Breastfeeding Twins?

Don't give up! You absolutely can do it! There are many helpful books but the best start would be a lactation consultant or La Leche League leader. Call now so you can be prepared and go in with confidence. Good luck!

You can do it! Talk to a La Leche League leader to get ideas. It is a major time investment, but taking care of twins is a major time investment regardless of how you feed them! Accept help from anyone who offers. And consider the pumping suggestion, most moms find it takes MORE time in the end with pumping/cleaning/feeding. Plus it makes it easy for you to just be hooked up to a pump and someone else getting to hold those sweet babies. Good luck!

Ok…I didn’t think they could do it but here is what my young (doctor) nephew and his wife are doing with their new twins. SHE PUMPS EVERYTHING and still has a great milk supply! She feeds them by bottle at the same time. So if one wakes up she gets them both up, feeds them at the same time and keeps them on a rigid schedule, I have NEVER seem a Mom with twins so relaxed!

That is all I know about having twins. Congratulations and good luck!

E.

Get in touch with your local La Leche League and fast!! You will get more support from them and they can give you the advice you need. It's free. You don't have to join to go. I HIGHLY recommend doing so before you have the babies. Another good online resource is http://www.kellymom.com and has links to various articles and bfing resources. You're going to want to educate yourself, your husband and your family too and I think these might help.

Congratulations too btw!!

I don't have any personal experience nursing twins but i wante dto give my support.With twins it becomes even more important to nurse as it will really help them grow and have the immune system need.
It can be done it will be hard but please keep with it. and try and build a support system of friends /le leches group so you can nurse sucessfully
Good luck

i say try breastfeeding. you have everything to gain fromit and only sleep to loose from it:)
i commend you for wanting to do it. i cant say it wont be tough but i think at least trying is better than not doing it at all. i think you will be happier in the long run if you at least try

Congratulations on having twins. I also have b/g twins that are now 4 1/2, and then one that will be 3 in July. I love that everyone's responses are different, because what works for one person will not always work for another. One thing that everyone has right, the first 3 months, are the hardest. It just takes time to learn about them, and them about you. I BF my twins for the first month, and then went full time to pumping. My son would fall asleep everytime he was feeding. So then we would have to try and wake him with all the fun tricks, so I would nurse my daughter in the mean time. It would be a 2 hours process, and I was only getting about an hour sleep a night. My son woke every 3 hours to the minute. Anyway, with pumping, my husband would feed, and I would pump. The good thing about nursing for the first month is that my milk supply was huge. I also took supplemental vitamins that my consultant recommmended. I finally had to stop pumping and nursing after 4 months due to having mastitis(sp?) every couple to few weeks. Finally my OB said how long are you going to do this to yourself, and that's when I started weining. I have very healthy twins, so do what you can do and not what other's think you should do. Your body and the babies will be the one's that make those decisions. Good luck to you!! TWINS ARE WONDERFUL

I breastfed by twins until they were 16 months. I found a really good nursing pillow, and lactation consultant. A consultant can show you how to put them in different positions, etc. I fed mine only in a football hold, but I know there's other ways you can nurse them. I also used a pump to increase my milk flow. I completely believe that BF'ing them made them so much healthier, as they dodged a lot of the illness that came through our house. Good luck.

I have 2 yr old twins and I brestfed/ pumped them along with another set of twins. I had exactly enough milk to pump for all 4 kids. I fed them all until they were 14 mos old. The key is drinking alot of water. I pumped the whole time, my sister on the other hand brestfed her twins no pumping till they were 2yrs old. It can be done and once you have a routine it is not difficult. I am not gonna lie it was tough for the first 3 weeks but after that it was all down hill. If you have done it once you can do it again it will all work out!

My twins were my first. I breast fed exclusively for a week but production just never caught up (due in large part to prior reduction surgery) but I still was able to nurse every feeding and then would just top them off with an ounce or two of formula after they were done nursing. It was a challenge but the fact that they never got sick made it so worth it. I did every feeding for six months and then weaned off to just formula. It can be done and what I would say is to give it a try but don't give yourself too hard a time if you need to supplement some.

I was in a similar situation but with an almost 2 year old and had twin boys. I breast fed them for about 2 weeks until I went back for my post delivery check up and my doctor did not recommend it because it takes so much out of you. He was right it did. Besides being exhausted from taking care of two, they zap all of your nutrients and you can't seem to get enough to feed you too! So, you might try it initially since the colestestrum is the best thing they could get from it, but I wouldn't go much longer than two weeks..Also, I even tried feeding them at the same time, but I had to have help to get them in proper position...

Good luck,
T.

I had a 2 yr 4 mo old girl when my b/g twins were born. My biggest problem was her jealousy. I exclusively breastfed my twins for 1 month and then had to switch to breastfeeding 1 and formula feeding the other then swapping at the next feeding. When I breastfed, I did about 10-15 minutes per breast at each feeding. I just couldn't produce enough milk. I did this until they were 9 months old when I went full formula. At 1 year I went to whole milk. I think it was too much stress for my body. Some women produce more than enough milk and can keep it up.

I am in the North Dallas Mother of Twins Club (http://www.ndmotc.org/). Many areas have twins clubs as well. You can check out the national organization (http://www.nomotc.org/) for information as well.

Hi, I wanted to tell you that I definitely think you can handle nursing the twins. I have b/g twins who turned 3 about a month and a half after my baby boy was born. He is almost 3 months now. I breastfed my twins for just over a year. Since you already have experience, I think it will be easier than you think. I think you should always nurse them at the same time and try as hard as you can to be on a schedule with them from day 1. At the hospital they will have you nursing them every 3 hours and I would try to do the same when you get home. Sometimes they will want to eat more often, but always try for 3 hours or it will feel like you are nursing them around the clock. This is assuming they are a good size when born and your doctor doesn't give you different advice. I'm only speaking from my experience. Anyway, I think I wore blinders when it came to nursing because I didn't really look at formula as an option. On occasion, I gave them a couple of ounces, but that was very rare. Sometimes my son had more of an appetite so I'd give him a pumped bottle or a little bit of formula. If he had a little bit one day, I didn't decide he needed it the next. He was fine with just nursing 99% of the time. Also, I think your daughter will be helpful and patient if she is anything like my daughter. I would try and get her situated with a toy or a tv show when you want to nurse the twins and no one else is around to help. I used regular bed pillows and propped them on either side of me. I'm not saying it will be easy, but you can do it and you will get used to it. I often thought it would be harder to switch them to formula and clean bottles, etc. That wasn't for me! I was able to get my twins to nurse every 4 hours by the time they were 4 or 5 months old. Best of luck! Boy/girl twins are the best!!!

You can still give your twins what you gave your daughter! If you use an electric pump to keep your supply proliferating then you and your family can give them mother's milk. I tried to breastfeed both at the same time and it was hard so I would nurse occasionally and pump all of the time. We did this for a year and do not have any regrets! Wish you well! JS

I, too was nervous about breastfeeding twins, but it went wonderfully and I nursed them until they were a year old. Much will depend on whether or not they're premies and you keeping yourself hydrated/fed well. Your body will make what they need if you eat enough and get rest (ha, ha). At least you have great support from your husband, which is so important. A twin nursing pillow will be a huge help. You football hold both of them and it works great. To get myself situated, I put the boppy on the couch, put one baby in it while I sat and arranged the nursing pillow while holding the other baby (sounds complicated, but it becomes second nature to manage). Then once settled, I would latch the first baby on, then scoop the second one from the bobby and latch him or her. Instead of switching sides each feeding (way too much to remember), I gave each baby the side they were on in utero on even days, then the opposite on odd days. Much easier. The key to sucess with twins is ALWAYS keeping them on the same schedule. That means, all day long and even at night, if one wakes,you get the other one up to nurse, as well. It seems counter-intuitive, but it't the only way to get any sleep and keep your sanity. You will learn after a few months that one will sleep through a night feeding, and then you adjust, but always keep it tandem during the day. I also had a 2 yr old when my twins were born and the strict tandem schedule allowed for time alone with her, as well as some mommy naps when all three were asleep at the same time (rare, but it will happen). Also, the most important thing I learned from having twins was to give myself a break. If nursing doesn't work for you, then that's OK. Try not to compare yourself to others' situations, because yours is unique to you & your family. Whatever works for you & yours IS the best thing. Good luck! P.S. Other thing I learned -- accept whatever help people offer. If it's bringing meals or scrubbing your toilets, let them do it :)

You can do it! My mom breastfed twins, at the same time, and for over a year. You will be fine, just get the help you need (my brother and I used to stack up pillows to help my mom get ready to feed the girls), and don't let anyone discourage you!
:)
J.

Hi! I am currently breastfeeding 9mo. twins and love it! They breastfeed 4-5 times a day, along with meals, and they get one bottle of formula in the afternoons. I just sit criss cross applesauce in the center of my couch and get my boppy and a couple couch pillows around me and we football hold all the way. I have a friend who sets them both in the same direction with one resting on the other. I also have another friend who nurses them at different times (but she admits, it takes alot longer that way)There wre four of us at church who had twins last year. Instant support group.
My midwife was my saving grace and the only reason I stuck with it. She warned me that the first six weeks is usually the hardest with just one baby so I should plan on the first three months being the hardest with twins. She was right! It was the hardest thing I have ever done, getting through the first three months, but we made it! I did have to supplement a bit, formula after boobie. But only during growth spurts. My pediatrician is very supportive as well and was a big encouragement. ALWAYS FEED THEM AT THE SAME TIME!!! Especially at night. Even if that means waking one of them up. They'll get on a schedule and it will work out. You can do this! It will be so rewarding. Even if it doesn't work out quite like you plan, you give it your best and that's what counts. What a blessing to get two babies in one sha-bang! Support groups are a fantabulous idea!

I think if you want to- you should do it! I do not have twins, but I am a twin, and my my mom breastfed us both.

Hi. You have already received a lot of good advice. The only thing I would add is not to beat yourself up if nursing turns out not to work for you this time around. I nursed my twins for about a month but did not produce enough to feed them -- either on demand or with pumping. I also discovered I could not eat enough to nourish all three of us! So I switched to formula... first regular, then soy, which they took to just fine. We have never had any health issues with either of them and they have developed very well both physically and academically. Best of luck to you!

Hi VQ,

I was going through old Mama source emails and deleting them and came across yours and wanted to see how your preganancy was going. I have twin girls who are 7.5 now. I breastfed both until they were 11 months. The amazing thing being they were NICU babies for 9 days, so they came home on a bottle. I had pumped for them and bottle fed while they were in the hospital and when I tried to nurse them in the hospital it was too much for them. Their stats would drop and we would have another set back. So I just pumped and bottle fed them and they did great. The La Leche ladies said they would never nurse if I didn't keep at it in the hospital, but I just wanted them home. I had a 3 year old little boy who needed his family under one roof and if I had to pump for the next year I would! Well, I didn't have to. After they got home from the NICU, I would try to latch them on once or twice a week. Finally at 6 weeks they both latched on and nursed like champs for 11 months. I do recommend the Anna Pillow for nursing twins. It was my lifesaver. I tried other things before getting that and it was more work. The Anna pillow made it so I could even nurse sittint up against a wall (which I did have to do sometimes when I was out of town at a friends/relatives house. Good luck!

Tamara

I wasn't able to nurse them initially since they were in the NICU for 61 days; but I pumped and they were fed my breastmilk! I did that the whole time they were in the hospital (even after trying to get them to latch on-they did great when introduced to bottle). I pumped and fed for another month then my body just gave up. It was very rewarding knowing that I was able to do it for so long. But VERY tiring, pump/feed/feed for all that time. I slept in half our increments.

I haven't had time to read the responses so far, but I'm sure there is good advice.

I highly recommend joining a multiples group if you have one in the area. www.nomotc.org/

If this is something you want to do, I highly recommend you at least give it a try, I would hate for you not to and then look back with regret.

There are a lot of factors that affect the successfullness of BFing twins.
**Insist on getting a lot of help while in the hospital.
**Determine where you can get free advice - check with your hospital - I know some in Plano offer free advice over the phone
**Check in to La Leche League - they were not helpful for me - once I mentioned twins - they just pointed me to multiples groups - hopefully you have better luck - I hear they can be very helpful
**Determine if your Pediatrician's office has a lactation consultant on staff. Hopefully your Pedi is onboard with BFing.
**If things are still not working - keep trying different sources - try a different nurse - a different consultant. They all have different experiences and different tactics - you may have to just try something different.
**Give yourself plenty of time (at least a month) to see if its going to work out...plus it depends on how early your kids arrive - but I've heard it takes them to 42 weeks gestation to get the suck down right (who knows if that is true).
**Eventually, once you get both kids nursing, you will want to nurse at the same time to save yourself some time.
**Even if they don't latch properly - consider pumping exclusively.
**I didn't have other kids at the time, so I can't offer advice on BFing and dealing with another child.

Good luck - you can do it!

background: in my 30's, with twins

Hi there! I'm expecting twins too (july). I also BF my daughter who is 2. I'm not sure if I can pull of BF'ing twins but I'm going to try. I'm thinking about buying a boppy for twins and just have them nurse at the same time. Anyway, good luck!

This is so doable. Since you fed your first it will actually be easier because your milk will let down more and faster this time. There is a learning curve but when you learn to position them to feed simultaneously it can be almost as easy as feeding 1 and no more time consuming. Call a lactation consultant with experience in twins to help or call The Nestingplace or Mommy and Me at Home and we will help.
K. @ The Nestingplace (.net)

Congratulations on having twins! Our twin girls are 3 1/2. Our son was 2 1/2 when they were born. I BF our son for a year but the twins were another story. It was tough because we had issues with them. I ended up pumping and nursing for about 3 months and then had to stop. I felt sooo guilty but it was best for us. Soon after that I joined a Mother's of Multiples group in my area and talked to lots of moms who were very successful with breastfeeding. I wish I would have joined the group sooner so that I could have had their support when I was struggling. If BF is tough at first, hang in there and get help from a other moms of multiples! I wish I would have!

Get ready for a wild and crazy ride. Twins are VERY different from having one. I'm sure people have told you that the first 3 months will be the hardest. If it is rocky, just remember, this too shall pass. It WILL get easier. Having twins is a true blessing. Our girls are best friends and it is so fun.
Blessings to you and your family!
Stephanie

First of all Congrats! You can definitely do it, it is just going to take a lot at times. I would advise you to talk to the lactation consultant at the hospital or find one through La Leche League. I tried with my twin boys, but they weren't getting enough to eat, so we had to supplement with formula while we were still in the hospital. So, I breastfed and pumped and formula fed until they were about 3 mos. and then eventually worked into all formula. You are going to have to assess things once they are here and see how they do and how you do. Don't be down on yourself if it doesn't work out though, they will still get fed on formula...although I know it can be disappointing for you, I know I was. But then I realized they were still getting fed and were healthy, so I needed to let it go. Good luck to you! Twins are wonderful...you are going to love it!

There are twin mom groups that could probably help with support as well as the LaLeche League. good luck! Remember, Breastfeeding is not all or nothing, you could always BF one and give the other formula at one feeding, and then the next feeding, the other gets BF and the first one gets formula. Surly there is a solution that will work for you.

You can do it and easily. Many thousands have done it before you. Tandem nursing is an adjustment but best for your babies. Go for it and trust yourself. You will have plenty of milk and feel so much better nurishing them and the cuddle time is awesome. I am glad you have some support. Also call LeLetche League for support and ideas.

You can definately breastfeed twins. Our bodies are amazing and are made to take care of our babies. Talk with your OB about meeting with the lactation consultant to discuss some of your fears prior to the arrival of your twins. You will either feed both of them at the same time or feed twin "A" on the left and then feed twin "B" on the right and then next time switch. It will be hard and trying at first, but if you persevere it will be rewarding. And if you have to supplement, that is okay too. Good Luck and Congratulations

I didn't nurse twins, but my daughters are 21 months apart. I nursed my older daughter through my 2nd pregnancy and continued to nurse her with the next baby. There are a lot of resources on line, LLL, and even books about tandem nursing. I didn't find it very difficult to nurse two at the same time, but I preferred to do each of them separate. You just have to remember to switch breasts like you would for only one baby. Ex: Baby A starts on the right, baby B on left at 8am. After however long you switch them. Then at 10am you put baby A on the left and baby B on the right.

Well, like the others, i haven't done it but I still want to encourage you. Give it a try and see what happens. You can always change later. You already know what a blessing nursing is. And think of it, with twins you'll already have tons of stuff to take with you anywhere you go - nursing will eliminate a lot of the things you have to carry with you! I agree with the other posters about contacting LLL for their help. But even if you can only nurse one at a time, switch off and have someone else feed the other one and they will still get much of the benefit. Good luck with your pregnancy and the babies! what a blessing!!

I don't have actual experience myself, but a very close friend had twins and she breastfed them. At the time she was 22yrs old and had no support system, except for myself, and she did it. Not to say there weren't some rough times and I received phone calls a couple of times at 2 in the morning, but she kept at it and it all worked out. You have experience from previous child and your support system. I think you will do just great. Remember to not worry so much about "can I do this" and rejoice in the miracle of 2 babies and no matter how long you can feed them, the closeness will be there. Good luck and congrats on your twin mircles.

You can do it! I breastfed by twin girls until they were about 19 months. We had our struggles in the beginning but I called a lactation consultant and that made all the difference in the world. That is my biggest advice to any breastfeeding mom, don't hesitate to call a lactation consultant if you are having trouble, you will spend much less on her fees than you would on formula.

Don't give up. It is worth it for your babies and for you.

And regarding the local multiples group. I belong to the Plano Area one and it is a very active group. Not sure where you live but you can check them out at www.pamom.org.

Good Luck!

Congratulations on your new babies on the way! Of course you can breastfeed twins. It will be tough though if you don't have a very supportive family. If you live in the area, I know of an awesome, breastfeeding support group. It is free and led by a professional lactation consultant. It is in S. Arlington. I can also lplut you in contact with my sister, who breastfed twin boys and another friend of mine, who I met in the breastfeeding support group, that also breastfed her twins. My sister had a super support system. My friend's family wasn't super supportive though. Just send me an email if you would like the info on the support group or if you would like to be in contact with my sister and friend about their experiences. Good Luck.

I say give nursing your best shot. The fact that you're a SAHM, you've breastfed successfully before and your other child is a bit older all are points in your favor. I nursed my twins even though it meant becoming a bit of a zombie from lack of sleep for a year and always felt it was better than the hassle of preparing and lugging all those bottles every time you wanted to go anywhere. My kids were such healthy and happy babies; I think it was all the nutrients and "mommy time" they got from being nursed. Just keep drinking lots of water and napping when they nap and you'll be amazed at how strong you can be! And remind yourself it won't last forever and your're giving your babies the very best that they deserve. And get as much help from their dad and anyone else who wants to help - esp someone to come take your 3 yr old for playdates, etc. Mother's Day Out saved me!

Hi! I have a 3yr old girl and 15 mo. twins boys. I breastfeed my boys til 5 mos without any problem. I did pump mostly because it can be very time consuming nursing two (not to mention my daughter wanting attention) but it can be done! I say, go for it. Everyone assumed I would do formula too (I work full time) but I wanted to try it and managed to breastfeed them longer than I did my daughter. If you didn't want to fully pump you could always alternate who you nurse and pump on one side and nurse on the other. Sounds funny but you will see that multi-tasking will become your normal life:)

FYI - don't be so sure about having them early. I went til 38.5 weeks!! 5lbs 2 oz and 7lbs 1oz. I thought I was going to burst! :) (I did not have trouble with pre-term labor though) Good luck!!!!!

Find a mom of twins group. I have a friend who just had twins so I'll check with her and see if she has recommendations. I know she's tandem feeding the girls.