Breastfeeding your twins – congratulations on the arrival of your babies and on your decision to nurse them!
While it may be difficult or frustrating at times , mother’s milk is nature’s perfect food for your babies !
Keep in mind too, that those pre-baby pounds will start disappearing as you nurse ! I lost over 60 pounds in 6 weeks while nursing. That ALONE made it worth it !
Honestly, I couldn’t imagine bottlefeeding them for many reasons – mixing , sterilizing, storing, washing etc – I had enough to do.
When you choose to breastfeed your babies, you may be protecting yourself by reducing your chances of getting breast cancer and cancer of the ovaries. The longer you choose to breastfeed your twins, the more you reduce the chances of them getting juvenile diabetes and some childhood cancers. It protects your babies from germs and developing allergies and may even improve their intelligence!
Breastfeeding twins is a lot of work and responsibility but try not to get overwhelmed. Don’t worry that your body can’t make enough milk for your babies – it can ! And for the first few weeks – just know that this is ALL you’ll be doing – not forever but for a while as you get your babies off to a great start.You can read Rebecca’s story about breastfeeding her twins here.
It takes the same amount of time to bottlefeed your babies as it does to nurse them – but bottlefeeding also requires washing and sterilizing of bottles, preparing of formula. According to La Leche League International if you choose to nurse your twins during the first year of life you will save yourself over 300 hours and more than $1200.00.
Breastfeeding your twins is worth it!
Breastfeeding. Low DOF, on breast and baby’s eyeFor more information and support on breastfeeding visit La Leche League
Try to be flexible with your feedings – you may find they both want to eat at the same time, or that one wants to much more often than the other. I had one baby who liked to just take his sweet time, and another who felt like a little hoover vaccuum ! Try to be relaxed and remember that feeding your babies is really your only priority in the beginning. Find a quiet place and try to avoid anything that makes you worried or stressed out. Experiment with what works for you – there is no ‘right way’ to do this. It’s a learning process for you and your babies. You will find what works. Just focus on those twins until you have the breastfeeding down to a science!
You’ll want to find a big comfy recliner if you are sitting up and nursing. Try different positions to find a comfortable fit for you. There are nursing pillows available such as the EZ to Nurse, but even rolled up towels or regular pillows can help to prop the babies up to feed. We used a ‘Boppy’ pillow that sat on my lap and if I was feeding both , someone ( my hubby usually) would hand me one baby, I’d get them latched on and then the other. I liked it best with their heads both in front of me and their legs going behind my sides. Always have extra pillows within reach so you can make adjustments if needed!
‘At night I would just nurse one at a time laying on my side- I found this to be the most relaxing and what I had done with my other 2 children prior. It let me doze off and catch up on much needed sleep.
Here is a wonderful site all about nursing
Nursing Positions
With pillows available you can vary the positions to breastfeed your twins. There is the cradle hold with the babies across your chest, or the football hold along your sides. Try to alternate babies and breasts with each feeding especially if one twin eats a lot more vigorously than the other. I suggest keeping a journal handy with a column for each baby just so that you can keep track. I would often wear a color-co-ordinated pink/blue scrunchie ( elastic) around one wrist and then alternate them so I remembered who ate what and where! This helps your milk production to be equal in both breasts as well as gives the babies a different point of view to see the world from.
Are they getting enough ? You’ll wonder this, you’ll be asked this , and yes – absolutely – if you breastfeed when your babies want to, you can trust that your body can supply enough milk. Need more milk? Nurse more often ! If you are are breastfeeding on demand for your twins, your body will produce more than enough. If you feel the babies might not be emptying your breast fully, then pump the last bit out ( if you have a sleepy baby who doesn’t empty the breast , then they are missing out on the hind milk which has the most fat. If you pump this and feed your baby by syringe you will bring up their weight and energy.) Keep LOTS of water nearby and drink while you are feeding the babies. Your body needs extra fluids to make milk. Keep a glass or bottle handy at all times and sip it constantly !
Eat plenty of nutritious food – proteins and fruits and vegetables. All this breastfeeding is hard work on your body ! Try to rest when you can – sleep when the babies sleep, doze while nursing if in a safe spot.
Watch for your babies eating at least every 2-3 hours or about 8 times a day (this is where writing it down helps a lot!). They should be having 6-7 wet diapers a day and one to 3 stools that change from the dark black to a yellowish mustard color by the 5th day after birth. If you are having trouble telling if the disposable diaper is wet or or not, try putting a kleenex or baby washcloth inside the diaper to see if that helps. Those disposables are really absorbent! You should be able to hear your baby swallowing and your breasts should feel softer after nursing.
Try to let your breasts air dry after nursing to help heal and avoid cracking .
Call for help if you need a break ! Take a hot bath, go for a walk, read for a while or grab a quick nap. It may feel as if you are just a milk machine for a while , but the feeding frenzy will calm down in a few weeks and you’ll be able to settle into a routine. Remember that you are giving your babies a gift, even if you choose to supplement with bottles, even if you are still in your pj’s at the end of the day, and even if the house is a mess. You are giving your babies the best start to life.
