How did you feed your premature multiples?

[firsttimetwins]

Am interested to find out how different mums fed their premature multiples - formula, breast, EBM, a mixture of the above? Thanks!

28 week twins, both given TPN via long lines and gradually given increasing amounts of EBM.

DT1 had EBM for about 8 weeks, then onto Pregestimil formula (vile) as a result of liver problems, for another 4 weeks whilst in hospital, and a further 8 weeks once home, then Nutriprem 2 until a year old.

DT2 had EBM for 12 weeks, when she came home, then Nutriprem 2 until about 6 months old, then standard formula until a year old.

DH and I felt that it was unrealistic to try to continue to BF with a toddler and one twin at home, and the other twin still in hospital 2 hours away.

Have just realised that it's you with the other thread about feeding prem twins, so just want to add that I discussed the whole feeding issue with every doctor, nurse, health visitor etc that I could and was never criticised or advised against formula feeding when the twins came home.

They are a 13 months old, and on the 50th centile for height, weight, head circ, and doing well so far.

I am not suggesting for one moment that you stop BF, if that is what you want to do, however, I believe that FF my twins when they came home was the right decision for our family as a whole.

Thanks Jellibob! Am interested mainly because the vast majority, maybe all, of the people who answered my other post have BF experience and maybe twin BF experience, but nobody seems to have preemie twin BF experience and I'm wondering if it's realistic to hope to BF them both, mainly because it's wrecking my head trying!

hi firsttime,

i expressed for my triplets (born at 32 weeks 5 days) and they were fed with EBM for about 2 months exclusively and then mixed EBM and formula until they were 6 months. the reason that i expressed is because they had to stay in hospital for about 3 weeks until they had gained the prerequisite weight for discharge (2kg) and at hospital they bottle fed them so we never quite got the hang of breast feeding. i also felt that expressing gave me control/insight into how many millilitres they took (it started with ridiculous amounts like 6ml/feed, if i remember correctly) and we were a bit obsessed with their weight gain - like many first time parents, I suppose.

you've probably already heard of la leche league - they have pamphlets on feeding preemies and twins - don't know if they have the combo.

My friend exclusively breastfed her triplets, born at 35 weeks. It is possible, but hard work. Apart from the first few days whilst her milk came in, they never had any formula!!

Another friend breastfed her twins who were born at 34 weeks. She was breastfeeding topping up with formula to start with, and over the few weeks out of hospital, she managed to gradually drop all the top-ups and then breastfed exclusively and continued til they were 17 mths.

I know other prem Mums who expressed whilst they were in hosptial and then swapped to formula, never really getting them established on breastfeeding, so I know it can be tough.

I would always say, every breastfeed counts. The more you do the better, and what you have done up to now is great.

Mine came at 34 weeks. FF for first 3 days before my milk came in. After that EBM for nearly 4 weeks with FF top ups. I would also nurse every alternate feed just so they got used to sucking which was quite poor even at 4 weeks. After 4 weeks I lost it and switched to formula entirely and quit BFing and expressing.

DS1 was BF exclusively for 10 months, so I hoped to BF the twins too.

They arrived at 35wks and were BF for 2 wks which was very difficult with twin2 who had a gentle suck. A kindly midwife eventually showed me how to top him up with Aptamil using a feeding cup so he didn't carry on losing weight.

At 4 wks I started twin 2 on premmie bottles and didn't look back. He had such a weak suck he had to have a fast flow 3 teat for much older babies!

I eventually switched to formula for both twins and didn't regret it for a minute. Two happy bouncing toddlers now. I could just as easily have BF twin1 and bottle fed twin 2, but I found it easier to have both the same.

Having tried most feeding options, m y suggestion is to give BF or EBM try if you want to and then play it by ear with all the other options. See what works best.

There is no difference whatsoever between my 3 and they all had different feeding combinations.

mine were 5 weeks early and wouldn't latch - I did a mixture of ebm and formula (until they were about 9 months old - they never did latch !).

I think there is something about sucking reflex that doesn't develop until "full term" - something like 37-38 weeks.

I have previously BF 12 months with my DS1 - but he (38 weeker) also wouldn't latch for the first month. I battled through it with him, but didn't have the time or energy to do it with the twins - hence expressing.

I breastfed my 35 week twins immediatly and didn't have any problems beyond the sore nipples type stuff. I had breastfed my ds1 so I think that helped.

I came home after 3 days with the twins and continued to feed them for 5 months -with the exception of 1 bottle of formula in the evening as dh would come home and let me go to bed when ds1 did because the nights were quite full on! I found I fitted the day time feeds around ds1's visits to playgroup and so on and they slept whenever we were out-I paid for that with the night feeds. It was a time of heads down and grim determination!

They were nearly 6lbs and 7lbs (were ivf so knew exact dates) so I think that helped with them being able to feed at 35 weeks.

I think a lot of it's luck though and most twins I know were bottle fed. Though nthe triplets I know were 33 weeks and ebm at first and then exclusively breastfed for 6 mths -so some people do.

Howdy, i breastfed my twins (28 weekers) for 5 and a half months with one bottle of nutripre2 at 10 pm. however, I have a friend i met in hosp with twins a month younger than mine born at 29 wks, and she breastfed them exclusively, and they are still breastfed at 16 months. she has had to persevere because one of the girls has a ilk allergy, but i'm sure she woud have done it anyway. she is my hero!