Moms of multiples???

laurelconklin

How long did you breast feed or pump and feed strictly just breast milk for before transitioning into formula? 
I have 11 week old twins and I am wanting to start cutting back because of the time it takes to pump to produce enough milk for the both of them. It’s really starting to become a quality of life issue for myself.  I am struggling cutting back though so I am looking for advice from other moms of multiples. 
Thank you!!! 

AandDM2014

I stuck with it for 8 months with my triplets. I had to supplement with donor milk the whole time.

more14

I had to exclusively breadfeed one twin for a while and the other only took a bottle so I pumped for him. I managed to hold on for 4 months. After that I couldn't do it anymore, it was taking all my energy and time and I had enough. We switched the breastfeeding twin to formula and that was it.

doubleblessings1124

Did any ladies do tandem breastfeeding? My twins are 6 weeks old but were born 6 weeks early. I have been tandem breastfeeding for 5 weeks now. We do about 2 bottles a day of my milk. Trying to build up a big frozen stash. How much milk did you guys keep frozen at a time? Did you ever have to use it?

wabash15

I pumped and BF for 13 months with twins and then BF morning/night till 21 months. it was a shit ton of work. Do what ever works for you. also there is no saying they can't get a mix of formula and BM

@doubleblessings1124 my twins struggled with latching for a while So I did not start tandom BF untill 8 weeks but even then I did not do it a ton. mostly because that was my limited one on one time with them.  I went back to work so I froze 25oz a day and sent the rest of my pumped milk fresh... (daycare used a combo of frozen and pumped milk) I think the largest my stash ever got was about 500oz, but I needed it. anytime I got sick my supply would take a hit and around 9 months my supply started to get lower so I was not pumping as much.

kmvisioli

I EBF my twins for 15 months, pretty much always tandem the whole first year (until they got way too big and squirmy to both be on me, and started wrestling each other lol). I just hated dealing with bottles and did not have the time for pumping, so I kept going with small goals, just one more day, then one more week, then to three months, etc. I definitely recommend meeting with an IBCLC if you haven't already. As far as stash, I would usually pump once at night so there was enough milk in the freezer for an occasional date night.

doubleblessings1124

Props to you all! I have been working with lactation which is helpful. My twins are OK at breast but it's so hard to know if they are getting enough. We do bottles of EBM as well and I often supplement with that after breast if they still seem hungry. Anyone ever had to use nipple shields? My twins were premature and have high palates so have been using them since day one. Have tried without but they can't. Hoping to one day end them. Also hoping my twins get more aggressive with breast feeding over time. They are really only 2 weeks old corrected age right now. 

kmvisioli

@doubleblessings1124 I used a nipple shield with my older son, but not my twins. One of mine had a high palate, but my chiropractor was actually able to correct it. I also borrowed an infant scale from a friend so I could do weighed feeds from time to time- it's so hard to feel confident they're getting enough when you have 2! Keep up the good work!

wabash15

@doubleblessings1124 I had to use a nipple shield with one of my twins but was able to stop at around 8 weeks (they were born at 37+3) so if your twins were early they might need the shield for a while yet

macchiatto

I only made it a month with my twins. It was challenging! I also have MS and my doctor wanted me to get back on my medication as soon as possible, so that ended up factoring in. (My initial hope was to make it six months before going back on the Rx.)