Routines and feeding

[Olafscarrotnose]

Hi my twins are 8 weeks old (2weeks adjusted). They were in a 4 hourly feeding routine for the 2 weeks they were in scbu but now only go every 3 hours between feeds.

I've tried upping their milk but they either spit it out or drink it and sick it back up.

How much and how often were your twins feeding at this age?

I'd like to get a bit of a routine in place, nothing too prescriptive, any tips?

How awesome is being a multiple mum

2-3 hours between feeds is about normal for that age. I wouldn't try to make them wait 4 hours for a feed.

Can I ask why demented? Obviously if they are screaming with hunger I won't make them wait but I'm finding it hard when they only go 2-3 hours especially at night as by the time they are fed and winded there's not much of a window for sleep.

As they were going 4 hours in scbu I thought that it would be ok to aim for that.

Do you make yourself wait 4 hours before eating or drinking yourself?

You might find that the more you feed them in the day then the longer they start to go in the night. 8 weeks is too young to push them to 4 hours between feeds.

Babies should be fed on demand (within reason) whether breast or bottle fed. You will also have growth spurts when they want feeding more often too.

Well I'm not a baby so my eating habits are rather irrelevant .

Seems there's no clear advice then as some hcp's advocate feeding on demand while others such as the scbu nurses advise a 4 hour feeding schedule.

This is why I'm looking for advice from other multiple parents.

With my twins I fed every 3 hours during the day and every time they finished the bottle more than once I always upped the amount on offer even if they chucked it up.

At night time I wouldn't wake them for feeds but see how long they would go. As they got older they gradually went longer and longer, and by 12 weeks were making it from 8pm till 4am easily at about 16 weeks we stopped night feeding and they went 7 till 7 and kept the strict every 3 hours feeding in the day routine.

At night if one woke up hungry, we would wake the other baby up and feed them too, just to keep them on the same schedule.

We followed the EASY routine in the day, so feed, play, sleep and having regular naps really helped them.

By 6 months they now fall asleep within a few minutes of each other and wake within minutes of each other too! I think it's from rigidly keeping them on the same schedule.

I've found a decent routine to be so important! Especially as when I have been able to get help during the day people know what to do and when.

Congrats on your twins! Those first weeks are incredibly hard, I think we should all get medals for making it through!!! It passes so quickly though, things will get easier and easier before you know it! Stay strong!! Xx

I was very similar to Jen. I was breast feeding and found feeding on demand very difficult with twins.

We did 3 hourly feeds. But didn't wake them at night. (roughly) followed EASY during the day.

I'm afraid lack of sleep is rather par for the course at this stage.

Mine naturally gravitated to 4 hourly feeds by about 12 weeks.

Mine didn't sleep together during the day until 7 months.

Mine fed 3 hourly until 6 months when they were weaned (apart from at night). Mine were also 6 weeks early.

I can't remember how many ounces they were having per feed at 8 weeks but I think it was 4oz. I fed mine religiously every 3 hours, even if that meant waking them for a feed. My gp who also has twins told me to keep them nicely topped up during the day so they fed less at night. That worked well for us. Twin1 slept from 11pm-7am at 11 weeks and twin 2 did the same at 14 weeks.

Congratulations!

Just when you think you've got a nice routine cracked it all goes to pot! Hmm yes I remember that.
The first bit when they sleep most of the time and you have to wake them to stick to the 3/4 hourly routine was the only time I found it possible to do it. When mine started be a bit less sleepy I demand fed during the day (mostly breastfed) and I think from 12 weeks-ish they generally fed 2-3 hourly in the day depending on naps and mostly slept through at night. I was quite smug about that until 5 months-ish when they suddenly went back to tag teaming 2 hourly night waking.
Try not to worry about it too much or to expect too much from them, they might just be going through a growth spurt and settle back to bigger gaps in a few days. For now, keep enjoying your littlies as best you can through the exhaustion. Go easy on yourself, ignore the housework, eat ready meals etc. It's a relatively short time period and it will get better!

Thank you all so much it's nice to know I'm not doing it all wrong.

They have a natural pattern of 3-4 hours between feeds, I'll try sticking with 3 hours in the day in the hope they'll gona bit longer at night.

They are starting to be awake more between feeds and I'm worried im not giving them enough attention/doing enough with them. I usually try and sit and chat or sing sitg them, they're not to fussed on tummy time at the moment.

I'm reading this with interest. My 9 week twin boys are quite different sizes - one is 8 and one 12 pounds. I am struggling to work out whether to keep them on same schedule and regularity of feeds (every 2.5-3 hours driven by little one) or have two separate routines. What did anyone else do?

Mine are 9 weeks tomorrow and are on 3 hours during the day and between 3-5 hours on a night. We leave them until they wake.
For those slating you saying you should feed on demand... I don't and my babies are happy, healthy and putting on weight very fast. They said to me don't leave feeds longer than 5 hours as newborns because their blood sugar drops. If you can get them on 4 hour feeds then good for you, I wish mine were!!
We find ours go longer if we let them sleep on us while we are on the sofa for some reason, but obviously it's impractical to use this to change your routine.

Sorry for a silly question, my antenatal classes were cancelled and I haven't had much support so far. What is the EASY method? I just googled and got lots of irrelevant things so could someone please point me in the right direction? Thank you x