The Business of Babies

My name is Isobel Thompson and if it wasn’t for the premature birth of my twins, I’d never have founded my business Morrck. 

 It was in the scorching hot summer of 2003 that I’d produced two tiny babies (twin girls by the way), born many weeks too early.  I was lucky, my girls grew strong and left hospital – and they’re like any other healthy 9 year olds now.

But that first year..my goodness..I thought the next time I’d actually manage to get out of the house was when I was drawing a pension!  Disappointed with the utter impracticality of so many baby products, I decided to do better, and so invented the Baby Hoodie. 

Baby Hoodie

The award winning Baby Hoodie is a unique, hooded travel wrap, shaped to fit into a car seat or pushchair.  It means an ends to fiddly coats, buttons and snowsuits.  No more rigid limbs being forced into snowsuits that are too big, too hot and time consuming!  Slits in the Baby Hoodie allow safety harnesses to feed through the soft fleece, allowing you to strap your baby in and wrap the hoodie around them.  Our Lightweight Hoodie is perfect for the warmer months, giving protection from the sun and warmth in chilly summer breezes. 

As a thank you for all the support I received when my babies were small, we donate £1 for every hoodie sold to TAMBA and to celebrate Twins, Triplets and More Week 2012, we’re doubling up to donate £2 from each sale.

We were delighted last year to be able to donate a Hoodie for the four Little Lambs born as sextuplets but sadly lost two of their siblings.  We hope our Hoodies made this super mum's life just a little bit easier!

Express Feeding Twins

Mum of five month old twins, Kirsty Lowe tells how she expresses milk for her babies...

My babies were born at 34+6 weeks. Isabella, twin 1, weighed 5lb13oz and Taylor, twin 2, weighed 6lb0.5oz. From finding out that I was pregnant breast feeding was something that I was determined to do as I wasn't able to breastfeed my first son for more than 5 weeks as he was in nicu (neonatal intensive care unit) for 6 weeks and I didn't have the support or knowledge on how to keep my milk supply up. So this time I was determined to succeed. When we found out that we were having twins we invested in a good, electric double pump which was a god send!!

When I was 34+6 weeks my babies decided to make an early appearance, in the early hours of the morning my waters broke. Later that day I was taken down to theatre for an emergency c-section. As they were premature they were taken straight to nicu. Once I was back on the ward after seeing my babies I pumped for the first time. The first bag of colostrum was taken up for my babies. 

Taylor was having breathing difficulties and was in an incubator and was not feeding. Isabella had her first bottle but encountered difficulties so she was being tube fed. The staff that were caring for our babies were so supportive and gave me so much encouragement. I started pumping every 2 - 3 hours and took them every single drop, no matter how small. After a few days my milk finally started to come and Taylor also had his first feed via tube. Both babies came on in leaps and bounds, Taylor was taken off the c-pap (breathing apparatus) and out of the incubator and both babies had their tubes removed and were being bottle fed EBM (expressed breast milk). 

They were both discharged after only 12 days. Once we got home I tried to get the babies to latch on. Isabella went straight on but Taylor wouldn't. I did feel disheartened but only for a short time. At the end of the day, both babies were receiving my milk which is what was important! After more attempts Taylor did latch on. Both babies will now go on for mid feed snacks :-)

My babies are now 19 weeks old. Both of my babies have huge appetites and have 300mls each per feed, this is a lot of milk to express!!! I was heart broken the day I had to introduce a little bit of formula to their feed to top them up. But after I had calmed down I realised that what is important is that they are still having breast milk and they are still receiving the important anti bodies from my milk. I have heard some people say that if you express and feed via bottle you are not breastfeeding, in my opinion that is rubbish I do class myself as a breast feeding mum as my babies are having my milk, how they get it bottle or breast is not important. 

I want to tell other mums of multiples or multiple mums to be if your babies do have to spend time away from you, you can still give them your milk. It is hard work and tiring but the results are priceless.

Good luck.

Kirsty x

Breastfeeding Twins, Triplets and More

This extract is taken from Tamba’s Breastfeeding factsheet – for more information please contact Tamba at www.tamba.org.uk or call 01483 304442

Many parents on discovering that they are expecting twins, triplets or more are unsure whether it is possible to breastfeed more than one baby. However there are many who do.  Breastmilk is designed to be produced by supply and demand so whether feeding one, two or more babies, mums will produce enough breastmilk for their babies needs provided the babies continue to breastfeed from the breast.

Breastmilk constantly adapts and changes to babies needs. So breastmilk for babies born 6 weeks early will be different to the breastmilk produced for three month old twins. This means both nutrients and other protective factors are right for the babies at the stage they have reached.

Though some mums of multiples say that the first few weeks of breastfeeding can be challenging this is also true of mums that formula feed.  Families of multiples find caring for two or more babies to be especially tiring and need plenty of support and help in the early days. Those mums that continue to breastfeed often find as their babies get bigger that life becomes easier.

Breastfeeding means no preparation of bottles or elaborate arrangements to get out of the house, breastmilk is readily available at the right temperature for the babies day and night and is free. And it provides guaranteed opportunities to spend time with their babies.

Preparing to breastfeed

Before the babies are born it may be helpful to think about the following:

• Find out information about breastfeeding and common experiences; breastfeeding classes for singleton parents will give information which is relevant to breastfeeding multiples but if available try and go to a class for parents of multiples.
• Try and make contact with other mums who have breastfed multiples; Tamba twinline can help with this or visit the Tamba messageboard.
• Think about ways in which you can be free to breastfeed such as ordering shopping online, stocking up the freezer, arranging for help with housework and other household chores.
• Find out what breastfeeding support is available to you in your area.  There may also be an NHS breastfeeding clinic or baby café; ask your midwife for details.
• Visit the special care unit at the hospital and ask how they would support you to breastfeed if your babies are born early (this is especially helpful for triplets or more as 

most will spend time in SCBU).

If you feel the need to talk to someone, please call Twinline, Tamba’s confidential listening and emotional support service (0800 138 0509 – open every day from 10am-1pm and 7pm-10pm).

We would love to hear your breastfeeding stories....

Twins Triplets and More Week

This week is Twins, Triplets and More Week, which seemed like the perfect time to talk about multiples.  Being told you’re expecting more than one baby can be a daunting, exciting and magical experience.  There are unique challenges associated with raising two or more babies, which starts with the decision of how you’re going to feed them. 

If you’re expecting twins and are hoping to breastfeed, we have some amazing advice from Tamba, the Twins and Multiple Births Assocation.  We’ve also got some stories from mums of twins on what it’s like to raise two babies at the same time, for one mum it led to the birth of a new business as well as two baby daughters!

If you’re a mum whose had twins, triplets or more, we’d love to hear your story, how was your pregnancy, did you breastfeed, how were the first few months, how old are your babies now?  To see your words published here, please contact michelle@peekaboocoms.co.uk

There are some brilliant organisations out there who provide support and advice to parents of multiples:

Tamba – www.tamba.org.uk

Twins UK – www.twinsuk.co.uk

Twins Online – www.twinsonline.org.uk

Multiple Births Foundation - http://www.multiplebirths.org.uk