Breastfeeding sleepy twins - worried about drop in weight...

[Surfnicky]

I am trying to exclusively bf my 15 day old DTs and up until the visit by the HV yesterday, I thought things were going well. However, I was told that they had both dropped 5g in weight and haven't yet reached their birthweight. They were 4lbs 13 and 4lbs 7 at birth and spent the first 9 days in SCBU (due to mild TTTS) but the hospital was happy for them to come home a few days ago as they aren't on any medication, and were feeding well.

I feed them (together) every 3 hours - sometimes they wake up for it, but more often than not a nappy change is in order to wake them. Last night however they were really unsettled and seemed to feed every 1.5 hours or so (individually, not together) until about 4am, when I fed them both, and again at 7am - but they only fed for just under 20 mins.

I tried to feed them again at 10am this morning and they were TOTALLY uninterested...maybe fed for 5 mins tops. I am really worriesd that they are going to lose more weight as I know that I need to feed them every 3 hours - but it just seems such an impossibility to wake them sometimes.

I really want to persist with bf but really don't know what I can do to get them to take more milk.

Please help if you can - I feel really desperate.

Can't advise about twins but DD was a small and sleepy baby who also spent some time in SCBU and I was told to feed her no less than every 3hrs too.
Undressing down to just nappy usually woke her up and if she fell asleep after 5-10mins I would then change her nappy or put her down on the floor for a few mins and then carry on. People say that blowing on their face, tickling their feet or chucking them under the chin is supposed to help but it never did much for us.
In the early days it was taking 45mins to an hour to feed her and I really had no time for anything else and I can only imagine how hard it must be with twins so do make sure you have someone to look after you too.

I think it's normal for them to be sleepy the first weeks, mine certainly were. Do the nappy changing, tickling feet, ears etc. it's also normal that they feed frequently, go with it as you're still building up supply, and keep doing what you're doing.

not sure about the weight loss. 5 grams isn't much but then again they should be regaining a bit by now. How concerned was your HV? Are they producing a good few wet nappies? How did today go?

Congratulations on bf twins!!

I heard that you are supposed to eat an extra 1000calories/day for bf twins (500 per child). Are you eating and drinking plenty?

Agree with sputnik/mama....

Perhaps the 3hourly feeds plus all the feeding on demand that they demand should help boost your milk & boost their weight.

Maybe a mum to twins will come along for more advice but I'd recommend (especially in these early days) to feed, feed, feed (including yourself!).

Best of luck!

Well done you, it sounds like you are doing really well.

Don't doubt your milk supply, it's still early days and the more you feed, the more milk your body will make.

I don't have any experience with prems, but I'm guessing that you should be feeding them at least every 3 hours - even if they are asking for it or not, and through the night as well (I know how hard this was with one, so admire you with two)

It is important to wake the babies to feed them otherwise they can get caught in a trap of being too tired to feed. ie they sleep more cos it consumes less calories than being awake. Thus you get caught in a cycle and they don't put on weight.

This is not intended to frighten you, and it most certainly doesn't mean you have to be rushing to crack open the formula. I just think it is something you should be aware of.

Good luck, you can do it xx

try some breast compression

3 hourly is not enough. They need to feed in order to wake up to feed iyswim.

Come join us on the d'y ever wonder threads. There'll be lots of practical advice there. But they key is to feed feed feed feed feed! Do watch the video though. Dr Jack is amazing! Another multiple mum was just going through the same thing as you and Dr Jack's video really helped her.

It will come good. But please, feed 2 hourly for now.

nicky - it's hugely demanding to care for small(ish) twins, especially with time in SCBU.

Not sure what you mean about a 5g weight loss....presumably it's more than that!

The fact they are feeding often is a good thing (though knackering for you), and it's better than the sleepy thing you had earlier today.....keeping them close to you, skin to skin, together when you can, will help you respond quickly to early feeding cues, and prevent very deep sleeps going on for hours and hours.

Firstly, don't be too hard on yourself, you are doing really well. When mine used to be sleepy, I'd take them off the breast and wind them rigourously every few minutes to stop them from going to sleep. Stripping works well to wake them.

I agree with mars, you do need to feed them more, mine were 2 hourly at first, and then were 6lb and 6lb7. Keep going with it, the sleepy phase doesn't last long and they will soon become more alert.

surfnicky, all good advice on here, keep going.