the end of the era....

when minnie & tully were born in september, i wanted to gently wade into the waters of breastfeeding.  i thought i'd give it a go.  if it worked...fabulous.  if it didn't...no stress.

though the babes popped on out a wee-bit early, they were instantaneous nursers.  i was very lucky that all of the issues that can come up with premature babies and nursing/feeding didn't apply to our given situation.  we had AMAZING help from a lactation specialist/night nurse that laid the groundwork for success.  luckily for moi, the babies took it from there.  they hit the ground running and never looked back!

i am trying to say everything in a politically correct way here....but it is what it is.  nursing is an amazing thing.  i have loved being so dern close to my babies.  i have loved being the "one" that can give them something no one else can.  i have loved that i can shut the door and have them to myself if i need to. can you tell?  i have loved it.

like anything we "love", everything with nursing twins has not been all that rosey.  there have been some bumps in the 7-month road of it all; however, i wouldn't change a thing.

i have watched them reach out and hold each other's hands.  i have been "shushed" by them when i started to talk during a nursing session when one placed a gentle hand over my loud mouth.  i have been pooped on and nursed upon simultaneously.  yes...many a moments have been made in nursing 2 little ones 6 times a day!

now that minnie & tully are approaching the 8 month milestone, i have decided to venture into a new land known as formula city.  while i have had mixed emotions, i know that for me it is the right thing.  i'd like to say it's for the babies' best interest...it is not.  i'd like to have some great scientific or medical reason/explanation for stopping...i don't.  it's black and white.  i am stopping because i am ready to stop.  good or bad...it is what it is.

i have always been one to say that if you nurse, great.  if you opt for formula, great.  i genuinely think you are supposed to do what works best for your lifestyle.  there are a million reasons to do it.  there are a million reasons people don't.

i am glad i started i got to experience this amazing "thing" when the babies were 4 pounds plus a couple of ounces. they were undressed each time in order to keep them awake.  they would fall asleep, have to be woken up....my, my, my....it was a 45 minute or an hour routine.

we are now ending the journey at a point when they are able to get their feeding in 10 minutes and they are 4 times what they started off at!  what a crazy road it has been...but for me, i am so glad i took it.  though breast feeding twins has sometimes been like a cross country bike ride on a tricycle with no seat, i am so glad i didn't do it any other way.  this ambitious ride was a fun one...