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Six Tips on Breastfeeding Twins
Author: Stef Daniel
“You’re gonna do what?” That was the response I got from most folks once they heard how determined I was to breastfeed my twins. Indeed, I was a breastfeeding rookie. I was filled to the brim with hopeful optimism that made me dive, headfirst, into taking on the chore of breastfeeding twins. Even though it wasn’t easy, it was possible. I felt good knowing I was doing something healthy for my twins. Here are some of my tips to get you get through it!
You will likely want to breastfeed your twins exclusively. (I know that I did.) However, around the six-week mark, I realized I was becoming more of a wet nurse than a mother. I began pumping milk and storing it in bottles so that, when necessary, my eager family members could help me out. Twins will often have less milk, but will need it more frequently. This means that keeping up with two hungry babies can literally be a 24-hour job.
Try to keep the twins on similar feeding schedules. I would tandem breastfeed as much as possible. After a few weeks, my milk supply—in each breast—was more than sufficient to satisfy them both. This also helped me to get some rest because there were actually times during the first few months that the twins were NOT eating.
Get a nursing pillow. At first, I wanted to hold them both. As they got heavier, more cumbersome, I found myself with numb arms and fingers. The breast pillow helped me out and I could not imagine breastfeeding twins without one.
Try not to worry about anything else! As you adjust to breastfeeding, and the babies adjust to life outside the womb, you can get caught up in having too much to do and very little time to do it. Breastfeeding can be a relaxing endeavor, even with twins! If the house is a mess, or the laundry needs to be done, learn to ask for help. Your priority is to take care of yourself, and to feed those babies.
Make sure each baby is thriving. At the five-month mark, I found that one baby seemed to be thriving on the breast, but my other baby was not. Instead of forcing them to breastfeed, I supplemented with formula. Holding on to firm ideals will only hurt you in the end. Be flexible.
Last, but not least, make sure you are eating a lot! After giving birth, I just wanted to feel, and look, normal again. I wanted to lose weight and was careful about what I ate. However, breastfeeding twins consumed many calories and energy. I became drained and weak quickly. Be very diligent in choosing, and eating, nutritious foods and drinking plenty of water.
Additionally, twins born early may have problems latching on or might not have enough jaw strength developed. Be patient! Even if you don’t want to breastfeed twin’s long term, doing it for the first hours, days or weeks is good enough!
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