I’ve heard of women who has plans on breastfeeding, but once they hear they’re having twins they don’t think it’s possible. Will I have enough milk? Will it take a lot of time? How can I possibly do it?
Breastfeeding is not easy. It doesn’
t come naturally. So the first and most important thing to do is to have support. If you’re planning on breastfeeding, attend breastfeeding classes, talk to lactation consultants, read books, talk to other mothers. You can never have too much information when it comes to breastfeeding, especially if breastfeeding twins.
Twins are more likely to be born premature and stay in the NICU. If this is the case, be prepared to pump and bring the milk to the hospital. You may even be encouraged by NICU nurses to breastfeed in the hospital, depending on the health of your baby. It is also likely that while your twins are in the hospital, they will be fed formula. Do not despair. Having formula doesn’t have to be the end of breastfeeding. Once your twins are home, then you can ditch the pump and fully breastfeed. If your twins are premature, the doctor may ask you to give formula for a little while.
My twins were born at 33 ½ weeks. They stayed in the NICU for 10 days. In those 10 days, I pumped. I pumped even if I had nothing; the nipple stimulation is important for milk production. The girls were born on a Monday, my milk didn’t come until that Friday when I was released from the hospital. But whatever I did get, I brought to the NICU. Though my breastfeeding journey almost ended before it even began because of my trouble with the pump, but if there is a will, there’s a way and the problem was solved.
Breastfeeding at Home
Once the girls came home, I put them on the breast immediately, together, one on each breast. It was awkward, and I definitely needed a second pair of hands. In bed, in the middle of the night, I had to use tons of pillows, but it worked. I didn’t even have to wake my husband for help. The coming weeks, I finally bought a twin breastfeeding pillow and it became even easier as far as getting in the right position. The NICU doctor told me to feed the babies preemie formula two times a day, so I did. I reserved these in the afternoon and before bedtime, but only after I had already breastfed. After about 3 weeks or so, I finally stopped giving the preemie formula and went 100% breastfeeding. It was a good thing too, since breastfeeding followed by formula feeding took too much time.
During the day, I positioned myself on a big sofa. I placed one on either end (surrounded by some pillows incase they slipped and fall off), while I sat in the middle. I buckle the twin nursing pillow around me (yes, it has a buckle) and got one baby at a time. After they finished, I took them off one at a time and placed them back on either side of the sofa.
It’s probably hard to believe, but breastfeeding my twins took shorter than when I breastfed my son (singleton). My son was on each breast for 10-15 minutes. With the twins, I had them on for about 15-20 minutes. I didn’t need to switch them, though I did switch them the next feeding session so my breast wouldn’t be lop sided (the girls ate differently). At times when I felt that my breast weren’t getting as full, I breastfed more often. I ended up breastfeeding my twins for 14 months.
Breastfeeding Outside the Home
In public, it isn’t possible to breastfeed twins together, so I breastfed one at a time. I was in a store one day when I had to feed them. In the mother’s room, I breastfed one while rocked the other (in the car seat) with my foot. The key to breastfeeding one at a time is to feed the earlier than they normally eat and to start with the one that may get cranky first. When the twins are old enough to be eating solids, I breastfed one while my husband fed the other with solid food (not too much of course, as baby may get too full to breastfeed).
Putting Twins on the Same Feeding Schedule
All the twin moms I’ve talked to told me to keep them on the same schedule. Luckily for me, the NICU nurses started them this way (though sometimes off by 30 minutes). So I just kept the same schedule when they came home. They fed together, they slept together. Of course one sometimes fell asleep faster and longer than the other, but I still kept them in the same schedule. I either waited a few more minutes for the other to wake up, or woke her up. There were times that we got off sync (by as much as an hour), but we went back on the same schedule in the next feeding or so – one ate earlier than the usual interval and the other ate later than usual. Though my twins were in the same schedule, it was important for me to still be flexible.
I hope this helps those who would like to try to breastfeed their twins. Prepare yourself, stay calm, relax, take deep breaths and enjoy.
(November 22nd) (
