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View Full Version : How long did you breast feed your twins?



gatorsmom
02-14-2008, 11:46 PM
I'm wondering if I can get some different stories about this because I'm torn on how long I want to keep this up. It's not that they take so long to nurse- they can get filled up in about 10 minutes- it's that they eat so OFTEN. They are ready to eat like every 2.5 hours if I"m lucky, usually sooner. I'm thinking the formula will keep them filled up longer.

So, how long did some of you other twins moms do it?

thomma
02-15-2008, 07:40 AM
I wasn't successful with bfing ds and dd. They were born at 30 weeks and came home from the nicu a month apart from each other. It's really hard to bf twins if they're 50 minutes away from each other. :) So I tried to bf ds because he was home first and pump for dd. Ds had finally transitioned to the breast from a breast shield and he was hospitalized for breathing issues. I had 2 babies in 2 hospitals. Once both kids were home I tried for almost a month (they were 11 weeks old) but finally stopped. I had tremendous guilt for a long time. For me it was the feeling of failing at everything: couldn't carry them to term, couldn't bf. But the guilt faded and I know now that I did the best that I could.

I guess, in my long winded way, I'm trying to say that it's okay to formula feed. For me it was a matter of saving my sanity and I only had my twins to focus on.

Kim
ds&dd 5/03

Puddy73
02-15-2008, 11:25 AM
I'm not a twin mom, but I remember there was a BBB mom who ebf her twins for a long time and she was a big inspiration to many of us who were trying to bf one baby! I can't recall her name, but I think her twins were Charlotte & Elise. You might be able to find some of her old posts in the feeding forum if you search for "twins."

smakching
02-15-2008, 01:06 PM
I BF my twins for 10 months. They were exclusively BF for 4 months until I went back to work. After that, I pumped and supplemented with formula during the week. On weekends, I only nursed to maintain my supply. I could never pump enough for 2 babies, so formula really helped me out when my supply was low.

I remember it was really difficult the first 3 months. I was never able to get them on a schedule and felt like i was constantly nursing (especially my son). It does get easier. It really helped to double-nurse them. Let me know if you have any other questions.

dd & ds 1/06

fivi2
02-15-2008, 02:46 PM
We had some issues with direct nursing (preemies, NICU, etc) and I ended up pumping and bottle feeding expressed breast milk for 11 months. I did not have any other kiddos and was fortunate that I had a great supply, and I was able to devote the time and energy to it. It was definitely a lot of work, but from what I hear direct nursing is challenging also! In my little group of twin moms (irl) one other mom pumped for about the same amount of time, and the other moms all formula fed. Although I think breast milk is important, I think you keeping your sanity is much more important. So if that means going to formula, then so be it. You are still a great mom, you just need to do what works for your family. In my experience most moms of multiples are less "judgmental" (if that is the right word) about formula v. breast milk. We know how hard it is!

kfk
02-15-2008, 03:56 PM
I breastfed my twins for 12 months and weaned between 12 and 13 months. They were 4 weeks early, so the first 3 weeks of their life outside, we also supplemented with syringe feeding. Then they were almost exclusively breastfed except for one formula feed before bed starting at around 10 weeks (we were trying to stretch their sleep). I went back to work (3 days a week) when they were 4.5 months. At that point we started supplementing with a bottle when the pumped milk ran out each work day afternoon. On my SAH days, they nursed exclusively. As they started solids (which they ate really well, thankfully), we were able to use less and less formula as my pumped milk went farther. By 9 months they ate 3 solid meals a day, and they were down to just 4 nursings a day and no formula. When we started weaning at 12 months, we dropped afternoon post nap nursing first, then the am post nap feed, then the pm nurse, then the am nurse last. Luckily, they had taken fine to the sippy cup around 9-10 months, and we had been able to drop the bottle entirely at 11 months for their pumped milk. So when we weaned, it was from breast to cow's milk (which they also loved, thankfully) in a sippy.

It took almost 3 months to stop making milk, however. Not fun.

It's funny, I'm nursing my singleton baby now, and she's on much less of a schedule, has pretty much refused the bottle (despite my return to work last month, 3 days a week again), and isn't wild about solids yet. Such a difference from the boys!

Anyway, mine were also quick nursers and they did stop eating so frequently. Tandem nursing saved my sanity. We were on much more of a schedule by 6 months (both eating and sleeping). In my twins mom group, one mom stopped BF at around 3 months, one mom stopped at 6 months, and one or 2 SAHM with no other kidlets exclusively BF. The rest of us, both SAHMs and WOHMs did a combination of breast/formula, with most lasting a year or more with the BF.

lizajane
02-18-2008, 07:38 PM
I'm not a twin mom, but I remember there was a BBB mom who ebf her twins for a long time and she was a big inspiration to many of us who were trying to bf one baby! I can't recall her name, but I think her twins were Charlotte & Elise. You might be able to find some of her old posts in the feeding forum if you search for "twins."

"spu" was her name.

her twins are charlotte and else.

she just posted in the lounge because she just had her fourth- it was a vba2c, and that was in her thread title. i know she loves to help twin moms BF! she BF her girls for three YEARS. so she IS an expert!!! of course, she just had her fourth kid... so it may be a little harder to reach her right now...

sarahbrown29
02-19-2008, 10:28 PM
My g/g fraternal twins are 10 1/2 months old and I am still nursing 4x a day (and an occasional night feed, but I am trying REALLY hard to stop that!) I am hoping to continue until they are 12 months and then switch over to cow's milk, but we will see how that goes!

I BF by older DD for 14 months, so I had experience doing it for a while.

hardysmom
03-19-2008, 11:20 AM
Hey Lisa! Glad to see you are still around. Things are moving along here as well... crazy, crazy days. I popped in to BB for old-times-sake and saw the multiples board. How fun!

I EBF'd Charlotte and Blythe for 18 mo. I remember the first 3 months as hectic and whacky... 4-5 months we settled into a routine... 5+ became easier as we started solids and nursed less and less.

Around 12 mo we were down to 2-3 times a day. By the end, I was only nursing at bedtime. It was much harder on me to stop than on the girls.

Like everything, it gets easier. As I battle this stupid breast cancer, I don't have words to articulate how much I value the memory of my babies at my breasts. Whether you nurse 2 months or 2 years, enjoy every moment.

Stephanie
Blythe and Charlotte 3/24/04 (4 next week!!)
Hardy 11/17/01

o_mom
03-19-2008, 11:27 AM
Stephanie - hope you are doing well (as well as can be expected anyway). I know I have been thinking about you and I know others here have also.

tylersmama
03-19-2008, 03:16 PM
Stephanie - hope you are doing well (as well as can be expected anyway). I know I have been thinking about you and I know others here have also.

:yeahthat: I've been sending lots of positive thoughts your way!! :hug:

gatorsmom
03-19-2008, 05:18 PM
Hey Lisa! Glad to see you are still around. Things are moving along here as well... crazy, crazy days. I popped in to BB for old-times-sake and saw the multiples board. How fun!

I EBF'd Charlotte and Blythe for 18 mo. I remember the first 3 months as hectic and whacky... 4-5 months we settled into a routine... 5+ became easier as we started solids and nursed less and less.

Around 12 mo we were down to 2-3 times a day. By the end, I was only nursing at bedtime. It was much harder on me to stop than on the girls.

Like everything, it gets easier. As I battle this stupid breast cancer, I don't have words to articulate how much I value the memory of my babies at my breasts. Whether you nurse 2 months or 2 years, enjoy every moment.



Stephanie,
I can't tell you how many times I"ve thought about you in the past few months hoping that you were doing well and would come back to talk to us!! Your twins help has been invaluable. I've gone back to reread some of your posts. They have been so informative.

Well, I have been fighting what seems like non-stop nursing but really haven't made any progress. The twins have me wrapped around their teensy fingers- they won't take even a bottle of pumped milk from someone else. So I just keep dreaming of the day they settle into a routine and go longer between feedings. It looks like they are slowly doing that now that they are 4 months old.

Take good, good care of yourself and keep checking back!! We miss you. I've been praying for you a lot.

duckaducka
04-13-2008, 01:20 PM
My girls just turned a year old in March, and we're still going strong! They only ask to nurse a couple of times a day and always tandem so it's not too much of a hassle. We'll keep going for a few more months yet.


Like everything, it gets easier. As I battle this stupid breast cancer, I don't have words to articulate how much I value the memory of my babies at my breasts. Whether you nurse 2 months or 2 years, enjoy every moment.

Stephanie
Blythe and Charlotte 3/24/04 (4 next week!!)
Hardy 11/17/01:hug: and :praying: to you, mama...