Feeding the twins- big issue, need help.

My twin girls are 3 months old. Born at 28 weeks, they stayed in NICU for 9 weeks. I gave them EBM since the begining. Thank God I dont have supply issues. Now I am trying to breast feed them. They are bad latchers, get frustated. I am disappointed. Iwant to give up trying. My husband is encouraging me but doesnt understand my problem. Their feed time is 1/2 hour apart. I start 15 minutes early to try breast feed. But if the first baby gets mad, it takes extra time to finish her bottle. Till then the other baby is up and crying.

Any suggestions on bottle feeding two babies, 3 months old at the same time. Any chances that I can put them to the breast now? Is it too late? Please help me.

 

HI and welcome to TS!

I'm glad you found us. I'll try to answer your question, but please visit our Breastfeeding forum; there are many of us who've gone through the same thing that want to help.

I would say, don't give up! It took my preemies several weeks to get the hang of it, and I was very frustrated. Now they are great nursers and I'm so glad I hung in there. You might try to experiment with nursing them both at the same time. Once you're used to the position, it's sooo much easier and time-saving. Do you have a EZ-to-nurse pillow? That might help with positioning.

congrats on your twins!

 

:wavey: Welcome to TS!!

I agree that your question would probably best be answered in here, Breastfeeding forum

Tandem can be a struggle at fist but so worth the effort!!

 

I tried BF for a month and with latching problems, thrush, not enough milk, nipple shields, stress of pumping, bottle feeding and pumping I couldn't do it anymore...I bottle fed both at the same time since month 2. I started with them each in a boppy pillow then we moved to either their carriers or bouncy seats. I propped one bottle with a thick blanet while I burped the other and vice versa..Worked without and problems and I had 2 with reflux! SO if you decide you have had it with BF that is what I did.

 

My little preemies weren't good latchers either. We worked really hard at it though & eventually they became pretty good at it. But they would never take a whole feeding, so I'd have to give them a bottle of EBM anyway. We did this for the first 3 months w/ me squeezing in pumping when I could between feedings...but that was really hard & exhausting. At that point, I stopped breast feeding them & just pumped for all their feedings. I was sad to give it up (though I still did it occasionally for middle of the night feedings sometimes), but pumping is what worked best for us.

 

I would try and get the babies nursing or nippling at the same time. When I was nursing very early on, the EZ pillow was great at helping tandem feed. If you have been pumping exclusively I dont see any reason that you could not put them to the breast. They may not go for it initially but it is definitely worth a try and persistence. Mine were terrible latchers, born at 32 weeks, and I could not find the strength to BF, supplement, and then pump and then repeat especially with a 2 year old at home that needed my attention. So I pumped and gave EBM for as long as I could. That being said I found the easiest way to feed bottles to 2 at the same time was to put them in bouncies and face them back to back and sit in the middle with my back up against the sofa and hang my arm over the edge for both. Or I could use bottle proppers to help for when I would burp one the other would not scream.

 

Don't feel bad if you have to pump to give them breastmilk. I'd say just keep trying to nurse them and definitely get an EZ 2 Nurse pillow, if you don't already have one. Tandem feeding is so much easier. As far as bottles, I love using the EZ 2 Nurse pillow for that as well. Even when they get bottles it's nice to plop them both up there so they both feel held and close to me.

 

Have you tried breast shields? That has helped a lot of mothers start nursing their kids. Like Melissa said though, there is nothing wrong with pumping and feeding the babies expressed breastmilk. I do realize it is time consuming but it is a way of giving your babies breastmilk. Please don't give up! :hug99: Visit the breastfeeding forum if you get a chance.. there are a lot of helpful people there also!

 

I just want to offer encouragment. It is not easy to nurse but there is a lot of support here. I actually find it easier than bottle feeding now that we all hvae the hang of it... so hang in there momma... BUT NEVER feel guilty about how you take care of your babies.. at least you are trying!! We are here for you!!

 

I'm not really qualified to give breast feeding advice since my experience was terrible, but I did manage to fill the babies up a few times by using a lactation aid. It's a little tube that you put into a bottle of expressed milk/formula and you slip the other end into the side of the babies mouth while they're breast feeding. That way they're still nursing and stimulating your production, but they're also taking in additional nutrition to fill them up and save you bottle feeding afterward. The baby doesn't notice the lactation aid at all. You can give up the lacation aid once their latches improve. You can find more info on this site: http://www.drjacknewman.com/index.php?opti...&Itemid=149 and you can e-mail Dr. Jack Newman in Toronto and he'll usually write back within a few hours with answers to any breast feeding questions. Note: he's really, really pro breast feeding.

 

Congrats on your babies! Wow, you must have had such a hard time having them so early and seeing them in the NICU for so long.

It's never too late to get them to the breast! Now may not be the best time, but you can always keep trying. You don't have to give up for good - you can give up for the next 3 days, or the next 2 weeks, and then try again. They may get it when they're older. And in the meantime, you'll still be pumping, so they'll still be getting all that wonderful milk. Maybe on weekends, or whenever you have someone else around to help, you could try just nursing the one baby and have someone else give the other a bottle.

Another thing you could try is just nursing for comfort whenever they're fussy - don't worry about "feeding" them, just offer the breast as a pacifier. With no pressure to eat enough, both you and they may have a good time, and they may start figuring it out. Also, whenever you try nursing, catch them in the early stages of hunger. If you catch them early, they may not get as frustrated. Crying is a late sign of hunger - watch for increased activity, rooting, hands to mouth...

By all means see a lactation consultant if you can. They can really help a LOT.

And WTG mama for working so hard to give them your milk! It is nothing short of AWESOME that you've been pumping for them all this time. You are giving them such a precious gift. :bow2:

 

I didn't get mine to nurse until 3 months. It is definitely doable! I pumped and bottlefed for the first 3 months and then switched them over. I had a great LC at our local hospital who helped me get my confidence up to make the switch. I went weekly and nursed them there and she weighed them before and after nursing so that I would know exactly how much they were taking in. Once I knew that they were taking in enough milk at the breast I started gradually switching over. I nursed them once a day for a week and didn't follow with a bottle. Once they did well at that feeding I dropped another bottle and replaced it with breast only. I added another bf session and dropped another bottle every few days. Finally one day I just sat down on the floor in my sunroom and nursed them all day. Some will call this a nursing marathon and it REALLY helps. Pick a few days that your DH is available (like a weekend) and just sit and nurse. Have him bring you food, drinks, etc. I would also suggest trying to tandem nurse them. It will save you SOOO much time. Have him help you get one latched on and then the other. It will take a little practice, but it makes nursing twins so much more efficient.

I know how hard it is, but you can do it! You are doing a great thing for your babies!

HERE is the link to the nursing success stories in the BF forum- there are lots of ladies who overcame some big challenges! It might help you to read them!

Please come visit the BF forum, we'd love to help!

 

Thanks for the support & encouragement. I feel better now.I am glad I didnt give up on pumping. I will definitely try breast feeding. Hopefully, one day.
I like the idea of bottle feeding both at the same time. Wry that today. My concern is that their necks are not strong. Will it be ok to feed in the bouncer?

Another problem. DH works 8 to 5. He is supposed to take care of them 8 pm to 1 am while I sleep & then I take over. But it is extremely hard for one person to handle it when both are crying. Any suggestions. We are trying all gadgets like soothing motion glider, bouncer, but in vain.

Thanks again for the support.

 

First of all - a big hug to you!

M girls weren't preemies, but had latch issues.

For one, I pumped for 2 months. I BF at every feeding and gave her as much as 9 ounces EBM by bottle per day. She figured out how to latch at ~2 months.

My other DD? I BF her about 2x per day, bottle feeding her EBM as much as 22 ounces per day. At 3.5 months, she finally had a great feeding. A week later, when she had another great nursing session, I didn't offer her chaser bottle, and she wasn't hungry for 2 hours. We had done it! It took ~2 weeks to get her from bottle to breast.

It's not too late. It takes perseverance, and it's hard, but it can be done.

Good luck to you.