[e-mum]

I'm expectng twins and I am wondering how mothers cope w/ feeding their twins at night time? Do they usually wake around the same time for their milk and do you breastfeed them at the same time or separately?! Any advice would be appreciated!

e-mum

[K8sMum]

My twins are now 2 years old and I don't want to discourage you from breastfeeding yours but it is very difficult until (and IF) you get them on some sort of schedule. My first child was an excellent breastfeeder so I thought it wouldn't be a problem with the twins. Not so ... one of my twins was such a slow feeder that by the time she had finished, it was time to feed her brother. What I did for awhile was alternate days between them. One day my daughter would breastfeed and my son would get formula and then the next day we'd switch ... my son got breastfed and my daughter got formula. That worked much better and I got more sleep!!! This is just my experience. My advice is try to come up with something that's workable for you but realize that you might have to alter those plans. Sometimes things are out of your control. All the best!

Originally Posted by e-mum

I'm expectng twins and I am wondering how mothers cope w/ feeding their twins at night time? Do they usually wake around the same time for their milk and do you breastfeed them at the same time or separately?! Any advice would be appreciated!

e-mum

[Corina]

As for me, I follow the Gina Ford mostly, and feed them together every time, so I can get some rest in between the feedings.

[somebodyfamous]

It was physically impossible for me to pick up the second baby once I had one baby so someone always had to be there to pass me the second baby - i never breastfed in bed so it wasn't like I had lots of room around me. So I breastfed them individually at night as it didn't seem fair to wake up someone to pick up and then wait to put down the baby and yes it took a long time.....

[KatBoo]

my twins are now 4 weeks old (just hit their term date today infact!). I HAVE fed them together, but only when they have both been screaming for a feed. Otherwise I feed the one that wakes first and then the second. Both are pretty good feeders, although one is less windy than the other so takes less burping.

I feed them every 3 hours during the day, last feed being 10pm and then 4 hours during the night (so at 2pm, and 6am)...unless they wake earlier. Once they get to 6 weeks old I will stop waking them at 2am and just see how long they can go in the night....but if one wakes I shall then wake the other as don't want to be getting up several times in the night.

I have based my 'routine' on the Baby Whisperer's (Tracey Hogg) which worked really well for my first.

All in all a feed for both inc burping and changing takes an hour.

I've currently got mastitis and it was very painful for me to feed from one of my breasts so I have now switched to bottles of expressed milk. While this means I have to spend extra time pumping, it does mean that someone else can give the feeds (ie the maternity nurse during the night so I get more sleep), and I can also spend more time during the day with my toddler.


Hope this helps, and good luck with your pregnancy...mine was horrid!
K

[e-mum]

Thank you to all the mums who took time to answer my thread. Your replies have been v. useful.

KatBoo, I'm interested to know why you found your pregnancy horrid?

e-mum

[e-mum]

Originally Posted by Corina

As for me, I follow the Gina Ford mostly, and feed them together every time, so I can get some rest in between the feedings.

Corina, do you recommend buying the Gina Ford book to follow for twins? If so, which one of her books, there seems to be so many titles?

e-mum

[barbwong_130]

I would be very careful following the advice in Gina Ford’s books if you want to breastfeed. Most of her advice is not compatible with breastfeeding. If you are really keen to breastfeed, especially twins, I would recommend seeing a lactation consultant or a La Leche League leader.