The journey of nursing triplets

Having three babies at a go is challenging. COURTESY PHOTO

What you need to know:

Mum of three. It is only possible to nurse two babies at once. So what happens when you give birth to triplets? Beatrice Nakibuuka spoke to a first time mother who gave birth to triplets.

Alice Ndagire, 28, had prepared for her time of delivery from the very first time she went for an antenatal visit. The doctor had asked her to return in two months for a scan. It was her first pregnancy so she was vigilant. After the scan, knew she was to give birth to triplets.
“I was uneasy and scared when I was told. I did not know how I was going to handle carrying three babies, this being my first pregnancy. But my relatives and husband were very supportive. With their courage I got stronger,” she recalls.

Unexpected number
Ndagire had thought she would deliver normally but she got preterm labour at 30 weeks and was rushed to Nsambya hospital.
She says, “The doctor had said my babies would be tired if I tried to push so he recommended that I deliver by C-section. While I was in the hospital, the nurses and my mother helped me feed them until I healed and was discharged.”
According to Ali Male, a counselling psychologist at YWCA, for both old and first time mothers, a baby is a big adjustment in life.
Having three babies at once is overwhelming and can cause even bigger changes in your life. For Ndagire, since the time she gave birth, she has not gone back to run her businesses.

Care
At home, the babies need to feed, change, be comforted and loved but it is difficult to predict when they will need each of these.
“At first I was not able to get enough breast milk for all the three babies so I opted to bottlefeed them on formula milk because they had to feed at regular intervals. My mother helped me prepare several bottles so that if they woke up their feed was ready,” Ndagire says.
When it comes to breastfeeding, she would feed each child until they got tired then start to feed the other one. Finding time to rest was a challenge when the children were younger but she says, “I would sleep every time I put them to sleep because their sleep schedules were unpredictable.”

Handling sibling fights
At 15 months, Ndagire observes that her children have different personalities and sometimes one takes advantage of the others or they fight over a toy. In such a situation, Male says a parent must be very just while dealing with such fights.
He says, “Do not compare them even when one looks bigger or smaller. You should never favour any of them. A parent should not use the words like ‘you are bigger’ or ‘he is better’. This will create jealousy and rivalry among them.”

Planning
Raising triplets is expensive and calls for extra expenses since they will all reach the same life milestones at the same time. Think about health care to help you plan for the unexpected.
Look for an insurance plan that can offer good coverage for all of your children. Try to have funds set aside for all sorts of costs.
Ndagire says, “When I learnt I was going to give birth to triplets, I knew I needed to do extra shopping for them. Sometimes I forgot to buy myself anything. It was better for me to plan well.”
When they reach school going age, it is important for you to ask that they are put them in separate classes if the school has multiple sections of the same class. This will help them develop individual personalities.

Pay equal attention
Much as group activities with your triplets may be fun, you need to balance the time you spend with each child by making a weekly routine. Each child needs individual attention from you because they may be talented differently.
“As a parent, you will naturally be very influential in your children’s life but as they grow, you may feel left out as they usually turn to one another for help or in decision making. It is also important that you respect the bond they have among themselves,” Male warns.

Keep your relationship
Raising three children who are the same age can sometimes feel overwhelming. Caring for triplets takes up a lot of time and energy especially when they are young. You may find yourself putting less effort in your marriage. You should, however, try as much as possible not to neglect your relationship.
“Make time for him by foregoing some tasks so that you do not starve him emotionally,” Male says.

TRIPLE CARE
It is normal to feel overwhelmed when you have three babies. Finding a workable routine can help.
•Your babies will need to be fed, changed, comforted, and loved. It can be difficult to anticipate when they will need each of these things.
•It is useful to try to create a routine. For example, try to get up at around the same time each day. You will also need to feed them at regular intervals.
•While a routine is helpful, you can’t plan for every eventuality. So much sure to allow yourself some flexibility.

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