Mommy Rae

Mommy Rae has been raising her twins for a year now, and talks about her experiences on breastfeeding with Milk Matters. She shares that the beginning was not so easy, “When they were newborns, I fed them every 2 hours and all throughout, I was always the only one to feed them. No one else ever gave them a bottle.” Mommy Rae says that one of the most difficult parts was getting the schedules right, and it was much tougher with two babies. “Breastfeeding twins was really difficult, especially scheduling. The best advice I got from another twin mom was to always feed both babies together and to sleep when they slept otherwise you’ll never rest. Learning how to tandem feed was a challenge. We watched YouTube videos and I could basically never feed them together on my own. The twin pillow was really helpful. I also think feeding them immediately when they came out was really helpful in establishing a good latch from the beginning.”

After a year of growth and learning, Mommy Rae looks back on this beautiful journey, “If I could do anything differently, I’d try and put less pressure on myself to get it perfect. It’s in their nature to breastfeed, they’ll basically figure it out for themselves.” She also realized that it can actually be pretty easy to breastfeed compared to having to wash bottles, prepare formula, and take all that gear when leaving the house.   ​

“I think breastfeeding has definitely strengthened my bond with my babies. Even though it was sometimes very hard, it was always my special time with them.”

Despite the challenges that come with breastfeeding, she feels that breastfeeding has made her closer to her babies. “I think breastfeeding has definitely strengthened my bond with my babies. Even though it was sometimes very hard, it was always my special time with them. Now they still nurse for comfort when they’re sick or just when they need comforting for any reason. It’s nice to know there’s something I can give them that makes them feel better no matter what.”
Mommy Rae hopes more people are aware that breastfeeding is hard for many moms; they need all the support they can get. “Don’t hesitate to offer a mom a seat or a glass of water.” As for her fellow moms, Mommy Rae advises, “Try and latch them as early as possible after birth and drink a TON of water to establish your supply. Also research about the health benefits of breastfeeding for the baby. It helps when you’re feeling discouraged to remember all the nutritional and immune benefits. Talk to other breastfeeding moms to get support.”