Gently Parenting Multiples
Many parents-to-be have a vision of how they will care for their baby before they even conceive. They may have children already or have done lots of research prior to trying to conceive. Some have even applied their parenting choices to how they plan birth-spacing, with a goal of three year or more between births to allow each infancy to have their full attention.
Everything changes when someone announces there is a second or third heartbeat on that ultrasound screen!
Can you still practice gentle, child-led, responsive parenting with two or more babies in the family? Or is it all routines and schedules ahead?
Breastfeeding Twins Or More!
For many years I facilitated breastfeeding classes for parents expecting more than one baby. A comment I heard repeatedly was they had already been told that breastfeeding might be possible but they should be prepared to formula feed instead. Before their babies were even born, those in their support network of family, friends and health care providers were already attempting to let them down gently.
Yet time after time, I would hear the stories of participants overcoming challenges common to multiple births: childbirth interventions, prematurity and the practicalities of establishing breastfeeding with two or three infants. I even met a couple of families who had multiple multiple births - coming back to share their experience of breastfeeding thir second set or twins while the first set were toddlers!