BellaOnline Forums Family Twins Breastfeeding Twins....What if I can't?

Were you able to breast feed your twins? Did you feed them at the same time or did you pump and bottle feed? Any tricks you'd like to share?

Yes, I did! I was mostly able to bf them--one at a time initially, until they got better able to latch on, then always together after that. It ain't pretty :), and it certainly cannot be done discreetly, but it can be done.

I hit a rough spot when they were about 4 months old with supply. Everyone (including doctors) said, "Oh, you just can't make enough for two." But then I worked with a lactation consultant, and we got it going again. Some people can just blow out milk like a cow, but I was not one of them, and she taught me the importance of frequent feedings, even at night, to keep the supply flowing. After we worked together, I resumed exclusive bf'ing until about 6 months, then we added solids (not formula), but I continued some bf'ing for a long, long time after that. I will add that my girls were never sick the entire first year of their lives, and only get sick rarely now that they're older.

My advice to anyone starting out on this journey would be to learn all you can about bfing before you give birth, and if you have trouble after, get the LC in there immediately. Doctors and nurses generally don't know much more than the average man on the street about bf'ing.

--Maria

I had a horrible time at the beginning. I knew that I wanted to try, but the pressure from the nurses to breastfeed was enough to make me pull my hair out. I was very young when I had them, and all I wanted to do was sit and hold them. I had a lactation nurse come help me, and it really helped me. I didn't actually get my milk in until my babies were a week old, so it was a hard adjustment for them. I actually breastfed them till they were 4 months old and don't regret it at all. Never give up, if you go into something thinking one thing, don't let someone tell you otherwise!

Did you tandem or did you pump and bottle?