Cork woman: I breast-fed my twin boys for a year, here's some advice...

“I initially thought breastfeeding twins would be impossible. I had enjoyed a very positive breast- feeding experience with my older kids Emma (age seven) and Harry (age five), however, I couldn’t imagine how I would manage to breastfeed twins in a busy household.

“Unbelievably, a conversation with a painter who was helping to get the babies’ room ready encouraged me, when he explained his wife had fed their twins more than 20 years ago and it had been a real success. Who knew I’d be discussing my feeding plan with our house painter?

“Then I found out my cousin’s wife managed to exclusively feed their twins for 18 months, so I connected with her and she gave me the confidence to give it a go.

We planned carefully, as you must have support from the people around you. Brian was fully on-board to be very active with the other two while I tried to establish my milk supply in the first couple of weeks.

“My parents, Joe and Aideen, planned to stay for the initial fortnight to help out with all daily tasks of cooking, cleaning and shopping, they were amazing. My mother-in-law Margaret is always a great help with the children too.

“I did some Googling and looked at different breastfeeding forums online. I realised that I needed to steer clear of anything that wasn’t from a trusted source, so I contacted Mary King, the HSE lactation consultant in North Cork.

“Mary is a fountain of knowledge and chatted through how I could prepare for the coming adventure. I had attended the Newmarket breastfeeding group with Emma seven years ago, so I was familiar with how they operate and I planned to start going there as soon as I could.

“In the intervening seven years, lactation consultant posts have been put in place and I was so delighted and thrilled to get this expert advice so readily. It was a dream come true.

“The boys, Darragh and Conor, were born vaginally on a Tuesday and were both over six pounds. I was discharged from hospital on the Thursday and when they were weighed on Friday, they had dropped from their birth weight. I knew this was because my milk supply wasn’t in yet, but when you are tired, you’re not as clear and I was doubting myself.

“I was worried until Mary King arrived, reassured me and checked the boys that evening. She then called the next day to set me up with a breast pump. I‘ll never forget it, the support was just what I needed to boost my confidence. 

I started pumping and sure enough my supply came in on day five. Within a couple of days, Darragh and Conor had regained their weight. Together with Mary, I made a plan to aim for tandem feeding where I would feed the babies at the same time.

“She gave me a brilliant pillow which really worked well for positioning and helped prevent nipple soreness too. Nipple soreness is something I was half-expecting but still when it arrives it can be excruciating and it was Mary who advised me to pump for a day or two until it healed. This meant the twins were being bottle-fed with expressed breast milk for a couple of days. It didn’t lead to any nipple confusion and it gave my husband and others a chance to get involved in feeding.

The pump was invaluable for establishing supply and for feeding through that difficult patch.

“I set up a pumping station and feeding station that had all the things I needed to hand - clean tubing, storage bags, comfortable seating, pillows, etc. This organisational piece may not seem that important but it really was one of the keys to managing to feed twins.

“A tandem feed, once established, took about 45-60 minutes. I pumped regularly to have a supply in the freezer and became so expert in it that I was even able to take a break away with my husband, while breastfeeding, at eight months. When I returned, they latched back on as if I never left!

If you are thinking about breastfeeding, my advice would be: Don’t doubt yourself, block out the noise and concerns of others. 

"Also, get a good pillow and set up your station with all the things you need. Ask family and friends to help with older children and make sure you contact your HSE lactation consultant and access your local breastfeeding support group. It’s great to get out of the house socially with other people who are on the same page, it becomes your little group!”

HSE lactation consultant Mary King said: “It was such a privilege and pleasure working with Paula and her family. She is a wonderful advocate for breastfeeding. Paula and her twins regularly attended the Newmarket support group and I love to meet mums coming to see us at our breastfeeding groups, including pregnant mums!

We welcome mothers and babies at all stages of their breastfeeding journey to come and join us.

“We currently we hold a breastfeeding support group in Newmarket each Tuesday from 11am-12pm, in Fermoy each Monday from 11am-12pm, and Mallow each Wednesday 10am-11am. Each group is facilitated by public health nurses who are there to offer support and advice for as long as mums wish.”

See MyChild.ie: www2.hse.ie/services/breastfeeding-support-search/ for more information and details of your local breastfeeding support groups and lactation consultants.

As told to Michelle McNamara, HSE Healthy Ireland Primary Care Lead for Cork and Kerry

Breastfeeding data for Cork and Kerry HSE South West in Q1 2024

• 49.2% of babies in Cork and Kerry are breastfed exclusively at first Public Health Nurse (PHN) visit. The national average is 42% but the target is 50%.
• 70.7% of babies are breastfed exclusively and not exclusively at first PHN visit.
• 55.3% of babies are breastfed exclusively and not exclusively at three-month PHN visit. National average is 43.7%.
• Number of breastfeeding support groups in Cork: 26

Cork Breastfeeding Friendly

National Breastfeeding

Events, hosted by the HSE in collaboration with Cork County Council

Wednesday, Oct 2

• 12pm-2pm, Wednesdays, Carrigtwohill Breastfeeding Support Group. Primary Health Care Centre Carrigtwohill (3rd Floor).
• 11am, Cobh Breastfeeding group in the Family resource centre in Park House, Cloyne Terrace.
• 10am-12, Wednesday, Whitechurch Breastfeeding support group, T34RR58.
• 9.15am-11am, Midleton Breastfeeding group in Midleton GAA, P25 TD73 with a draw and light bites!
• 12-1pm, Online Good Nutrition from Bump to Baby & Beyond - HSE Dietician. Talk available via Eventbrite.
• 10-11am, Mallow, Coffee Morning Breastfeeding Group, The Arches Restaurant, Mallow.

Friday, October 4

• 10am, Friday, Mayfield Coffee Morning, Mummy Meet up, Teach Mhuire, Old Youghal Rd, T23 Y820.
• 11am-12, Returning to Work & Breastfeeding Online Talk via Eventbrite.
• 10.30am, Mallow Library, ‘Songs & action rhymes’ on Fridays. From newborns to pre-school age welcome.
• 10.30am, Bandon Library ‘Tots time Storytime’ with librarian. Babies welcome.

Saturday October 5

• 11am, Charleville Library, ‘Tots Time Storytime’ with colouring, toys & jigsaws. All children and babies welcome.
• 11.30am, Kanturk Library Storytime. Babies to pre-schoolers all welcome.

Monday, October 7

• 10am-12, Charleville, Coffee Morning in the Charleville Park Hotel.
• 10am-12, Glanmire, Breastfeeding Support Group in the community centre, St Joesphs Church.
• 10am, Mayfield, Mum and baby sensory play workshop. Music, songs, tummy time and maternal well-being in Roseville, Old Youghal Road, Mayfield T23Y820

See https://publuu.com/flip-book/376708/1448087 for more

Libraries in County Cork hosting breastfeeding friendly fun story time Friday, October 4

• 10.30am, Mallow Library, ‘Songs & action rhymes’ on Fridays. From newborns to pre-school age are welcome.
• 10.30am, Bandon Library, ‘Tots time Storytime’ with librarian. Babies to pre-schoolers are all welcome.

Saturday, October 5

• 11am, Charleville Library, ‘Tots Time Storytime’ with colouring, toys & jigsaws. Babies to pre-schoolers all welcome.
• 11.30am, Kanturk Library, Storytime. Babies to pre-schoolers all welcome.