GOLD Learning Speakers

Multifetal pregnancies – twins, triplets and higher-order multiples – are at increased risk for pregnancy and birth-related complications. However, many women, and even their obstetric care providers, don’t seem to understand the literal meaning of the “high risk” label. For many, it will change every aspect of long-held desires and plans for pregnancy, birth, type of obstetric care provider and birth place, unless that woman receives the knowledge and support needed to take “control” of her pregnancy and her babies’ birth. This session will look at the increased risks associated with multiple pregnancy and birth, and the meaning “high risk” should have for the expectant mother. Strategies will also be discussed about ways to help empower these women so they become partners with their obstetric healthcare providers in order to achieve childbirth goals.

The incidence of multiple births has increased over the last two to three decades, as has the desire of these women to breastfeed their multiples. However, preterm birth and medical interventions often affect breastfeeding initiation and frequent breastfeeding/pumping. Many mothers must establish lactation via milk expression and later transition one or more multiple-birth infants to breastfeeding. The behaviors of a typical breastfeeding dyad have been compared to a dance. With multiple newborns a mother must learn each infant’s unique breastfeeding dance. Is it any wonder that mothers of multiples often need extra support with breastfeeding management. This session will review typical issues affecting breastfeeding initiation with twins, triplets or more, and discuss strategies for assisting the mother as she learns the breastfeeding dance of each unique multiple-birth infant and then adapts each dance as her newborns/infants grow.

Multifetal pregnancies – twins, triplets and higher-order multiples – are at increased risk for pregnancy and birth-related complications. However, many women, and even their obstetric care providers, don’t seem to understand the literal meaning of the “high risk” label. For many, it will change every aspect of long-held desires and plans for pregnancy, birth, type of obstetric care provider and birth place, unless that woman receives the knowledge and support needed to take “control” of her pregnancy and her babies’ birth. This session will look at the increased risks associated with multiple pregnancy and birth, and the meaning “high risk” should have for the expectant mother. Strategies will also be discussed about ways to help empower these women so they become partners with their obstetric healthcare providers in order to achieve childbirth goals.

Sleep deprivation and disruption of an individual’s circadian patterns in the postnatal period are frequently cited as contributing factors in the development of postpartum depression, anxiety (PPD&A) or postpartum post-traumatic stress symptoms (P-PTSS). These factors are increased for the birthing parent of twins, triplets or more, who is more likely to bring two or more newborns home after experiencing perinatal complications and related interventions, and infants’ preterm birth, low birth weight and other complications, often resulting in neonatal intensive care unit stays. Even for a relatively ideal multiple pregnancy and birth, caring for two or more newborns – each having as many needs as any single-birth newborn – round-the-clock parenting generally leads to profound and often long-term sleep deprivation. When significant sleep deprivation affects a parent’s daytime behavior, all family members are affected. Yet current “safe sleep” recommendations or nighttime strategies promoting better sleep for parents and a single infant, including safer bedsharing techniques, are more difficult logistically to implement. These recommendations and strategies may also be less safe to implement with multiple infants. This session will examine the factors contributing to disruptive sleep for parents of multiples and develop strategies that meet both infants and parents needs for adequate sleep.