If you are thinking of breastfeeding your twinnies, keep reading to hear some first-hand experiences from moms that have done breastfeeding feeding for TWO babies and are now on the other side of it. Enjoy these twin breastfeeding stories.
August is National Breastfeeding Month, and to honor this month, we’ve compiled some first-hand twin breastfeeding stories to help promote, protect, and support the breastfeeding efforts of all MoMs! Although we fully support National Breastfeeding Month, here at Twiniversity, we believe that a fed baby (from the breast or from a can) is a happy baby!
You Know What is Best for Your Babies
My twins Otis & Banksia were born at 35+1 weeks. I always knew I wanted to breastfeed, but I had no idea how many barriers there would be for us.
For the first few days, my babies were being tube-fed formula, and I was desperate for my milk to come in. I started hand-expressing colostrum as soon as they were born and then progressed to using my electric pump. On just day 2, I was worried my milk was taking too long to come in.
I gave birth in a hospital where there was no Lactation Consultant employed (at the time), and I had no idea what I was doing in regard to breastfeeding. I was going to practice a 3 hours feeding schedule and would attempt to breastfeed my twins. But because they were so sleepy, their mouths were so tiny, and my nipples/breasts were so much larger, it wasn’t a smooth process.
A nurse in the Special Care Nursery suggested I start pumping after every feed, so I did. I would use my pump for 15 minutes after each feed. My milk came in on day 3. Because of all the pumping I was doing, this caused a huge over supply, I ended up getting mastitis. Thankfully, one beautiful nurse came on shift who was studying to become a Lactation Consultant, and she advised me to cut right back on the pumping (or only do enough to feel comfortable), hot and cold compress, warm showers, gentle massages, and essential oils.
After being discharged, I was tandem feeding the twins and using nipple shields in the beginning, plus I was still suffering from mastitis off and on. One of my twins was slower with their weight gain, and my pediatrician advised I should swap them to the formula to speed up their weight gain. I tried using formula to top off after breastfeeding, but this made no difference to the weight gain of twin B. So I went back to just breastfeeding and trusted that as they got bigger and stronger, breastfeeding would become like 2nd nature to all of us.
And guess what? It did! I eventually stopped using nipple shields, my supply regulated, and my babies were putting on weight beautifully. One year later, my babies are thriving. I tandem-fed them for 11 months and continue to breastfeed them now.
Breastfeeding is not always seamless. It’s okay not to enjoy every single second of breastfeeding. It is hard work. Breastfeeding two babies at once is incredible for any amount of time! -Bella U.
Your Body Knows what to do, Trust it!
In the beginning, it was very hard for me to breastfeed two babies. I used formula right away and treated my breast milk as a complementary to formula. Little by little, I started to have more faith in my body.
My body was able to carry, grow, and care for two babies, so, of course, my breasts could handle two babies, too. I started to treat my breast milk as the main source of nutrition, and it worked!
I actually saw big developments in my babies in terms of less fussing (among other things, too).
Have faith, ladies. God blessed us with two for a reason, and we are able to take care of them on all levels. -Aisha
Sometimes Unsolicited Advice is the Best Advice
I have four-month-old twin boys and a three-year-old. I exclusively breastfed my three-year-old successfully until he turned one. Breastfeeding was something I wanted to do for my twins, but I was worried about producing enough milk. I feel like it is beaten into our heads that breast is best, and somehow, using formula is failing.
When I gave birth, I had a nurse who also had twins. She was very outspoken with tips, and she told me her biggest regret was trying to breastfeed exclusively. She wished she hadn’t put so much pressure on herself to produce milk so she could have relaxed more and taken in her babies. I really took that to heart and, at that moment, decided to listen and take her advice.
I’m happy to say that breastfeeding has worked out with my boys, but they get about a bottle a day of formula and sometimes more if they need it. They’re happy and fed, and I’m happy to have the connection of breastfeeding but also the freedom to use formula when needed.
Don’t put pressure on yourself to live up to extreme ideas. Do what works best for your family and enjoy the time you have because they grow up so fast. -Kassie S.
I Hated Breastfeeding
I hated breastfeeding. There, I’ve said it. I hated breastfeeding, end of story.
Okay, fine, I’ll elaborate.
I decided very early on in my first pregnancy (my only singleton) that breastfeeding was the only option. I cringe now, thinking about why. My breastfeeding decision was based on health & immunity for the baby (40%), the possibility of help losing the post-baby weight (35%), and peer pressure (30%). Yep, I totally gave in to the “but everyone else is doing it” pressure.
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My sister had twins a decade before me, and she successfully breastfed while they were spending most of their day under bili lights. She made it look easy. My sister-in-law breastfed all three of her children. She went on about her life as if this was a simple task and in no way disrupted her life.
My husband and I never actually discussed our feeding plan for our newborn. I’m sure he assumed I would breastfeed, and so did I. So I did. My daughter was a natural at latching. But she was a soother. She would nurse for a minute or two, and then she would soothe for 5 minutes. Each nursing session lasted 45 minutes to an hour. At first, it was fine. I thought for sure that this was just what newborn babies do. NOPE. At three months postpartum, I went to see a location consultant because my baby was very fussy. I was also about to go back to work and couldn’t do 45-minute feedings every two hours.
One hour and $150 dollars later, I was told I needed to power pump to increase my supply (to help with the fussiness) and to get my daughter a pacifier for her soothing. I then spent the next three months pumping for 10-15 minutes after I nursed. My supply never increased, I was a solid 30-minute pumper for 4 oz of breast milk. I made it 11 months, and I’ve never felt so good about quitting something in my entire life.
I knew breastfeeding was not for me and if we had any more children, I would not be breastfeeding. Three years later…Congratulations, you are going to have TWINS. Do you know how much it costs to feed twins with formula? Two Trillion Dollars (maybe I’m exaggerating, but this is what it felt like). I was going to have to breastfeed these babies to save a bit of money! So, it turns out I would be breastfeeding again.
When the twins made their debut, Baby B was in our room with us almost immediately, but Baby A was in the NICU. I started nursing baby B, and again, he was a champ. Luckily, he wasn’t the soother his older sister was, but I wasn’t going to let him be either. Baby A started on formula due to her situation. And honestly, Baby B was supplementing with it, too. I started pumping immediately to increase my supply. I tandem-fed my babies for the first two months, and then they were too big, and my supply wasn’t enough. I started an alternating combo feeding schedule. I’d nurse one baby and give the other baby a bottle and then switch at the next feeding. I did this until the twins were eight months old.
When my breastfeeding journey was over, I was not sad. I did what I felt I needed to do, but I still did not enjoy the journey. I felt like a dairy cow, but also felt inadequate. I was not an on-the-go nursing momma, so besides work, I didn’t leave the house much. This took a toll on my health (mental and physical).
This was my twin breastfeeding story. Take it for what it is: a mom who did what she needed to do, even though she didn’t want to. -Amanda H.
These twin breastfeeding stories are a testament to the strength and determination of mothers everywhere. If you take one thing away from these twin breastfeeding stories, it should be that no breastfeeding journey is the same and should not be compared. You are running your own race, mama! Remember that no matter what challenges you might face in your twin breastfeeding journey, a fed baby is a happy baby!
Twiniversity Staff Writer
