breastfeeding twins and expressing?

[FsMummy]

ok, so i will be having my twins in july (if i dont go early!) and am determined to breastfeed them as with dd i only breastfed for about a month as my nipples got sore (basically i just gave in and took the easy way out with formula ) and its one of my biggest regrets. i know it will be a lot harder with twins and having a 2 and a half year old but i really want to give it my best shot. im guessing it will make sense for me to pump as well as breastfeed them but im totally lost. i pumped with dd and got on with it quite well but my milk started to dry up as i just wasnt pumping enough. i think i will need to pump so that OH can help me out with feeds when he is at home.

i really have no clue as to which will be the best way to go about it. i know you can freeze breastmilk and store it in the fridge but when would be the best time to express? im thinking i could be breastfeeding one while oh gives the other pumped milk if they want a feed at the same time (i am going to give tandem feeding a shot too, like i say, im determined to do my best this time). i guess its hard to answer as i will need to know thier routine and when they want feeds etc but im starting to get worried that im going to screw it up again

what would you do in this situation? my boobs have already started producing colostrum (i am 26 weeks) so im hoping i will be able to feed them if they do in fact come early and have to spend time in special care (god forbid!)

i thought about exclusively pumping as in theory itd be easier to have the milk in the fridge all the time and just go and get it but i know thats me just dreaming lol i know what commitment that takes and i know i just wouldnt have the time and would end up giving up again.

dd would only feed from my right breast too (hence why i got so sore) if i put her to my left breast she would scream and scream until i put her on the right, is there much chance of this happening again do u think? and plus i had difficulty finding a position where i could actually feed her, i have quite big boobs and found it really hard. in fact, the only way i could ever breastfeed her was lyind down (and i would fall asleep every single time, no matter what time of day it was). i am also uncomfortable with breastfeeding in public but that is purely because of how self concious i am, i do not disagree in any way shape or form with breastfeeding in public and would never get offended to c it. i do not care what ppl think about me breastfeeding as i know its my choice and best for the babies. it is purely a psycholgical thing lol

so, im sorry this is long but im really juust looking for advice and support. i know ill b in this section a lot after they are born lol thank you anyone who takes the time to read and reply to this, it means so much to me.

x x x

PS (ok i promise im posting it after this. i explained to my dd that mummy would be feeding the babies this way and thst mummies make milk to feed babies and she insisted that she wants some lol i have no problem giving her my milk in a cup if she wanted to try it (dont want her to think y are the babies getting mummy's special milk but not me iykwim) but my mum and oh think its discusting and weird that i would let her drink it. i sed, she drinks the breastmilk of a filthy cow that lies around in its own crap all day so whats wrong with her trying mine am i being weird? i dont want to actually start breastfeeding her again lol i just dont see whats wrong if she wanted to try my milk. plz be honest, tell me if you think its a bit odd.

 

[Mervs Mum]

Congrats on you twins!!

I'm not sure about tandem nursing but it's definately doable - that's why you have 2 boobs!!! I pump from one and feed from the other so you can nurse 2 at a time - you may need some help getting set up but you can definately do it - maybe another post in the multiples section on that side of things?

Regarding storage yes you can refrigerate and freeze it. I imagine pumping will be quite hard with twins as they may not want feeding at the same time then pumping on top might be draining.

I think you need to go into it open minded and see how it goes - pumping early on isnt advised anywat fir various reasons.

If it were me I'd wait and see what happens but personally I wouldnt go near pumping fir quite sometime - I'd get my BFing established first and get OH to help you by looking after your other LO, cooking, sticking the washing on etc, bathing the babies and giving you time to concentrate on feeding.

Exclusive pumping is hard - have a look on the thread on here with a link to Michy's explaination - it wouldnt be easier in facy IMO it would be tonnes harder.

Positions come with practice - cross each bridge as you arrive at it. There are techniques for getting your baby off her prefered boob!

With regards to your DD I personally would have no issues feeding her from the tap! She probably would do it once, find it too much like hard work, and stick to here cup! It's certainly not weird. Human milk is for humans - period.

 

[FsMummy]

thank you for replying. i dont mean that i think it would be easier to exclusively pump i meant i like the idea of having the milk there without bf but i know that it is extremely hard getting there (ie pumping constantly) i dont think im v good at explaining myself lol i dont intend to pump straight away as i wouldnt want the babies to get so used to the bottle that they wont latch on. i mean after bf is established and we have a kind of routine, i would like to express so oh can help too as he used to like feeding dd. i think im just gonna need loadsa advice as we get to each stage iykwim. i am just panicing a bit lol x

 

[Mervs Mum]

Try not to panic babe I can tell you really want to succeed and that's great but try not to let it ruin your enjoyment of your pregnancy.

With the pumping, once you have got going you can definately look to pump. Even when you only want to pump for say one feed a day, it's very time consuming. I pump for 1 feed per day and at first I would only get half an ounce per pumping session - so it took me more than a day to gather just one feed together. At my peak of pumping I could get 9 oz off but that's dwindled now because I'm past the 6 month mark and I am out of my strict pumping routine. Pumping in the morning definately gets the best results but for 2 babies you need to be prepared for it to take several days to get enough together for a feed each - you might be lucky and pump like a trooper but that's the exception and not the rule! One of the reasons pumping isnt advised too early is because Mum's see that measly amount in the bottle after 30 mins of sitting like a dairy cow and the doubts creep in about the amount your babies are getting, even though the pump cant hold a light to your babies ability to draw the milk out.

The main thing you are going to need is TOTAL 100% support from those around you. If they doubt you then you will doubt yourself in turn and it's a downward spiral.

Did you read the sticky thread at the top of the page about what was helpful in the early days?? I think thats a brilliant thread

 

[FsMummy]

thank you merv's mum im going to go and check out that thread now. when i was expressing with dd i was getting a few ounces at a time from my left breast and she was feeding from the right so just that odd bottle a day helped give my boobs a rest lol i guess its just one of those things im just going to have to wait and see how it goes. im not going to let it ruin my pregnancy and if i dont succeed i know that this time i will have given it my best shot, even if its just for a few months i know i am giving them a great start. are there any natural ways of keeping up your supply? (other than bf and pumping of course) like herbal supliments? or is this not reccomended? i would not use anything like this until feeding was established and i realise im having problems, i just want to know what sort of options i have. thank you for your support, i know i probably sound like a moron but im just so keen to succeed this time x

 

[Mervs Mum]

You do not sound a moron....you moron!!

I wouldnt do anything to start with in terms of suppliments - lets see how you fair on your own. You could be a proper Daisy The Cow!!

Things you can do are, eat well, plenty of carbs, oats are particularly good, drink plenty, rest as much as you can in between, give the baby to hubby or who ever is helping and try not to get too stressed over it.

The main thing with pumping is not to let how much you pump get inside your head - you might only pump half an ounce to start with, maybe less!! Dont let the 'are they getting enough' demons get in there and start Jedi-ing you. Believe in the force young Jedi

x

 

[FsMummy]

lol thank you, you are keeping me sane i definately think im just gonna have to wait and see how it goes. theres nothing i can really do to prepare now is there as i dont know what they will be like in terms of feeding. guess all i can do is maintain a healthy diet and try not to worry about it. its just difficult because to this day i feel so disappointed in myself for giving up so easily with dd and in some ways i even feel guilty that i will be trying harder with these two iykwim argh i should go get some sleep lol

 

[Mervs Mum]

You have nothing to feel guilty for!! We all do our best - that's all anyone can expect. If you go in with your eyes open you are prepared IMO hun