Middle of the night feedings

I'm getting nervous about this...with my DS, my DH DID NOT help me once during the night. He said he was working full time, and I was on maternity leave, so I did all the feedings. I wasn't happy about it but....whatever. Now, expecting twins...I don't know what to think...are they always going to get up at the same time? Am I going to feed one, put him down and then the other wake up...so I will be up all night straight? Bottom line - is my DH going to HAVE to help me...how can I do this on my own?

Re: Middle of the night feedings

DH works nights so I had help in the very beginning but after that I was on my own. You can TOTALLY do this!!!!! I fed both on my own every 3 hours for 2 months, then every 4 hours until 3.5 months. It is difficult but you can do it. I found it easiest to pump hands free while I bottle fed each baby in a boppy. The only difficult part is burping, but I would use a blanket to prop one bottle so I could burp the other quick. You will get into your groove.

Re: Middle of the night feedings

I did it all by myself! It was easier then dealing with him whining!

Middle of the night feedings

i am doing it now. i usually feed one and then the other....every now and then they both wake up at the same time and you just need to find what works best for you to feed both at the same time. you can do it!

Re: Middle of the night feedings

I or we ALWAYS woke the other baby and had them eat. We few them in bouncers if there was not another person around to hold and feed a baby

Re: Middle of the night feedings

u can do it!!!!!!

i was nervous too!

when one is up i change feed burp put back down and get the other one up

if they r both up,the first few times i got nervous but then u figure out how..i use the boppy's feed at same time

i have even fed one a ounce r 2 then burp then switch kids

i have even held bottles with my chin lol

i promise u can do it!

Re: Middle of the night feedings

If one woke I would wake the other.
I'd change one and then change the other.
Then feed them together. Nurse one and feed other a bottle of pumped milk next to me on the couch in the boppy.
I stopped and burped them together.
Then I would put them back to bed and pump.
I primarily did it by myself. Although DH would sometimes help me change them to get started.

Re: Middle of the night feedings

I would set an expectation that he needs to help. Having twins is not easy. Hats off to the girls that are able to do it on their own but Im not one of those ppl (I also work full time though). If I woke up to feed one and the other woke up right after, I would feed hr too without waking DH.
Dh helped me every night when we had to wake them every 3 hrs to eat.. that only lasted about 3-4 weeks though.. I can say that at 7-8 weeks it got significantly easier for us.. they started sleeping 7 hrs at a stretch at night. Now they are 4 mos and have been STTN (8 pm-6 am) for the last 2 weeks. They still wake up for a paci once or twice but we dropped the feedings about 2 weeks ago...
So I would say that if you are on your own, it will be difficult but may not last long.
Also, if you are up with them at night, do you have help during the day? Its a lot to be the only one 24 hrs a day.

Re: Middle of the night feedings

DH and I either both get up or one of us will let the other sleep. Its a half hr to feed one so we just deal. Now we both work so its all hands on deck. I wouldnt put up with it if he didnt help. When he gets home at 2 from work and has to be in at 10, I dont wake him even though I have to be up at 6 to work by 7 AND deal with the twins ALL day on my own while I work til 4pm.

It was rough when my girls got up every 3 hrs but now they go every 4 and skip a night feeding. Im waiting for them to drop that other one or at least take it 2 hrs later!!

Re: Middle of the night feedings

Re: Middle of the night feedings

yes, if you get rest during the day-real rest then yes, middle of the night feedings are doable on your own.
GL!!!

Re: Middle of the night feedings

Middle of the night feedings

I agree that you need HELP!! I used to be a nanny & now a stay at home mom. My husband got up all the time to help. I would NEVER have gotten sleep if he didnt

Middle of the night feedings

they start sleeping longet stretches - or at least one does- by about 10-12 weeks...so its possible to do it on your own since the whole first few weeks will be a blur...and your wont sleep regardless. however, if you are going to have bottles or pump and not EBF, definitley enlist some help. My husband and I would have one baby all night each. we would only get up when our assigned baby got up.

we found that one baby was clearly a better sleeper...so when mike went back to work, i had him take care of the "easier" baby...

once we were both back at work, the easier baby was STTN and then we would take turns on the more difficult baby.

Sometimes our family would come for a night or two and do the feedings for one of the babies all night...while my husband and i would switch off on one baby ..which meant a lot more sleep. bottom line- its possible- yes- only because its temporary...but its much better to have help