Comments on: Can breastfeeding multiples work?

By: Twinzplus3

Twinzplus3 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:29:12 +0000

Great post. I’m actually still nursing my twins. . .they’ll be 3 in June. But they were my 4th and 5th babies and that helped quite a bit. They were also full term. . .6.5 lbs. and 7lbs. even. That makes a HUGE difference! I too have such respect for moms who pump long term.

By: Michele

Michele — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:55:48 +0000

In response to Sadia’s post above, I had a similar circumstance. I used up family leave at 12 weeks, and had an 8 hour work day and 3 hour total commute each day from the time the babies were 3 months until they were 7 months (when my husband was transferred and we moved to a different state). At work, I pumped at least 3 times a day to have enough for the babies for the next day. They are still breastfeeding now at 11 months but, like Rebecca, I am starting to wean them (that experience would be a good post, if someone went through it already!) Anyway, my point is that you can be successful at breast feeding twins and work full time too, BUT, I will say I had a great company to work for - we had our own lactation room and it happened to be only about 30 steps from my desk. For those women forced to pump in a bathroom, or in their car - that is just wrong and I would never have been able to breastfeed as long as I did. Every company should have to provide a clean, private space for pumping.
For us, the key to success was
1. Mothers of Twins club - I heard stories from one woman that said she fell asleep with the pump on and after that could pump 6 bottles at a time! Also, another mom that said she bawled after pumping and then knocking a bottle over before it was capped - and her husband helpfully said “Now you are LITERALLY crying over spilled milk”.
Also, a third talked about how she heard the pump talking to her, giving her a little mantra. Remembering these stories helped me laugh during the rough times…

2. Long pregnancy, healthy babies. I am a definite proponent of GAINING WEIGHT EARLY ON if you are carrying multiples. There is a book about this that gives great advice … its from a woman doctor, the name escapes me right now.

3. Our first pediatrician was not that helpful. She had us supplement initially because she was worried about weight loss before my milk came in. I think she jumped the gun (she was young) but I dropped that supplementing as soon as they were on track.

4. Yep, fat babies. Very similar in weight to Rebecca’s: 5lbs 14 oz and 6pds 1 oz at 36 weeks 5 days.

5. I pumped as often as I could bear it during those first months ( I think I didn’t start until month 2) after feeding the babies - it really helps to drain the breast totally in order to increase your milk supply in the long run. Its depressing - only 1 or 2 oz but freeze it anyway - it adds up!

6. Super supportive husband, and MIL visited first week, my parents the second week. I did nothing but breast feed.

7. Tandem fed. I had to feed both at once, since I fed them so often - that was the ONLY way I could ever have a break. Even now, I feed them together except if I end up feeding them in the middle of the night. The EZ- to -Nurse pillow was the best thing I got to prepare for twins.

8. It was painful when they latched on (this post reminded me of that!) but I never had mastitis or anything. I also got bit when their teeth came in but I quickly learned to unlatch them as soon as they started playing around.

9. No schedule - on demand feeding all the way.

10. Sidelying position - we used a cosleeper that attached to the bed and during the night I never sat up. I ended up sleeping next to a baby until the other one cried and switching them out. It was the only way I could get enough sleep to make it to work the next day when they hit 3 months and I had to go back.

11. Again, I worked ALMOST full time ( I stayed home on Wednesdays) but that lactation room made it totally possible.

By: Sadia

Sadia — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:40:22 +0000

It seems (not surprisingly) that the most successful nursing-of-multiples stories are from moms who can be with their children 24/7. I’d like to throw in that I successfully nursed my twins to 7 months (one had pumped milk only for the last 2 months) while spending 11 hours, 5 days a week, on my work-and-commute day. I exhausted my leave when our babies were 11 weeks old. My secrets to success were a supportive work environment, a supportive daycare, an involved husband, exclusive breastfeeding at night and on weekends, and an acceptance that “sleeping through the night” was a far less crucial goal to us than long-term nursing. I did supplement with an enriched formula on the advice of our pediatrician, because my children were 33-week preemies, 3lb 6oz and 3lb 9oz.

By: Cheryl Lage

Cheryl Lage — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:04:26 +0000

Dawn…I wonder if your pump was somehow defective or adjusted/defaulted to something strangely? While I NEVER got as much out via pump as the babies managed to, I could always somehow relieve the pressure.

Sorry that happened–I’m betting others have had that problem. (Your babies are darling…love your blog!)

By: Cheryl Lage

Cheryl Lage — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:01:24 +0000

Oh, and a PS—I did have the Medela Pump In Style…because our babies were small, and we needed to give her additional supplements and bolster my supply, I pumped after each nursing for the first couple of weeks…and when I did contract mastitis, the pump was a GOD-SEND! (The babies still nursed, but we needed to try and get some flow a goin’) Also, we traveled a few times when we were breastfeeding only…the pump was a needed engorgement reliever! Wish I had acquired the hands-free device…I did feel dorky and somewhat rendered useless while holding funnels on!

By: Cheryl Lage

Cheryl Lage — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:57:19 +0000

Omigosh! This is an awesome post too! We also were fortunate in that we made breastfeeding work for us for the first year with our twins as well…and almost entirely differently than Rebecca did! (Great evidence yet again that twin-blessed families each find what works best for them!)

Here were our suck-saving graces:

a.) we had to strip ours down too…keep ‘em cool so they’d stay awake to eat. Tickled feet, rubbed cheeks, whatever we could!

b.) Big “Ditto!” re: supportive docs and LCs who didn’t force dogmatic ideas…just backed and encouraged.

c.) Our babies while born at 36w5D were smallish…and our son slow to suck. We had weight checks CONSTANTLY it seemed in the early weeks…and it was stressful! But it worked.

d.) For us, tandem nursing (go ahead and sing “Our State Fair is a Great State Fair!”) was the only way we could make it work…and on a schedule—every 3 hours, 24/7 like clockwork and it worked marvelously for all of us…once we got in a groove (I doubt I could have done it otherwise.)

e.) Sitting up on the bed in the football hold was the only comfortable way we could manage..but manage…actually thrive..we did!

Having weaned ours Rebecca (and anyone else getting to that stage), for our situation, weaning was a bit emotionally challenging for me (no more “babies!”), but they did great! You’ll be FINE!

To reiterate/reinforce Rebecca, breastfeeding CAN work…and it can work a variety of ways. Whichever methods you finagle, you’ll find a form that is distinctly your own! Great post, Rebecca!

By: Dawn

Dawn — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:50:10 +0000

I was able to breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months. I found that the pump wasn’t able to help me at all the times I was away from them for 24 hours during that period. It was completely unable to get enough out for me to be comfortable during that period. I had the Medela Pump In Style which everyone said was going to be great. I hardly ever used it and when I went to a wedding for five days in July, I figured it was easier to move to bottles then have to deal with engorged and painful breasts that whole time. Anyway, I wonder if other twin moms have this problem?

By: Goddess in Progress

Goddess in Progress — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:42:40 +0000

Great combination of good advice and good circumstances. And you hit on the two biggest things I wish I had done: ditched the pump and BF on demand. It’s possible someone gave me that advice at the time, but it’s all a blur, and so hard to know what the “right” thing is to do when you’re exhausted and hormonal! As soon as I master time travel, though, I can go tell my past self what my future self now knows.

By: pixie

pixie — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:36:59 +0000

I know so many women who think they are drying up because the pump doesnt get anything. I exclusivly BF t 7 months and i only ge tlike 2 or 3 onces from the pump IF even, sometimes only 1. I never let it other me, and I ralrey pump!