So it was October 5th, the day of the St. Francis Breastfeeding Support Group. It was quite the morning. I fed them at 8ish and packed the diaper bag and pump. By 9ish I was putting them in their carseats. Then, I took them out to the car. My OB would have flipped. I wasn’t supposed to be lifting more than 8lbs… what doesn’t hurt can’t kill you, right? I got there really early; early enough to wonder why on earth I was going. I was certain I’d be the only mother there who would end up pumping. After loading up the Double Snap and Go and deciding that I would leave my Double Blessings pillow in the car, I got up the courage to go to room.

St. Francis’s Breastfeeding Support Group is incredible. 2-3 lactation consultants were busy setting up scales and changing stations and supplying chairs with clean pillows. Addy, an elderly volunteer, was busy setting up quite a spread of food. Chicken salad sandwiches, a fruit bowl, cookies… I was drooling. One other woman was there early and she was busy feeding her 5 week old boy who was much larger than either of my girls.

I set up a little station for myself on the floor and pulled out the nipple shield. The other woman stared. I changed Bronwyn to rouse her and took her to the scale. She weighed 2952 grams (6lb 8oz!) I was really proud that she had gained so much weight. I sat down and latched her to the nipple shield. She sucked happily away and in fact continued to suck for her whole 15 minute time limit. I called one of the consultants over and asked her if I should stop her since that what was on our current feeding plan. She told me to just let her finish on her own.

Bronwyn and I finished and I took her over to the scaled to be weighed. Danielle was doing the weighing. Her finished weight was 3034 she had taken 82 grams (about 30z) which was exactly what was in her bottle at that time. Danielle gave me a giant high five as I held back tears of a different nature from my last visit to lactation.

I gave Bronwyn over to Addy, the elderly volunteer, who was more than happy to entertain her while I fed and weighed Aeralind. Aeralind took 26 grams when I fed her (1 oz). I was disappointed to say the least, but excited to eat some of the goodies on that table. Breastfeeding two makes me hungry and thirsty beyond belief! I munched on some stuff while holding Aeralind and since she hadn’t taken her full 3 oz, I stuck her back on. I ate while she ate and when we were both finished she had taken a total of 86 grams (3oz!).

I received another high five from Danielle. I was in shock. They were eating off me! Of course, we were still using the nipple shield to facilitate latching, but they had taken an entire feeding straight from the source! I was given the go ahead to replace two bottle feedings with breastfeeding and to gradually increase. That was a day of celebration and surprise and one of the best in my story thus far!