Feeding twins - calling all experts!

ChristiansBride

Hi Ladies - I'm trying to get my brain wrapped around how to feed twins. I know there are certain things out of my control in terms of their needs when they arrive however i'd like to have some idea of what works/doesn't. I am also a little concerned with being the only source of food comfort for two babies. Any advice to help me feel more comfortable and prepared is greatly appreciated!

From what others have advised I should either:

1. Bottle feed with formula exclusively

2. Breast feed + pump and bottle feed

3. Breast feed + forumla bottle feed & not pump

Any advice on the above "recommendations" i've gotten so far? What worked for you? TIA!

mommyof4boys

I bottle fed with formula because my milk never came in well.  I would either hold one baby and put the other in a boppy/carseat or I put both in a boppy/carseat.

SCOOTER

If you want to keep up your milk supply, you should NOT do #3.  You will only make as much milk as gets removed from the breast.  Not emptying the breast by either pumping or feeding will result in you making less milk. 

You should do whatever works out best for you.  I started off pumping only.   Then bf and bottle feeding pumped milk.  When I had no more stash left in the freezer we did bf plus bottles of formula and bm mixed.   There is no rtried and true method.

nbjenni

I started off only pumping and bottle/tube feeding while the girls were in the NICU. Once home, I pumped and every now and then boobie fed.

But my supply wasn't the greatest, I was tired of never sleeping, and wanted my body back - so I quit pumping. We now formula feed and it was a very good decision for us.

MNheidi

Such a personal decision w/ so many different factors.  I really wanted to bf exclusively but when the boys had trouble latching on, I started pumping.  Up until recently the boys received 50% bm and 50% formula (at the beginning they got nearly 100% bm) all through the bottle.  I sit on the floor w/ a bouncy seat on each side which works well.  EPing w/ a small amount of formula is NOT the easy route but I really wanted to give them bm as long as possible.

jd0614

I pumped for 2 weeks exclusively (babies were in NICU and not able to breastfeed while there), but my body never produced enough milk to sustain them, even a little bit - Like, 1/2 an ounce one side, 1.5 the other.  So, after that I fed formula in bottles.  I use the boppies on the coffee table, pushed up against the couch and I sit indian style to feed them.