Navigating the challenges of breastfeeding twins can be an overwhelming experience for any mother. After enduring one adoption, multiple miscarriages, numerous fertility treatments, a difficult high-risk twin pregnancy, bed rest with a toddler, and a near-fatal postpartum hemorrhage, I was well aware that the journey ahead would not be easy. Breastfeeding, as I would soon discover, was fraught with its own set of challenges.
I diligently studied every recommended book on breastfeeding twins, underlining so many passages in my La Leche League guide that my partner, Jonathan, jokingly suggested I might want to focus on only the things I didn’t want to remember. Despite my preparation, I understood that I would have to adapt on the fly once the twins arrived.
Common Advice vs. Reality
The literature advises: Initiate breastfeeding immediately after birth, or within an hour after a C-section. However, reality hits when you find yourself in the ICU, recovering and unable to nurse.
Books suggest: Frequent breastfeeding encourages your body to produce enough milk for twins. But what no one mentions is that a near-death experience and blood transfusions can significantly disrupt milk production.
Advice from the literature: Feed each twin separately initially to establish proper latching. But as a mother of twins, I quickly learned that this was easier said than done.
The books recommend: Avoid bottles and pacifiers during the hospital stay to promote successful nursing. Yet, when you’re incapacitated in the ICU, choices are limited.
The guidance continues: The double-football hold is the best position for tandem feeding. But what about mothers who may not have the physical endowment necessary for this hold? This critical detail is often overlooked in literature.
The books claim: Your milk will typically come in within three to four days post-delivery. In my case, it took eleven days, which my lactation consultant noted was the latest she had ever encountered.
Books state: Skin-to-skin contact is vital for helping babies learn to nurse. However, after a harrowing medical ordeal, I found myself too battered to engage in this practice fully.
The expectation is: Pumping or feeding every 2-3 hours is crucial for establishing milk supply. While I was committed to this process, sleep deprivation continued to be a persistent issue.
Guidance suggests: Renting a hospital-grade pump is essential for twins. Little did I know how laborious and time-consuming this task would be, especially while managing a toddler mischief-maker nearby.
Books posit: Tandem breastfeeding is more challenging with fraternal twins due to their differing feeding cues. This assertion was undoubtedly true in my experience, as my twins exhibited contrasting behaviors, complicating the feeding process further.
Finding What Works
While literature promotes tandem breastfeeding as the ideal choice for twins, I quickly found it to be daunting. Positioning two infants for nursing, especially solo, felt overwhelming and sometimes even unnerving.
Despite the books advising against alternating between bottle-feeding and breastfeeding, I had to devise a system that worked for my family. I often ended up bottle-feeding one twin while nursing the other, allowing me to manage my toddler’s needs simultaneously.
Although the texts recommend breastfeeding for at least a year, my reality was daily survival. I successfully breastfed for just under seven months before transitioning to sleep-training and other feeding methods.
Ultimately, the consensus in the literature states that any amount of breast milk is beneficial for infants. This was a truth I resonated with deeply, as I supplemented with formula from the beginning due to insufficient milk supply.
This experience taught me that while books can provide valuable insights, the realities of motherhood, especially for twin moms, often demand flexibility and adaptability.
Additional Resources
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Conclusion
In summary, while the journey of breastfeeding twins is often filled with obstacles, it’s vital to remember that each mother’s experience is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. Embrace the journey, trust your instincts, and prioritize the well-being of your family.