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Tundraco's Daily Living Guide to Raising Kids
Breastfeeding Your Twins
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Breastfeeding Your Twins
By Rochelle Caviness
Breastfeeding twins can be a challenge.
Luckily you have two hands and two breasts – with a little preplanning and patience you should find that feeding your twins is not really any harder than breastfeeding one baby.
Before the babies are born:
When planning to breastfeed twins, it is important that you eat a well balanced diet throughout your pregnancy and that you follow a recommended exercise regiment.
- This will help your body recover from the delivery faster and will provide you with the energy you need to care for twins.
- Seek out a support group. Not only for support, but in order to learn the 'tricks of the trade' before the babies arrive.
- Read as much as you can on breastfeeding. Everything that applies to breastfeeding one baby applies to feeding two.
Premature Birth
Many multiple births occur prematurely; therefore, it is imperative that you obtain adequate prenatal care. A premature birthing may also mean that you cannot begin breastfeeding your babies immediately.- In order to ensure a good milk flow later, manually, or with a breast pump, begin to express your milk soon after the birth.
- Many hospitals will allow you to feed your expressed milk to the preemie. If the baby is not developed enough to handle the expressed milk, it can be frozen and fed to the baby later. As soon as the babies are strong enough to be held, you can normally begin to breastfeed a preemie.
- Mothers' of preemies are often encouraged to provide as much of their initial milk (colostrum) for the baby, even if they do not plan on nursing. The colostrum provides valuable antibodies to the baby.
Breastfeeding Twins
Feeding on demand is recommended, especially during the first few months of life. Be sure to drink lots of fluids, eat well, and get plenty of sleep – you'll need it! - There is no right way to hold the babies while nursing. You will need to experiment to find out what positions are best.
- It is also a matter of preference, if you give each baby its own individual breast or if you alternate.
- Keep a list of who feeds and for how long so that you can assure yourself that both are getting enough to eat.
Relaying on a Bottle
If you find it necessary to feed your babies with expressed milk, such as when you are at work, try not to feed the babies with a bottle.
Some babies prefer to eat from a bottle and may be reluctant to switch back to the breast. The La Leche League recommends feeding the babies with a dropper or from a cup in order to keep them attracted to the breast.
Supplemental Formula
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a breastfed baby should never be given any food supplements for the first six months. Breastmilk provides all the nutrients that a baby needs.-
The only time that a supplement should be given is for medical reasons, and only on the advice of a physician.
Scheduling
When the babies are little, it is possible to breastfeed them at the same time.
As the babies grow, you can continue to breastfeed them at the same time – if you can handle both. That is, if you can physically hold both babies at the same time. Milk wise, nursing both at the same time should not be a problem.- The more you allow the babies to feed the more milk you will produce, so as long as you are healthy you do not need to worry about running out.
When the babies are larger, you may find it easier to feed only one baby at a time. - The key to scheduling is not too. Allow the babies to eat when hungry. This will insure that they get all the food that they need.
If possible, try to arrange your life so that you can feed the babies whenever they want and so that you can do so in a leisurely fashion. - Granted this is not always possible, but your chances are increased if you enlist everyone you can to help with the management of the household.