Breastfeeding twins...can I make enough milk?

[Lilylou123]

My twins are 10 days old. Initially my little girl wouldn't latch on, so when we came home from hospital she was on formula with expressed milk once or twice a day. I kept trying on the breast though, and we finally cracked it yesterday.

Yesterday, last night and today they have both been feeding constantly - feed for about 15 mins, fall asleep, as soon as they are put down scream with hunger and latch on again. I've had no sleep, so in desperation o gave them both some formula and they went down perfectly and slept for about an hour and a half. They woke up starving and I fed them both again, each had both sides and are both still starving.

My worry is that I'm just not making enough milk and they are always starving. Their faces are milky after they've fed and they are producing lots if wet and dirty nappies, but having seen how well they settle after formula and how they don't settle at all with breastfeeding, I just don't think they are ever filling their little tummies. I also don't hear loads of swallowing when they feed - but not sure how much I should hear. My breasts also feel soft and normal again.. I'm desperate to breast feed and I am enjoying it....but the stress and the guilt is really getting me down and I'm miserable, despite having otherwise perfect babies!

So here is my question. If I continue to breastfeed on demand but offer formula after night feeds will I ruin my chances of continuing to breastfeed by either rogering my milk supply or giving the babies nipple confusion? And are there any other things that might help? I've just given my daughter formula and she only took 10ml. Do I just need to persevere? Is it hurting my little babies to be hungry all the time and never get to sleep? They have literally been feeding, with occasional 20 min catnaps, for 36 hours now, whereas before they were getting about an hour and a half at a time.

Aaarrrggghhh at the end of my tether! Please help if you can!

Sorry, that's really abrupt. Should have started message with a hello or something! But still please help me!

I don't have experience of twins but have breastfed both my sons and had problems with my eldest so did formula top ups. A few things

1. Their tummies are really really tiny at 10 days and they need to feed often in tiny amounts. This changes quickly as they get bigger but it's a shock to a lot of new mothers how unrelenting breastfeeding is for the first few weeks. I only had one at a time but was pinned to a chair nursing for the first three weeks.

1. Don't assume hunger is the reason they are crying, lots of very young babies don't like to be put down. Neither of mine would stay asleep alone in a Moses basket or cot when tiny. We found swaddling helped with DS1, not as much with DS3 but worth a try?

1. If there are plenty of wet nappies and poo you can be confident they are getting enough to eat.

1. It's normal for your boobs not to feel swollen once the milk had come in and established

1. I think you're amazing for trying so hard to stick with it with two newborns!

1. Breastfeeding is time consuming and hard at first but once you get through the initial bit it makes life much much easier.

Congrats on your twins and good luck!

I would echo all of the above.

They also might be experiencing the first of many growth spurts.

Kellymom is a good website about breast feeding it maybe worth looking there for information if someone with twins doesn't come along soon.

Wow, that was quick - thank you both!

Firstly, thank you for saying I'm amazing - I'm actually just far too lazy for all that sterilising! And feeding my little boy has always been easy and fun up too now.

I think you are right about crying for other reasons - they are b

I'd second a growth spurt. And all the other advice too. Well done on it all - you should be very pleased on many levels.

They will settle after formula because its heavier on their stomachs and they will guzzle it faster. Not necessarily a good thing though.
You absolutely can produce enough milk for them,
You've grown them inside so you can grow them outside too! Although it will be harder once you've had a rocky start with one not latching and using some formula as your milk supply won't have been stimulated as much. Best thing to so would be to feed feed feed for a day or two and up your supply.
It will seem like constant seeding but worth it! Put a good film on, get a jug of water or juice and snacks and feed them, as long as they're latched well!
I'd call your local hospital to speak to a lactation consultant too just for more support x

Congratulations on your twins and it's brilliant you have managed to get your dd to latch. If you look at the kellymom website, 10 days is typically a growth spurt, so don't stress about your supply - it may be hard work for a few days but you can get through it if you understand why it's happening. There will be more growth spurts too so be aware when they are coming. Forewarned is forearmed!

Ha, fell asleep writing my post and must have posted in my sleep!! Thanks guys, I'll persevere!

Just wondered how things are going now OP?