Drinking less at Nighttime feeds

[Fttwinmama]

Hi. I am a first time twin mum of two beautiful boys! They are now nearly 4 months old but I am finding that during the night we are struggling with feeds. They are bottle fed and their last feed is at 7/7.30pm and then sleep until 1/1.30am. One twin will only ever take around 2oz at this time and even that is a struggle! He does the same at the next feed at 5/5.30am. Is this normal? I just constantly worry he might be hungry! But as soon as he’s had 2oz he is in a very deep sleep and I can’t give him anymore. I’m not sure if that’s okay and he’s getting enough milk during the night? Please help! X

How do they feed during the day? My DD stopped taking night feeds at 9 weeks old. We used to wake her for a feed at 10pm as we went to bed but had given up by the time she was 3 months old as she wasn’t taking it. She’d go 12 hours without a feed. But over the course of a day she had the recommended amount for her age.

I had very good sleepers and by 4 months my DDs were all sleeping through the night so never had a during the night feed beyond that point. They were hungry by morning and fed well during the day so it didn't matter. If they are thriving and gaining weight I wouldn't worry.

I remember waking my DS around 4 am to give him a feed because I was worried he wasn't having enough. Actually I think he was fine and could just go longer. If you're worried though speak to your health visitor. But personally I'd probably let them sleep particularly if they are nearer to 5 months and see if they then take more at their early morning feed. Are they waking for feeds or are you waking them?

If they were singleton babies, 4 months would slowly be about the time when you might hope they would start to drop the night feeds. About that age (20 weeks from birth, and they were born at 37 weeks) my twins went from feeds every 3 hours to every 4 during the night - so it shifted from 10pm/1am/4am/7am to a far more manageable 11pm/3am/7am pattern. And IIRC they didn't drink much at either 11 or 3, although they still woke for the 3am feed. How are their weights? Assuming they were on the small side when born, have they caught up a bit now? I think it's absolutely fine. You're still offering milk and they're still drinking plenty during the day, so if they wanted it, they could have it.

Don't forget that if your babies were breast fed you would have no idea how much they were drinking. They are just slightly different from each other in their feeding schedule. Don't worry if he is thriving.

They drink 6oz every 3.5 hours during the day from their first feed at 8.30 and then the one before bed being at 7/7.30pm. But during the night feeds which are at 1.30am and 5.30am I struggle to get even 2oz down them and just constantly worry they are starving eve though they are sleeping fine and not crying between feeds. I think it’s just me worrying and the twins are actually okay! Xx

thank you! I think it is me just over thinking and worrying! Xx

They are waking up themselves but it seems as though they just need a small amount and then they nod off again. Maybe they will drop the feeds soon if they don’t need them xx

They were born 36+4 and were 5lbs2 and 5lbs6. They were weighed at 8 weeks and were over 9lbs each. They are now 14 weeks and I haven’t had them Weighed again yet but they are getting bigger ( well I think they are) corona makes it so hard to get them out to clinics and weighed etc! Hopefully I can stop worrying about it so much! They seem very happy and don’t cry in the night between feeds so I assume they are full. Thank you for your reassuring words xx

I'm glad we were able to reassure you! I remember how head wrecking it is, specially when they are a little bit early (mine were 36+5!) and in hospital they impress on you so much that they have to have milk really often. You easily do 100 feeds a week, it's insane!