Multiples

Tandem nursing - does it get easier or harder?

We've been tandem nursing since day one, and my twins are now 6 weeks. It was never really hard, but I thought it would get easier as they grew and gained more control of their bodies. However, at this point right now, it's getting harder. They are doing that head bobbing thing and my son has a large head, lol, meaning he hits me or his sister often. They tend to get gassy so I like to burp them in the middle of the feeding, but now that they are bigger when I work on putting one upright the other often pops off and gets mad. Overall, they are just feeling big and clunky and I don't feel like it's going as smoothly as it always did - it's getting downright frustrating at times.

I've been nursing them one at a time more often, and it's so peaceful! But at the same time, though they've been getting quicker, eating still takes awhile, and I have a 3 year old to contend with as well.

Any advice? Have any tips for making tandem nursing 6 weekers easier? Do you think I am just in a tough stage and it will get easier?  Or did you switch to feeding one at a time as they got older?

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Re: Tandem nursing - does it get easier or harder?

  • If I remember correctly it will get easier.  And probably here pretty quickly.  I remember about 6 weeks being a big turning point for us.  I tandem nursed my girls probably 75/80% of the time until they were one and we weaned.  It just worked best for us/me.
    A baby octopus is about the size of a flea at birth. The loop on a belt that holds the loose end is called a 'keeper'.
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  • It will definetly get easier as they gain more head control, nurse faster and get bigger! Hang in there! I tandem nursed my boys 99% of the time. It was very hard up until about 3 mo. Around 4 mo. mine started holding hands while they nursed and they could make it through a feeding and burp at the end. I needed so much pillow support and help before that age! From a few wks. to about 4 mo. I used the ez2 nurse twin feeding pillow. It made things easier. After that I used a boppy with regular pillow under it on my lap. I fed them in my recliner up against our bed where I would put another boppy and then when one was done and burped I would lie one down and burp the other. That chair was awesome and it stayed next to the bed for about 12 mos.:) My older girls were helpful in helping me get situated or to hold one baby on the bed while I got one latched on. Also, they would grab me blankets and stuff I needed. I also had another small table on the other side of the recliner w/ a glass of water at all times:)
    Caroline Faith 1.10.06, Audrey Alexis 11.1.07, Noah James & Ethan Alexander 6.17.10
  • it definitely gets easier. I don't think I ever fed them any other way but tandem. I know I tried once and couldn't do it right because it was awkward ;-) Anyways, I don't remember when it got easier, but it did. FWIW, I always used the ez2nurse pillow and when they were small, propped their heads with the cloth diapers or the hospital blankets rolled up. i don't remember anyone doing the head bopping thing though, so maybe that wasn't an issue.
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  • It gets easier!!!  Although I also don't remember the head bobbing...are their heads supported enough while you're nursing?

     Until they are super aware of their surroundings (like at 5-6 months) and then they get distracted and it gets hard again!  A different kind of hard though!

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