How do you handle the feedings?

MrsHK

I'm not a MOM but I'm a nanny of multiples. I nanny b/g twins and bring DS who is the same age, 9-10 months old. I was wondering how you MOMs handle feeding sessions, all three typically fall onto an every 3 hour schedule.

I BF DS so I try to keep his feeding a little before or after when I know the twins will be hungry. The twins we try to keep on a schedule together so I FF them at the same time. It used to be pretty easy to feed them in the boppy, my lap or a bouncy seat together. Some coordinated way that I could feed both at the same time. Now as they are growing they don't seem to fit anywhere. They are obviously getting more active too, so I worry that one of them will kick/roll themselves right off the couch if I use the boppy on the couch.

I can feed them in their highchairs but it's an odd position for me to hold up two bottles at once. Today I fed them laying down on the floor, one of either side of me; that seemed to work.

Now solids are easier, all 3 eat some solids for lunch and I just line all three up in their highchairs to eat. It's the two bottles at a time that are getting trickier. Any suggestions?

KimberlyAGD

Can they hold their own bottles yet?  I would feed them in bouncy seats or one at a time before I would do feed them flat on the floor--that makes babies very prone to ear infections.

 

Good luck!  It sounds like you have a busy day!

MrsHK

No, they don't hold their bottles yet. The bouncy seats are gone, they don't fit them anymore. Perhaps I'll propped them on pillows on the floor. That way if they are rolling they don't really go anywhere.

pea-kay

do the high chairs tilt back? we put the boys in high chairs, set the bottles on the tray (maybe use a rolled up towel to keep it in place) and tilt them back. worked like a charm. soon enough, they should be able to hold their own bottles. mine started doing it about 2 months ago, and it CHANGED MY LIFE. ha ha!

nbjenni

Place them in their boppy on the floor. That is how we feed the girls in their nursery.

jmn69

I've always just fed them one at a time.

MrsHK

Oh and the other reason it's nice to feed at least two at a time is it ties up my hands less. If I fed each baby separately I would spend a good amount of time with a baby and a bottle while the other active ones are off. Two at a time just streamline things a little more.

Plus, the twins seem to know when one is getting the bottle and their not. It seems like if even they weren't hungry once they see the other get the bottle their starving and want to eat NOW. 

Actually even DS is starting to do this too. If I'm feeding the twins he crawls over and keeps trying to steal a bottle. He throws a fit when I won't let him take one. 

MrsHK

pea-kay:

do the high chairs tilt back? we put the boys in high chairs, set the bottles on the tray (maybe use a rolled up towel to keep it in place) and tilt them back. worked like a charm. soon enough, they should be able to hold their own bottles. mine started doing it about 2 months ago, and it CHANGED MY LIFE. ha ha!

Thanks. I don't really think their mom wants them to feed themselves the bottle. I mentioned it to her once about how they trying to hold the bottle and starting the realize how they need to tilt it up. She doesn't trust them enough since they use glass bottles. 

She also said something about a 'friend' she knew who wouldn't let their DC hold their own bottle. How she felt it was her job to do that. I wasn't sure if she was really talking about a friend or just commenting on that being a crazy idea. I haven't figured out how to bring up the subject again yet. 

I think I will try tilting the highchair though and setting them more at a better level for me to hold it. That's another good option.