Breastfeeding Twins

Happy Thursday everyone. It is really starting to feel like fall around here and I am loving it. I love so many thing about this time of year. The chill in the air makes cuddling even more fun, wearing comfy sweatpants is well just comfy. Boots and cute jackets are the best. Something about Fall makes me want to relax and hug my girls even more then usual.

Before I get into today’s topic I have to tell you I went to the gym this morning with Sophia and Isabella and it felt so good. I did some resistance training yesterday so I decided to do a mix of different cardio machines. I did about 50 minutes of tough cardio and boy to I feel great. I know I am going to feel it tomorrow. I ended my workout with running intervals and I know my legs are going will be sore. I always love to end my cardio workouts with a bang.

I have been getting a lot of questions about my journey with breastfeeding twins.

Breastfeeding in the NICU


Within a few hours after the girls were born I started pumping every two hours for about 20 minutes during the day and everyone three hours for 20 minutes at night. This really helped get my milk supply going. By day 3 my milk came in and came in strong. My girls were only getting breast milk at this point.

As soon as I got the okay to go see my girls in the NICU I tried nursing them both. McKenzie nursed immediately and did a great job. It took McKayla a few tries but by 24 hours she nursed as well. After that they both became very tired and stopped nursing or taking the bottle and had to be put on a feeding tube. The nurses were giving my milk to the girls at each and every feeding. This continued for several days.

At about 7-10 days the girls were taking more and more feedings from bottle and breast. I would go up to the NICU for at least 2 feedings a day to give the girls practice nursing sessions. They were both doing great.

At Home After the NICU

The nurses recommended only nursing the girls as much as they seemed ready. Don’t push it too much, they can get very tired. Well we found out very quickly that they both preferred nursing over taking a bottle. Actually, from the first day they came home they only wanted to nurse and that is what we did. We simply followed their cues.

Months 1-3

I fed the girls on demand which was about every 2-3 hours. I did my best to keep them on the same schedule, but found out very quickly that you can’t force a newborn to eat when they aren’t ready. With their size difference they weren’t hungry at the same time. McKayla needed to nurse more often. Whenever they were hungry at the same time I would tandem feed them and they did a wonderful job at that. When they were very small I fed them at the same time using a regular boppy once they got too big for that I used a double nursing pillow. Many people say to try to feed them at the same time as much as possible to keep them on the same schedule, however I like to have a few feedings one on one. I really like connecting with the girls by themselves every once in a while.

Until the girls were 4 weeks old I pumped after at least 1-2 feedings for 10 minutes or so. I wanted to have a nice reserve in the freeze so I could have a moments away once in a while. I was able to store quite a bit. After about 4 weeks I stopped pumping unless I needed to because of a skipped feeding or something.

Month 3-4

During this month tandem feeding has become a little more difficult. They are becoming more aware of their surroundings and get distracted by each other. So the feeding actually takes longer and they don’t feed as well. This month I have been feeding them separately for the most part. Most days their feeding times are about 15 minutes apart. So, they are still pretty much on the same schedule.

Now that the girls are so efficient their nursing sessions only last about 5-10 minutes. So, even when they nurse one after the other it is not too bad and besides this gives me so much one on one time and I love it. I can’t lie I have loved and continue to love nursing. I really felt it help me bond with all my girls more.

Future Plans

I plan to nurse McKenzie and McKayla for at least a year. Sophia nursed for about 13 months and Isabella nursed for about 16 months or so. I pretty much let them tell me when they were ready. I slowly dropped more and more feedings in the 12th month. So, they were only nursing a 1-2 times a day after turning one.

I am going to start researching and reading about baby led weaning. I really plan on using that this time around. I feel as though I pretty much did that with my two older girls, but never knew much about it. I do plan on introducing food around 6 months. I still have to check with our pediatrician if I use their adjusted age or real age for introducing solids. I am not sure on the one.

I will keep you updated with how breastfeeding is going from time to time. I also wanted to add that breastfeeding is not always easy. There have been plenty of times I wanted to quit, but I would tell myself how wonderful this is for the babies and me. I feel as though this is my time with my girls. I try to always look at the positive.

I hope all the information helps. Please feel free to ask me anything either in the comments below or send me an email me. I am a huge advocate for breastfeeding, but I do know it is not for everyone. We as mothers have to do what is best for our children, but also for us, as well.

In the Comments Below:

  1. Any tips on feeding infants. What worked for you?
  2. When did you introduce your baby(ies) to solids?

16 comments on “Breastfeeding Twins

  1. Breastfeeding multiples is really amazing! I love it too. We did it very similarly to you. We let them dictate in the beginning and slowly got on a schedule.

    We are also planning to do baby led weaning. We are going to introduce at 6 months. Im starting to do more research too! I love the idea of it, and I can’t imagine trying to feed three babies purees every meal! lol

    • It is the best, but it is defiantly complicated. 🙂

      I think I am going to do a little mix of the two. We will see!! I know feeding all these babies. Oh my!

  2. I am so impressed you had them tandem feeding so early! My twin girls are 2 weeks old and I’ve got them on about 80% breast milk – I can’t get my supply up for them both to be 100% BM at this point. (Maybe if I’d pump after the 3 a.m. feeding, but it’s so hard when you’re so tired, as I am sure you know!). During the day I’m usually pumping BM into a bottle so someone can help me -you are superwoman for handling all of those feedings on your own, plus taking care of your two older kiddos!

    • The tandem feeding will come as the babies get better and if it doesn’t that is ok to. You have to do what is best for all of you. you are doing a great job!!

  3. When my girls came home, enither one of them knew what to do nursing wise. For some reason when my girls were in the NICU, none of the nurses really encouraged me to nurse. I was pumping exclusively, and still am for the most part. I just tried nursing both the girls again this past week, and they both did really well. The only thing now is that I have such a good system down with pumping/bottle feeding that I’m not sure if I want to give that up. It’s been hard to coordinate my pumping with when they would need to eat. I would either be too empty or too full to be able to nurse them. Gaah! I think I’m going to give it a go tonight with whoever I feed since I’m due to pump right after.

    • Oh I am sorry to hear the nurses weren’t encouraging of breastfeeding. We had the total opposite experience. I don’t know how you have the time to pump and feed them bottles; I can’t imagine. You are doing a wonderful job!! Getting a system down is key. 🙂

  4. Laura @ Special Treats on said:

    I agree with what others have said, you are doing awesome!!!!! I am sooo impressed with how well you seem to be doing with four children! Wow! Great job w/the nursing. Isn’t it wonderful with twins? Hard work, but so worth it. I nurse our twins as well. I joke that Abby would nurse upside down, she’s so good at it, but George is my lazy nurser. That being said, I still nurse them both just have to work a little harder with George on it. We tandem feed a couple times a day and George actually does better that way b/c Abby does all the work so he gets to sit back and reap the benefits of her hard work 😉 My twins are almost 5 months old now and I think we’ll introduce solids around 6 months or a tad before. They were born at 34 weeks so that’s why I’m waiting closer to 6 months since their adjusted age will be earlier. I think we will do a mix of Baby Led Weaning and baby food that I’ll make. I do have to admit that the baby led weaning makes me soooo nervous for chocking reasons but I do need to read up and do more research on it. Keep your posts coming, I enjoy reading!

    • Thank you. Some days I look at my girls and I cant believe I have four of them. It feels surreal, but so wonderful. Life is definitely crazy, but beautiful at the same time. I don’t know what I would do without all of them. It is not easy, but we are blessed with lots of love.

      It is amazing nursing twins. I love looking down at their two little heads touching. They are so sweet. McKayla is my lazy nurser and actually doesn’t do as well tandem feeding because she is so particular about her position. McKenzie can nurse anywhere and everywhere.

      Like you I plan on doing a mix of baby led weaning and baby food. I will fill you in on what I find out about baby led weaning too.

  5. You’re amazing! Keep up the great work!!! xoxo

  6. Kimberly on said:

    I love reading about your journey breastfeeding your twins. I had my boys at 28 weeks on 9/13 and I have been pumping and breastfeeding as much as I can when I go. Not expecting them home until December, but reading your blogs helps to motivate me that I will be able to continue giving them breast milk whether by bottle or nursing when they come home. I work full time so it will have to be a combo, but plan on it for the first year. Such an inspiration!

    • I am so glad I can motivate you; that is what I was hoping to do. I want everyone to know it is possible. I was so nervous about not being able to breastfeed my girls and when it happened I wanted to share it with the world and people hope. 🙂 You sound determined; I know you can do it.

  7. You are doing such an amazing job! I love hearing about successful breastfeeding stories and especially with twins! I still can’t imagine how you do it all and juggle 4 kids, but you are a rock star!

    I enjoyed nursing Keenan and I look forward to doing it with baby #2. As far as weaning goes, I let Keenan tell me when it was time, but like you, I slowly cut down the feedings to 1-2 times per day (morning and night) until we were done (which was a sad day), but something that I know we both needed.

    • Thank you, I love breastfeeding I can’t imagine never doing it again. It is tough, but the most amazing experience. 🙂

  8. Shelley on said:

    Hello! New reader here…I have one week old twins that I’m breastfeeding too. I can’t believe you can do it on top of taking care of 2 other children. Just taking care of and feeding the twins seems like more than a full-time job. I’m wondering if you still use the co-sleeper? We had planned on having ours in the nursery, but it’s pretty far away in the house and it seems like it would be easier to have them in the same room with us. I’m a little concerned about keeping them in the same sleep space, I’d rather them have separate areas, like their own mini co-sleepers? I’m concerned about the SIDS risk and also that they won’t be able to sleep well separately when they do move to their nursery. I’m wondering your thoughts on that? Just trying to get everything set up. Also, I bow down to you that you’re doing so much tandem feeding. I hope we can get good at it, but I’m having to use nipple shields, and that extra equipment makes it even harder with two.

    • Congratulations, I am so happy for you. Trust me most days I don’t know how I function, but it truly is wonderful. Very difficult but wonderful.

      We do still use the co-sleeper. The co-sleeper is big enough that they don’t even touch when they are In it. I put them and opposite ends. I love having them close and it is so much easier then getting up and down throughout the night. I am hoping to transition them to their cribs in the next few weeks, I will keep you posted how that goes. 🙂 I am going to start them in the same crib, but I am simply going to see what works best. We have our cribs back to back with each other, I will post some picture, so even if they are in two cribs they will still be close. I hope that helps.

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