nursing twins

ok - i dont even know what questions i have, so im searching for your advice, experience, and words of wisdom.

my girls came home a week ago (feels like much longer!) and ive been breastfeeding both of them, one after the other - it usually take an hour to an hour and half in all to change and feed both girls. I also pump so my DH or family can feed them.

They were 32 weeks at birth and now 36 weeks. I eventually want to try tandem feeding, but for now, Id love some advice and help on what worked for you.

The night feedings (2am, 5am) are a little rough and when i say to myself i want to quit, but of course within a half hour, im wide awake and feel ok.

So, advice please I dont want to quit, and of course - when does it get easier? (if it ever does w twins)

Re: nursing twins

I nursed, pumped, and formula fed. For me, I was too exhausted at night to nurse so that's mostly when we formula fed. I was only able to tandem feed when DH (or my mom) was with me and with the breast friend twins nursing pillow. DH would pass me a baby, help me get them latched and then get the next one. Once I started tandem feeding (about a week after we were home), I never breastfed them individually (just took way too long).

I'd say by the second week we got into a groove and the feedings started going smoother. I only breastfed for 6 weeks. I wish I hung in there longer, but I was so exhausted (and you know what they say, happy mom, happy everyone ).

My only advice is when I wanted to quit I would just say to myself let today be the last day and if I feel the same tomorrow, I'm done. Like you, once I started the feeding I was like ok, this is not sooo bad. That's how I even lasted 6 weeks. I never though i was gonna make it through the first week.

Re: nursing twins

First off congrats!!!
Secondly, do you have a my breast friend twin pillow? That was the only way I could consider tandem feeding when they were nursing.
When my girls were first home from the nicu (35 weeks) they were still not nursing for a full feeding . we needed to bottle feed after nursing. THey would still get too tired. With that in mind, I never nursed them at night. We would always bottle feed while I was pumping. That saved us a little sanity. but by the 8am feeding they were back on the boob for the beginning of the feeding.

As for when it gets easier.... I remember that feeling of drowning when they first came home. It does get easier little by little. By 6 months adjusted it was much easier. They didnt need to be burped, they were eating solids, now at 10 months adjusted they can play together for small periods of time.

You are doing great!!!!!

nursing twins

My twins ended back in the hospital for Juandice. so i had to supplement. with that i fed one gave a bottle to the other. then did the o opposite at next feeding. then after a few weeks i found tandem nursing them everywhere feeding worked well with me with formula in between. but it was easiest to tandem nurse in middle of the night for ne

Re: nursing twins

anyone else??

i cant believe i wrote this yesterday and had a pretty terrible night last night... im so exhausted, but in a good way, i guess, DD1 was sooo hungry. BUT, im really thinking about how the heck am i going to do this!!!

Re: nursing twins

I had a really hard time with nursing because I HATED it. I found it painful and unbearable for the most part. Once I got to where you are and established my supply, I pumped while I fed the girls my pumped milk from the feeding before. Basically at each session I was pumping for the next feeding. When I found they needed a little extra in between, I breastfed in hopes of increasing my supply. This worked well for me. I was able to pump and feed the girls within about a half hour and get back to sleep after cleaning the pumping supplies. I pumped/breastfed until 4 months. When I couldn't keep up with their demand, I did supplement a bit with formula, but I tried to mostly use pumped milk. I also froze as much milk as possible in the beginning. As I started weaning myself from pumping, it made me feel better to at least give them some frozen milk along the way.

ETA: I found pumping to better meet my needs because I could time how long it took me to empty and I could bottle feed both babies and pump at the same time.

Edited again: If you don't have a hospital grade pump I would suggest renting one. I rented one from Centereach PHamarcy for about $75 a month and it was a god send.

Message edited 9/17/2012 8:25:40 PM.

Re: nursing twins

My girls were born at 37w2d and never went to the NICU. So I guess I was lucky in that we got a lot of practice in, in the hospital. That is when I fed them individually.

At home K became a very lazy latcher. So at night I wound up giving her a bottle of pupmed BM which I was able to do while she laid in the boppy and I nursed J. By 8 weeks old I had them nursing tandemly for all feedings done at home. When we were out and about I nursed them individually.

Re: nursing twins

nursing twins

My girls were born at 35w6d at 4.5 and 5.5 pounds. Being large breasted I couldn't get either one of them to latch for a while. I pumped all feedings for a couple of months and continually tried to get them to latch, which didn't happen right away. I saw a lactation specialist in the hospital. I never pumped enough milk to freeze any. I pumped every 3 hours and I only made enough to cover the next feeding.

One latched first and she would BF most of the time. The other I would bottle feed pumped milk to. If I didn't have enough I would supplement them with formula. Eventually they both did latch but I still didn't make enough to cover both babies or store extra. I always fed them one at a time because it was too hard to tandem feed when they were small. You really need someone to help you hold, balance or place a baby. Any time I tandem fed it was in bed with a bunch of pillows surrounding me. I personally never liked to tandem feed because both babies fed so differently it felt weird to have them nurse a the same time. One would nurse more gently for longer the other would be more aggressive and nurse harder for shorter. It was a weird sensation to me the lack of symmetry.

I never used my breast friend or boppy because I found my tempurpedic pillows worked better for me. I had a co sleeper attached to my bed and that made it easier on me to reach over and grab a baby. When they get older you can even stay laying down and feed them on your side. My girls both self weaned at 10 months.

It gets much easier when they get older, because they help you. If you are constantly wanting to quit consider taking some of the burden off yourself and pump or formula supplement. It is better than quitting and you won't feel the pressure all the time.
Honestly, it all is a pain in the butt.... having done it all, BFing, bottle feeding formula and pumping. I personally think BF'ing is much easier than pumping or doing bottles because it's always the right temperature and never needs cleaning, mixing or sterilizing :O) It is much easier at night when you are half asleep to whip out a boob than get up and mix or warm a bottle.
Really, no matter what you do it takes up your time.

When I wanted to give up because of all the latching issues I had in the beginning I would remember a line in a book I read on BFing multiples that said something like, if you are determined to BF think of it the same way as if you are traveling somewhere, you wouldn't stop half way to your destination. However, with that said...I think it's more important to do whatever you need to do to keep your sanity. If it is a matter of sleep deprivation I would do anything possible to get any extra minute of sleep I could. :o)

Re: nursing twins

I nursed my twins for 6 months.
I am not going to lie it is very time consuming at first but eventually gets easier when they can nurse together better.
I did alot of different things. When they were nurse one and give the other a bottle of pumped milk sitting in the boppy next to me on the couch and then pump after each feeding. That like you said took about 1.5 hours from start to finish. It gets easier when they sleep a little bit of a longer stretch so you are getting more than 2 hours of sleep at a time.

I also supplemented with formula sometimes on their last feeding of the night. I would go to sleep early and DH would hang with them and give them a bottle and put them to bed. I would wake up quick and pump and go back to sleep.

Once they can tandem nurse (keep trying it here and there) the amount of time will literally be cut in half at least. I highly recommend the breast friend pillow. It was a life saver for me.

Good luck!

Re: nursing twins

thanks girls - your honest advice and experience makes me feel like i can do it.

i am nursing, pumping and just bought more bottles to use w formula - i think im going to start 1 feeding a day (closer to bedtime) and see how it goes.

THANKS again for all your help!!!

Re: nursing twins

It does get easier!!! It takes about 6 weeks for you and the babies to get the hang of breastfeeding and then it becomes so easy and pain-free. The babies can latch on themselves and you don't have to worry if they are latching right. I breastfed 2 sets of twins. One set I fed separately, the other at the same time. It is definitely easier to feed at same time because it saves time. But, you need someone to hand you babies at first until you work out a system. I would try it in the mornings when you are all least tired. I used the EZ-2-Nurse Twins breastfeeding pillow from Double Blessings.com priced around $60.00. I get set up on my couch and feed in the football hold with pillows behind my back and under each baby to support them.

It is easier to skip pumping and just breastfeed them (takes time to pump and clean all the stuff) unless you are planning to go back to work. I used to have DH and mother-in-law feed that 9pm feed with a bottle of formula. I would pump for 5 minutes just to relieve fullness and head for bed. DH would put them to bed and I would get up and feed at 12:30am. You definitely need to sleep when they sleep during the day otherwise just too tired!

The first 45 days after they are born are critical in establishing your milk supply. You need to either feed or pump at least 8 times per day (up to 12). This makes sure you will have enough milk to feed them.

Once they are about 3 months old it gets easier again because they are able to stretch the feedings to every 3 or 4 hours. Then you don't feel like you are feeding all the time.

Hang in there...you are doing great! Just tell yourself you will make it through this week, and when you do, see if you want to make it through the next week. It is so worth it!