[buzz]

Okay - the big question is - what sort of experiences have people had when breastfeeding twins...

It is my aim to have a go...I have read up what I can...and the experts seem to say leave one breast for each baby (although you can be lop sided!)...feed them at the same time...and generally try to do it at 4 hourly intervals, waking them up always at 7am...

I realise this is a simple 'precis' of the actual process....so I wondered what experiences folk have had...for example, has anyone had to top up with formula...and when is the best time to to that feed...

Any info whould be very mnuch appreciated...

love
Buzz

 

[Janis18]

Hi Buzz,
I have breastfed my twins (and am still giving them 1 feed a day, at around 6-7am). I found that I couldn't cope with exclusive BF, and started them on a bottle before bed every night, also that they didn't go 4 hours between feeds on breastmilk (more like 2.5-3). After about 7 weeks, I move to 1 feed breast, 1 bottle (by feed, not baby, if you know what I mean - i.e. they both got the same at each feed) and this worked perfectly, they went 4 hours between each feed and were very contented. I continued this until 2 weeks ago (when they were just over 4 months). I always fed them together and alternated boobs with each baby!
Also, I couldn't have coped without the E-Z-2 nurse cushion
Let me know if you have any more questions and good luck!
Jane
xx

 

[Hannx]

Hello Buzz,

I am BF my two. They are 11 weeks old now and I BF from the beginning although they had a week of tube feeds in hospital. Unlike Jane I've not been able to get to grips with feeding them at the same time unless I absolutely have to. This was mostly due to the fact they they eat very differently and I had problems latching one on for the first 7 weeks. I try to keep their feeds staggered during the day when I'm on my own but they synchronise during the evening when DH is home. Mine are exclusively BF now although they did have the occasional top-up for the first few weeks in the evening, but this was mainly due to me not realising that my breasts still had milk in them even when they felt empty to me!

As for each baby having a breast; I alternate mine throughout the day so that they each feed from both breasts at some point, not necessarily every feed though. Despite this I still have one breast bigger than the other!

My HV seems to think I'm some kind of super hero for BF exclusively but I have been very lucky that my babies don't need to eat for long, it's down to about 10 minutes each now, sometimes even 5 minutes will see them through 3 hours. I think that with BF babies you have to feed on demand as what are you going to do when they are screaming with hunger yet it's not been 4 hours? I started off thinking I'd have 4 hourly feeds but to be honest they tend to eat 2-3 hourly throughout the day then go anything up to 6 hours through the night. If we are out and about during the day they last 4 hours but I think I get so worried about them wanting feeding at the same time that I feed them when they aren't particularly hungry just to make sure they don't clash.

Good luck with it.

Hannah

 

[*Nic*]

Hi Buzz,

I breastfed Abbie and Megan exclusively for about 6-8 weeks and then I started giving them one bottle feed a day around early evening (before bed) as I found my milk supply was at its' lowest then.
I carried on with this until they were 5 months old and then I started dropping feeds and replacing them with formula. I didn't really want to as I actually really enjoyed breastfeeding and found it so much more convenient than bottles but I wanted my body back and we have a wedding to go to where we are going to be away all weekend (this weekend!! agh!). I always said I wanted to do 3 months  so I am pleased with what I have done. I am still giving them one breastfeed a day but will give that up at the end of this week.
As for together or separate, I would recommend doing one at a time until you have the hang of it but mainly I fed them together on a v shaped cushion (similar to what Jane describes). Most breastfed babies can only go for 3 hours between feeds, sometimes 2 hours when they are very young. This helps establish your milk supply aswell.
I had a really positive experience breastfeeding so I hope you do too! Although not everyone can do it so don't feel bad if it is too much for you. I almost gave up at about 5 weeks or so cos it seemed like that was all i was ever doing and sometimes my nipples really hurt but after about 6-8 weeks it was fine and I didn't even have to use any nipple cream. Oh yeh, invest in some good nipple cream like the lanolin one made by Medula.
Good luck
Nicxx

 

[Auggie]

Hi Buzz,

Not there yet but hopefully will be able to do it when the time comes... What I've read and been told by a mom who breastfed twins is to breast feed every 2-3 hours at begining because this creates the demand in your body to make enough milk (supposedly it is a supply and demand thing??)  and if you can't breastfeed, then to pump in order to establish the message to your body that it needs to make alot of milk.  This seems like ALOT of feeds to me but I got this from a mother who has had two sets of fraternal twins and she followed this routine both times and it worked for her but like everything else with pregnancy-every woman is different!

Good luck!
Auggie

 

[mini]

Hiya

just to say respect for the moms who are breastfeeding twins !

my milky boob kid is breastfed exclusively still at 6 months - he is now taking some solid but his milk is still breast milk

i found it hard with the one so hats of to you moms who breast feed 2 !

Love Mini xx

 

[Cuthbert]

Hi Buzz

I planned to breastfeed both of my two but when it came down to it, Daniel couldn't latch on and lost loads of weight. So in the end we took the (very difficult) decision to move him to bottles. Ultimately it proved to be the right decision because he instantly gained weight and became a much happier baby (and since we've had recent speech therapy appointments, I've found out that his jaw structure made it almost impossible for him to latch on). I continued to breastfeed Charlotte until she was 8 months old, although I cut down the feeds when I returned to work after 6 months. Breastfeeding one baby and bottlefeeding the other worked really well for us - I loved breastfeeding and it created a very special bond between Charlotte and I. And DH still has a very close relationship with Daniel because he gave him all his feeds if he was around (and at least one night feed, which made things easier for me).

Jules

 

[Janis18]

Buzz - I'd add that I agree with Nic about it being really hard for a while, but getting much easier once you're over the 'hump' - try and persevere if it's possible (Lansinoh is a good nipple cream). It's sooo much less faff than bottles too, espeically at night (which is why I'm still BF when they need one during sleep hours (i.e. at between 5 and 7am!). But if you don't manage, they'll still thrive on formula, so don't beat yourself up.
Jane
xx

 

[buzz]

Thanks to everyone on this...I have some food for thought here....and seems like it is time to go off and buy cream and pillows.....

love
Buzz

 

[Netty J]

Hi there! I breast fed my twins & are still doing so! Perhaps I am one of the lucky ones, but apart from the problems we had in the beginning with them being born 8 weeks early, I can honestly say it was one of the easiest things I have ever done. Not a sore nipple / bottle warmer in sight!!!!
One tip that was passed on to me: Express, Express, Express! Having 1 baby going through a growth spurt is supposed to be difficult, having twins who do things together is a nightmare!! You have to keep up a extra good supply of milk to keep them both happy! Also by expressing you produce more that they need and can then freeze it. Always handy for the odd occasion when you want to / have to nip out etc. I would say also handy for when you want a break and someone else can do the honors, but producing enough milk for two makes your boobs fill pretty quickly! Believe me you don't want to miss a feed to often!!
Good luck!
Netty

 

[buzz]

thanks for this netty...which machine did you use! for the expressing!!

buzz x

 

[Netty J]

Hi Buzz,
I used an Avent hand pump, which I found really effective as long as you make sure all the seals are tight. Otherwise you get no suction whatsoever!

I then invested in a Medela electric pump as I was expressing so often. I chose this make simply because it was the same make as the big ones used in both the hospitals I was in, and therefore all the spare bottles I used there would also fit this one. Been using it 4+ times per day since I bought it last April, and it is still going strong even though I have dropped it on the floor a few times!!

Still use my hand pump as it is a traveling one and has covers to screw on to keep it sterile whilst you are out & about. Very handy for days out. 

I also learned to hand express, which is quite handy if you get caught out unexpectedly. Though must admit I find this quite hard on the hands if you do a lot of it. Saying that, my sister expressed mainly by hand all through the time she was feeding her children and found it easy. So I suppose its horses for courses as they say.

Good luck anyway, & if you ever have any other questions just drop me a line, would be only too pleased to help!

 

[kiera]

Hi
one of mine is screaming in the next room but saw this thread and had to post as prob wont get another chance.
I breastfed exclusively for 7 weeks then introduced a bottle at the 10pm feed and oneat 2am so DH could help i then fed at the next feed usually 4.30am and continued through day.

I only fed at same time if had to as found it very difficult as they got bigger and quite uncomfortable.
At 6 months i began swappin feeds fo botttles and now at 7 months breastfeed at 6.30 am and 6.30 pm only I now have my body back and more of a life.

I enjoy breastfeeding and am reluctant to give up the remaining feeds, its bizarre as i was adamant i would never breastfeed, i changed my mind but only because i felt it would be good for them and if it wasnt for a helpful midwife in hospital i probably would have given up after 2-3 weeks of leaving hospital.

Good luck to all mums to be who want to breastfeed
kiera