Mum of triplets Brigid O'Hora (aka @brideybunch_triplets on Instagram), reveals the truth about weaning triplets off of bottles after three years of strict routine.
Leaving the Coombe hospital with three tiny babies was quite a daunting prospect. Filled full of love yet filled with considerable levels of anxiety. However, the nurses in the special care unit train you military-style in bottle feeding, winding, sleeping and all things necessary to manage three babies at home on your own.
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The keyword is ‘routine’. I sometimes wonder how much I must have said this word in the early days - as it was the routine that kept us from completely losing our minds. We fed the babies every four hours, and a half-hour apart, like dutiful cadets. It was methodical and necessary.
Fast forward three years later and we are only getting around to weaning them off the bottles before they go to bed (yes, at this latter stage!). The bedtime routine has been stagnant, and it needs to change. It was simple and effective. Pyjamas on at 6:30, bottle in hand going up the stairs, brush the teeth and story in bed and off they drift to la la land. But now, of course, I’m looking at my small children (babies no more!), and I know this bottle needs to end. I’ve been asking around for various nuggets of advice from people I trust. Because there is an ocean of opinions out there.
We have started to discuss giving the bottles to the fairies that live in the fairy door at the bottom of our stairs. If you had one child, this can probably happen quite quickly. But having triplets, means there are three varying personalities, varying wants and varying needs. If one proclaims their disdain for the idea, you can be sure the others will follow.
So, for now, we are watering down their milk in the bottles and we are spending time chatting about the fairies and how they will take the bottles soon. The bottle will be replaced this week with a cup of milk, and then hopefully with plenty of gentle persuasions, next week we will have all three on board for a bottle free bedtime routine.
