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Multiples
Questions about BFing twins
I BFed my boys and want to with the twins. I have some questions for those who BF or did BF. I ordered Mothering Multiples and am waiting for it. Thanks for any help.
I read about tandem nursing. If you feed them both at the same time, are they satisfied off one side? What if one or both are still hungry? I don't remember my boys always being satisfied with one side.
Which nursing pillow do you like? I used a boppy with my boys and liked it. I've looked online at the EZ2Nurse, My Breast Friend, and Twin Z. I would like to be able to wash the cover b/c I know it will need it.
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Re: Questions about BFing twins
Mine were always satisfied with just the one side. I switched sides every feeding, although I know some MoMs only switched every day.
I had a lot of success with the EZ2Nurse.
Mothering Multiples is a great book- I'm glad you're getting it. I went back to that over and over. They were satisfied with one side because your body produces twice as much milk. That said, there were a few times when one of them would hit a crazy growth spurt or something and want to keep eating more, and I would sometimes switch them to the other side after the other had eaten.
As pp said, I switched them at every feeding. I used Itzbeen timers to keep track of sides and lots of other stuff, but you could also use an app if you have an iphone.
I really really loved my San Diego Bebe Twin Nursing Pillow. I highly recommend checking it out! https://www.doubleblessings.com/
Good job on getting Mothering Multiples! It's a great resource.
I nurse DDs together and they are satisfied off of one side. Your body will make twice as much milk and one side should be sufficient. I do switch sides each feeding and use the My Brest Friend twin pillow. It has been worth every penny!! I haven't used the others, so I can't speak to them but the Brest Friend is very handy (a little bulky, as PP mentioned, but once your babies are almost 9 months old you need that space!) We still use it every feeding. The cover is removable and washable. Thank goodness, that thing has been spit up on more than I care to think about!
HTH!
I almost always tandem nurse my boys, even at night, because they are so in sync they tend to wake hungry at the same time!
I started them out on just one side from day 1, and my body adjusted to their needs as my milk came in. I did supplement a little in the beginning, maybe 1-2 ounces a day, per baby. But I don't think I really needed to, it was more for peace of mind. If you've BF before, your body should have no problems whatsoever making enough milk for two babies.
I try to switch sides at every feeding, though I do miss from time to time. In the beginning I wore scrunchies on my wrists, blue for Ben, red for Alex, and flipped them after each feeding. Now I just remember who was where (or fake it cuz they eat about the same and I don't think it matters that much anymore).
I'm still using my boppy for every feeding, though I do have to bend over a bit which hurts my back some days. But since I'm home alone with the boys, I needed something that wasn't too cumbersome. I usually grab one baby and lay him on the couch, safely protected by pillows. Then I grab the other baby and my boppy, get the boppy in place, place the second baby that's still in my arm, then grab the other baby. I always feed football hold and I always do it on the couch or bed so that should one manage to roll off the boppy, they aren't going far.
Mothering Multiples is an awesome book!!! It will help you adjust to al the intricacies of nursing 2 versus 1, I loved it.
I nursed my girls for 18 months. When they were small (until around 7 months I think?) I tandem nursed. I used the EZ2Nurse pillow, which worked well for me. It is bulky, but I was able to lay one girl down on the bed our couch by me, get the other lifted and latched, and then pick up the second girl and get her latched by myself. The EZ2Nurse pillow is taller than a boppy, so I was able to sit up straight and nurse, and not slouch like I would have had to with a boppy. I did trade sides with each feeding in the beginning, but eventually each of them took to a side and stuck with it. I never offered both breasts to either of them, so my supply was enough for both.
Once they were 7 or so months, they were efficient enough nursers, and wiggly enough, that it was easier to feed them individually.
I will also recommend the Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk. It gave quite a bit of good information on how to pump to bring in your supply if you have NICU babies, how to get a baby from bottle to breast, and nursing multiples. I found it very helpful.
My girls were in the NICU for 2 weeks, and didn't fully come to the breast until their EDD, about 5 weeks after they were born. It took determination, and dedication to pumping, but I'm glad I pushed through and we were able to enjoy a long nursing relationship.
Mine are satisfied on one side. Your supply will tailor itself to how you and your babies feed. I've fed my girls one boob each feed since birth, so each side makes a full feed for each baby.
I love the Brest Friend. It's been very helpful. I also like that the cover comes off in pieces, so if only one part needs washing, I don't have to strip the whole pillow.
Dx: MFI- 3% morph
IUIs: Gonal-F + Ovidrel + b2b IUI= BFNs
IVF with ICSI= BFP! EDD 11/25/11
3/18- Beta #1 452! 3/20- Beta #2 1,026!! 3/27- First u/s- TWINS!
Our twin boys arrived at 36w5d due to IUGR and a growth discordance
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
As others have said, your supply adjusts for two babies. Be prepared - my boobs got HUGE when my milk came in since I had a double supply!
As for pillows, I loved My Breast Friend. From previous discussions on the board the people who have EZ 2 Nurse like it, and the people who have My Breast Friend like it. So I think you can't make a bad call. I did use my pillow a lot - it was very helpful to tandem.