Help for a newbie?

I am a semi-lurker have only posted a couple of times, but really enjoy reading everyone's posts and looking at the pictures of everyone's adorable twinfants. Here are mine!

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii180/M...CloseupBoys.jpg

Just a little introduction, my boys are almost 7 wks, born at 36 weeks via c-section and I am a first time mother. My twin A (Reece) was taken to a larger hospital in another state on the day he was born for surgery (we live in a super-small town) for an imperforate anus. He's fine now and we were able to bring him home after 16 days. My twin B (Tucker) was fine and we were able to take him home after an additional 24 hours in the billi bassinet for jaundice, but all is well now. I breastfed Tucker for the first two weeks and pumped for Reece in the hospital after the surgeon started letting him eat. After we all got home together, I found it nearly impossible to get enough to eat to produce enough for both and had trouble with Reece breastfeeding because of the hospital stay (he was used to the bottle) so I started formula feeding after a week and a half at home.
They eat 3-5 ounces at most feedings and then only during the day, like clockwork, after about 1 1/2 - 2 hours they both start screaming again. Sometimes they pass gas, but not always... they rarely spit up, so I'm not sure what it is. They were both born at a little over 5lbs and weigh around 9 1/2 now so I think they are gaining weight good ...the question I have is -are they really that starving again after 2 hours? Do I need to feed them that often and on demand? I am so confused by all of the books that I read. Anyone's experiences will surely help me as I have no previous baby feeding experiences to go on!
Thanks!!

 

Welcome and congratulations on your adorable boys!!! You should discuss with your pedi their feeding schedule. I think if you rule out gas or reflux they are probably hungry. They grow so much and so fast in the those first few months and their stomachs are so tiny they do need to eat more frequently. Are they finishing bottles? Maybe you can try to offer more at eat bottle? My girls came home from the hospital on a 3 hour round the clock feeding schedule, but sometimes they were hungry after 2 1/2 hours and we learned that we needed to be flexible. GL and congrats again. -Leighann

 

My babies were frequent eaters too. Many people I know worked toward getting their babies on a 4-hour schedule but that was never possible for Evan and James. They ate every 2.5 to 3 hours during the day. BUT...there was a benefit to this. As they got a bit older they were getting so much nutrition during the day that they stopped eating at night. Evan hasn't had a night feeding since 3 months and James hasn't since 3.5 months.

If at all possible I would try to hold them off until 2.5 hours for your sanity - otherwise it's just eat, diaper, eat, diaper. Have you tried a paci? That helped us, even though it took Evan 4 months to be able to keep it in his mouth! If you're sure your boys are hungry, I'd feed them. Soon they'll be able to take another ounce or two per feeding and that will help.

 

My daughters twin sons were frequent feeders. They were hungry so we would feed them. People kept telling us that feeding them so often would make them awaken in the night for more feedings, but it didn't affect their sleep pattern at all. They were both sleeping the night through at just under three months. All babies are different. What works for some won't work for others. You just have to go with your instinct and being a mommy you have good instincts. You know your children better than anyone. Watch and take your cues from the babies. They'll tell you in their own way what they want and what they need. Good luck and congratulations on the babies.

Kathy

 

QUOTE
They ate every 2.5 to 3 hours during the day. BUT...there was a benefit to this. As they got a bit older they were getting so much nutrition during the day that they stopped eating at night.


Ditto, that is how Katie started doing us at 8 weeks. She has been sleeping through since.

Welcome to the FY we are glad to have you!!

 

Agree with pp that you might want to rule out reflux etc, but it sounds like they're probably just hungry! Their stomachs are tiny, and they are growing like weeds. The best thing you can possibly do for them is just feed them whenever they're hungry. Babies are smart, they know when they need to eat. And if they eat too much, it will come right back up at you.

 

I fed my first born on demand. I fed him whenever he was hungry. The twins also eat on demand. They eat every 2-4 hours around the clock. Night time never more than 3 hours without waking for food. Mine can only eat between 2-4 ounces at a sitting. Personally I couldn't imagine how nice a schedule would be, but my DD would scream herself silly if I tried. My son, he is mellow and will take a pacifier or go in his cradle and swing to sleep till DD is done sometimes. My 10 year old woke up every hour on the hour till he was almost 3 YEARS old. Talk about exhaustion.

 

At that age, mine were eating about every 2.5 hours on the nose sometimes sooner. But at night they never went more than 2 hours. They just seemed to want to cluster feed at night no matter how much they got during the day.

Welcome to TS. Congrats on your babes!

 

Mine are 13 weeks and still eat every 3 hours during the day.. for the first 2 months it felt like they would finish a bottle and then start eathing another one right away.. every 2 hours for a long time!!!