How to Successfully Nurse Twins
Breastfeeding Management for Mothers of Multiple Babies
A mother's body is capable of producing the milk she needs for more than one baby. The key is proper technique and careful management coupled with good planning.
You’re expecting twins…congratulations! You can expect double the fun, double the smiles, double the work and double the love. You may wonder how in the world you will ever make enough milk to feed two babies. Actually, your body is capable of producing as much milk as you need. It all has to do with the request/supply principle. The more milk your babies request, the more milk you will produce for them.
Breastfeeding Management for Moms of Multiples
The way a new mother manages breastfeeding or pumping in the first few days after her babies are born will play a significant role her long-term breastfeeding success. From the time her babies are born, she should make sure she feeds each one every 2-3 hours (count time from the start of one feed to the start of the next). In the first 96 hours after birth, the milk glands are creating prolactin receptors which are key in determining how much milk a woman will be able to make [Hill et al. Serum Prolactin in Breastfeeding: State of the Science.” Biol Res Nurs.1999; 1: 65-75.] Remember, the more a mother nurses, the more milk she will make!
At first she may nurse each one separately, but once she gets the hang of breast-feeding, she should generally nurse them together. Emptying both breasts at the same time increases prolactin production.
If the babies are unable to nurse, the mother needs to be pumping every 2 hours during the day and at least twice during the night in order to ensure that she has sufficient milk for her babies. That means the mother will be pumping between 8 and 10 times in a 24 hour period.
Often one baby is a more avid nurser than the other. If that is the case, Mom will want to make sure that she rotates breasts each feed. However, if both infants nurse at about the same rate, it is fine to have one breast for each infant. The following link demonstrates positions for nursing two babies at once: http://www.breastfeeding.com/helpme/helpme_images_twins.html
A mother who is nursing multiples should make sure that she is eating a well-balanced diet. She needs between 2500-3000 calories a day to make enough milk for two babies and still maintain her own nutritional status. She also needs to drink whenever she feels thirsty.
Another key component is rest. The mother who is nursing multiples needs to get plenty of rest. This may sound like an impossible order; however, if she has a support team including friends, relatives and perhaps even a postpartum doula, she should be able to get the rest her body needs. Mom's only job at the beginning is to feed her babies. She needs to let somebody else take care of the house, cook, and do other chores.
Get Needed Support
Perhaps the most important team member a mother of multiples can have is her lactation consultant. Even before she gives birth, a lactation consultant can give her valuable instruction that will be ideal for her particular situation. After the babies come home, the lactation consultant may even be able to assist her in her own home as she and her babies adjust to life together. For more information on finding a lactation consultant, see the Suite 101 article, "Call Your Lactation Consultant."
Mothers who exclusively nurse twins or even triplets feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment. You can find an online or perhaps even a local community of mothers who have multiples at this site.
