Premature twins 3weeks old (37weeks) - first night of feeding - any tips to make it all faster?!

[twinnies26]

We finally brought our second little ID girl home yesterday and began our life with twins!

First night of feeding went relatively smoothly no disasters! - but myself and DH are wondering are there any tips people could offer to make the whole process faster? Feeds so far seem to take anything from 1hour 20 to 1 hour 50! Perhaps this is normal?!!

I am combining breast feeding with formula top up (nutri prem2) or expressed milk top up. The girls take about 20mins at the breast each (not feeding them together yet as been advised they are a little too small 1.8kg)so that's 40 mins to start with.... Then topping up with formula or expressed milk. By the time we wind,do nappy changes at start etc.. it seems like it's almost time to start the next feed!

How do we get it down to 1 hour? Or is it a matter of waiting until they are a little older, stronger and can suck faster? They are a little sluggish at the breast sometimes.

How does one feed them alone? DH is back in work in 10 days and am wondering how I will manage feeding two myself?! Also at the moment their feeds are staggered by about 15 mins, should we have more time inbetween them so i can manage better alone? or waking at the same time!

So many questions!! I know with time we'll work out our own method but any tips/advise are more than welcome!

:)

Does your DH help at night? Mine does and I don't think I'd get any sleep without! I'd say don't do nappy changes at night unless they poo. can you bf one then pass over to dh to ff the other? while you bf the second? and then you could wind the first while he ff's the second? Does that make any sense!! They are small and it will be slow but they do get faster as they get bigger.
Mine are both ff, and i keep them half an hour apart so i can feed then wind one and then the other!

My twins were bottle fed, so a little easier than breastfeeding, IMO.

When one twin woke, I would always wake the other and feed at the same time. I'd take bottles, cartons of milk and scissors to bed with me so just snip the carton open, pour and feed.

For a long time I always fed on my bed propped up either on my legs, or on cushions.

Mine were very, very premature though and I could rely on them not moving for a long time.

TBH dd1 took an hour to bf so I expected it to be the same for my twins.

I can't get the hang of tandem feeding as their latch isn't good enough. My ID girls are now 8wo and were bfing for 25mins each but that increased last week (I think it was a growth spurt). I have used nipple protectors for dtd2 as she is smaller and seemed to be struggling a bit - that seemed to make things quicker. The thing with bottles is that they will drink what's in it usually even if they don't need it so it may be that they don't need to feed that long.

I stagger the feeds - with bottles friends tell me they put dtc in bouncers and fed at same time, but I'm bfing so often have one in a bouncer that I bounce at my feet while she cries as I feed the other. I like giving them both special time individually - the downside is sometimes the otherone is crying but that's life with twins.

I have nearly given up bf every week but it is getting easier. Just go with it. Good luck and congratulations. x

ladies thanks for all the responses!

Good to know that we are not far from what you are all doing and somewhat on the right track! I guess in time we will all get faster in time! Myself and DH are doing the feeds together at the moment - have about 12days before he is back in work so hoping that i have the confidence to do late night feed alone by then!

Londonlottie i am giving formula for the same reasons that you did - i would LOVE to get rid of the formula but at the moment feel that maybe i still don't have enough milk to satisfy them both and dt2 is still too small and sleepy to suck for long enough at the breast . Still expressing and it's much easier now that both babies are home and i'm not dividing my time between hospital and home- so hope to top up more with expressed breast milk as the days go by. I hope to follow in your footsteps and tandem feed sometime soon, been told to wait a couple of weeks due to their size (although we did try out of curiosity this evening briefly, it's abit of a juggling act!) Was lent a nice nursing chair so hoping that will come in handy - need to invest in a nursing cushion!

PrincessS thanks for tip about the nipple protector and the bouncers - that will come inuseful in time!

We'll learn as each day passes i guess!

Thanks again! :)

Both dh and I give a bottle each at night (mostly expressed but sometimes formula if I haven't had time to express with dd1 being demanding etc). We keep lights low and now at 8 weeks it's only one night feed so not too bad at all (dd1 fed all the time so the twins keep us up less tbh).

Check they're not tongue tied as that can slow feeding - I saw an infant feeding expert today who listened to the problems I've had and looked in their mouths then diagnosed it. Wish they'd realised when in SCBU as it would have saved all my tears and thoughts of giving up bfing!

Our id girls are 3 weeks old, they were 3.5 wks early, but luckily didn't need any special care. I'm managing to tandem feed them most of the time, and it takes anything from 30 minutes to 2 hours (normally around an hour) by the time they've both had changed nappies, and settled down etc. For tandem feeding I would definitely recommend a feeding cushion (I'm using one from my sister, only meant for a singleton, but because they are quite small it works well). IMO the best place is on a sofa or bed, then you can put the girls down so one is either side of you, get the pillow in the right place and get comfy (ideally with a cup of tea and an iPad!!), then you can pick the girls up one at a time to get them feeding. I find this is a great way to do it on my own, and doesn't rely on DH to have to pass them to me. Hope this helps!!

Hi,
haven't had time to read the responses but our boys were 5 weeks early and we found the following:

1. Ditch the top ups. They take forever. We found our two were much happier and fed quicker and better when they were just on the boob. When we were doing top ups we were in exactly the same situation, one feed running into the next.
2. Tandem feeding - get an ezy2feed pillow. Made life a lot easier. Alternatively I found that I could feed them together by propping one on each leg and sort of semi reclining back.

Hi ladies,

been a while since i've got back to the page!

Londonlottiethanks for the tips about the scales - we are going to get that oraganised - i think it will then give me better idea as to whether they are getting enough or not!

I think the hospital have me quite paranoid about their weight and my milk supply so that is why we keep giving formula top ups. I'm expressing much more now and my supply is up so we are slowly giving less formula top ups.

Last night was night 3 and we are both exhausted and DH is back in work soon so we will have to change the system asap!!

The nurse is coming over tomorrow and we will be weighing etc.. so that is a step forward!
Princess - no tongue ties, they checked in the hospital while we were there for the few weeks.

Thanks for the tips about tandem feeding - how soon did you try tandem feeding? I've been told to wait as they're weight is small (1.8kg/2kg) but i do think the sooner the better to be honest, although I have concerns that dt1 the smaller twin doesn't have the energy to suck from the breast for a full feed, she gets so sleepy and it's quite an effort with her at the moment. She is about 10days behind her sister though with feeding, as she needed more care and attention when born, she didn't come to the breast until over a week old.

All the advise greatly appreciated anyway! :)

My girls were slightly bigger at 2.2 & 2.8 kgs. I initailly fed them one at a time, as they seemed so small, and seemed to get very tired when feeding so it was hard to keep them going. I managed to start tandem feeding for the occasional feed, but found it did get to be easier. I do find with them being small, they are easier to handle (I can manage to pick them up one handed!), I'm not sure how I will continue when they get much bigger - but hopefully we will all be used to it then! I think you need to take advantage of your DH or MW or health visitor to help you get used to it (my mum is a midwife which was a huge help!). I also try and express a bottle a day, to check how much milk I am making to make sure they keep used to a bottle, and to give DH a chance to feed them! It will all get easier!

Congratulations and well done. I can't answer all of your question but this is what I did:
EBF from term birth (2.4 and 2.8k). Tandem after 4 days of Twin 2 in SCBU. I still use the special pillow from Twins UK (£90ish but cost per use now worthwhile). Feeding in bed killed my back so I switched to small sofas upstairs and downstairs. On my own one twin gets put in bouncer at my feet, second twin is propped/bolstered on pillow on sofa, twin in bouncer is hoisted to one side, twin on sofa is hoicked up. It is a good idea to practice this with someone watching unlike me who did it on first day alone... I mostly tandem feed but sometimes feed one at a time to get time with each and let the other sleep. When tandem feeding I would wind them over my shoulder one at a time. It took forever at first especially as they fed every two hours but we all got better and quicker over time.

At night my dh and I developed a routine when one twin woke I would take him through to feed, a few minutes later dh brought second twin through to join in. Dh made tea then winded first twin when he came back up, then changed him then took him back to basket and both to sleep. I followed with second twin. We managed this half asleep most nights.

We tried dream feeding and it was ok for a couple of weeks then more trouble than it was worth. I also gave up expressing after a few months, again as more hassle than benefit.

I hope you find what works for you. Good luck

Your dh made tea for you in the middle of the night?! Blimey, mine's so tired he'd probably drop it on me.

Hi , my 2 are now 10 weeks and were born at 33+4. Dt1 was 5lb2 but lost a lot of weight and got us readmitted. Dt2 was 3lb13 (1.74). He was a brilliant feeder but when i tried w/out top ups in hospital on their advice as i appeared to have loads of milk he lost weight they believed through the sheer energy of sucking. If you search for my name you can find the story on various threads.

I'm still doing top ups and it now takes either just under an hour to an hour and a half. In the beginning it took around 21/2 hrs. They do get faster. I succeeded with tandem feeding from about 6 weeks. Before that time I found them too floppy to do together. I could do one bf and one bottle fed in lap. The only way I could work it in the beginning was with a 45 minute gap. I managed the nights by having a night nurse at that point or dh and I taking a baby each as by 4 weeks neither bf at night.

It is daunting but it does get better.

Also try and see if there's any way you can get help during the day, friend, relative, volunteer group, or nursing/chilcare course at local college as someone else to give a bottle and change a nappy is a real help.

Hi, try tandem feeding whenever you feel comfident, or before that really!!
I tandem fed from day 3 but mine were full term. It will make your life so much easier if u can do it, if not all the time then at least some of the time

You will not make enough milk unless you start dropping the formula. Topping up with expreessed is great! Once your babies are feeding a bit more efficiently, instead of topping up with a bottle, just put them back on the breast for seconds. You'll get another let down of milk, even if it's only 10 mins since the finished Sometimes they mght need thirds (one of mine often did!)

If you're expressing and breastfeeding nearly all their feeds there's no reason why you shouldn't start trying this, unless they're still very sleepy at the breast.

Tandem feeding can help the poorer feeder as the stronger feeder can get the let-down to happen so it's ready for the weaker feeder. This worked very well to start with for me

Good luck with it. It sounds like it's going the right way

hi ladies,

thanks for all the tips and advise! A quick message as very shortly they're going to look for some food!

I decided to go for it and start tandem feeding - you are all right - it really does make things easier! :) also helps when someone is starting to get really impatient waiting for food! Have not done it alone in the house yet though - still needing DH to help me balance them!am using lots of cushions on couch or bed at the moment but i guess with practice both myself and the girls will get the knack.

Hate to say i've not managed to drop the top ups, but am managing to give about 70%of the top ups with expressed milk and the rest formula, slowly getting rid of the little bit of formula.We'll see how that goes in time......

Little DT2 has managed to become a much better feeder now so we're all doing well!!

Thanks again! :)

xx

Watching this with interest, having brought twins (born 30 wks now 37) home 2 days ago.
Presume those of you who came home on prem formula were guided by docs as to how to phase it out? We're on breastfeeds, with mixed EBM and formula top ups, which as far as I can see us the most labour intensive way of feeding possible, as I have to feed, express, and make up bottles. And sterilise. Oh, plus all the meds, and endless winding...

Tried tandem feeding for first time today with reasonable success - no idea how to do it on my own though as if one pukes I'm stumped. (and they puke a lot!!)

hi peelingoffceiling you sound just like us! it IS the slowest way to feed - sometime alone it all takes me two hours nd it kills me expressing at random hours in the night when i'm exhausted! Wasn't given any advise as to phasing out formula but i think once your girls are strong suckers and your milk supply has increased you can gradually cut it out - thats my plan- we'll see how we go!

Good luck with the tandem feeds! :) they do make life easier!but i still need practise and confidence to do it on my own too!

Good luck! :)

well done with tandem feeding - I still can't do it. My nipples always hurt after and they suck at different speeds so it feels weird! TBH I like the one to one time feeding each twin at the moment but then they feed in 30mins each roughly.

mine suck at different speeds too and it is funny sensation - but i think it helps DT1 (small twin) get more milk with minimum effort as DT2 stimulates a faster flow/let down.....

I know what you mean about feeding them individually - it's nice to bond with each twin individually and sometimes i feel sorry for them being pushed and prodded into position and feel they'd be much more comfortable feeding alone!