Milk and Multiples

I was given the book Twin Manibreasto for review. I was not reimbursed  and will not be reimbursed in any way for the review alone. All thoughts are my own.

I mentioned last week that I was given the opportunity to review a book about breastfeeding twins. Last week I interviewed the author, Mercedes Donis, from Project ProcrastiNot. Today I have a review of her book, Twin Manibreasto: A Success Story of Milk and Multiples.

Breastfeeding twins. To me, at this moment, it sounds pretty difficult. I know if I ever had twins I would want to breastfeed them, but in all the breastfeeding books I have read, I have never come across much about nursing multiples.

Breastfeeding is often reduced to basic terms:

“Breast is best.”

But for our family, it’s beyond that. It’s not the best, it just simply is.

Enter this book.

This is a book I would want to read if I were expecting twins or other multiples. The story presented in it is encouraging and inspiring.  Mercedes starts the book telling us about the beginning or her pregnancy, learning that she is carrying twins and her search for all things twin related. What was missing? Books on nursing multiples. There are books out there that mention nursing multiples but not many dedicated specifically to breastfeeding multiples.

We learn about the twins birth,  a major move to another country, a surgery and sleepless nights. Through it all we hear determination and courage. There is a schedule included to show you what nursing twins might mean time wise. There is also a list of clothes and other breastfeeding supplies that Mercedes found helpful.

The best advice I can give you is to just jump in, and know that it gets better.

If you are expecting twins and trying to decide if breastfeeding multiples is the right option for you, I highly recommend this book. It is honest and open. Nothing is held back and you will finish it knowing that whether you decide to breastfeed your twins or to formula feed both are hard, but very rewarding.

This is an e-book so you would receive it in a PDF file. If you have a Kindle or other reader you should be able to transfer it to that device.

What I liked about this book:

• it was an easy read, it doesn’t get all technical on you
• it is real. Mercedes includes stories of the struggles and triumphs of breastfeeding twins
• live pictures. Have you ever read a book about breastfeeding or birth and the only pictures included are drawn? You look at them and try to figure it out and it gets confusing. In the book Twin Manibreasto, Mercedes shows nursing positions that she uses.
• cute graphics to brighten the pages. If you are going to be reading on a screen there may as well be pretty colors right? 🙂
• the recipes in the appendix. I love recipes! Mercedes includes recipes that use galactogogues (foods that are supposed to help increase breast milk supply). There is a cookie recipe that I really want to try I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. You can get a sneak peek of one of them if you head over to her blog.
• the links. In the appendix there are lots of links to sites that Mercedes found helpful. Topics include pumping, positions and nursing in NICU.

What I didn’t like:

• just that it is so short. I was sad when it ended. 🙂

Who would I recommend this book to?

• every momma. I honestly think that every momma could benefit from reading this book. Even if you do not have twins, the simple act of reading about someone who does, makes it seem a whole lot easier with the one that you do have. If you are expecting twins or other multiples I think you would find the information and encouragement that this book provides invaluable.

You can purchase Twin Manibreasto on Mercedes’ blog for only $6.99. Or you can buy it as part of a bundle from Mindful Nurturing. Honestly I cannot recommend the whole bundle as it includes things that I don’t agree with, but the Pregnancy and Birth and Parenting The Early Years mini bundles have lots of great information.

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The Twin Manibreasto is part of the Essential Parenting Collection, offered by my affiliate partner Mindful Nurturing. You can get the module Parenting the Early Years for $19.97, giving you access to:

• The Colic Solution, by Nicolette Roux
• Twin Manibreasto, by Mercedes R. Donis
• The Natural Parent’s Guide to Babywearing, by Lauren Wayne
• A one-year subscription to JUNO magazine
• What Not to Say: Tools for Talking to Young Children, by Sarah Maclaughlin
• Oxytocin Parenting: Womb through the Terrible Twos, by Susan Kuchinskas and Bryan Post

This post does contain affiliate links. Purchasing a product by clicking on my link will not  change the  price  that you pay for the item, it simply  gives me a small reimbursement that helps to support this blog.