OUR BABIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 62, 11 February 1936, Page 11

OUR BABIES

(By “Hygeia.”) Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for tho Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). “It is wiser, to put .up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.” THE FEEDING OF TWINS. Last year brought so many twins to our district that one wonders if a short talk on the management of their ! feeding may help should the stork of j 1936 wish to continue this happy practice. Delightful as the idea of twins i may he, a busy mother is sometimes a ; little perplexed as to how best to plan her day to include justice to the j twins and to the other children, not |to mention the important father of them all. • | 1. The normal woman is designed ■ for the complete nursing of twins, so, j provided the babies are of equal size and vigorous and that the mother has an adequate supply of milk, the problem is minimised by simultaneous ! feeding. The first essential is that ! the mother be seated in a comfortable j position, either in a Morris chair or on a sofa, with her hack supported and the feet raised sufficiently to ensure both comfort and an extensive lap. On each side pillows are arranged, partly across each leg, then the babies are placed on these pillows, with the heads together and feet pointing outwards and backwards. The mother’s arms are thus free to hold the babies in the correct position for nursing. The babies go alternately to each breast as follows: 0 a.m. : A to right breast and B to left. 10 a.m.: A to left breast and B to right. 2 p.m. : A to right breast and B to left. ' 6 p.m. : A to left breast and B to right. 10 p.m. : A to right breast and B to left. Thus seeing that there is equal stimulus to both breasts, for sometimes one ' finds variation in the strength of the

sucking power of the twins, and also occasionally one breast yields the miJk a little more easily, than the other. We can point to many mothers who have managed this method in a most efficient manner with great economy of time.

2. When the breast supply is sufficient for one but not for two babies, humanised milk would be made each day, and the schedule would then be: G a.m. : A to both breasts and B artificially fed. 10 a.m. : B to both breasts and A artificially fed. 2 p.m.: A to' both breasts and B artificially fed. G p.m.: Bto botli breasts and A artificially fed. .10 p.m.: Ato both breasts and B artificially fed. Then next day B would be breast fed at G a.m., 2 p.m., and 10 p.m., anil Aat 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., so that each baby receives equally the advantages of natural feeding. 0. Where one twin is much weaker than the other, it is advisable to give him the great amount of breast milk, at least until lie has a firm hold on life, if he is too weak to suckle- well some breast milk should be expressed and given to the baby by bottle until ids condition improves, when he may be put to the breast once daily; then when lie takes this feed quite well increase to twice daily, then three times, and so on. 4. Wb/m both babies are required to be artificially fed it is necessary that their bottles be held so that strong suction is developed and fostered. The practice of allowing any baby to lie in tile cot with feeding bottle supported by a pillow so that the fluid runs into the baby’s mouth is to be heartily condemned, and a far-sighted mother will spend the 20 minutes required to hold the bottle rather .than spend pounds later in having corrected those ills that' follow inadequate suction —e.g., malformation of mouth, or crooked and badly spaced teeth, tendency to tonsil trouble, adenoids, etc. If the babies are fortunate enough to have two people in attendance at feed time it is. an easy matter to hold both baby and bottle, but if not a simple way to save time and yet give the jaws the necessary I stimulus is to sit the babies up supj ported on pillows in each cot, then place the cots close together with just room for a chair between. In front of the chair is a stool on which can bo placed two saucers with spoons jor emulsion. The mother then sits facing the babies, and holding both bottles at once, and feeding time jrasses expeditiously. A very small or weak baby, will require to be fed three-hourly and also given a feed during the night; but from the above suggestions adaptation may be made to suit any set of circumstances, and the nearest Plunket nurse is only too willing to assist in the care and management of twins, triplet's, or even quadruplets.