weaned since he stopped nursing at night back in March, but you never know... I nurse my twins at the same time during the day (to save time) and separately at night so that I can sleep thru it. I usually position them both in the football hold with a nursing pillow.

[nitareality]

It looks like we're all dealing with similar issues then. My DS was nursing almost as much as DD, when 3 months ago I thought he was weaning! Such a change. I also felt that it was either set boundaries or wean since I was starting to feel some resentment, so we did. Sometimes I ask him to wait (he's two though LOL) but what I started doing that was helpful was to count while we're nursing. We don't even have the same number every time, and we don't count each time. Typically though, we count to 10 while he's nursing and then he waves goodbye to the breast. Now that he's used to it ending each session is much easier than power struggling with him begging "boo milk!" each time. That was breaking my heart and his. I do try to have one nursing session just for him each day, usually mixed in with reading a book. At first I wasn't digging sacrificing Mags nap time (and my go go get things done time) to lay around nursing , but I've found it really makes a difference in him, which means I actually have MORE time to do what I need PLUS a happier kid.

I hope we all get through this with happiness and balance. I really still feel I made the right decision...I'm convinced that nursing is something he still needs and helps him feel connected to me. I think he might flounder a bit if we couldn't connect so easily and that in the long run it will be something that bonds the two of them.

I'm babbling. It's nice to see we're not alone though!