Tandem Breastfeeding Twins?

TRS48

Hi ladies, 

I am hoping to be able to tandem breastfeed my twins when they arrive. I was looking for some pillows to help and I found the My Brest Friend Twin pillow & another pillow called the Twin Z. The Twin Z Pillow looks like its a great option for additional reasons, including tummy time, bottle feeding, etc. But I just don't know if either of these actually work, or if tandem breastfeeding actually works, period. Have any of you used either of these items? Do you suggest anything else instead? Is tandem feeding realistic? I really appreciate all of your advice!

PurpleIris30

I use the twin My Brest Friend when tandem nursing and it is a huge help to me. No experience with the other model.

TheDairyQueenx3

I'm currently tandem nursing my guys as I type this! In fact every post I have made on this site in the last 10 weeks have been while I nurse them so yes it's very realistic! For me it's super easy but then again it's not my first time nursing. It was harder bf my singleton actually lol and he was obviously solo. So just know it does take practice and in time will be second nature sometimes I solo nurse but it's rare and usually only if one is somewhat fussy or going through a nursing marathon due to a growth spurt or something. The BF board here is amazing as is kellymom.com ask a lot of questions and read as much from that website as you can it will prepare you lots ad then once babies get here you can find what's most comfortable for you. As for the pillow I have the my Brest friend twin delux and I love it. I only use it while I'm in bed though. If I'm nursing in there bedroom in the rocker I use my boppy and two A&A blankets to prop them a little higher. If I'm down stairs in my lazy boy I don't use anything I have enough support that I prefer to hold them. It's all a lot of trial and error. I know a few moms have the twin z pillow on here but it's a small fraction compare to those with the MBF. Hope that helps some!

CNYBride05

I think I could've written @amylou333's post verbatim . Except that I just have them sit on my lap now since they are big enough and not too floppy

carrotcake06

Ditto @melissalynay90.

I almost always tandem. I use the MBF pillow but the twin z does look useful. One thing I like about the MBF is that it's very firm so it supports the weight of a baby on either side.

I bf my oldest (singleton), so BFing the twins was like riding a bike - it all came back to me after they were born. So totally doable, but not without challenges either. I have a great support system that is very supportive of bf and it makes a big difference.

karah4816

Tandum feeding right now on the my breast friend. I use it every time I feed them and I don't think I'd be able to tandum feed without it. Sure, feeding one at a time is easier but you get a lot less sleep that way. There were times when my babies would eat for an hour and then want to eat again an hour later, if I fed them one after the other I would have been breast feeding 24 hours a day.

twinmom1121

I tandem feed and solo feed my 8 week old twins. If they are hungry at the same time or im trying to save time before going somewhere we tandem but any other time I feed them separately. I do use the breast friend twin nursing pillow. I didn't start tandem feeding until they were about 4 weeks because it was harder to get them both latched on if I didn't have any help. Now that they can hold themselves on a little better its much easier. But I do prefer solo feeding most of the time. During the night I solo because usually one will wake up first so I'll feed him in the nursery and by the time he is done the other one is ready. Lately though they have been either sleeping through the night or only getting up once! So no need to tandem at night. I think it's definitely doable though! Good luck!

xoexpat

I was 100% sure I'd tandem feed all the time...but I didn't end up liking it much. It's a lot easier now that the twins are older and we pretty much always tandem during the day now. I'm not a fan of the twin nursing pillow. When they are newborns they can fit on a Boppy which is multipurpose as well. Here's what I really think about tandem feeding and the pillow: https://projectprocrastinot.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/breastfeeding-twins-positions.html

ehpope

I agree with a lot of the previous posters. When I tandem fed I just used the boppy with other pillows underneath for support. I would suggest having a nurse or LC help you in the hospital and get hubby or someone who can help you get set up the first couple of weeks! Good luck!!!

Abz428

I'm tandem feeding at the moment also. I have the Double Blessing by SanDiego Bebe. Love it! At first, it was a real challenge since we were all still learning, so I usually fed them one at a time. Once they could latch on their own, tandem was far more effective for us. I agree to see a lactation consultant as much as you can in the hospital, and make sure someone at home knows how to help. For those first few weeks, two hands just aren't enough! Tandem nursing is totally realistic and so worth it, when you look down and see your babes holding hands while they eat!

dmurrie

To go off on a slight tangent, I had a boppy with my singleton... and hated it. It didn't fit, kept slipping, and was nowhere near high enough, so pillows were more effective. If anyone else had those feelings, which twin pillow worked for you? Or in this case, am I much better off building a blanket and pillow mountain?

xoexpat

I hated the twin pillow! I would borrow one if possible before making the purchase. When they are very small you can use a regular hoppy, but I found regular pillows to be the best option. (after feeding them individually, of course!)