Worth buying back-up bottlefeeding kit in case I can't breastfeed?

[JustJaneinLeeds]

Morning lovelies,

We're over the moon to be expecting boy-girl twins in the not too distant future (following pregnancy losses, infertility and IVF). 28 weeks tomorrow and birth currently planned for 37 weeks, but it's possible that we'll deliver much sooner as little boy's placenta doesn't seem to be supporting him. Trying to stay calm and positive, and make sure we have things in place as much as possible.

I'm hoping to be able to breastfeed, but both of my friends who've had twins haven't been able to produce enough milk to breastfeed exclusively and have needed to supplement with formula. Is it worth our buying a bottle feeding 'starter kit' in case this is the case for us? If so, what should we buy? It's so overwhelming and we don't want to spend loads of money unnecessarily, especially with two babies on their way.

As there's a good chance our babies will come early, it's quite likely that one or both will need to spend a little longer in hospital. I don't want to be sending husband round shops in a panic - hoping that by planning ahead we can make things easier on ourselves.

Thanks in advance for any advice xxx

When I had my twins I tried all day and night in the hospital to feed them, but I just didn't have anything. In the end a midwife said they need to feed, shall we bring them some bottles. It was such a relief. I was so fed up of having people attempting to get them to latch, attempting to hand express into syringes, fed up of them in general just faffing all over me when I was so hot and sore!

Absolutely buy a set of bottles and formula - and if you need or want to use them, then do!

My milk did eventually come in, and I did combi feed for 6 months in the end, with breast and formula. I never expressed as tbh I couldn't be bothered with that on top of looking after 2 babies!

Absolutely buy a couple the boxes of premade formula with teats just in case. We ended up using them at 2am when DD was 3 days old and wouldn't wake. Turned out she wasn't able to suck properly and had actually had nothing from my breast at all. It was a proper emergency, we ended up back in hospital, I wouldn't have wanted to be wasting time trying to find a 24hr supermarket (we're rural, none nearby)

Actually yes the Medela hand pump was amazing. At £20, it was such a bargain. My hospital grade pump was barely used. The hand pump was easy to take where needed also.

Also recommend harvesting some colostrum before you go in. This is so good if it takes your milk a little while to come in, or as your babies are likely to be a little early. Mine was 37 weeks and quite sleepy (gestational diabetes) and so the colostrum was great for the first few hours

That's great advice, but not much help if they need to spend time in NICU. That's putting way too much pressure on OP

Hello
I am a twin mum
1 congrats congrats on your bumps
2 well done for thjinkinh about and asking this now- it's amazing and you are doing brilliant things for your babies already by thinking about it
3
I wouldn't buy a back up, you can always nip out if you realy need it
What I would do is seek out a lactation consultants and join the bf twins/multiples Facebook group and learn everything you can about breastfeeding

Good luck xxx

what awful advice - I'm thrilled that it worked out for you but honestly that makes it out that others who cannot just didn't try hard enough.

The ready to feed starter sets are great. My middle had a few bottles in hospital and went on to breastfeed for 20 months. It's better to be prepared than not have them if you need or want them.

With my first if I am absolutely certain that if I had back up equipment in I would have given up on breastfeeding because its pretty hard in the beginning. So I am really glad I didn't have it in.

I did get stuff after about 4 weeks so that I could express and give bottles of expressed milk when I wanted a break.

My second was prem and in neo natal and required a mix of formula and expressed breast milk for the first few weeks and everything was supplied by the hospital - formula, breast pumps, tubes, storage. (Scotland). We were able to switch to just breastfeeding after a few weeks.

I'm also in Ireland so all formula provided by the hospital so one less thing to worry about but definitely get some just in case and I've no experience with twins but lots of experience with neo natal units and what I will say is that the neo natal units are absolutely amazing. If your twins are in there they will get unbelievable care. And one thing I've found with premature babies is that you just need to be prepared for things to go out of your control for a little while. In the grand scheme of things it honestly won't matter how they are fed (I know someone will come along and jump down my throat for saying this). Best of luck with everything

I bought nothing, breastfeeding didn't work, MIL was sent on an emergency shopping trip and bought four of everything inJohn Lewis (she was amazing). It was all much more stressful and riskier than it needed to be. The hospital did eventually give me some formula and kit while we were waiting, but only because it was an emergency and I was told off for not having my own (it was a shitty, understaffed, very hot summer).

Yes, have something. The tiny ready-made bottles with teats that fit straight on are so so handy. Oh, and we managed to be fully breastfeeding by five weeks, in spite of the false start!

@IVFthenPERI not really, just my experience - I know my own personality and I don't like having back up plans, makes me feel like I am planning to "fail" not that formula feeding is failure.
And I didn't say that others didn't try hard enough, just that for me an easy alternative to not breastfeeding at the first hiccup would have not been useful.
I would do the same all over again. It's not terrible advice we are all different.

@OP you could try expressing colostrum once you are a little further along too ask your MW for syringes and you can store it in the freezer.

Get some in if you want.

Id also suggest getting in touch with a specialist lactation consultant for multiples (if you’re in London I can recommend someone) It would be good to get support in place ahead of time.

I would not bother with bottle stuff or dummies. Did it twice, sterilised everything to have it ready. Wasted a lot of money. Twice! Would not do it again.