need advice: preparing to breast-feed/pump for twins

jamie&matt · August 2012

I'm 34w5d with mono-di boys, scheduled for an induction in 17 days (and hoping I make it til then!!!). I plan to breastfeed, but have a bit of a complication to work through and am hoping someone can give me advice. (I will have lactation consultants available to me at the hospital, but am trying to prepare & wrap my head around all of this beforehand, so that I'm not trying to figure it all out in the heat of the moment.)

Baby A has a lung abnormality and will likely be taken to the NICU immediately. We've been told to expect he will be there 2-6 days for observation, or to expect that he will need surgery and will have to stay for up to 3 weeks. (We're hoping & praying this is all worst case scenario and that he will just end up coming home with us. But still, need to prepare for the worst.)

As long as everything goes well, Baby B will be with me and will come home with me. So, we should be fine with getting breast-feeding established with B. Should I just plan on immediately starting to pump for A? I know the most ideal situation would be to pump at the same time I'm nursing, so that I could save myself some time and energy (I have 2 other children who I've nursed, so I'm familiar with the basic process, just not with having to deal with 2 at once!). But I'm wondering how soon I'll realistically be able to juggle a newborn & a pump at the same time.

Any thoughts/tips are appreciated. Thanks ladies!

Jen0204 · August 2012

Hand express. I got that advice a week or so after giving birth, but after reading about it later on I learned that there have been studies done and women who hand express can get up to 50% more milk then those who don't. Google "Stanford University hand expression" and watch the video on their website if you've never done it.

I would also start pumping right away. The hospital should be able to give you a pump to use while Baby A is in the NICU. The hospital grade pump will help to stimulate your breast milk and increase your supply. Definitely start right away because breast milk - especially the colostrum - is extremely important for babies in the NICU (it's important for all babies, but really helps preemies and babies with other issues). Our nurses called it liquid gold. They had a pump that I took home and a pump set up in the room in the NICU for me to use while I was there. There also gave me tons of containers so that I could pump at home and bring it in.

I never even attempted pumping while BFing but mine didn't latch well so trying to BF was always a production. I suppose you if yours latched well you could try, but our routine was always BF, bottle feed (my production sucked), put babies to sleep, pump. Of course, I don't have two others so it was easier for me. BFing never really got off the ground for me (I stopped pumping at 3 months and stopped trying to get them to latch around 4-6 weeks), but I was told that it was very important to pump at all feeding times since they were in the NICU and not there to BF (so my breasts still needed to be stimulated). Even though you'll have one to BF you'll still need to "tell" your body that it has to produce more then that one is taking.

Good luck!

rachelle2824 · August 2012

I would get set up with a hospital grade pump rental immediately and pump as much as possible until both are breastfeeding well (and maybe even a little longer if you have supply concerns.) Even the nicest over the counter Medela pumps are meant for maintaining a supply, not really building one. So I would get a rental for a month or two and pump while breastfeeding and then 10-15 minutes afterward if you can. This will help really establish a solid supply as well as getting plenty of milk out for baby A in the NICU (if necessary.) If you are lucky and start producing too much you can always freeze it for later, donate it etc and then wean yourself off the pump. It's a lot of extra work for a little while but remember it's just in the short term. I had to do the breastfeed, bottle feed, pump schedule for 10 weeks to establish a supply and wait until my twins were able to take full feedings at the breast...and they were full term without any special issues. It's hard work but a year later I can definitely say it was all completely, totally well worth it!!!

ColleenS629 · August 2012

I would start pumping for A immediately. I second PPs and recommend getting a hospital grade pump. Your insurance should cover the rental since A will be in the NICU.

Lyndsey13 · August 2012

I just had my girls 8/17 and I was pumping and nursing at the same time in the hospital. But my baby B is an excellent nurser. Baby A won't latch well. I've been pumping regularly to build supply.

jalaiaa · August 2012

There were days when I would watch TV, check email, eat a sandwich, nurse a baby and pump all at the same time. Sigh. Really though, it is definitely possible to pump and nurse at the same time. But I don't think I did it until later when my boys both had established good latches and weren't as high maintenance. If your LO has a good latch you can probably do it. It is a little awkward as you have to have the bottle at the right angle etc. But doable. Good luck and I hope for the best for your LO.

MuseumMaven · August 2012

I never had a baby in the NICU, but PP have given good advice from their own experiences. I just wanted to say good luck, and that it is absolutely possible to BF twins. Mine just self-weaned at 14 months.

jamie&matt · August 2012

Thank you so much ladies! All of this is very helpful advice, I really appreciate it.

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