Tandem feeding (BF) not sure I like it?

basil2 · June 2014

So I had a really good breastfeeding relationship with my singleton. Babies are 4 wks old and doing well (EBF), latch, discomfort etc is all doing well at this point. I find myself not really liking to tandem feed. In particular the late day, clusterfeed, 2 hour marathon nursing with 2 is draining. I don't mind tandem feeding when they're both really hungry and it's not overly long, but having 2 constantly attached for hours seems to really wear me down. (And I can honestly say I don't enjoy those breastfeeding sessions the way I enjoy feeding one at a time). At this point I haven't tried to synchronize feedings, only tandem when they're both really hungry- but I know that will need to change when I go back to work (there just won't be time to feed them individually).

So talk to me about tandem feeding- do you like/dislike it? how does it change over time?

Also- any suggestions for position? (I have a my breast friend and also sometimes just use pillows- got on the floor this morning just to change things around- I can get myself comfortable enough for 10-15 min feedings, but never for longer feedings- either I'm leaning too far forward, or to far back).

Thanks

PurpleIris30 · June 2014

I didn't enjoy tandem feeding and only did/do it if there's a double meltdown emergency. I also work out of the home full time, and don't think that necessitates tandem feeding. My girls also nursed for 10-15 minutes at a time (and now it's 5-10 minutes), except for evening cluster feeding. They eat better when I don't tandem (less distractions) and I like the one on one time. There's certainly no rule that says you have to tandem or that it will work best for you.

jocie2581 · June 2014

I tandem feed 50% of the time. When my husband is home to assist.

My preferred tandem position is double laid back nursing. I get myself all comfortable lying on my back in bed proped with a two pillows under my head and a pillow on either side. Then the babies lie on me. Each along my chest, almost on the crevice created by my arm.

Hope that makes sense. I am struggling to describe it.

somewhereincali · June 2014

It changed overtime for me -

At first I HATED it but did it a lot (not on purpose) because they wanted to nurse a lot. I found it uncomfortable in terms of double letdown etc. But it got better overtime and I didn't mind it so much from like 1-2 months until like 6-8 at which point they ate less often and I liked getting to nurse one at a time just because it was more fun, so I mostly did that for a while.

As for position, the double pillow, sometimes with additional pillows, on a wide couch with a footrest was best for me

Until a year when they would immediately ask to nurse if they saw the other one nursing, so we started tandem again.

And then finally towards the end of nursing I started getting too touched out when they were both nursing at the same time so we made a rule that it was one at a time/take turns.

carrotcake06 · June 2014

I tandem almost exclusively but I went through a period w them where I would dread the evening (7ish) nursing session. I was tapped out and touched out and did not enjoy it. Exactly the same sentiment - nursing one baby is different.

Honestly, I pumped and bottle fed that feeding for a week or two. Even if I fed them the bottle, I didn't feel like I was so perpetually covered in babies.

It does pass. Or at least it did for me.

CJnKR2014 · June 2014

My boys are a week old and i hate to say this but personally i dont particularly care for breastfeeding in general. I continue to pump for them and give them my pumped milk because i know my milk is the best for them, but breastfeeding so far has just been a huge hassle. Its painful, it takes a really long time when they are melting down, and I'm having such a hard time getting them to latch. Once a baby is latched i LOVE the connection I have with the baby, it is truly amazing, but the process is just so frustrating.

TheDairyQueenx3 · June 2014

My boys are 7 months. We tandem feed exclusively until 6 months and now only do it 40% of the time. Now that they are bigger I find it easier to do one at a time because they are so long that they are all squished up in the chair. Tandem is not for everyone you just need to find what works best for you. I personally loved long tandem feeds because that meant to very quiet babies while my toddler and I got to play a game or spend time reading books.

katekat8721 · June 2014

Babies are two weeks old and tandem feeding isn't my favorite but it gets the job done. I like the post tandem feeding snuggles though

my favorite is the side laying one on one where we snooze together afterwards.

Aurora1181 · June 2014

Not to hijack the thread, but I must have missed the announcement about your girls @katekat8721! Congrats!!!!!!

katekat8721 · June 2014

Aurora1181 said:
Not to hijack the thread, but I must have missed the announcement about your girls @katekat8721! Congrats!!!!!!

Thank you!!

I need to do a PAIF announcement still! Lol

basil2 · June 2014

Thanks everyone!
It's nice to know I'm not the only one- I'll keep doing one at a time when possible and hope tandem feeding gets easier (and maybe the cluster feeding will settle down).
@CJnKR2014‌ it does get easier- I had a lot of discomfort with latch at 1wk- that's all better now that they're a little bigger/older.

SandraPB1220 · June 2014

Quick question for veteran tandem feeders. I only recently have started tandem feeding if both are awake and hungry. How do you handle burping after tandem feeding? Or if one finishes eating before the other?

twinmom1121 · June 2014

@SandraPB1220‌ I always tandem feed sitting on my bed because it gave me a bigger area to lay the babies down afterward. I usually burp one while the other one is still eating. It's a little tougher to balance but it always works ok for me. Or I'll just put him down and then burp when they are both done. I know some ppl use boppys to lay the babies in before and after tandem nursing but my babies never liked being on one so they just lay in front of me on the bed. Hope that answered your question!

badbridey · June 2014

We tandem feed once in a while. I use the twin breastfriend sitting cross legged on the bed with a pillow behind me, but my littles only eat for at most 20 minutes at a time - I couldn't imagine tandem feeding for much longer than that. I love to tandem feed because like pp said, you really have to slow down and enjoy that time. I especially love looking down at those two little heads on the pillow. However, I think it's actually easier to feed one at a time, especially with a toddler. I'm much more mobile so I can get up and help her with whatever she needs. Also, I feel like with the time it takes to set up the tandem feed (clearing the bed, getting out the bfing pillow, bringing each baby to the bed, etc), it almost evens out time-wise with feeding one at a time, since when my babies tandem they feed a bit longer anyway.

@CJnKR2014‌ don't feel bad, breastfeeding is really hard. The best advice someone gave me with my first DD was to just try to make it through the first couple of weeks - then things would get better. Everyone talks about how important and great bfing is, but not about how freaking hard it is. I guess that's not everyone's experience but that was mine. I actually gave birth to DD without any sort of medication, and I thought bfing was much more painful! (I had issues with latch and cracked nipples). But I kept with it, and it eventually got so much easier - I certainly didn't really enjoy it those first couple of weeks either.

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