Help - twins won't stop feeding!

[Kelly1978]

Hi,
I had been bfeeding my twins with just a couple of top ups to get them thru the night. A few days ago though, they went haywire and they won't stop feeding. They seem to be constantly hungry, the milk just goes straight through them. I know there is enough in volumn, but it seems like I am feeding them water, it doesn't satisfy them at all.

For the past 24 hours they've been having formula, and they are both a lot more settled, although dt2 is still feeding rather a lot - 3oz every 2 hours - he only weighs abt 7.5 lb at the most. At least now they are happy between feeds.

I really didn't want to give up BFing so soon, and at the mo, I am expressing and ditching the milk to keep my supply going. As they seem so much more settled now tho, I am wondering if my milk isn't good enough and I need to give it up - or should I try combining feeds once they've calmed down?

Any suggestions, or advice would be very much appreciated. I fed my older two children to between 4-6 mnths and I was really hoping to do the same again.

Hi Kelly - I will post properly, when I have a little more time.

But in the mean time, have you thought about using dummies to help them go longer between feeds?

Oh, and I have taken up all offers of lifts to school for ds1, even though I hate asking too.

It is a necessity!

I started bfing them again, and just topping up with milk when they get really unsatisfied and at night fo the sake of my sanity! The bigger twin is more settled feeding every 2-3 hours, he has def goen thru a bit of a growth spurt, tho the smaller one is still feeding just under every two hours.

I've realised I really can't BF them full time, with the other children, and housework, study, etc. I can't feed the twins constantly, the odd bottle gives me a bit of breathing space to get on with other things. I feel happier now, that I can at least mix feed them, and they are happy with my milk a lot of the time and I'm still expressing as well to keep my supply going strong so I can bf them as much as possible when they are settled.

throkenholt - I did give them the expressed milk to start with, but it was just going straight thru them. The bigger twin cud finish 8oz of ebm in the space of a couple of hours and still be hungry.

smellymelly - I got the dummys out as soon as we got back from the hosp. They aren't overkeen on them, but I keep trying.

The school run wasn't too bad this morn, and it's a bit of luck that dp is going onto late shifts next week, so he can take her for a couple of weeks starting from monday.

Sorry if I've waffled a bit, but it's really good to have ppl to talk too, it's given me the confidence to at least mixed feed, when I was on the verge of giving up altogether. Thanks everyone x x x

mix feeding works really well for dome (me included).

But don't throw your expressed milk away - honestly - give it to them and top with formula if they still need it. There is more to breastmilk than the nutrition and when you have gone to the effort of expressing it is such a shame to throw it away (I really hated it if I ever had to thrown mine away).

Stick with it - you will find something that suits you all, and things do settle down after the first few weeks.

hi kelly. You're doing really well. I hope you've managed to ask for some help though, especially for when you're back to doing the school run on your own. Trust me, I'm a do it all myself kinda girl and I realised early on with the DTs that that's just impossible.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi and let you know that I'm thinking of you.

M