Hope this post is not too late for the Breastfeeding Month. I have been talking about my experience in tandem feeding in snippets but I have yet to write a full post about it.
So allow me fellow mommies to share with you my experience in tandem feeding, in this post.
Tandem feeding could just be one of the most challenging things that I have done as a mom especially on those early days. Little guy was born when Shobe was still little too! So many sleepless nights, backaches, super thirsty and super hungry post nursing moments, and self pity/iyakan moments when i literally felt I had no time to recuperate from my c-sec.
Actually up until now sleepless nights and backaches are my bestfriends. It turned out that my older nursling was more demanding than my then newborn. If they werent nursing together, they nursed one after another virtually leaving me with close to zero sleep throughout the night, and zero rest during the day.
Breastfeeding Support
But I was able to carry on, thanks to the support of my dear Capt Barbel who cheered me on and showed appreciation towards my eagerness to tandem nurse, helped me with other parenting duties, gave me all the food that I ask for, and listened to all my rants and pagod dialogues. My eldest Achie, who was alway there to get me my water bottle or a piece of diaper, a bib or burp cloth or entertain the youngest or the toddler while I am nursing the other one.
The listening ear of my BFF J, who was patient enough to listen to my gushing about the babies and their milestones, my realizations and virtually support me as I recuperate from child birth and adjustments. And of course for the love of my MIL and my Tita who supplies me with fresh malunggay, and for sending over to out house a never-ending slew of padalang ulam and countless merienda / midnight snacks. And syempre sa walang kamatayang #malunggay. Truly, it is a team effort!
Overcoming tandem breastfeeding challenges
So mommies out there in the deep trenches of tandemfeeding AKA first few weeks, it will go by quickly and you will just realise that you have surpassed those sleepless nights and restless days.
Catholic mommies — pray for the intercession of our Lady of ala Leche. I have written a post on her novena — click here. The baby phase go by sooo fast that I now realised that I havent stopped nursing since my eldest was born. She and shobe overlapped for a bit until she self-weaned from her full-term breastfeeding.
With my eldest Achie, i was able to experience pumping milk every three hours in the office or in Official Business Events to take home to her so I could still exclusive breastfeed her even if i was working back then.
Now that I am a stay at home mom, i still face breastfeeding challenges like this tandem nursing pero as they say laban lang 💪❤
So cheers to us #padedemoms who just keep going and going!
For more local information on breastfeeding — where to buy hardworking and efficient pumps, fabulous nursing bras, lovely pump bags, breastfeeding and pumping supplies, where to buy nursing supplements and lactation cookies that could help increase output, recipes of soups and drinks that could support breastfeeding moms please check out our website happypinaymommy.com (link in bio) or follow our Pinterest Breastfeeding board. Salamat po and till next post.
