Latest / Twin Mom Life / Feeding Twins, Lactation Support, NICU Nutrition & Single Twin Mom Life with Jessie Renie, RDN/IBCLC
Transcript
- Jessie: We're trying to nurse. I was like I falling into the the pit of I don't think I'm making enough milk. I need Jess Sittig: Hm. Jessie: to pump. But knowing as a lactation consultant, like that is often can be a perceived like issue. You're not seeing, you know, the milk coming out, like, you know, babies cry for other reasons. They want to nurse for other reasons besides hunger. But I just distinctly remember like being out of my body and being like, you're falling into that trap, but we're not we can't stop this because we're just going down the pit of anxiety and worry. And sleep deprivation pit of darkness. Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Jessielee Sittig: Hello and Welcome to the Twin Mom Life podcast. I'm your host, Jess. I created this podcast to help build community, connection, and most importantly, friendships among moms of multiples. Being a twin mom can be amazing and magical. That twin bond is unlike anything I've ever witnessed, but it can also be isolating and overwhelming. I'll be chatting with other twin moms, diving deep into the twin experience. giving advice on what works for us so you don't have to learn the hard way. Juggling two babies at the same time is challenging, but I'm confident we can learn from each other and figure out how to raise these babies together. Jess Sittig: Welcome to the podcast. So today we have Jesse. How are you doing? Jessie: I'm good. Thanks for having me on the podcast. Jess Sittig: Yes, I'm so excited to talk all the things today. But before we do, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Jessie: Sure. My name's Jessie. I am 33-year-old mom of twins. They're boy-girl twins, my only kids, and they are five. And we live in Indiana, in the Indy area. I grew up in Lafayette, Indiana, went to Purdue, and then became a dietitian and then later a lactation consultant. And I'm currently a NICU dietitian in a children's hospital. and I do have my lactation consultant certification and hoping to do a little bit more of that along with you know NICU dietitian stuff. But yeah, and my kids just started kindergarten, so it's been a very big month. but yeah, that's a little about me. Yeah. Yes, big Jess Sittig: I bet. Jessie: deal. Jess Sittig: that's awesome. Yeah. So my daughter just started first grade and back Jessie: fine. Jess Sittig: to school is always like getting into the routine and starting kind for the first Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: time. How are they how are they doing? Are they tired? Jessie: Yes. They've been going to full-time daycare for most of their life. So I felt like they would probably be pretty well set up for a full day kindergarten. but they they are pretty tired at the end of the day. We have moved up bedtime a little bit, which has been very good for them. Jess Sittig: Yeah, like everyone needs to come home and just have have snacks and go to sleep. Yeah. Jessie: Yes. Absolutely. Decompression, yeah. And then food and bedtime. Jess Sittig: Yep, that's always like food and sleep is always key for sure. I do have one other question Jessie: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Jess Sittig: about that transition because I just talked to Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: a mom about this. So obviously when your kid is in or your children are in daycare and preschool, that kind of vibe, you are getting updates often because you're paying Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: for this care. So I feel like you're often getting pictures and updates about what they ate and if they slept, all these things. And then they go into Kinder and it's kind of like so hard to get that type of communication. So how are you feeling Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: about that part? Jessie: Yeah. feeling okay. It's it's funny because they've been at three different daycares their whole life. and the first one for a while did not have an app or any way to send pictures Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: or updates during the day, but I would get a half a sheet of paper saying like, This is what they ate, this is how many bottles they took. and then the daycare that they just graduated from and then went to kindergarten. they hardly ever use their app at all, or at least the teacher they had. so I kind of used to it be just because of the the daycares they've been in. but it is a little bit of an adjustment because yeah, it is fun to get those pictures and then seeing, you know, what they ate and what they're doing during the day. But our school system does have an app that parents can be on and get a bunch of messages from the school corporation and then the school that the kid is in. and I actually get almost daily updates from their teachers about what they were doing for the week or what they did that day, reminders about things coming up. And I've been able to like message them directly if say one of my kids forgets their water bottle, or my other kid has allergies. So we've messaged about that. So it that's pretty really nice. I did not expect that. but that's a really nice way to get like instant communication if something's happening. Jess Sittig: Yes, that's great. Yeah, I we have an app too for her elementary school. And Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: I feel like it's relatively open communication with the teacher, but we're definitely not getting as many updates. So that was a a transition for me getting used to. I'm like, you know, now we have to the conversations are just different. I'm like, so did you eat your lunch? Where obviously that Jessie: Yes. yeah. Jess Sittig: not something they're checking on. But so that was a little Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: a little side. I'm just curious on how those transitions and stuff are going for you. Yeah. Jessie: I do miss the pictures. Yeah. One of their daycares they were in, they would give they would send like four or five pictures a day. It was awesome. Jess Sittig: Yes, I love that because then you feel like you really know what they did. And you know, Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: sometimes when you ask your kids when they come home from kindergarten, you're like, what'd you do today? And they're like, nothing. And you're like, that's not true. Jessie: Yeah. Good talking points. Like, I saw you went down the slide today. Like tell me about that. Yes. The open ended Jess Sittig: Yes. Yes. You have some like material to work with. Yeah. I I feel that too. So Jessie: question doesn't work for them. Yeah. Jess Sittig: No, not at all. It is really helpful if the teacher will say, like, this week we're reading this book, because then I can ask specific questions about like the books and the characters and yeah, absolutely. Jessie: Yeah. True. Jess Sittig: well thank you for providing insight on that. I'm always curious as I just went through that also. So okay, well I always ask all the moms before we really dive into it if you've been able to fill your cup today or if you have plans to do so. Jessie: yeah, you know, I did treat myself to Starbucks this morning. So yeah, that was that was always a pleasure. you know, I I don't know if I'll get to do this today, but yesterday I was able to go swim outside, like lap swim. I swam in high school and grew up swimming and loved the water and one of my favorite things to do is just go. get a good workout in at an outdoor pool when it's sunny and I had time to like just lay out on the chair and read Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: a very fun book, My Golden Girls Cozy Mystery. Jess Sittig: Ooh. Jessie: that was very cut filling yesterday. Mm hmm. Yeah. Jess Sittig: I love that. A swim workout and a book session in the sun. That sounds Jessie: Mm-hmm. In the sun, getting some sun. Yes. That was really nice. Jess Sittig: That sounds fantastic. And what did you get from Starbucks today? Jessie: I got the iced pecan crunch latte. Yes. Jess Sittig: Ooh, I haven't had that one yet. Jessie: Yes. I really like it. And I got half like of the syrup pumps to try and cut down on the sugar and it was pretty good, you know, with half sugar. I was very pleased. Jess Sittig: Yum. I feel like they always have such fun fall drinks. So I was curious if you Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: were gonna say that you got like a pumpkin spice latte. Jessie: I did get one l last week. Jess Sittig: Okay. When it came out, I think it came out like the end of August. So that's fun. Jessie: Mm. Maybe Tuesday or something, yeah. Or last Tuesday. Yeah. Jess Sittig: Okay, well I'll have to try the pecan crunch latte. It sounds delicious. Jessie: Yeah, I do love that one. Jess Sittig: Yeah. Okay. I'm gonna I'm gonna try that. Maybe, maybe tomorrow. Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: Fun. Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: okay, I'm trying to think for me what I've done today. Okay, so Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: on Saturdays versus Sundays, Saturdays, my husband gets an hour where he gets to sleep in. I'm quo air quoting. Like he kind of gets Jessie: that's nice. Jess Sittig: like free time in the morning until 8:30, which doesn't seem Jessie: Right. Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: late, but you know, we're normally up. Early with the kid. So today was my day to sleep in until 8 30. And it was nice. I honestly didn't do anything. I just Jessie: so nice. Yeah. Jess Sittig: laid in bed and drank my coffee. It was great. Sometimes I'm like, Jessie: Mm. That's lovely. Jess Sittig: I want to try to get a workout in or I have things I need to do. Not today. Jessie: Okay. That's okay. That's what your you needed. Sounds like. It was Jess Sittig: Yes, I Jessie: perfect. Jess Sittig: you're totally right. I felt like I just wanted a warm cup of coffee in bed and a slow morning. It was really, really nice. So Jessie: Mm. Mm hmm. That's awesome. Jess Sittig: yeah, that's how I filled my cup today. So Jessie: Whoa. Jess Sittig: okay, I can't I have so many questions and an hour goes by so fast all the time. So I am always curious. like how you got into this. So I know that you are saying that you're also a nutritionist and a lactation consultant. And I feel like that is such an awesome combination. So can you tell Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: us a little bit about like kind of that career path and then when you got your lactation consultant what is that called? Certification or your credential when you got your Jessie: Credential, I'd call it. Yeah, certification. Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: lactation consultant credential. Thank you. Jessie: Yeah, absolutely. I love talking about it. So my first real like big job out of graduating and completing my dietetic internship and then passing the exam to become a registered dietitian. I worked at WIC in Ohio. Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Jessie: WIC is the mother, infant and children like federal government program. that if you qualify based on like the amount of kids you have from ages like birth or or pregnancy to five and then you live in the like qualifying like area and with a qualifying income then you get supplemental food and nutrition breastfeeding infant like child care education and resources so it's a fantastic program. I was really into pediatric nutrition when I finished school and my internship. So that was fantastic to be able to work there. So I was working there as a full-time diet dietitian and I would have to do breastfeeding education to the pregnant moms coming in if our lactation consultant or our breastfeeding peers, which are moms that are hired have a little bit of breastfeeding training like basic breastfeeding knowledge and they are moms themselves that breastfed for a certain amount of time and maybe we're in the WIC program too so it's a true like peer to peer relationship with the clients. yeah, it's really nice. So if they weren't there then I was doing the education. and I didn't get much breastfeeding training before when I was going through school through my dietic major and then I was like twenty-three. I just married. I didn't know anything about breastfeeding or lactation at all. so that was my first big education and I just thought it was so interesting, just really passionate about it. And I so so lucky I worked with a fantastic seasoned lactation consultant that was just in the room right across from me Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: and had a great breastfeeding peer that was there often that I became friends with and I would just pop into the room and take one of their resources and be like on on the slow times at the wake office when there weren't a lot of clients showing up and I was like I'm just gonna read this and I'll bring it back, you know. So I just spent some some time reading some of their like breastfeeding books and yeah just got really passionate about that. and the people I worked with there were so amazing and fostering me learning more about birth and breastfeeding. I was able to get my CLC when I was there, which is a certified lactation counselor, like certification. So you just take a class or a course, and then once you pass, you get this credential. So it's a great way for another healthcare professional to Jess Sittig: Right. Jessie: fairly easily and quickly get breast like evidence based breastfeeding education and like adv and knowledge and stuff. and then have that credential to like you know, use that in their clinic or wherever. so I did that and then I started doing breastfeeding education twice a week at one of our WIC offices. So instead of a lactation consultant being there, I was working there with a peer and I was solely doing lactation. unless we were really busy then I do nutrition stuff. But yeah, I was solely doing that. So kind of split my time doing both things, which again So fantastic, I can't say enough good things about my director at the time that allowed me to to to split my time like that and pursue my passion Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: and my coworkers also supportive. and then September 2019, I left WIC and started working at a NICU in a children's hospital in Ohio. And I was full-time NICU dietitian. And at that time I was trying to decide if I wanted my IBCLC. which is more contact hours and just more Jess Sittig: Hmm. Jessie: education. And then you have once you like meet all the criteria to become maybe an IBCLC, then you sit for the exam and take the exam. Yeah, so I had a lot of hours from WIC, but then I got some when I went to the NICU at the children's hospital I was at, and made friends with the NICU lactation consultants there and there and I got to shadow them and ask them all sorts of questions. so in September twenty twenty I sat for the IBC L C exam and then December twenty twenty is when I found out I passed and got my credential, which also happened to be the month my twins were born. So Jess Sittig: I was like, and I feel like we're leading up to the birth of your twins because I know they were also born in 2020. Jessie: Yes. Jess - Community Waitlist: Hey, it's Jess. I wanted to pop on and say hi. I hope you're enjoying the episode. Before we get back to it, I wanted to share something really exciting with you. If you've been listening to the Twin Mom Life podcast for a while, you know how passionate I am about helping twin moms feel less alone. And that's exactly why I created the Twin Mom Life Community Membership. I know firsthand how overwhelming twin motherhood can be, and how much it means to connect with other moms who just get it. Whether you're pregnant with twins, in the thick of the newborn stage, or chasing toddlers like I am, you deserve a space where you feel understood, supported, and connected. The Twin Mom Life Community Membership is a place to build those connections with monthly live community calls, a private chat board, and opportunities to get to know other twin moms beyond just listening to the podcast. You'll get a behind-the-scenes look at the podcast, opportunities to submit questions for upcoming guests, and the chance to apply to be a guest yourself. One member will be chosen monthly to share their story on the pod. And guess what? Community membership doors open on October 19th, and for the first week only, you can join at our special founding member price of just $9 a month. The price goes up to $15 a month starting October 26th. So if you've been wanting to connect with other twin moms, get support from people who truly understand this season of life, and be a part of a community built specifically for you, this is your time to join. Head to the link in the show notes to become a member. I'm so excited about what we're building, and I would absolutely love for you to be a part of it. I can't wait to connect with you inside the Twin Mom Life Community Membership. Okay, back to the show. Jessie: Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes. I was studying pregnant with them and took that test Jess Sittig: my gosh. Jessie: and yep. and when I found out I had passed, I was pumping like at midnight and I was just on my phone looking at my emails and I was like, I got an email that I passed. Yeah. Jess Sittig: That's so cool. What like a full circle moment. Jessie: Exactly. Yes. It was so, Jess Sittig: That's awesome. Jessie: so, so fun. so once I got that and then went back to work after the twins were born, I had a nice, you know, like three month maternity leave. then I started working towards doing like two days a week fully lactation, two days a week dietitian in our children's hospital. again, had like the most amazing directors, managers, coworkers supporting this passion and helping me get this. Goal. our department enveloped like lactation at our children's hospital, and then we were able to kind of expand the lactation role within the hospital and make policies around the job itself saying that you don't have to be a nurse or an RN Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: IBCLC. Because that's I would say currently a lot of hospitals that is the criteria or the cultural like norm. But it was really nice to be somewhere that, you know, felt like I had this knowledge to offer even though I wasn't a nurse per se. I could still provide some lactation care. Jess Sittig: As a dietitian, though, like that brings a whole nother skill set that you can offer as a dietitian Jessie: Yes. Jess Sittig: and IBCLC. That's an amazing combination. Do you follow Aloha Jessie: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Jess Sittig: Nutrition on Instagram? Yeah, I mean, I she's great. I had an inter an Jessie: yeah. yeah. Amazing. Jess Sittig: I had an interview with her. That was a tongue twister, a few months ago. And I learned so much. And like I feel like that's such a dynamic duo combination and you can offer so much knowledge that maybe a nurse who didn't focus in nutrition wouldn't be able, you know, like different skill sets. Jessie: Yeah, absolutely. I a hundred percent agree. I l love her page, like all her posts are so, so good. I've referred a lot of moms and other clients to her. I I yeah. Jess Sittig: love that. Okay. Hey Allegra. Jessie: I l absolutely think it's a fantastic like credential combination. I love being able to be like the one stop shop person. To talk to someone about infant feeding and talk Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: to them about both parts of infant feeding in, you know, hopefully a non-biased way. and talk about why we do some things or what we're looking at that might, you know, push towards some recommendations like growth or how the baby's growing or what the growth per like percentiles mean and why we're doing this. But we can also talk about optimizing breastfeeding if it's your goal to breastfeed or X, Y, and Z, like let's dive into that too. It's just such a nice way to encompass all of that for the family, especially if it's an outpatient clinic and they Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: struggle to get to clinic with a newborn, but with any other things going on, transportation issues, and they can get there and get all that information, you know, in one visit is so nice. So yeah. Jess Sittig: Yeah, absolutely. And so where are you now and what's your current role? Jessie: Yeah, so d September twenty-four I moved back to Indiana and I started a NICU dietitian position at a children's hospital in Indianapolis. so I've been there for yeah almost two years and it's full time NICU dietitian. and right now I think the policy is that you have to be a nurse IBCLC at our children's hospital. But I have since I started talked a lot to the lactation consultants and You know, sometimes on our morning rounds, which rounds would be when our whole team taking care of the babies in the NICU are there, the doctor, the nurse practitioner, our physician assistant, me, a pharmacist, nurse, respiratory therapist, we're all going over like w the numbers, labs, whatever is happening to the baby in the past twenty four hours or the whole picture. And then we're creating a plan for the day. So in like those rounds, if I hear something about mom's milk supply, you know, feeding plan, mom's in there has questions about breastfeeding, I'm totally game since I'm right there to pop in and talk to her and I'll pass along to the lactation team what we said or mom had these questions or X, Y, and Z. So I'm building a relationship that way. And their manager that's pretty new, you know, I just met with her last week to talk about my goal of getting back to doing some direct lactation care. Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: and it was really productive, great meeting. So I'm hoping I can get to that point. like what I was doing in Ohio, but I mean that's a big like organizational change and it takes time. Jess Sittig: Sure, yes. Jessie: but yeah, it's it's been good so far. You know, it w had a great meeting about it last week, so I'm hopeful that I can start doing more hands on stuff again. Jess Sittig: Awesome. And how what would what would you say the percentages that you see of twins and twin parents that you're interacting with? Jessie: that's a great question. So in my current this current children's hospital, we have two NICUs. One is a maternity tower NICU where almost like a birth hospital NICU. So babies are born at that hospital, they go right to the NICU if they need to. and then the NICU I staff is our children's hospital NICU. So we'll get transfers from other hospitals needing a higher level of care. or from our maternity tower Nikki over there again for a higher level of care that's not provided at the other ones. So a lot of times, gosh, I mean at least twenty, thirty percent of the time I have someone on my list that is one set of a a a dyad, like a twin. you know, or sometimes both of them come over and sometimes our team really tries to get both of them over You know, even if one is struggling and needs higher level of care and comes to me, they will try and get the other twin, you know, over there so they can be in the same place, which Jess Sittig: No. Jessie: is so sweet. but I feel like I at least have one or two, you know, I I cover two full teams on the unit, so at least one or two on each team that are a twin. yeah. Yeah. Jess Sittig: I think that's really special. Like being a twin mom and being in a scenario like that, and then being able to connect with a provider who also is a twin mom. It kind of Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: I had an experience like that kind of recently. my daughter unfortunately had a seizure in April and she was hospitalized Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: and we were talking to the neurologist and we had spent the night in the hospital and she was stable, everything was coming back normal. And we were like, we do have other children. So like you need Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: to advise, like, do we need to stay here? Cause I need to figure out care for them. And that's how it got brought enough. She was like, how old are your kids? And I'm like, I have, you know, twin boys who I think at the time were two. And she was Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: like, I'm a twin mom. I have twin girls. And it just, I don't know. Like I just was I actually started crying. I was like able, I was crying Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: the whole time we were there, but In that moment, even more so Jessie: Yeah, right. Jess Sittig: being able to connect to her on even a deeper level, even Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: though it wasn't my twins experiencing the medical need at that time. Just being able to connect as a twin mom in that situation was like what my heart needed in that Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: moment to feel seen in a different way. So I would imagine that Jessie: yeah. Jess Sittig: so many twin moms who meet you just feel even extra cared for and extra special to have that. Extra connection. Jessie: Yeah, I I hope so. 'cause I feel exactly the same way. Like it's such a sub specialty group that, you know, okay, you have two kids. Lots of people have two kids or multiple kids, but it's not it's two at the same time going through life the s like at the same age, but at different paces. Like it's just very unique. and it's always fun to see. like a twin mom in the in the wild or yeah, connect Jess Sittig: Yeah. Jessie: with one, especially in that moment of like high stress and uncertainty. you get you maybe see someone that really gets it, you know. So yeah, I unfortunately, you know, I I don't interact with a lot of parents. you know, and and a lot of parents are not in rounds all the time. so it's hard to interact with them, but when I do, it's a balance of that prov the professional provider balance and the parent balance of not wanting to to cross that into an all peer level. Jess Sittig: Sure. Jessie: but a lot of times I do share that I have twins too. And it it it's usually like, you know, their face lights up like, my gosh, you know. Like what what were they when were they born? And you know, do you have a boy or girl? Just starts that nice conversation and it it's it's a nice, like even playing field, like maybe they don't have lab coat syndrome. Like I'm this professional coming in Jess Sittig: Mm, sure. Jessie: to tell them like what we're gonna do and they have no control over this ha pre these two pretermentants, like that th they, you know, just seem so helpless. Like it's I think it's nice way to level the playing field, like yep, I'm I'm kind of your peer here. I understand what you're going through. I also have this knowledge and we can talk through and I can help you understand like what we're gonna do, you know, to help your babies grow. But first, you know, let's ease the tension by like, yeah, I'm a mom too. I'm a twin mom too. Yeah. Jess Sittig: Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Like I see you. Yeah. Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: I love that. And what are the biggest things that you're seeing? Like issues where they're having trouble feeding so they have feeding tubes, like f failure to thrive. Jessie: Hm, yeah, great question. I would say most of the time babies are coming to the NICU I work at, and the other one as well, just because they're born prematurely. So they're born before thirty-seven weeks gestation. and we see them as young as twenty two weeks gestation. And they're Jess Sittig: That's wild. Jessie: less than a pound, yeah. Mm-hmm. so a variety of prematurity levels and that comes with breathing issues needing to be ventilated on oxygen for long periods of time, which that becomes its own issue. and when the babies need that level of support from a respiratory standpoint, they are going to need a feeding tube. Because they cannot eat by mouth, or they are too preterm, they do not have the oral skills. So they're going to need a feeding tube. So that is a big part of my role is kind of help recommend the volume of the feeding, what we are going to feed in order to meet these certain like calorie protein micronutrient recommendations that have been established for. pretreminphants of various ages and disease states. so yeah that's that's the biggest thing I would say. We ha do have a big surgical population. So we might have like a late pretermimphant, born maybe 36 weeks gestation come in, but they have gastroscisis, which is where the intestines are outside the body when Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: they're in utero. And and then they need to be sometimes surgically put back in and then we have to start feeds very slowly and cautiously because a lot of times the those bowels are very inflamed and angry. sometimes we have preterm babies or later preterm babies that have neck. I don't know if you've heard of neck or necrotizing Jess Sittig: Mm mm. Jessie: intercolitis, but it's a disease like in the bowel from bacteria, which can be really devastating and if it attacks the bowel enough you might need to surgically like take out some of the intestines Jess Sittig: wow. Jessie: or yeah, small bowel or and and put them back together. Sometimes the babies have ostomies for a and then get reconnected. and it can be it can affect our preterm population pretty significantly. So we have some babies like that and again they definitely could need a feeding tube. so we're putting like breast milk fortified breast Jess Sittig: Hm. Jessie: milk or formula down the tube at a certain volume and calorie level to meet their nutrition needs. But they also could be getting what we call parental nutrition, which is nutrition through the I an IV, and it's broken down into your three macronutrients, your fat, dextrose or glucose, carbohydrate or protein or amino acids, and then with a bunch of like electrolytes and minerals put in. So I'm also helping the team manage that because some babies their like guts aren't ready to work. or they were affected by neck or gastrosches or something like that. So then they need the IV nutrition for a while. Jess Sittig: And it it's really interesting because my last podcast guest, she her twins, their boy girl twins, were born and they both needed feeding help. So they had feeding tube. And I don't want to Jessie: Mm, mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: say the wrong terminology because I think one had a feeding tube and then one had an NG tube. Jessie: Okay, there are different types of feeding tubes, but an NG tube is a is a feeding tube. Yeah. It's like goes through the nose Jess Sittig: Okay. Jessie: into the stomach. And sometimes there's an OG, which is like through the mouth into the stomach. Jess Sittig: Got it. Okay. I know I'm like, I'm learning, I'm learning a lot here about all this. So I don't want to say the wrong Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: terminology. But it was so interesting talking to her. And she was talking about how when she finally got to bring her children home that she felt more of like a nurse than a mother because there was so much care involved with like changing everything and cleaning everything and hooking things up. And I'm wondering like, how does that how does that work when someone is ready to leave and be discharged? Is there like a training Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: with the parents or how does that crossover work, at least at your hospital? Jessie: Yeah, that's yeah, absolutely. So if a if a baby's gonna be sent home on a feeding tube, some sort of feeding tube, then they do have to the parents have to go through or caregivers have to go through like parent or caregiver care. So for a certain set amount of care times, you know, they could also go home on oxygen or something. So like they have to learn how to manage that. But from a feeding perspective, they might have to do let's say like three feeding education times in like a daylight period. So they would expect them to be able to measure the proper amount of food or feed them a bottle and if they don't finish the bottle in the amount of time that they're allotted for, then knowing how much to put into the feeding tube and if they're on like a pump that puts whatever volume of feeding into their stomach at a certain time versus just a gravity feed like just letting it flow Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: naturally down the bottle into their stomach. you know, they need to learn how to do all of that. sometimes our babies, you know, they have a lot of trouble growing or they have high nutrition needs from being preterm or whatever else was going on. We will send them home with a certain recipe for like fortified breast milk, like Three ounces of breast milk, and you'll take a teaspoon of formula and add it to the breast milk, and that increases the calories by a certain amount. So if that's happening too, the family also needs to know how to do that properly. So we have a teaching kit with a sample can of formula with the label taken off. We have like measuring cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, bottles to fill it up with water. So the family will need to demonstrate how to mix correctly based on the instructions given to them, usually by me, putting that in. and then they'll they'll mix up like a sample, they won't feed it to the baby, they'll just kind of pretend like this is what I would do if I was at home. And then our milk lab in the NICU is making the feeds in like a sterilized location and sending it directly to the room. So the family would like take that already made in the sterilized location and they would you know, feed it that to the baby. But they need to do all those things before b being ready to go home and they need to do it show our staff that they're capable, you know, doing it a certain amount of times. Jess Sittig: That's great though. I mean, it's nice Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: to be able to have the practice because I feel like a lot of times you can be taught something and then be like, okay, and then get home and be like, my gosh. I like actually Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: doing it and being able to physically do it, I think is so great. So I love that you guys have that Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: training involved also. And I'm curious as both a dietitian and a lactation consultant, when someone, a baby is going through this and they have some kind of like feeding tube or something. How often and what does that transition look like for them to being able to breastfeed? Does that I know that must be a difficult Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: transition. Do you see that happening a lot? Jessie: Yeah, you know, in my current state, I don't really follow them outpatient at all. But when Jess Sittig: Okay. Jessie: I worked in Ohio, I when I was doing lactation, I was seeing families in our like clinic setting, like our doctor office setting and in lactation clinic and in our nutrition clinic. so I would see them a little bit more outpatient. And I would say starting from the beginning in the NICU. if if a mom can do lots of skin to skin and lots of what we call non-nutritive breastfeeding, so Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: pump and then right after that pump session, have the baby latch, be there to nuzzle, whatever. You know, even if they're on some oxygen, they can do this and that doing that consistently can build up these oral skills to make breastfeeding in the long run more successful. and then as we're working on like nutritive breastfeeding and then we go home with an NG, I think close like frequent lactation support with the dietitian, whoever's managing the two feeding can be so helpful because you know, if you discharge from the NICU today and then in two weeks you go to a follow up clinic to check on growth. Growth is going well, you know. We check in on breastfeeding, we check in on the feeding, the mixing of the recipe, whatever. You know, we could totally say, Okay, breastfeeding's going really well. You feel like they're getting a good amount at the feedings, the other feedings are going well, why don't we try and drop one? But Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: we're gonna keep a close eye on everything. Let's see you again in two weeks. sometimes you could have like nurse home visits, you know, checking weights like once or twice a week at your house, you know, while you're working on weaning off this plan. I've had a few babies and and and moms come to me in nutrition clinic. when I when I used to do that in Ohio from the NICU and they were on high calorie feedings. I they weren't on an NGE tu but they were on high calorie feedings and wanted to do all breastfeeding. So we worked on closed lactation support and monitoring along with nutrition monitoring. You're gonna do four feeds of high calorie breast milk or formula. And then we'll do four feeds of direct breastfeeding and see the growth trend. If we maintain our growth trend or exceed it, let's try and drop one or two along with breastfeeding if it's going well. If we're maintaining or falling off, we might need to reevaluate, you know, what's going on. Let's block more time in our next clinic appointment for like a breastfeeding assessment with like a pre and post weight, you know. so that's something I would do a lot and I think That's like such a big key to success outpatient if you going home with a feeding tube and high calorie feeding. Like this does not have to be forever. Breastfeeding can absolutely still happen, but the close, like monitoring is is absolutely essential. Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Well, that makes sense because you don't want to have made all this progress and drop feedings Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: if you're not ready. And then if you are ready, then great, you've been able to show that you're gaining weight and to be able to drop a feeding. I loved the tip Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: of doing I have I hadn't heard this term before, but doing like a non-nutritive feed. I think that Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: is so great. And also just amazing to be able to snuggle your babies. But Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: what a way to take the pressure off. Jessie: Mm-hmm. Yes. Absolutely. Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. I I really I really liked that. Jessie: I think some mom, rightfully so could get stuck be because the NICU is so all about numbers. We're just spewing off numbers all the time. and they get stuck on like they have I have to eat this much and they have to do this to go home and we really want to go home. but doing the non-nutritive feeding while we have the security of the NG tube, giving them the nutrition that they need, like let's just relax and bond and have the breastfeed, the non nutritive feed be a enjoyable experience that we can Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Jessie: build on so we don't get we're not like forcing breastfeeding and then it's not fun for mom to be stressed like this, not fun for baby. You know, I yeah, I totally agree. That that's a good point. Jess Sittig: Yeah. I feel like that obviously my my journey with breastfeeding or I guess providing milk for my twins was unbelievably different. Like they had no NICU time. Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: They had no, you know, feeding tubes or or anything like that. But I tried to tandem breastfeed and it was just Jessie: Mm, mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: extremely difficult. And then I felt the pressure of, my gosh, they need food right now. Jessie: I I I my twins were thirty six and five when they were born. They did not need NICU time at the birth hospital. and they they did go to a NICU like at the pediatrician appointment for like twenty four hours. but they did not have an NG or anything. So some of these families with like twenty six weeks twins, you know, I the the journey is very different from mine. You know, we only have the twin part in common. Mhm. Yeah. Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Yeah, absolutely. And even with that experience, there was so much pressure. Like my boys Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: were born at 37 weeks. And though they were they didn't need NICU time, they were still very small. Yes. And Jessie: Mm, mm. Yeah. Jess Sittig: what's that? Someone used a term where they're, my gosh, it's gonna bother me that I can't remember the terminology. It's almost like It's deceiving because they are full term. It's like it's deceiving because they're 37 weeks. My boys were small though. They were 413 and 414, even at 37 weeks. They were still small. And so Jessie: yeah. Yeah. Jess Sittig: it was deceiving because they should quote unquote be able to feed, but we had Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: the hardest time latching. So I just immediately moved to pumping. And as I've talked to other lactation consultants and I had twin mom guide Shelly. On the podcast also, Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: and I learned so much from her. And I'm like, I really wish I would have gone back and tried to feed them, maybe with that in mind of like, if they don't feed, then I'll offer them a bottle. But I didn't have that Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: mindset. So I feel like that's such good Jessie: Good. Jess Sittig: advice is like, you can try, and if it doesn't work, then you can always rely on the bottle or the other thing that you are gonna do. Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: And I'm not saying triple feeding, like Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: We did that in the hospital and I was like, my gosh, we need Jessie: Hiring. Jess Sittig: to pick something. And that's kind of why I just moved to pumping. But I wish that I would Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: have tried feeding one baby at a time, working on one latch, Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: and then tried tandem feeding because I feel like I tried tandem Jessie: Yeah. Right. Jess Sittig: feeding, it didn't work. It did work one time in the hospital while my husband was holding one baby and a nurse was holding another baby. Like the logistics just Jessie: Yeah. Perfect. Let's just do this eight more times. Jess Sittig: Yeah. Exactly. The logistics just didn't make sense at that time. And instead of Jessie: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Jess Sittig: like kind of pausing and making a game plan, I just was like, I'm I'm a pumping mom now. And I always say, I wish Jessie: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Jess Sittig: I would have gone back, worked one at a time with each baby, because every mom I've talked to who has successfully tandem fed did not tandem feed from the get-go. Jessielee Sittig: If I could go back in time, I wish I would have better prepared for breastfeeding my twins. I had confidence since I breastfed my daughter for 15 months, but breastfeeding two babies at the same time is way different. Shelly created the twin mom guide to breastfeeding twins to provide practical, tangible, and reliable twin breastfeeding education and support. she's a twin mom. Registered nurse and IBCLC lactation consultant who specializes in twins and multiples. and has helped over 250 twin families and a handful of triplet families. The course covers breastfeeding basics every mom should know, but also covers the twin-specific help you're not going to find anywhere else. It addresses the biggest concerns that twin moms have, like how to build a milk supply for two babies, tandem feeding with both nursing and bottle positions, And supports both nursing and pumping journeys from a twin mom perspective. As twin moms, we face unique challenges, so finding a course made for us in mind is key. It's an online, On-demand course with over 60 video lessons, seven bonus downloads, and a private Facebook community. And the best part, it's only $99. Check out my link in the show notes to get your course today. Jess Sittig: They worked up to that. Okay, Jessie: Yep, and I yep, that was me. Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: so I would love to pivot and learn like about your feeding story with your twins. Jessie: Yes. It's so interesting to think about it and be in it when I was like a nutrition professional and just got my lactation credential. I like fresh Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: off like learning all about this. And then to be in it was like an interesting sensation. Jess Sittig: Yeah. Jessie: so yeah. My twins were thirty six and five. and they're pretty good size. My daughter slow her growth slowed down like towards the end of that trimester. So she was like five pounds six ounces and then my son, whose baby B was like six pounds thirteen ounces. And or planned Jess Sittig: that's a great size. Jessie: yeah. Yeah. yeah, we they so they know their birth story. We've talked about it. They love it. And they know that, you know, my son baby B was big old boy that had his booty sticking up and inside mom's belly. It's very funny. They love that. Jess Sittig: That's cute. Jessie: yeah. they were a C section and yeah, I think their first feeding, they we did skin to skin after the C section. They didn't need to go to the NICU. And then we did the first feeding in like the recovery room and that was tandem. But then it was one at a time. and they were those tricky late preterm, early term infants that just are very deceiving and honestly make up a huge chunk of the infant population, but we don't have a ton of research about them. So they're often the ones that kind of get we f get fooled and they're like, yeah, go home after whatever length of stay from the hospital from giving birth, like you're good. But then they have these issues and there's not really like a great set like standard of follow-up. for them. So a hundred percent like yeah they they can have significant feeding issues. but I remember like day three I was like this is not going well. We're trying to nurse. I was like I falling into the the pit of I don't think I'm making enough milk. I need Jess Sittig: Hm. Jessie: to pump. But knowing as a lactation consultant, like that is often can be a perceived like issue. You're not seeing, you know, the milk coming out, like, you know, babies cry for other reasons. They want to nurse for other reasons besides hunger. But I just distinctly remember like being out of my body and being like, you're falling into that trap, but we're not we can't stop this because we're just going down the pit of anxiety and worry. And sleep deprivation pit of darkness. Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Jessie: Like Jess Sittig: Totally. Jessie: yeah. So we we left the the hospital after like three days. That first night was absolutely insane. absolutely awful. And then we go to the pediatrician and they've l they both lost more weight from the hospital. I think they're both like ten percent or more below their birth weight, or they lost like ten percent plus of. of their birth weight, which can be concerning, despite reports of being fed this much. And my doctor specifically said, you know, I'm gonna transfer you, I'm gonna re transfer you to the NICU for X, Y, and Z, also to get lactation support, you know, Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: to help you with this, which absolutely love. You know, I don't know how many how many other providers would just say, you need to supplement and that's Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: the answer, right? which can totally helpful tool, but there are other things we can do to like optimize and improve breastfeeding. so I just really appreciate her for that. But that was just wild. So then we went back to a birth hospital. Nikki happened to be the one I was a dietitian at and we got admitted for weight loss. And I was like, this is probably the best thing that could have happened five days Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: postpartum for me. It's to be admitted, isn't Nicky where I worked for weight loss as you know as the dietitian. Like it doesn't get any better than that. Jess Sittig: Humbling. Jessie: Yeah. but I had a fantastic nurse that I worked with, and she was my nurse for the kids, and she was like, Okay, this is what we're gonna do. You are going to nurse one for 15 minutes, the other one gets a bottle, then you're gonna pump to bring up your supply. And this is what we're gonna do, and you're gonna alternate. Like this feeding baby A nurses, next feeding baby B nurses. and we did that and they get they actually were both seven ounces heavier at the NICU than at the doctor's office. And then when we called them the next day, they said, this happened to another baby the other day. Two of our scales weren't calibrated. So I know. Jess Sittig: my gosh, that's so stressful. Jessie: Yeah, dad was not happy. but it you know what? It got us I hate to say schedule, a flexible routine, like a p like a path versus just like scatterbrain Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: like feeding, like sleeping all over the place. It just streamlined the day and the night, I guess, into a flexible routine where we have this baseline schedule or routine that can be pivoted as needed, right? So we go home doing this, You know, I nurse one, dad or whoever, my mom came for a while, his mom came for a while, fed the other one. the one nursing would maybe get a bottle after. Sometimes it didn't last very long. Y they were both pretty good at nursing, thankfully. and then I would pump and then we decided at night we were just gonna do bottles and pump at night 'cause I was like, You this can't happen. But it's just me and dad. yeah. but Jess Sittig: Gotta get some sleep. Jessie: Yes, we have to get some sleep. but thankfully they were they're pretty good at nursing. My baby A was very tight in the mouth. She had a tongue and lip tie that we were able to get done, but otherwise they were pretty good at latching and nursing, for being like late preterm infants. But when I got sent home from the NICU, they offered and I did accept, nurse check-ins twice a week for Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: two weeks and then PRN or as needed for like a certain amount of time. So the the nurse was coming in with a scale, checking their temperature and then their weight, and then just a brief checking out how feedings were going. So that was absolutely amazing to have while I was attempting to get off of the bottles and just do one nurse at a time, you know, then the other. And then eventually with help, I had a lactation consultant friend that I worked with at WIC, among other connections, like come over. Again, like being a professional, but also the mom, I'm like, I think this is happening because this, this, and this, but ple please look at and check it out. You know, like I need to Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Jessie: a much almost, but Yes. Jess Sittig: needed like a fresh set of eyes. Like a a non-mother's eyes. Jessie: Right. Yes, I need like an unbiased, trained prof opinion 'cause Jess Sittig: Yes, yes. Jessie: I'm looking at it with one lens and then the mom lens, like it's a lot. Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Jessie: but eventually we were able to like have those check ins and continue to work on that goal. So we're you know, by the time they were two months, a little before two months, they were tandem feeding exclusive breastfeeding. I think I'd just do a bottle Jess Sittig: That's amazing. Jessie: with their vitamin Yeah. So, you know, they didn't have an NG or anything, but I definitely, you know, remember that struggle to get from like a triple feeding or you know low milk supply or not enough milk to eventually exclusive breastfeeding and i it absolutely takes frequent effective like follow up. And it Jess Sittig: Yeah. Jessie: you know, not everyone has it but You know, that it was so helpful. It was so key. Jess Sittig: Love all of that. And I feel like you said so many things that I think are so important for twin moms to hear is number one, that even if your kids did not have NICU time and G tubes, that typically a breastfeeding pumping journey is not linear. There's lots Jessie: No. Jess Sittig: of ups and downs and kind of reworking things. And I think another thing that stuck out to me that you said is the village that it took, you know, like having your husband help and mom's help and lactation consultant help. That was, you know, even though I didn't breastfeed my sons, I did have a lactation consultant help with my daughter. She also had some tongue tie issues that were released. So then with the boys, I had a lactation consultant. I wish that I would have known about Shelly's resources at the time because I would have taken her course, but I still worked with like a local lactation consultant to help me figure out pumping. I had never pumped with my daughter before. So I'm like, I don't even Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: know like what is a full land, like, and kind of helped me navigate what all of that was. And it was so it was a lot, especially because I did pump every, I think I pumped like eight times a day for several months. And then I eventually let some feeds go, like for my mental health and I think I made it pumping. I think it was just about seven or eight months. But Jessie: Yeah, that's awesome. Jess Sittig: it was I I really wanted to make it a year, but so many things happened. Like they were diagnosed with failure to thrive. Pumping Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: is a lot of work and not even just Jessie: A lot of good work. Jess Sittig: the pumping, but all of the dishes that come along with it. And the Jessie: yeah. Yeah. Jess Sittig: Once I kind of let go of some of the night feeds, then my supply did drop. So then we were supplementing with formula and then they lost wheat because I didn't know they had a cow's milk protein allergy. So then I had to go dairy free and we were on like a prescription formula. Jessie: Not aware. Jess Sittig: It was a lot. There were a lot of moving pieces and they didn't have NICU time. And I kind of look back at my journey with them too. And I kind of wonder like, would it have been a beneficial if we did have a little bit of time? Because even Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: though we weren't in the NICU, gosh, they must have had 50 or 60 heel pricks to check their glucose because it was crazy. Their poor little feet, you know. Their glucose was always borderline. It was always like Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: if they if their glucose drops again, then it's NICU time. And I kind of look back like maybe, maybe we should that maybe that's what we should have done, you know? But Jessie: Yeah, yeah. Jess Sittig: yeah, so I think those are just all good. pieces of advice that it's not linear. It absolutely takes a village, including lactation consultants, to help guide you. And Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: yeah, I I just think all of that was was really good. okay, we've talked about breastfeeding, pumping, feeding issues. So what would you tell a breastfeeding or a pumping mom? Jessie: Yeah. What I would tell a breastfeeding or pumping mom of multiples is that you are doing a great job first and foremost. Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: It might not feel like you're doing enough or have enough milk, but every amount that you give your babies is absolutely fantastic. It's with them through life. We have multiple studies that show any breast milk given or any breastfeeding leads to a reduction in X, Y, and Z. You're doing a fantastic job. Give yourself some grace. And Ask for help when you need it. and set up good follow-up like like in and ask your providers, ask anyone that's taking care of your kids, you know, questions related to breastfeeding. Don't stop, you know, asking questions. even if they don't know the answer, they should be directing you to to professionals or resources. And then, you know, once you're home from the hospital, birthing center, NICU, close monitoring. with lactation support and nutrition support if if needed is so key. but I think the best thing would be your like the thing I would say to absolutely everybody is you're doing a great job. This is no easy feat and it doesn't go unnoticed. And it's okay that it's hard and give Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: your s don't forget to give yourself some grace. You know, you're doing the best you can with the information you have at the time you have it. Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: I I tell myself that a lot now, but I think I that Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: was like something I would tell myself multiple times a day when Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: my twins were newborns. Like I'm doing the best I can with the resources I have available. And I feel like Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: that just it's like giving yourself that grace and that love. And you're more capable than you even realize. And I love that. Jessie: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Jess Sittig: Hope that's making every mom listening feel good. Jessie: I that's my goal. Jess Sittig: I love that. And the other thing that I wanted to point out that you said earlier that I was like, yes, was when you were talking about a schedule, you were like, and also Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: it was like a flow that could pivot. I think that was Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: something that I really didn't learn until I had my twins because with my daughter, I feel like I was so rigid. I was very type A, and I had this like. Perfect structure in my head. Like nap time is at 12. And if it's 1207 and she's not sleeping, then like the world is ending. And I, it was not good for my mental health at all. I feel like everyone does well with a structure or a flow that can be flexible and being off by twenty minutes doesn't mean anything. So I love that you brought that up too earlier. So Jessie: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I would say too, like that's great from a milk supply, like a technical lactation perspective, is Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: if we're following like some sort of schedule that's not really following the babies unless there's Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: like a feeding concern or we have a feeding tube, like that could affect your milk supply. So we first and foremost definitely want to follow the baby's like hunger and fullness cues. if we're feeding like what we call on demand. but Yes, totally agree from like a mental a mental health standpoint. just every day's a little different standpoint. Have a basic like bones of a routine, but it just is flexible and can pivot, say, Okay, we were a little bit on late on this feeding or whatever we are doing. Or we have this going on. We're just gonna move this up a little bit to here. Or it's just little tweaks that will even out at the end of the day and the day, the end of the day will come eventually. Yeah. Jess Sittig: Yeah. I love that. Okay. And I know we are talking about this offline that you are a single mom. And can you tell us a little bit more about that and what that looks like day to day in raising twins as a single mom? Jessie: Yeah, sure. yeah, when I moved back to Indy, or when I moved back to Indiana in September twenty twenty four, I moved back with my kids, and my divorce was finalized August 2025. I moved back in with my parents and worked on, you know, rebuilding everything and then eventually been on my own since March of this year. It it's kind of akin to when I first had the twins, when I first gave birth. Them being my first babies and actually for half of my pregnancy I thought it was just having one because I didn't have an ultrasound until twenty weeks. So you know, literally the shock. Yeah. So Jess Sittig: Gosh, we didn't even talk about that. We could have a whole nother episode on. That's wild. my gosh. Jessie: like and then being a knowing about birth and stuff and You know, I thought I n I thought I knew what I was doing. And I did not. And I just like reflecting back on that, it's really like broken me down and built me up as a new person Jess Sittig: Hmm. Jessie: with a totally different like perspective and values and hopefully more empathy and understanding and and grace towards myself and others. Being a s becoming a single mom has a hundred percent done that. I feel like I've been like broken down figuring out how to survive with two twin with twins and then building myself back up again, getting confidence that I can do this again. I have asked for help, which is hard to do. I thank my parents every day for being able to come back home to a safe space to live in their house to for them welcoming me and my twins in and being there until I was able to leave. but that was difficult as well. yeah, it just I feel like I've learned a lot about myself. And what kind of mother I am, it's really tested the limits. But then it was also hard before too. Two just different ways. Jess Sittig: Mm, mm. Jessie: But I've I I've really tried to pay more attention to like being able to fill my cup as a single mom. the time that that I have primary physical custody, but being being aware of the time I have with them and Trying to be as present as I can, putting away the phone, you know, really trying to spend as much focus, like quality time with them, has been really important. I I've been I I've read a great resource. I just think for parenting in general is Good Inside, that book by Dr. Becky Kennedy is her name. Jess Sittig: Mm. Mm. Mm-hmm. Jessie: fantastic, but I really I read all of it. when I was a single mom going through my divorce and I've really tried to parent, you know, according to that book, just because I agreed with a lot of stuff anyway, but a lot of the things I felt like there could be a lot of behaviors or like emotions coming from this big change Jess Sittig: Mm. Jessie: in all of our lives that I needed to know how to navigate Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Jessie: and and address. So that's been a really helpful resource and and yeah, I yeah, it it really like a breaking down and rebuilding, which is exactly when I think about how the twins were born and like through their first year and stuff is exactly how it was back then. I felt like I absolutely broke down and was built back up again into some parts of my old self, but a lot of new parts that I would have never found if I didn't have twins. Jess Sittig: I think that's a really beautiful way of looking at at it, like a a rebuilding as Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: you know, I can only imagine that going through a divorce is so hard and so heartbreaking on so many different levels, but to look out of it to look at it as rebuilding yourself and becoming stronger and a better Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: mother, just really like your outlook on on all of that. Jessie: Yeah, thank you. Took a while to get there, but yes, I think we have you know, a great bright future from being able to to rebuild and and yeah, and I you know, I try I I moved to a very specific an intentional location where I could still keep this job that I really enjoy and I've been working hard to, you know kind of expand and like grow my professional, you know, knowledge. But also it's a place where, you know, I it feels safe for the kids and myself. it's not too far from my parents. It is very close to some other trusted people and family that I know. because I know I have to ask for help sometimes, which is hard to do. and as much as I want to prove I can do this. Myself, like, you know, we need a village. So Jess Sittig: think that's the thing I felt like with my daughter. Like I can do this by myself. I don't want any help. No, no, no. And then once I had twins, my gosh, it was so humbling because I knew for my mental health that like could I do it alone? Sure. Would Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: I have been happy and thriving? No. Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: So I had to kind of let go of a little bit of that like pride, I guess, to be like Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: I will be a better mom if I am leaning on the people who want to help. Jessie: Mm. Absolutely. Jess Sittig: And that's been a humbling thing. So but yeah, I think we all need we all need support. Jessie: Mm. Yeah, absolutely. Jess Sittig: I know you were mentioning resources. Are there other resources that you wanted to share? Jessie: Yeah, so probably have you probably shared some of these twin resources before, but I know like when I first found out I was having twins, again, halfway through at my twenty week scan, like Jess Sittig: Yeah. Jessie: Wild time. Jess Sittig: I bet. Jessie: yeah. I think my first resource I found was Twiniversity. And that was a really like great all-encompassing twin one to to look at. But I I know they have like a pretty robust like lactation like program or like resources, so that would be a really good one too. brought this book over this Mothering Multiples by La Leche League, which is a breastfeeding like peer support group that's been around for a long time. They've Jess Sittig: Yeah. Jessie: yeah, they have great evidence based breastfeeding information too. So that's a big one. Like you could find absolutely anything on the internet and stuff that could may or may not be true. So I love some evidence based information. Jess Sittig: Yes. Jessie: but my mothering multiples was a great resource to see my some of my tabs from When I was nursing. Jess Sittig: Awesome. I I have heard of that like organization, but I didn't know about the book. So Jessie: Mm-hmm. Jess Sittig: that's great. Jessie: Yeah. Yes. Yeah, that one's a a good one. and they have like a breastfeeding book too in general, but mothering multiples, fantastic. yeah, and other resources, I would say like Wi like the WIC website has great breastfeeding resources. we mentioned Aloha Nutrition on Instagram, fantastic Jess Sittig: Mm, mm-hmm. Jessie: breastfeeding and breastfeeding with twins resource too. Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Jessie: I can't think of other breastfeeding with twin resources off the top of my head, but you know, those are some great Shelly, okay. okay, I think Jess Sittig: would say Shelly, Shelly from Twin Mom Guide. Mm-hmm. She has Jessie: I follow her. Jess Sittig: yes, she has a breastfeeding for twins from Twin Mom Guide. And it's a really great course. Jessie: Nice. Yeah. Jess Sittig: and she has an Instagram Jessie: Mm. Jess Sittig: with free resources as well. But she's she's really great. So if you don't follow her already. and if people want to connect with you, do you want to share your Instagram? And of course I'll put it in the show notes. Jessie: Yeah, sure. I am on Instagram. You can find me at Jessie Reane. On Instagram. Yeah. And Jess Sittig: Okay. Perfect. Jessie: I have a LinkedIn to Jessica Reane. yeah. Jess Sittig: Awesome. Okay. Well, you know, I close every episode with if you could have a heart to heart with a twin mom or give her a piece of advice, what would you tell her? Jessie: Yeah. yeah. I go back to what I was just saying, like The well first of all you hit the jackba honestly because twins so fun but so hard. Jess Sittig: Yes. Mm-hmm. The best. Mm-hmm. Jessie: so this might fully break you down, but you're gonna build back up, you will survive, you're going to thrive, and you will be a bigger, better version of yourself than you ever thought possible. And you know, it's just gonna be the most fun, wild, crazy ride that I I can't I cannot imagine a better thing Jess Sittig: Hm. Jessie: for myself. Like if I never do anything better than this I'll be happy because it's been so fun. It's been so fun to be a twin mom. and yeah, I just hope for that person that they they know that it's gonna be hard, but that they can, you know, know that they're gonna come through on the other side. It's okay to ask for help. It's okay to give yourself grace. but they're gonna come through on the other side and it's gonna be beautiful. So that those periods of very hard times will not last and they you know, they they build you into this new person. This beautiful person. Jess Sittig: Hmm. I love that. And that's so true. From surviving to thriving, it will happen eventually. I love that. Yes, okay. I'm taking notes. Jessie: yeah. So let me start a book about surviving the thriving. How to survive multiple. Jess Sittig: Maybe I can do like a collection of of twin mom interviews. Jessie: That'd be lovely. Honestly, like those Jess Sittig: One day. Jessie: for you twins, that would be a really fun book to read. Like like real life experiences collected. Next project. Jess Sittig: I'm yes, I love it. I know add it to the list. I always have so many ideas and not enough time to execute them all. But I mean that was a big reason I started the podcast. I wanted hearing from experts is great. Love that. I wanted to hear from Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: twin moms. Jessie: Yeah. Jess Sittig: And if those twin moms are experts, great. But I wanted to hear their personal experience and their insights. And I had a really hard time. Finding that. Jessie: Yes. Yes. I remembered I loved listening to birth stories and stuff. Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Jessie: pregnancy and then when I was pregnant, but it was hard to find twin ones, you know. So I loved that. Mm. Yep. Yeah. I really wanted to be on Jess Sittig: Do you follow the birth hour? Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's how what was that? Jessie: that. Really wanted to be on it. When I Yeah. Jess Sittig: Okay, I I Jessie: Yeah, it is. Jess Sittig: so yeah, but that's actually this is so random. That the birth hour is how I found Aloha Nutrition. I was like listening to twin birth stories. I was literally like scrolling through the birth hour try to trying to find twin birth stories. And I listened to Aloha Nutrition. Jessie: Great. And she was on there. Jess Sittig: Yes, and she was on it. And then I followed her and was like, I didn't even know that she had this like nutrition. You know, and yeah, so super interesting. Jessie: that is, yeah, that's fun. Jess Sittig: Mm-hmm. Yes. Sorry we went off on a tangent there. Jessie: It's okay. Jess Sittig: I I so appreciate your time and for coming on today. It was so fun to talk just about your career and what led you there and your personal experience with feeding twins and everything. It's been it was a really good conversation and I really appreciate really appreciate chatting with you. So thank you. Jessie: Yeah, thank you so much for having me. It was really fun to to chat. Love talking about twins. I could talk about twins all day. Jess Sittig: Yes. I know every time I'm like, we need to do another episode. It's so fun to chat. We gotta do like episode two and talk about how Jessie: Yeah. Right. Jess Sittig: you found out you were pregnant with twins at 20 weeks. my gosh, that is so Jessie: Yep. Jess Sittig: wild. Jessielee Sittig: Thank you for taking the time out of your busy twin mom life to listen along. I hope this podcast shed some light on a topic that's been on your heart and gave you more confidence as a twin mama. If you know a twin mom, please send this her way. If you like what you heard today, please subscribe to the podcast and leave a review. Check out the show notes to be connected with today's guest and get discount codes for brands I love. See you next Thursday. Until then. You are made for this.