Will I get enough milk to feed two babies?
[the_ad id=”14222″]
The mothers body produces enough milk as per the demand, so yes you can breastfeed your twins Double the suckling by twins, more the stimulation of milk production.
Should I stick to a schedule by the clock or should I feed on demand?
It’s always better to feed on demand. Both may be hungry at different times though. It does require a lot more effort and patience.
Is it more common to get sore nipples with twins?
No, poor latching causes sore nipples, not twins. So do take care of correct positioning and address any nipple problems immediately as they are likely to flare up sooner with feeding frequently.
Does it help if I breastfeed them together?
Yes. If you try and breastfeed both babies together you can save on time and energy. It may happen that one of the twins is a weaker suckler then the letdown of milk triggered by the stronger twin at the same time helps increase milk intake by the weaker one. Start with feeding individually till you are sure atleast one is able to latch on and hold on effectively.Then you can attempt feeding both simultaneously.
I get exhausted feeding throughout the day, what do i do?
It is indeed a very hectic and demanding time and do take help from your family and friends, take care of your health. Do not hesitate to express milk and enlist help from your husband to feed the babies with expressed milk as you take a breather.
What if one of my twins is in the NICU?
You can breastfeed your healthier twin and express milk for the weaker one.
My twins are premature. How do I ensure milk for them?
Premature babies may have to be tube fed i.e. through a nasogastric tube, so you can use a good breast pump and express milk frequently to provide feeds. That way the babies get all the advantages of mothers milk and remain protected from infection. As soon as they are ready, oral feeding with spoon can be initiated with expressed breast milk. As they get stronger, they will be ready to start suckling at the breast along with top-up spoon feeds. A common scenario is that the preterm babies are away from the mother for long and breastmilk output suffers, by the time the babies are fit to be discharged from the NICU, themothers milk supply wanes off. So it is important to support the mother, counsel her and help her to keep up the supply. Encourage her to visit the babies in the NICU and do continue to express milk regularly
Why can’t I just give them bottle-feeds?
It may seem overwhelming at times to breastfeed twins, Bottle-feeding seems like a easy solution. However the risk of infections, losing out on the advantages of breastmilk should make you think twice. Also you end up spending more time preparing formula, feeding, sterilising bottles etc… as compared to breastfeeding. Also it is significantly more expensive to give formula/bottle-feeding.
Is it more common to get sore nipples with twins?
No, poor latching causes sore nipples, not twins. So do take care of correct positioning and address any nipple problems immediately as they are likely to flare up sooner with feeding frequently.
Does it help if I breastfeed them together?
Yes. If you try and breastfeed both babies together you can save on time and energy. It may happen that one of the twins is a weaker suckler then the letdown of milk triggered by the stronger twin at the same time helps increase milk intake by the weaker one. Start with feeding individually till you are sure atleast one is able to latch on and hold on effectively.Then you can attempt feeding both simultaneously.
