Please talk to me about bottle feeding

[Lizzy1975]

Hi there, I ebf my son for 18 months, but am now expecting twins and am planning to ff from the offset, to allow for support from others to share the load with feeding. As I ebf before, I have no idea what happens if I don't at all - will my breasts become engorged? Thanks for any info you can share.

[dreamcatcher44uk]

I didn't produce any milk while pregnant (boobs remained the same maybe got 1 cup size bigger). When DD was 3 days old my milk came in and I became very engorged and sore. My boobs looked massive! They were quite solid too, to touch and barely moved when I took bra off. I just worse supportive bra 24-7 and put cool compress on them. I also took paracetamol. After 2-3 days they were back to normal. I leaked milk from about day 4 until I was about 2 weeks. I wore tesco breast pads and they were fine. Hope that helps.

[chocolatedrops31]

Just to say you might want to consider mixed feeding-I breast fed in day and used bottles at night so that I could get help in the night. That way you get some rest and help but the babies benefit from the breast milk. Your body quickly adapts to how often they're feeding xx

[Waffles80]

Sorry to jump in - chocolatedrops can I ask a couple of questions about how you fed your babies? Mine are 9wks and I've been bf in the day, and giving bottles in the night - two formula, two EBM. This has also meant expressing in the evening and in the night, which I am finding very very tiring. I want to give as much EBM as possible, and am also concerned that not expressing could effect my (already not great) supply. Did you express and if so when? At the moment I don't really have time to express in the day, particularly as the babies are on the breast so frequently! Do you have any pointers?

[Waffles80]

Should also have said thank you, in advance!

[chocolatedrops31]

Hi waffles, sorry I just saw your post. I expressed every evening until I went to bed (I just stopped this last week-they are now 5 months) and for a couple of months I also expressed once in the night whenever I woke (even if I wasn't on twin duty). This was to maintain my supply because I was advised that feeding at night is v important for that-and my supply had been dropping). You can rent a Madela electric double pump from nct and expressing using this takes 10 minutes max so is not exhausting. However I did give up expressing in the night because I was generally so exhausted..hope that helps and hope you're not too tired x

[chocolatedrops31]

Sorry should say, I expressed every evening before I went to bed!

[JustKeepPacking]

I ff from birth too, and like the first post says they do get engorged and quite painful but wearing a supportive bra/vest 24/7 helps and it should go after a few days. I already felt like id been run over by a bus so one more ache and pain didn't bother me!! But I did have to wear breast pads for a week or two. The key thing is to make sure you are making the milk up properly, and there are lots of great tips in the feeding topic for getting the milk at the correct temp first time without having to make up and put in fridge etc. Good luck and enjoy your twins!

[LairyPoppins]

Hi Lizzy,

Just popping in in case this is of any help at all - I do agree with posters who have asked whether you have considered mixed feeding. I EBF my DTs and the convenience of breastfeeding really was s lifesaver. Contrasting with the relentlessness of it all (especially at nights).

I wonder if you could get the best of both worlds with mixed feeding?

[Waffles80]

Just to update - my babies are now 14 wks and the mixed feeding is going really well. Bf in day, bottle in night (1ebm, 2formula). I express once in evening and once in the night - using medela swing double pump. Had some concerns re supply but think it was in my head. Babies are feeding well and have dropped a night feed now so we are far less tired.

If you are thinking of just ff then I really would say that I find the cleaning and prep of bottles extremely arduous - and that's only half their feeds. Just worth considering as bf in the day for me means a break from sterilising.