OUR BABIES

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVI, Issue 67, 23 February 1938, Page 1

OUR BABIES

Published under the auspi'is of. the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women find Children (Plunket Society). “It it wiier to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.” THE FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF TWINS. Delightful as the idea of twins may appear, they are often a perplexing problems to a busy mother, for she has to plan her day to give them justice, and yet manage the other children and her house, not to mention the important father of them all! So perhaps a short talk on their feeding and management may be a help. FEEDING. 1. The normal woman is designed for the complete nursing of twins, so, providing 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 position, either in a Morris chair or on a sofa, with her back 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 : C a.m.: A to right breast, B to left breast. 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 milk 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:— 6 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 6 p.m.: B to both breasts and A artificially fed. 10 p.m.: A to both breasts and B artificially fed. Then next day B would be breast fed at 6 a.m., 2 pan., and 10 p.m., and A at 10 a.m., and 6 p.m., so that each baby receives equally the advantage of natural feeding 1 . 3. When one twin is much weaker than the other, it is advisable to give him the greater amount of breast milk, at least until he 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 his condition improves, when he may be put to the breast once daily. Then when he takes this feed quite well increase to twice daily, then three times, and so on. 4. When 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. the 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 persons 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 stimulus is to set the babies up supported 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 be placed two saucers with spoons for emulsion. The mother then sits facing the babies, and holding both bottles at once, and feeding time passes 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, triplets, or even quadruplets.