Bottle feeding twins – what you should know about feeding your twin babies.
While some moms choose to breastfeed their twins exclusively, others choose not to, or find they are not able. Other moms need to leave their babies with another caregiver and others choose to offer a mixture of breast and bottle feeds.
Some moms start off breastfeeding and later switch or supplement with bottles or with formula feeds.
Each family situation is unique and different and if you’re interested in pumping milk for your babies, you’ll want to find a quality breastpump.
The Pro’s of bottle feeding twins
This method allows other family members and dad to offer your twins a bottle so that they can be part of the feeding and bonding process. Some parents feel that bottle feeding with infant formula is more filling and therefore the babies may stay fuller, longer and need less feedings than with nursing. If you are formula feeding you are more easily able to leave and go out without your babies as you won’t need to spend the time expressing milk.
The Con’s of bottle feeding twins
Bottle feeding requires making bottles, washing bottles, sterilizing bottles which can be quite time consuming. It is very expensive to bottle feed two babies as you need to purchase a lot of formula and supplies. Your babies may have a higher risk of getting sick with stomach bugs and/or cramps from constipation and you may find that you have to try quite a few different formulas to find what works with your babies. Also , sometimes what one tolerates, the other does not , so again, expense for formulas – the more highly sensitive the formula, the more expensive it is.
How you choose to nourish your babies is your choice and your babies will love you no matter which method you choose!
Things you’ll need when bottle feeding twins
– about 12 bottles with nipples and caps ( you may need to experiment a bit in the beginning to find which nipples your babies prefer.)
– a bottle brush for cleaning
– a sterilizer ( unless you have a dishwasher with the sanitizing option.)
– formula – liquid or powdered.
When choosing bottles you may wish to buy the larger 8oz ones – even though in the beginning your twins will only take in about 4 oz of milk at a time – this will just save you some money and space in your home by not having bottles of assorted sizes.
With nipples – some are latex, some are silicone and there are many different sizes and shapes. Sometimes your twins may have different preferences for what shape nipple they like so expect to try out different ones.
Preparing bottles for feeding
Until you get into a routine , bottle preparation can be time consuming. Start with clean hands always, and sterilized bottles. Milk is known to be a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria so you must make sure your bottles are cleaned and sterilized at all times to protect your babies health. You may wish to make up the days bottles in advance, or make them up as you go – this will probably depend on your schedule and whether or not you’ll be out or at home.
In choosing formula – this can be trial and error as well. Some are iron fortified, some are soy based, always check with your pediatrician . Some babies have no problems with formula feeding, others suffer from gas and reflux and may need a specialized one. Babies are usually happiest when you find one type of formula and stick to it. Once your babies are over 6 months of age you can upgrade to the less expensive follow up formulas.
Bottle feeding twins at the same time
Tricky – but not impossible when they’re really little. If you have an extra set of arms from daddy or a sibling that can really help. It offers your baby snuggling and closeness to be held while feeding. Some moms choose to place each infant in a bouncy seat and feed them at the same time this way. Sometimes your babies aren’t hungry at the same time so you can feed them separately. At some point they are big enough to hold their own bottles, and there are some really great hands free bottles available as well.
Bottle feeding twins at night time
This requires a lot of prep work for those sleep deprived night feedings. You may want to arrange with your hubby who gets up when for what feeding especially in the first few months. Make sure that you have bottles prepared before you turn in for the night. There are portable bottle warmers, some that even light up at night so that you can make this time as undisturbed as possible so that your babies don’t fully awaken. Feeding your babies takes a lot of work in the beginning – however you choose to feed. It also takes practice. Take extra care to burp your babies after each feeding and sometimes during if they slow down suckling as gas can cause extreme discomfort.
Your babies should be putting on weight steadily, seem to be happy and satisfied and having 6 – 8 very wet diapers each day. Each infant is different and if you find you are having troubles feeding one or both, please make sure to speak with your doctor.
