Feeding Twin Boys

Whenever I look online for how to feed twins, I usually get the same answer: breastfeed at the same time, tandem feed, hold a baby on each side and put the bottles in their mouths (which is pretty difficult to do!!).  Well, I've tried all of those and I never really got used to any of them.  If I breastfeed both, one usually weans off and starts spitting out milk and crying, so I have to pick him and up burp him, which disrupts the other baby... and then the whole feeding is ruined.

So, what my husband and I thought of was setting up what we like to call the "automatic feeder" hehehe.  We prop each baby up with pillows and blankets and put the bottle in their mouth and prop that up with blankets as well.  Then they just drink away while we watch them until they finish.  We did this a lot until they were a few months old.  Now they move WAY too much for us to do that.  But it helped a lot in the beginning!!

TIP:  If both babies are hungry/crying: feed one baby a little, then get the 2nd baby, feed him, then go back to the 1st baby and feed him the rest.  I do this from time to time whenever both babies are crying and hungry.  Feeding one baby a little in to begin with helps calm him down and satisfies his little belly until I can feed him again, in like 10 or 15 minutes.  

TIP:  Pump some milk into bottles before their feeding and sit it out at room temperature for an hour or two until they are ready to eat.  That way, you're one feeding ahead of them and have bottles ready.  If you breastfeed them, then you at least have a backup for when they're still hungry after nursing (this will happen, trust me).  

I guess it just takes practice and every parent will find their little tricks to feed their babies.  Not all of this will work for you, but it's nice to definitely pump and have some milk on hand!  

Which Breast Pump to Buy

Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing, but when you have two mouths to feed, it is wise to get a breast pump.  This way you can pump between feedings and have extra milk on hand.  You can have milk available for when others feed the babies too.  With twins, your breasts might over produce milk.  You'll want to pump and stock up for those days when you just can't produce enough milk for both babies (and it will happen!).

In the hospital, I used the Medela Symphony Electric Breastpump (below).  This was AMAZING!  They said it's ideal for preemies since it mimics their sucking patterns/rhythms.  It was gentle and yet strong enough to get the milk out.  It has a turn dial and shows on the digital screen how strong it is.  You can also choose different sucking patterns, which is nice since a baby will sometimes suck fast, and then slow.  You can also do a random setting which keeps switching the sucking pattern after a few minutes.  The best part was that it was so quiet!  My husband tried to buy it, but they only rented it out.  I miss this pump :(  

Right now, we're renting the Medela Lactina Select Hospital Grade BreastPump (below).  This is the other pump that most hospitals use.  It's pretty basic and has a minimum all the way to maximum setting with a turn dial.  It also transforms into a manual pump (which I have not used yet).  This pump is pretty good, but it is quiet loud.  I usually keep it on low all the time, unless I am really engorged, then I kick the setting up a little higher.  I find the low setting to be a little too strong, so I'm not sure if it is just my pump or that's the way this one works...?

If you're interested in the Medela Lactina, plan on renting it.  I looked on Amazon, and it was a whopping $1,099!  Does it really cost that much!??!  Well, the Medela Symphony (the first pump pictured above) costs even more...

Want to rent an electric pump?  WAIT!  DON'T BUY ONE YET!!!  Check out these places (it worked for me, and I'm renting a free pump right now!!!): 

• twin organizations or clubs (google this with your zipcode to find one... you should be able to find one close to you)
• WIC (Women, Infants, and Children government program)
• La Leche League (or click here to find local support and resources in your area)
• your OB/GYN or pediatrician (nurses will be willing to help too)
• lactation consultant at your hospital

All of these places will be willing to help you (or supply you) with a breast pump.  If you have twins, they will definitely help you with an electric double pump (that's what happened with me).  Mainly, ASK QUESTIONS!  Don't be afraid to ask anyone.  More people are willing to help than you think.  Just check out your options/resources before you splurge on a $100 on a pump at Walmart or Target... those pumps usually aren't as strong as the Medela hospital ones either, and cannot get as much milk out.   

Good Luck! 

Breastfeeding... This Too Shall Pass

One question I've searched on the Internet for and have not found any clear answers is how do you breastfeed two babies exclusively day after day?  Seems like every site I go on, every mom boasts of how wonderful of an experience it is to tandem feed their babies or how easy it is to just pull up the baby and have them latch on whenever.  Sure, it's a lot more convenient than filling up bottles of breast milk or formula and sterilizing all the equipment.  But when you're doing this every 2-3 hours every single day, it's exhausting!

I had no idea what to expect with breastfeeding.  No one ever told me that if I don't breastfeed or pump on a regular basis that I'll soon develop plugged milk ducts and eventually Mastitis.  Well, I found out the hard way and got Mastitis.  It was the worst feeling ever and I felt so sick and was in pain.  Then I went on antibiotics and gave the babies thrush (yeast infection in the mouth), and they gave it to me.  Thrush is terrible and stressed us all out with feeding since they cried all the time and never wanted to eat.  Plus, our babies were premature and didn't have the sucking reflex down like other babies do, so it took about a month and a half to really have them breastfeed without any trouble.  If I stop for a day or two and just pump, I still develop plugged ducts and get sick.

Besides all this, here's a typical day for me:

• Breastfeed one baby
• Change his diaper
• Put him down to sleep or in the swing  
• Breastfeed 2nd baby 
• Change his diaper
• Put him down
• Breast pump (if babies don't completely empty the breast)
• Store the milk
• Wash the bottles
• Hold whichever baby is crying (in our case, the babies like to be held all the time)
• Have 1 hour (2 if we're lucky!!) to regain sanity till we start all over again

The good thing now is that they sleep through the night at least 6 hours.  Unfortunately, I get so excited after they go to sleep that I usually stay up 2 or 3 hours later (yikes!) watching a movie or doing stuff online.  I tell myself every morning that I'm going to go to bed with the babies, but it hasn't happened yet.  Does it get easier???  Many moms say, "this too shall pass," but I guess I need to enjoy each moment while it lasts, because they're only little once.  

The hospital staff was who pushed us so hard to breastfeed.  I'm glad they did, though.  But they told us to stay away from bottles and formula.  Well, when you have two crying babies and not enough milk, you need a 2nd option!  So it's FINE to supplement with bottles, whether it is filled with milk or formula.  As long as you're pumping and breastfeeding on a regular basis, you have to do what works for you.  Breastfeeding isn't for every mom, too.  And I think hospitals need to let new parents know that.  No mom should feel guilty.  If baby is happy, then keep doing what you're doing!

We even did formula a lot in the beginning while I was getting used to breastfeeding/pumping/TWINS.  I usually pump a lot before I go to bed and store it in the freezer for when I don't have enough milk.  From time to time, I'll use formula.  No biggie.  

Max passes out after breastfeeding... so precious!  He always would purse his lips too... don't know what that meant, but it was cute!!

Feeding Max during the 2nd week when my breast milk just came in!  He only fit into preemie clothes then :)

So, it can be stressful feeding two babies, especially if you're relying on breastfeeding exclusively.  

My husband and I always say, "Ugh, I can't wait till they're older and can feed themselves!"  Haha.  

Plus, they always want to be held right now when they're not eating, but soon enough (and too soon, I'm guessing), they'll be doing anything to get away from us and crawl around and explore the world.  

Then they'll be in school and always telling us "Mom, you're embarassing me!!" instead of "Mommy, I love you!"  

After that, they'll be teenagers... and I don't even want to think ahead that far.  That's a whole new chapter that I'll get to before I know it. 

So, as much as I complain and stress out about the hectic schedule that breastfeeding has put me in, I always smile at the end of the day when they're sleeping in the cribs and thank God for giving me two little miracles.