36 Months of Breast Feeding

On the 11th of December I fed my babies for the last time. Slowly we had all begun weaning. I was only feeding them once a day - in the morning, and it was just time. I'm not sad, I'm proud. I've never been one to say 'oh breastfeeding is such an amazing experience, I love it!'

 Breastfeeding Jordan about 10 minutes after his birth

I breastfed because it was the right thing to do, it was the best thing to do, it was easier and it was free!
Jordan was breastfed for 14 months. By the end it was just the night feed. I was happy to have fed my first baby for that long. One night I couldn't get home on time after work as my car had broken down so Daniel had to give him a bottle. I woke up the next morning expecting my boobs to be bursting and they weren't. And that was the end of that.
Amali was only breastfed for 7 months. I was a full time uni student studying to become a teacher. I had practical days at the local school and I would drive home at 1st and 2nd break to breastfeed her. The school was amazing to let me do that. We were going to be married when she was 9 months and I had an expensive teeth whitening kit sitting there to use. I couldn't use it whilst breastfeeding and it would go out of date just after my wedding so I stopped. I did have nice shiny teeth for my wedding though!

Tandem feeding 3 days after they were born

The trio. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would feed them this long. I just didn't know how awesome my boobs were obviously! My end goal was 6 months. I set that thinking that I'd need to supplement after that time but my boobs proved me wrong.

 Not sure on the date of this one but they were about 1-2 months old. Not the baby asleep on the couch in the background!

I got to 9 months before I gave 1 baby, 1 bottle at night only, while I tandem fed the other two. I rotated this each night, in birth order, so everyone would get a turn on the bottle.

About 3 months old

 5 months old. Always had to entertain another!

Dylan was always the patient one!

My last night feed. 14 months old.

At 15 months Daniel organised a surprise overnight getaway for us. I was a little concerned at how my boobs would cope considering I had sold my pump months earlier. By this stage I was only feeding them in the morning, when they first woke up. On Monday morning I fed them as normal. Tuesday morning we left at 5am and they didn't wake up until 6am. I didn't arrive home until Wednesday lunch time, so the next time they fed was Thursday morning. My boobs were fine - a little fuller that normal during the day but nothing that made them sore or tender to touch. The nanny had given them a bottle each of those mornings.

Thursday morning I expected them to have forgotten about boob. Wrong. They practically ripped my shirt off me and each had a full feed, which they hadn't had in a long time. This continued for the next 5 days, but no more full feeds and Ailah wasn't interested again after 3 days but the boys kept latching on for a few minutes each morning. I could tell they were just feeding because I was offering it to them, so the next morning I deliberately kept them entertained when they first woke up (hard to do at 5am) and they were fine. Same thing the next morning. Isaac kept looking at me with an odd look on his face - it was like he could tell something was missing but couldn't quite put his finger on it!
And that was that.
I do wish I had have taken a pic of them feeding for the last time.
I am damn proud of my boobs.



About a month ago I finally got around to creating a 'Breastfeeding Triplets' video. I'd asked my triplet mum friends from all around the world to send me pics and info to put it all on YouTube to encourage and educate others the breastfeeding triplets WAS possible. I'm proud to say that it's pretty darn good! You can count but I think we had at least 25 women from 5 different countries participate.
Go triplet mummas!
You can watch it here.
Enjoy!

15 Months

My babies have disappeared. I'm not sure where they went but I now have 3 little people (plus the 2 big people!) running around. I don't know if it is the walking, the more hair, the facial expressions, the appetites, or the shoes. But what I do know is that I now have toddlers. 3 of them!

 

They just love being outside. We eat outside all the time. We've also been practising eating out of bowls and off plates. On the grass. Where the dogs and the peacock can come and clean up the mess afterwards. Slowly and surely we have had less mess due to plates being tipped over. Or put on heads - the wrong way up. 

And doing this on grass makes it a fun learning experience!

They have also started to sit at this little table like such big kids! Ailah thinks it doubles as a climbing frame too.

We were also lucky enough to be given 3 booster highchair/seats that attach onto any chair. We've put them on our outside table chairs. This photo was taken the first EVER time our family of 7 sat at a table together. For me, it was just one of those 'wow' moments. It seemed so surreal that this was going to be my future. I kept having flash forwards of all the children getting older and then eventually their children playing in the background while we, as adults, enjoyed a few quiet drinks. It is a moment that will most likely stay with me for the rest of my life. It was just so real and so 'everyday'.

Seriously though, at the moment, it's all about shoes. Or Shsss (shoes in triplet language) I get Shsss bought to me all day long. Times 3. These pics are the first time they wore shsss. Ailah being a typical girl was in heaven - she now has more pairs than the boys.

Isaac had NO idea what on earth these things on his feet were and did not want to put his feet down! Dylan, typical easy going Dylan - loved them. 

Eventually, after lots of prodding and poking, Isaac decided that his feet were not going to fall off and then he was happy! 

We bought a larger trailer for our ride on mower - which has been used to cart children around more than anything else. The kids love it and all jump in. The best part - when everyone (including the older kids) are whinging, I hook it up, plop them in and drag them around for 15 minutes and can't hear a thing over the engine!

 

It's a much better size that this one!

This photo just sums Ailah up perfectly. People often think she is grumpy, in actual fact, she is one serious girl. She is so far in front of her brothers in speech and comprehension and I can't help but link her seriousness to this. She is very much like what my eldest - Jordan was like. She is such a little sponge, sucking up absolutely everything to learn, learn, learn.

This Christmas if you are stuck for a present idea for a friend with kids or your own kids - buy a bubble machine. They are most definitely the cheapest baby sitter you will hire. Just don't forget to include the batteries! 

These next photos were taken while the bubble machine was on. 

Love, love, love it! Thanks Lauren and Linton!

3 Walkers!

I've been waiting for this moment and now we have 3 walkers! I LOVE it! They are such different babies, they love their new found freedom and skill and think they are SO clever.

Back when they were little tiny babies my nanny, Anita, had a dream that Dylan would be the first to walk. We laughed about it at the time because Dylan has always been Mr Cruisy and Chilled and the other 2 are so firey. Talk about a dark horse! He did his first 'real' walk on the 16th October. I don't class walking as 'real' until they have taken a few steps together.

Only 6 days later on the 22nd October, Miss Ailah began walking. And I'm not talking about: walk a few steps - fall over - get up - walk a few steps - fall over - style walking. I'm talking get up and go. Dylan was pretty much the same. Although Ailah hasn't been walking as long as Dylan she soon caught up and surpassed his speed and dexterity. I was amazed. Both Jordan and Amali were the: walk a few steps - fall over - get up - walk a few steps - fall over - style walkers - I had never seen babies do what Ailah and Dylan did. In this video this was about the 4th time she had walked, I was left gobsmacked!

And then we waited. Isaac was always the strongest, even though Ailah had the best balance, so we actually thought he would be the first to walk. In the end, 12 days after his sister, he stood up while we were camping - and on my birthday - and walked, to his favourite thing - a ball!

I really do love this whole walking thing. With triplets it's practical! Now I get them out of the car and put them down onto the front verandah - and they walk to the door! No more 2-3 trips to get babies and bags from the car. They walk out to their play area. They walk to the bath. They walk to their bedroom. They walk, and walk and walk. With all this comes harder times, I'm sure.....but not yet. For now I will revel in this new stage and enjoy it! Jordan and Amali were never runners so I'm hoping that these 3 will be just as good!

13 Months

Time is flying by and they are growing, growing, growing. They have all taken 1-2 steps each when encouraged and are so close - I honestly can't wait for them to walk. Some may find that strange but life will be so much easier! (Insert laughter from other mums of older triplets here).
We went off to the Gold Coast to visit Dan's family again, which included a trip to Dreamworld and visits to other triplet mums down there. Of course the day we went to Dreamworld ended up being the hottest day since last summer........

Dylan and Isaac

Ailah

 Isaac on the carousel - Dylan had fallen asleep by this stage

So we came back to where we were staying and jumped in the pool. The trio had their first float in their rings and loved it - although a little apprehensive at first.

It was so relaxing until Amali decided that attempting to drown herself would liven up the party. Never again will they be allowed to play in the rings. I know it looks like I just sat there and took photos but the camera was on rapid fire to get the shots and it was only 2.5 seconds. I was sitting back from the pool edge and was about to throw the camera when I realised what had happened until I saw Uncle Matt run across and jump in the pool.

 Needless to say she was shaken but perfectly fine. 

I obviously don't feed Isaac enough....

With the weather heating up there has been quite a bit of nudity.....which in turn comes with splashing in each others wee and the gross inevitable - sampling each others poo when mummy wasn't quick enough. Ooops.

With the warmer weather brings 'outside dinners' which the big kids love (and I'm sure the babies do too). It is also a great way to introduce eating from bowls and plates to the trio as the mess gets left on the grass for the dogs to clean up - bonus!

There has also been a lot of climbing. This girl is crazy and tries to climb everything! We have since changed the set up of the TV cabinet!

 

The boys love climbing too but not as much as Ailah

 

And we now have 2 walkers! Dylan, then Ailah. Intersting. Isaac sat up first, Ailah walked first and now Dylan was the first to walk. Sharing is caring! Next blog post hopefully I'll have 3 walkers!

Isaac managed to come down with a fever that was intense but only lasted 48 hours. Here he is passed out on my bed. Awwwwwwwwww

And another cute sleeping one - don't you love it when you're pushing a pram around and don't even know they've fallen asleep?

We also went camping for my birthday weekend. Pre children - and even pre triplets - we used to camp a lot.People thought we were crazy! Camping with 1 year old triplets?! My reply was that they're not old enough to be naughty yet!

I was very proud of Dylan! He slept in the big kids tent all night without a fuss. What a clever chook!

Dylan found the plates and spoons that hadn't been washed up after my birthday Pavlova - yum!

Jordan and Amali had lots of fun - they even set up their own tent!

We had a great time and it won't be the last trip we do! Can't wait for the next.