If you're a mom of twins, breastfeeding can be doubly challenging at first: After all, you've got two mouths to feed, two little bodies to balance and three people who need to figure out this whole breastfeeding thing.
Of course, the many benefits of breastfeeding make it well worth the effort. Once you've fallen into the rhythm of nursing your babies (and you will!), you'll find it's not only possible but convenient (fewer bottles to wash!) and doubly rewarding.
Here's how to set yourself up for success when you're breastfeeding twins.
Establishing a twin nursing schedule
For the first few weeks, infants need to breastfeed eight to 12 times per day. That breaks down to about once every two to three hours, day and night. Each session should last about 20 to 30 minutes — but wait for each baby to signal she's done before calling it quits: The suck-swallow pattern will slow down to about four sucks to one swallow.
In the beginning, try nursing your twins on the same schedule. However, keep in mind that even identical twins have different personalities, appetites and nursing patterns. So try to tune into the needs of each; one may need to nurse more frequently than the other.
Some moms like to let the hungrier baby dictate the feeding schedule of both. Others feed on each baby's demand during the day and stick to a schedule at night. Whatever you choose, just keep careful records to make sure each baby is well fed at each feeding.
Tips for breastfeeding twins
Since you've got two breasts and two mouths to feed, why not nurse them together, tandem-style? While you may want to start nursing your babies one at a time until they get the hang of latching on, once everyone's comfortable nursing, an obvious advantage of tandem nursing is that you don't have to spend all day and night nursing (first Baby A, then Baby B, and back to Baby A and so on).
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A few tips for breastfeeding your twins:
- Consider a nursing pillow. One designed especially for twins can make it easier to position your babies.[1] Or you can use two regular pillows or rolled-up towels.
- Get set up. When you're first getting started, position the pillow and have someone hand you each baby, latching on one at a time. If you're alone, set yourself up on the floor in front of the couch (with lots of pillows). Put the babies in their bouncy seats on either side of where you'll be sitting. Fasten the pillow around your waist and position the babies one at a time onto the pillow, then latch.
- Find the right nursing position. Try positioning both babies in the football or the cradle holds, using the pillow to support their heads. Or combine the cradle hold and the football hold, again using the pillow for support. Experiment until both you and your babies are comfortable.
- Alternate breasts. Remember to switch breasts for each baby at each feeding (or at least switch sides every day) so both breasts are stimulated equally.
- Switch it up when nursing triplets (or more). If you've got three or more babies to feed, nurse two at a time, then nurse the third baby afterward, remembering to switch which baby gets solo sucking time.
- Do what works for you. Don't worry if tandem nursing isn't right for you, even with practice. You can either bottle-feed one baby (using pumped milk or formula, if you're supplementing) while nursing the other (and then switch off), or nurse one after the other. What's important is to do what works for you and your babies.
- Focus on your latch. Breastfeeding more shouldn't cause your nipples to be sore or cracked; soreness is usually caused by a poor latch (or, possibly, thrush). So if your nipples are extra tender, try a lanolin cream to ease the pain and spend extra time working on your latch with each baby.
How many calories does breastfeeding twins burn?
Breastfeeding one baby burns up to an additional 500 calories per day.[2] That means when you’re nursing twins, you’ll burn roughly 1,000 calories every day.
How many calories do you need to breastfeed twins?
Doing so much feeding and burning so many calories means you'll also have to do more eating. To keep fueled when you're breastfeeding twins, you'll need 450 to 500 calories above your pre-pregnancy needs for each baby — or roughly 1,000 additional daily calories total.
You may need to increase your caloric intake as your babies grow bigger and hungrier. Or you might not need as much if you supplement nursing with formula and/or solids.
To keep fueled, stick to a sensible, balanced breastfeeding diet and drink lots of water. You'll also want to make sure you're getting enough calcium. All lactating mothers should get at least 1,000 mg per day, but mothers breastfeeding multiples may need even more.[3]
Producing enough milk for twins: How to increase your supply
If you're breastfeeding twins, nursing frequently keeps your supply up. But if you're feeding on demand and still having trouble with your milk supply, regular stimulation from a pump may help. Since most of your milk comes in the first five minutes, doing multiple short pumping sessions each day may boost your supply better than fewer longer sessions.
Aim for a schedule of about four times a day in addition to nursing your babies. An electric double pump will become your new best friend — especially since it can help you get precious extra hours of sleep while someone else uses your milk to bottle-feed your babies.
Exclusively breastfeeding vs. supplementing for twins
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months and then continuing — along with offering nutritious foods — for as long as you and your children are game, potentially for two years or more.[4]
But when you're breastfeeding twins, this recommendation can be hard to follow. That's okay! Don't beat yourself up if you can't exclusively breastfeed your twins for six months, or at all.
Supplementing with formula can actually help you breastfeed for longer by lessening the mental and physical load. However, since supplementing can decrease your milk supply due to less demand, aim to pump regularly.
Getting help breastfeeding your twins
Many moms struggle at first with nursing twins, so don't be afraid to ask for help. Your pediatrician, a lactation consultant and/or a postpartum doula who has experience with multiples can offer support.
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