Babies coming off the breast but still hungry

[HappyAsASandboy]

I'm breastfeeding my three week old twins (almost exclusively - there have been about 3 formula feeds each and three expressed feeds each in the three weeks).

I took my eye off the clock yesterday and let them both go 5 hours between feeds. As a result (I presume), my DTD was insaitiably hungry last night and had a 4oz expressed top up feed after feeding from me at 10pm ish. She then fed at 12.30 but then didn't wake until 8.15 this morning. DTS fed at 10pm, 3am and then 7.15 (no top ups), so his feeds were more sensible.

Today DTS has fed about normally (7 feeds so far since midnight, no more than a four hour gap) but DTD has fed more frequently, presumably to make up for her long gap in the night. This has resulted in some empty feeling breasts, and now both twins are coming off the breast by themselves but then seem starving 10 mins later. They get so worked up with hunger that they then don't have the patience to work at my empty feeling breasts, which adds to their frustration .....

Help! I have about 10oz of expressed in the fridge and 5oz in the freezer, but my brain is telling me that I'll be in an even worse position tomorrow night if I give an expressed top up now. Is that right, or can I fill these bellies from the fridge and get some sleep?!?

Any advice on how to satisfy them now, build my supply for tomorrow and maintain my supply so I can carry on breast feeding would be really welcome.

Thanks in advance

Am in a rush, Happy, but the simplest answer is 'put them back on the breast again' :)
The breasts may feel empty, but they are not - if they start agitating 10 mins after they came off, this is normal, it really is. All babies do it at some point. Just stick 'em back on.

I think you could reassess being 'worked up with hunger' - this sounds overly scary. They are 'worked up', I betcha, and certainly need feeding, for sure, but they are signally their strong and overwhelming need to be close to you. It's not necesarily that they are starving hungry.

The response to any young baby's seeming despration is urgent and essential, and bf satisfies hunger, thirst, need for soothing, need for calming down, need for regulating of emotions....just do it :)

First of all well done, I will never again complain about bf my DD when your bf twins!

I agree with tiktok breasts are never completely empty and the more often you feed the more mik you will produce, limiting how often they feed can result in decreased production so feed feed feed! :-)

I meant milk not mik!!

I seem to remember my ds going through a bit of a growth spurt at three weeks and feeding frantically for a couple of days. It did settle down again though.

Happy, my dts are almost 6 weeks, and exbf, and I have to say this has been a much more intense experience than feeding ds1. my breasts feel flat and "empty" nearly all the time. dt2 in particular gets worked up and appears hungry, and had ds1 been liked this, I would have swapped sides, but I often can't because dt1 is on the other one! I just keep offering, or sometimes sling them for half an hour to give us both a break from his frantic-ness before offering the breast again.

dt1 has often gone long spells without waking for feeds, yet today seems to have fed constantly. they, and their feeding habits, have changed so often since they were born that I now try and start each day with no expectations about how they will feed.

oh, and they were weighed by HV today and both are growing well, so feeling empty certainly doesn't mean that I'm not making enough milk, and I'm sure you are too :) Keep up the good work!

Thanks for all your advice - I put them both back on in tandem and we all fell asleep

DTD is still feeding as I type, but since I now seem to have a large hard lump (early mastitis/blocked duct?), this is a good thing!

I am constantly amazed by how quickly things change. By the time I've sought advice/solved one problem, there's another starting up! Overall, I'm quite enjoying feeding them though

Can I just say that I have total respect for anyone breastfeeding twins. Well done you, HappyAsASandboy.

Thanks gaelicsheep . It is pretty relentless at times - especially so becuase I'm not very good at feeding them together. I hope we can keep it going though, as I enjoy the closeness. Don't think we'd find much cuddle time if it wasn't made compulsory by feeding!