Multiples
aliwisewoman
member
Breastfeeding question
aliwisewoman
member
in Multiples
I was lying awake last night thinking about how I will breastfeed twins. I am experienced with breastfeeding but I'm not sure how I will get two floppy newborns onto my nursing pillow. How did you do it? I'd prefer to tandem nurse if I can figure it out. Even with one newborn, it feels like you are nursing all day! I'm imagining trying to carry two newborns to my recliner with a bulky twin nursing pillow, or having both babies nearby, setting one on the nursing pillow and as I reach down to grab the other baby the first one rolls off onto the floor! LOL I'm probably stressing over nothing, but until I can see this in action it is going to plague me!
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Re: Breastfeeding question
Emerson Lily 6 lbs 13 oz & Ellis Willow 6 lbs 9 oz
Throughout my pregnancy with my twins, breastfeeding was probably what I made the most anxiety about. I had nursed my other two children, but I worried I wouldn't make enough milk and I worried about the logistics of nursing two at a time. Well, my twins are now 13 months old, they've never had formula and we are still nursing! It's great that you already have experience nursing. That will help, for sure. When my twins were really little, I would bring them both to my bed or the couch and put them on either side while I set up my boppy and then I'd get them both latched on. I just saw it as something where I had to think through the steps ahead of time.
Since I had two other little ones (who were 2 and 3 when the twins were born), I felt it was definitely easier to tandem feed, for the sake of time. But even then, yes, you're pretty much nursing 'round the clock.
If you are committed to it, you will make it work! And like everything else, it gets easier with practice and with time. Good luck!
My advice is to have everything set up ahead of time. I would keep things set up by my couch during the day and my bed at night. I would put them in boppys next to me and get one on the nursing pillow, then reach over and get the other off the other boppy and put him on the nursing pillow, then work on latching one at a time.
If someone was there with me I would get one latched on, then have whoever was with me hand me the other baby and get him latched. I tandem nursed them until about 9 months, but now find it easier to do one at a time since they are so quick.
It is great that you have experience breastfeeding already. Good luck!
This was true for me as well. I could tandem them as newborns if I had help, but they needed too much help latching in the beginning for me to tandem on my own. By four months old or so they got to be really fast at nursing and it was just easier to do them one at a time. Around 11m we started to tandem again because when one nursed the other wanted to as well. By then it was easy because they could just sit on my lap.
The My Brest Friend Twin pillow was a huge help I used it nearly ever time I tandem nursed. I also sat on the floor a lot for tandem nursing because it kept me from having to worry about dropping one while settling the other.
I won't lie, it's crazy hard in the beginning, but so worth it! It was awesome to never pay for formula or have to go home because we forgot to pack bottles. Hot and fresh meals available 24/7!
It's tough tandem feeding newborns! I really couldn't do it without help for a while so I had to feed one at a time if I was alone for the first couple months at home. I was also using nipple shields in the beginning because they couldn't stay latched on, so that added another level of complexity. I usually fed them on the couch so I could put one on the breast while the other sat beside me and I didn't have to reach very far for him. I think if you can get past those first few weeks and months, it gets waaaay easier. Having a good support system really helps.
Peanut Butter and Jelly!
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You will do great especially being such an experienced BFing mom! Just remember you burn tons of calories BFing two so watch out for major cravings and eat lots of healthy calorie rich foods. One of mine pretty much gave up the boob around 12 mo so I decided to wean both at that time. I wish I could have gone a little farther but I was still pretty darn proud of making it to there with two preemies!
Peanut Butter and Jelly!
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Anyway, my point is that flexibility is going to be your best quality! and I mean in terms of adaptability, not physically!! be open to doing things differently than what you had imagined, and let your babies show you, too. The biggest thing I've learned is that you can't have everything planned out ahead if time. Read, ask questions, know your options, but know that things might look different than what you imagined!
I was also super concerned about bfing ftm but we are still going strong at 8 months. Good luck to you, hope this helps!