Is it REALLY possible to EBF twins??

Ecarr38

I ask because I EBF my twins (almost 11 weeks); well, at their 2 month checkup, their pedi encouraged me to supplement to give myself a break.  I haven't yet because they are both gaining weight, having good wet and dirty diapers, and seem content after eating.  Well, this has seemed to change in the last week or so. At night, I can't seem to fill their bellys, and they cry even after nursing for 20 minutes!    I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE the thought of giving them formula but I hate the thought of putting my LO's to be hungry even more.  I am taking Fenugreek, pumping after each (or almost every) feeding, and giving them a lot of time to empty each breast.

I know that some women have EBF successfully for a long time, but is that the norm?  I know that once I do supplement, it could impact my supply but I'm pumping like mad and I don't know what to do. 

I love BF and I don't want to do anything to jeapordize it, but I don't know if I can keep up with two very big eaters.  (When I do pump, I am giving them 3.5 oz bottles, which they drain fairly quickly).

 

jalaiaa

I wholeheartedly disagree with your pedi. We're at 6 months and have never had to supplement. Your babies will go through a lot of growth spurts, this is probably one of them. You feel like they aren't satisfied and that you're nursing all the time and it is hard but it is normal, won't last and actually it builds your supply for their future. Drink LOTS of water, hunker down with snacks and it will be over soon. You can do it. Good job so far mama. 

Kellymom.com has great resources on supply:

 https://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/index.html 

ervin412@gmail.com

I say stick with it if your sanity is ok with it! My guess is that they could be possibly going through their 3 month growth spurt right now (I'm pretty sure my girls are too). My advice is keep doing what you're doing, feed them when they're hungry and your supply should adjust. Hopefully within a week or so, this spurt will pass. Kudos to you for EBF!!! I REALLY wish I could be in your shoes!

jalaiaa

Thought I would add that early on my babies nursed for 45 min-1 hour most times. Now, after 6 months, we're at 15-20. 

sfshawna

Definitely possible to EBF twins, especially if you've come this far. And, if you need to supplement occasionally with a bottle of formula it will not affect your supply. I am by no means an expert, but I've been nursing my twins for almost 16 months, and we've gone through maybe 3 big cans of formula in their life so far -- not a lot, but enough to allow me to never have to pump (I really really don't like pumping!!) if I needed to be away or if a baby seemed unsatisfied. I i just made sure that any supplementation was staggered -- if I supplemented with a bottle one night, I would wait at least 2 days before doing so again. You're probably experiencing a growth spurt or just general fussiness that wouldn't be helped by a bottle of formula anyway. Stick with it!! It gets so much easier and more enjoyable

RunnerGirl17

I EBF, and my girls are almost 6-months-old.  I've been through milk blisters and plugged ducts along with growth spurts like people mentioned and have yet to supplement with formula.  It's definitely possible, although it is hard.  If you feel fine with it so far, stick with it.  Only you can decide when it gets to be "too much".  

One thing I've started doing with my girls lately is pumping an extra bottle at night after their bedtime (granted they're almost 6-months-old so they're sttn, which I'm guessing your LO's aren't doing at 2.5-months-old).  So, they get they're last meal at 7:30pm (one eats from the boob and the other from a bottle) and I pump at 10-10:30pm before going to bed.  Whatever I pump at 10pm is the bottle meal for the next day's 7:30pm feeding.  If you have time, maybe try to pump between feedings if they have a long sleep stretch at night.  I found that I just don't have enough milk at 7:30pm - I think my body is exhausted at that point and can't make more milk no matter how much I pumped and tried to give it the message that it needs to make more.  So, one baby gets a bottle then and the other gets me.

Also, I've taken fenugreek in the past and noticed a slight improvement in my milk supply. 

Good luck!  Congrats on going this long! 

macchiatto

You're doing great to get this far! I was only to BF for a month b/c of needing to get back on my MS meds, but I know www.twinstuff.com has a breastfeeding forum that might be helpful.

Mrs.Burdick

Yes, it is very possible to EBF twins.  My twins are almost nine months old and we are still nursing.  My oldest child self-weaned at 14 months.  I plan to nurse the twins until they are ready to self-wean.

sunnybrook.

jalaiaa:

I wholeheartedly disagree with your pedi. We're at 6 months and have never had to supplement. Your babies will go through a lot of growth spurts, this is probably one of them. You feel like they aren't satisfied and that you're nursing all the time and it is hard but it is normal, won't last and actually it builds your supply for their future. Drink LOTS of water, hunker down with snacks and it will be over soon. You can do it. Good job so far mama. 

Kellymom.com has great resources on supply:

 https://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/index.html 

 

This exactly. My girls are 6 months and we have not supplemented since they left the hospital. The growth spurts are brutal....I felt like I was starving them and the crying and pounding on my breast for more was heartbreaking. It doesn't last long and eventually everything adjusts so you won't even know when they're going through a growth spurt. Supplementing at this stage will likely make the situation worse and should probably be avoided. You can do this! Hang in there!

dtwmco

Yep!  13+ months here!  I never had an awesome supply - I did pump extra sessions overnight for when they started going to daycare PT.

We didn't start solids until 6 months, and DDs have thrived wonderfully.  Even my supply wasn't "awesome," I guess it was enough.  I did have to supplement in the beginning due to the girls being preemies and getting my supply up, but I did stop and never return to formula!

Good luck - it can be tough!

gumiberg

dtwmco:

Yep!  13+ months here!  I never had an awesome supply - I did pump extra sessions overnight for when they started going to daycare PT.

We didn't start solids until 6 months, and DDs have thrived wonderfully.  Even my supply wasn't "awesome," I guess it was enough.  I did have to supplement in the beginning due to the girls being preemies and getting my supply up, but I did stop and never return to formula!

Good luck - it can be tough!

wow, this exactly...even the overnight sessions and PT daycare bit.  We're only 11 months, though.

I laugh at your pedi.  A break?  Making formula and cleaning bottles is a break? LOL!  Just wait, once you get over this hurdle it will just get easier. and easier. and easier.

MamaCrystal

I can't believe your pedi said that to you!!  I EBF'd our girls until very recently (they're 6 1/2 months old), and they still get probably 90-95% breastmilk.  I started one formula bottle in the late afternoon because we were often out of the house at that time, hubby was getting home from work, etc. so it's just easier.   That said, that bottle always ends up being a combo bottle anyway because I use refrigerated milk left over from a pumping session earlier in the day.  I've never taken Fenugreek or anything (only had bouts of decreased supply due to mastitis and clogged ducts), I just make sure eat well and drink enough water, but I've always had a good supply (and actually had oversupply when I started bf'ing our 2nd son).

Good luck!  Hang in there and don't let anyone discourage you!!

CateElizabeth

My pedi said the same thing to me in the beginning, when I was trying to BF both and pump after each feeding.  She was just trying to help me stay sane and get some rest, which I appreciated, even though I didn't want to give up on anything.  As it turned out, one of our boys didn't BF past 6 weeks, but now he gets EBM from my pumping.  As possible as it is to EBF twins, I wouldn't say it is the norm.  We work with a night nanny service that specializes in twins, and they are always telling me that I'm one of the only clients that BFs.  So that's my market research.  Sounds like you're doing great!  If you are enjoying it, keep it up!  I'm at 4 months now, and I have to admit that it's quite a struggle and I'm looking forward to hitting the 6 month mark, when I plan to cut back a bit.  GL!

themathgirl

at 3 weeks my boys weren't gaining fast enough and we started supplementing with formula. We did that for a while and now they haven't had formula in about a month - plus I've built a freezer stash (not huge but it' s starting!). Supplementing helped in our case. We offered them a bottle of formula if they didn't seem completely satisfied after nursing and they took it less and less as my supply rose to meet demand. It helped my sanity because I knew they were getting enough to eat.

Sounds like you are in a bit of a different situation though and if they are getting enough I wouldn't supplement. Having to deal with bottles is a whole other drain on your sanity!

Ms.Priss

EBFing here for 3 1/2 months...growth spurts are brutal and I have been close to supplementing many times, but always stop and think that they are growing and have wet and dirty diapers....so they are fine!!! I also have a fear of formula giving them a belly ache! I am thinking of starting rice cereal slowly at 4 months and then food at 6 months!  Hang in there it is tough but definitely doable! Oh, and I hate washing bottles, I am back to work so my LOs get 3 pumped bottles a day and I despise washing bottles!

officerswife07

EBFeeding here and still going strong! (although I am trying to wean them now... TRYING being the key word, I was hoping they would self-wean!)

We have been fortunate to not need a single drop of formula! I think giving yourself a break is a very odd thing for him to say, I mean you have done great so far and I think you have made it through some of the toughest times of BFing!

na24

If they are growing well and are not losing weight or anything, don't listen to your pediatrician.  I EBF'ed our girls for a year and they are doing just fine.  Your supply will increase if your babies want more.  Just make sure you put them to the breast whenever you think they are hungry so their sucks stimulate more production.  

Keep at it!  You'll be just fine.  Hang in there.  

MrsDonnelly2007

jalaiaa:

Thought I would add that early on my babies nursed for 45 min-1 hour most times. Now, after 6 months, we're at 15-20. 

Ditto, but we're at 4 months now.  They are so much more efficient and have been gaining weight perfectly (see my 4 month stat post) the ped. has been very happy with their growth and never suggested I supplement, only if I wanted to so mh could feed them while I pump to build my freezer stash before I go back to work.