Whether you breastfeed or formula feed, you'll need to create a routine that suits you and your babies. Some mothers can feed 2 babies at the same time, while some prefer to feed 1 after the other. Others feed whenever their babies seem hungry (on demand).
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.
You can put them on a counter or table and stand to feed the babies, on a bed or sofa and kneel in front of them, or on the floor and sit to feed them. Everyone is comfortable and relaxed for the feeding session. Tip: Prepare bottles in advance so that they are ready for feeding time.
Tandem breastfeeding is breastfeeding two or more children of different ages at the same time. Some mothers will feed both babies together at the breast or may take turns to feed one baby at a time throughout the day.
With “dry” breastfeeding your baby does not actually drink significant amounts of milk, but he is able to smell and taste the droplets of milk that remain in your breast after pumping.
The breastfeeding initiation rate for twins ranges from 38 to 80%, and the rate of any breastfeeding at 6 months from 10 to 50%, with 8–22% of twins breastfeeding exclusively [8, 9, 12,13,14,15,16,17].
You'll also feel more comfortable nursing. Before, I didn't bother tandem-feeding my twins until they were one or two weeks old. And when I did, I couldn't do so alone. By this time, you'll likely have mastered feeding them at the same time by yourself.
For twins, formula-feeding may make it easier to feed both of them at the same time.
While you are breastfeeding/chestfeeding, your level of luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin are higher. LH has a direct effect on ovulation while prolactin is a pregnancy hormone. This combination may increase the chances of conceiving twins while breastfeeding/chestfeeding.
Try some baby-soothing tactics
Try singing or reading to them, giving them a little massage, doing a funny dance to entertain them or even taking them outside for some fresh air. Just remember that what works for one baby may not work for the other, so you may have to try something totally different for each infant.
If you put your twins in the same cot, follow the same safe sleeping advice as for a single baby. They should be placed on their backs with the tops of their heads facing one another and their feet at opposite ends of the cot, or side by side on their backs, with their feet at the foot of the cot.
Sleep training twins isn't very different from that of single babies, as long as your little ones are healthy. For full-term infants, the sweet spot to start sleep training is between 4 and 6 months, as this is when babies are old enough to self-soothe and fall asleep independently.
A little more than half of twin pregnancies end in preterm delivery (before 37 weeks). While 40 weeks is the full gestation period of the average pregnancy, most twin pregnancies are delivered at approximately 36 weeks (range 32-38 weeks depending on the type of twin pregnancy).
“The first four to six weeks are the toughest, then it starts to settle down,” says Cathy. “And when you get to three months, breastfeeding gets really easy – way easier than cleaning and making up a bottle.
It can definitely still work, it just may be more challenging! My twins typically went down pretty well for night time but had some trouble for naps. This is when I introduced cry-it-out. There are a few different methods to this depending on what you are comfortable with and what your baby responds to best.
9- 12 months your babies may be able to sit unaided for a short time and might be starting to attempt crawling or the first stages of moving.
Caring for twin babies is a lot of work. There are two mouths to feed, two diapers to change and two different cries to soothe. So don't be afraid to get help from friends, family or a nanny.
The AAP clearly states that each baby should sleep on his or her own sleep surface, and not in the bed with an adult. Before you're ready to put the babies in their own cribs in the nursery, use two portable cribs or a double bassinet for twins, such as the HALO® Bassinest® twin sleeper.
The reality is that raising multiples is hard. You have double or triple the feeding, diapering, and laundry and, as a result, less time to spend cuddling and getting to know each baby. To be sure, there will be days when you feel as if you're walking up a down escalator.
There are twins who say they have felt each other's pain. And their close relationship and nearly-identical physical structure means there could be a sliver of truth in the theory — as pain can be psychological and can be felt empathetically.
The results suggest that twin fetuses are aware of their counterparts in the womb, that they prefer to interact with them, and that they respond to them in special ways. Contact between them appeared to be planned—not an accidental outcome of spatial proximity, says study co-author Cristina Becchio of Turin.
Having two babies at a time is associated with a longer life, according to a new study. But that's not because doubling up on dirty diapers increases life span; instead, moms of twins are physically stronger in the first place.