FTM with twins - early ELCS, can I still breastfeed?

[Cosmogirl86]

I'm hoping to get advice from experienced mothers!

I'm carrying a set of twins and due to complications, I'll be delivering at 36 weeks by elective c section.

These are my first babies and I really want to breastfeed. But I'm scared I won't be able to! What if my colostrum doesn't come in on time? How will I know when it's in? Will my body know babies are delivered if its a section? Will it be too early for them to suck?

I have so many questions and won't see midwife until next week

I'm not sure what happened there!! I also posted on infant feeding so I can get as much response as I can

I’m really not sure but i thought I would just say a lot of twins are born around 36 weeks or before. Don’t put yourself under too much pressure at this stage. I’m sure everything will work it’s self out x

Hi OP,

Don’t worry your colostrum will already be there waiting you might have noticed some leaking? Your body will still know you’ve give birth and produce milk at day 3/4. Try not to worry to much, just lots of skin to skin with your babies and and at 36 weeks they can suck perfectly! Good luck for your ELSCS and make the most of the feeding support and advice from MCAs and Midwives!

No leaking yet, but I've heard that's not unusual! I just want to make sure that they are both OK really

Yes you can! Lots of reading up in advance and get lots of help lined up for the first couple of weeks. I'd suggest The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding book. Brilliant.

I had my twins at 33 weeks and I got a little colostrum but only very small amounts of milk so expressed for them while they were in the SCU but they had to be topped up with formula... Then it got to the stage where I was only getting tiny amounts so I stopped. You'll definitely have colostrum I'd say and I really wouldn't worry after that. What will be will be! Twins are very different to single babies, don't or pressure on yourself.

*put pressure

Hi, I had my twins by c section at 36 weeks and breastfed :).
I was given a syringe type thing when they were first born which I collected the colostrum in and fed to them. My colostrum was there so I guess my body knew!
The hospital did want me to give formula top ups as they were small, which I did for the first few days till my milk came in, I then pumped and gave breast milk top ups in a bottle for the first week or so until they were latching properly. So I would breastfeed one, then bottle, then same again with second baby then pump. I won't lie it was tough and there were many tears in the early days when I didn't think breastfeeding was going to happen, but it did work out in the end and once established got easier and easier!
Let me know if you have any questions I'll try and answer them!