Select Page

Book Review : Breastfeeding Twins and Triplets: A Guide for Professionals and Parents

Breastfeeding Twins and Triplets: A Guide for Professionals and Parents by Kathryn Stagg 

Book Review by Dr Maeve Anne O Connell PhD FFNMRCSI RM RGN

Assistant Professor of Midwifery

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Fatima College of Health Sciences

Abu Dhabi

ISBN-13: 9781839970504

Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

 

Book Review

This is a timely resource for both parents and all health care professionals who care for individuals breastfeeding multiple infants. Rates of multiple births are increasing related to increasing age of parenthood and fertility treatments. In this book, lactation expert Kathryn Stagg draws on her own experience of breastfeeding twins as well as her extensive experience as a Lactation Consultant to impart her knowledge. The book is clear with simple language used to outline tips for parents in various scenarios while referring to up to date reliable evidence sources. Each chapter also outlines personal stories and vignettes in which specific challenges are set out and what strategies are recommended to deal with them in each case. The personal stories are relatable, brief and share encouragement and positivity. It moves through normal healthy term babies to preterm babies who require additional feeding strategies like finger and cup feeding and babies with additional needs such as underlying medical conditions. Kathryn’s approach is holistic, parent-centred and inclusive offering tips for partners to help out and sleep guidance about various situations such as co-sleeping. Therefore, parents will find this a particularly comprehensive, easy, and useful guide to breastfeeding multiples.

This evidence-based book starts from the very beginning of the pregnancy journey, from the discovery of the multiple pregnancy, through to the various experiences of preterm and term multiples and then moves to longer term breastfeeding journeys into toddlerhood. The book offers solutions and strategies for dealing with breastfeeding challenges particular to multiple pregnancies such as when one twin feeds well and the other is not latching.  It also explains the common challenges such as mastitis, blocked ducts and engorgement. Attractive illustrations accompany each section to help explain concepts to parents. I particularly like the illustrations of breastfeeding positions for tandem feeding on Page 100.

If you are a midwife, nurse, public health nurse or doctor, or indeed midwifery or nursing student who is supporting twin and triplet parents, this is an essential resource for preparation during pregnancy, and troubleshooting various breastfeeding challenges. Resources in this area are limited and at the price 22.99 I think that this book is good value. It is available as e-book and on Kindle as well as in hard copy.

Categories

Translate »