breastfeeding twins .... any advice!!!

[rachelw]

Hi xpecting twins in three weeks and really want to breastfeed (cheaper and better!) problem is I didn't do it well with my daughter and dried up completely(I let her sleep through feed times if she didn't wake in the night herself - not good for her, or my milk!)!! How can I make sure they feed properly and enough?? Also think expressing will help but when and how?? Would like to use this or formula for an evening top up (partner can help then too!!!) and maybe get some sleep!!!! Can anybody help. I know all babies are different but I would like a routine so feeding isn't constant. Thank you

[NedKelly1978]

well, to be perfectly honest, if you want to bfeed twins you should really expect constant in the early weeks. Even if you get them feeding together, it can still be pretty full on. The best advice is to just keep on putting them to the breast as much as possible as much as they want it, and you will meet their demands. Don't listen to silly midwives or HAs in hospital who try to tell you that you can't bfeed twins.

It is really hard. I didn't get much sleep in the first few weeks at all. I ended up expressing all mine and express feeding them as they could drink it quicker that way and I propped them up with bottles and I got time to look after my older two. I wouldn't really recomend it though, especially not to start with, because it can interfer with supply. I was lucky that I did have a really strong supply, and I jsut carried on express feeding until I was ready to give up.

Try different positions and get lots of cushions. I found it eaiest to feed mine with one in the normal position and the other going in a rugby hold around my side laid out on cushions.

You will probably find that the extra hormones that are associated with a twin pg will mean you have more milk in any case, and your milk may come in sooner.

Come back here when it comes to it, and you will get loads of help. I wouldn't have been able to carry on as long as I did without help from throckenholt and others - they were great.

Good luck!

[rachelw]

Thanks!! It sounds daunting!! I have been told to try and express after feeds but I will see how it goes and if its a nightmare may go to bottles. It's no good getting too hung up about it I suppose but it is nice to be able to sit and feed your baby from the breast. Can't believe how different it will be with two in every way!!

[canadianmum]

I solely breastfed my twins for 11 weeks and then topped up for another 4 weeks with formula before finally stopping. Mine were in hospital for 4 weeks (they were born at 32 weeks) and I expressed all of their milk for the first 3 weeks because they couldn't suck. After that I breastfed them both together in the rugby hold position with a V shaped pillow across my lap and cushions on either side underneath the V. I would latch the better one first and then fiddle about with the second.

If I did it all again I would probably feed one at a time where possible as it is so much easier, as long as the other baby is quiet! I would also have tried to use formula at night as my milk didn't seem to satisfy them at 10pm or so for some reason .

You will be feeding a lot for the first couple of weeks but then you can start trying to get gaps of 3-4 hours between feeds in the day when they are a good size. We dropped the middle of the night feed at 4 months and that was BLISS!!!

Good luck, and ignore anyone who says you can't bf twins, but don't beat yourself up if you find it difficult or impossible.

[throckenholt]

I honestly would not try to express as well as feed - that is just the most knackering combination.

My two would not latch on (I later found out that the suck reflex often does not develop until around 40 weeks - mine were born at 35 weeks), so ended up expressing long term (9 months) and mix feeding with formula - not ideal - but I was determined to give them some benefit of breast milk even if they would not do it themselves. I had an 18month old toddler as well so really did not have the time to devote to getting them feed properly.

Lots of others have successfully breastfed - it is worth asking this question over at twinsclub.co.uk on the forums there - there are lots more twin mums over there, many of whom successfully breastfed.

I breastfed my DS1 - and one of the keys in the early days is to feed often (every 2-3 hours) especially through the night - that is when the hormones are stimulated most. That makes it a bit manic for the first few weeks but then calms down. Don't miss out the night feeds - better to have someone else do a formual feed in the day while you sleep than miss that one. We also did a shift system where I went to bed at about 7.30-8pm, left DH with formula or expressed milk, and then he went to bed at 12, and I did the night shift.

You might try feeding one one night while the other has formual and alternate - if you don't get the hang of tandem feeding. Also if one wakes and needs a feed, wake the other and feed it too - keep them in sync otherwise you never get a break. That is the only time I would ever advice waking a sleeping baby !

Come back for advice when you get to that stage.

[throckenholt]

By the way - make friends with a NCT (or equivalent) breastfeeding counsellor before you have the babies - that way you already know them and do not have to try and contact them when you are in the throws of dealing with newborn twins (and another child too).

[meliqbal]

I would consider getting a really good support cushion. I breastfed my first twins for 4 months (combination) and for my second set I did only 2 months but I did more feeds together the 2nd time because of an eze2 nurse cushion (2becomes4 website). this made the whole operation quicker and more comfortable for me.

[MarscusGarvey]

Hiya.

I bf my twins till they were 16months.

It's completely possible and they won't need topping up! Expressing.... well you may not have the energy for that at the beginning.

Whereabouts do you live?

[rachelw]

Got an eze2 cushion thanks for advice. It looks a lot better than normal feeding cushions. Also will contact NCT bf counsellor as they helped a friend out and sound really good.

Thanks for all help. Soon be here so will let you know how it goes!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MarscusGarvey]

Don't forget to join us on the D'you ever wonder how life.... thread.

Thinking of you and praying for a good delivery.

MarsLady

[Overrun]

i am still bf my twins at 21 months, despite being told by all and sundry that i wouldn't last more than a couple of weeks.
As some one else said you really have to expect to be feeding almost constantly at the beginning. I never really got on with joint bf when my two were young. I would just get comfortable and one would come off.
There are advantages to bf one at a time, but you will have to steel yourself to feeding one sometimes while the other one cries.
the advantage is that it gives you preicious one on one time and it is easier so will help you get started. i feel them jointly now.
An advantage of feeding twins is that if you hae one not so good feeder they can be carried to some extent by the other. I swapped breasts by the way, so that the flow was the not better or worse in one breast.
Nightimes are a killer though, I used to have just finished feeding one and then have to start feeding the other one, couldnt' get them into a routine so it was all on demand.
It can be done.
You will meet a lot of people who will tell you that with twins you have to have a strict routine in terms of feeding and sleeping. Lots of people do find that helpful, but it's up to you, it doesn't have to be that way

[Judy1234]

It was not hard although I'd fed 3 other children before so had practice.
This was the key - no expressing or bothering with bottles (takes too much time), always feed them at the same time - saves time; one on each side. Makes breastfeeding twins so much much easier than bottle feeding them one after the other. It's efficient and cheap and no heating up of bottles, feed etc. Brilliant.

Also I always woke them up when I went to bed just before mid night so they both fed at once then and slept hopefully a few hours then when the first one woke after that I fed them both again etc etc. I did actually move into their bed room because I couldn't see the point in my husband being disturbed in the night and that certainly helped a bit too but might not suit all couples.

They will get enough feed if you feed them when they ask for it and when they cry. Bottles and formula not needed and in fact can make breastfeeding less likely to work.

Sleeping - same bed time every night. I used to have a shower after their feed just before 7 so I couldn't hear their crying after I put them down and that worked fairly well too.