Breastfeeding twins - advice please!

[AliM7482]

Hello everyone
I'm a newbie on MN and am finding a mine of information on here - can't believe I haven't visited before! Am hoping someone may be able to offer some words of wisdom.
I have 4 month old twins and am BFing exclusively, which has at times been a struggle, but we have just about got the hang of it now... We have been really lucky in that for the last month our two little monsters have been sleeping through from 7 till 7. Only problem is that I am still waking up during the night and having to express before my boobs explode, then finding it really hard to go back to sleep afterwards, so am still wandering round in a sleep-deprived state! My friends have all had singleton babies and don't seem to have this problem, presumably because they are producing half as much milk. To all of you out there who BF your twins - will it be like this until I stop BFing? Please give me some hope!
Thanks in advance
Ali
x

I'm afraid I stopped BFing at 3 months as I was ordered to top up with formula due to not producing enough milk and the formula took over. Well done you for perservering. I thought your body was supposed to respond to the pattern set by feeding - supply and demand and all that. I know it may feel uncomfortable for a few days (I remember the feeling) but I think you are probably encouraging the situation by expressing at night. You will probably need to stop and allow your breasts and body to readjust to sleeping through the night. Have a chat with your BFing nurse, who I'm sure will have the answers.

If you stop expressing, it should only take a day or two to sort itself out. You will be a bit uncomfortable, and it may be worth expressing a tiny bit before you latch babies on in the morning, else they probably won't like trying to get attached to two huge ballons! My twins slept through from about 5 mths and i was fine. Well done for breastfeeding, you've got through the worst bit!! It's all downhill from now on!!

Optimist - who 'ordered' you to top-up. That's atrocious! they should have explained how to increase your milk supply instead! I do wonder about health professionals!!!

Hi- well done, Ali!
my DTs are now 17, but were bf exclusively till about 5mths. If they are sleeping 7-7 you are very lucky, let's hope it continues...never had that problem. Maybe you could express just befre you go to bed just to stay comfortable? I remember being VERY hungry at that pooint, used to scoff king size mars bars whilst pushing the buggy round...maybe when they start to eat stuff you will wind down your production and feel more comfortable.

Hi Ali. I agree with kathryn about the expressing. You can always lessen the expressing time over several nights to make the engorgement less.

You do need to stop expressing at night though so that your breasts produce less iyswim.

All will come good. Well done of the bfing. I fed mine until they were 18 months then stopped because I wanted to. DT2 would still be feeding today if I waited for him to self wean. They are 4y9mo.

The paediatrician Kathryn. The nurses were very supportive, but the paediatrician felt that my twins were so low birthweight that he wanted to monitor how much they were drinking and wanted formula as apparently it would help 'bulk them up'. It was a bit disappointing to be honest, but as a first-time mum I just did what I was told thinking it was in the best interests of my babies. If it happened again I'd probably fight that judgement more, but neither child has suffered any from that decision, thank goodness. TBH I was quite relieved as I spent a lot of time crying, feeling like a failure because I was unable to feed my little ones properly. The worst bit was leaving hospital. Because I had intended to BF exclusively, I had no bottles, formula or steriliser at home and had to do a shopping trip straight after walking out of hospital with newborn twins!!!!

Well done you!
I am having the same problem when trying to wean them off day feeds. I found that if I gradually decreased the amount exppressed, the supply went down. I agree, you can't go turkey or you feel as if you will explode! It really didn't take many days, I used to take off just enough to feel comfy again.
Hope this helps.

SOunds like you are what my farmer friends would call 'a good milker'

Great advice, thanks everyone. I am trying to express less every night, although - how can I put this - I am finding that once the milk starts to flow, it just doesn't stop! Kitchen looked like someone had set off the sprinkler system by the time I had disconnected myself from the pump!! But ho hum, I'm sure you lovely ladies are right and it will all adjust itself eventually.
Teasleepfood - "good milker" would be right. You should see the size of my (.)(.).
OptimistS - bf'ing nurse? What's one of them?! Rumour had it that there were a couple of bf'ing "experts" in the hospital but they were away at a conference and not available. The only advice I had was from the midwives - my particular favourite, in the middle of the night on day 1 when one of the twins wasn't latching on properly, was "it's not about what you want, don't be selfish, if he's hungry and your milk hasn't come in you should give him formula".
Rant over. Thanks very much everyone for your help!
Ali
x

'what you want'....'selfish'.... What was she on about!!!!!!

This thread nothing to do with me - have no twins for a start - but that F**g b**h of a midwife should be flogged.

If you can at all muster the energy or be fussed with it complain about that statement to the matron for maternity services.

And I am a midwife!!

GGGRRRRRRRRR

Need a bigger angry face.

Hi - yes, thanks for asking. Last night I managed to make it to 5.30am before waking up feeling like two torpedoes were strapped to my chest! Not having so much success with expressing less though - once I've started, I don't hseem to have much choice in the matter. Hoping that over the next few days I may last until 7am - seem to be edging slowly later and later.
Thanks all for your excellent advice and support!
Ali
x

AliM, you are so lucky in that they are sleeping 7-7 and it seems you have TOO MUCH milk, even tho you are BFing twins! Well done you. I exclusively BF my twins till 22 weeks then started weaning and I always doubted my supply TBH, although they did sleep 11-7 from 11 and 13 weeks, so I was very lucky too.

I cannot believe that midwife, it's right there is not an angry face big enough! My HV kept trying to get me to give formula cos my DD was 4.5lb born and struggled to latch on but I persevered and never had to give formula. I am so at HPs who don't understand BFing!

Hope the engorgement lessens soon.