nursing twins thru growth spurts

nikinikinine

I'm going to lose my sh!t or my nips are going to fall off. DD is up to 40 mins a session every 75-90 mins. I just broke out a bottle and gave her milk from my freezer stock b/c I needed a break.

Do I need to nurse her directly or can I supplement with expressed milk to help get through this?

The last growth spurts they had were *NOTHING* like this.

 

leviandlandensmom

The reason why they are nursing so often is because they are soon going to be needing more per nursing session. Your boobs will adjust in a couple days, hang in there! I wouldn't bottle feed though because then your boobs aren't being stimulated to produce more to catch up with the babies' needs. HTH!

BeccaLandes

I honestly don't remember how I handled the early growth spurts... I remember feeling completely dried up and out of milk, though.  I think I ended up pumping more and also giving bottles, and having others help give bottles so I could get some breaks.  

Sorry about the nipples... the only thing I can say is that eventually it will pass.  I know it is rough, you are doing a great job! 

nikinikinine

BeccaLandes:

I honestly don't remember how I handled the early growth spurts... I remember feeling completely dried up and out of milk, though.  I think I ended up pumping more and also giving bottles, and having others help give bottles so I could get some breaks.  

Sorry about the nipples... the only thing I can say is that eventually it will pass.  I know it is rough, you are doing a great job! 

I totally feel like I have nothing left. I am pumping right now after several hours off and I'm not getting half of what I normally get. I can't tell if I'm losing my supply and they're having to nurse longer or if she's having a growth spurt  

4510heather

nikinikinine:

BeccaLandes:

I honestly don't remember how I handled the early growth spurts... I remember feeling completely dried up and out of milk, though.  I think I ended up pumping more and also giving bottles, and having others help give bottles so I could get some breaks.  

Sorry about the nipples... the only thing I can say is that eventually it will pass.  I know it is rough, you are doing a great job! 

I totally feel like I have nothing left. I am pumping right now after several hours off and I'm not getting half of what I normally get. I can't tell if I'm losing my supply and they're having to nurse longer or if she's having a growth spurt  

I went through this last week.  I had been working on moving from EP to a mix of BF and pumping and the growth spurt sent me back to EP.  I was going crazy!  Plus neither of them could get enough and they were both so fussy that we finally just caved and gave expressed BM at the end of each nursing session.  Our nursing sessions were lasting more than 2 hours (feed one baby, move on to next baby, just to have first baby get all fussy and want to feed again, so repeat, etc).   I ended up power pumping and drinking lots of mother's milk tea for a few days to make sure my supply increased with their demand.  I also freaked b/c some of my pumping sessions were yielding so little milk, but the power pumping got me back on track.

 Good luck! 

GSwans

Oh man, growth spurts are killer on the boobs.

I just nursed them, but I don't see why you can't use expressed milk.  My toughest growth spurt was their 6 week...I think at some points I was feeding for 45 min. and it was almost every hour.  Ouch.

GL.

jalaiaa

leviandlandensmom:

The reason why they are nursing so often is because they are soon going to be needing more per nursing session. Your boobs will adjust in a couple days, hang in there! I wouldn't bottle feed though because then your boobs aren't being stimulated to produce more to catch up with the babies' needs. HTH!

 

This. And I know it is awful, but just keep reminding yourself that it is temporary.  

QuincyGirl17

Ugh, Niki I'm with you!  My girls are 4 wks, and have been BFing every hr to 1 1/2 hrs for 4-5 days.  Its 430 am and I think I drifted off for about 30 min during the one break I've had tonight when neither was nursing!  Nips definitely falling off as I type.  PRAYING that this is nearing its end!!!