Breastfeeding Twins

by LisaC

Breastfeeding has become more popular with mothers who wish to give their infants the very best in nurturing and nutrition. The mother who finds she is expecting not one baby, but two is no exception to this. She too can breastfeed her infants with few problems.

One of the more common questions moms ask is if they will be able to produce enough milk for their hungry infants. The answer is yes. Of course you can. The more stimulation the breasts receive, the more milk they will produce. Two infants should empty both breasts and encourage an abundant supply of milk. A healthy mom should not have any problems producing an adequate supply of milk for even two infants.
Adequate nutrition and rest are vital for milk production but that would be true if there were just a single infant.

The second most often asked question is, how to feed the newborn twins. What position should the babies be in? Should mom feed them one at time or both of them at once?
The answer to that will be up to mom.
One infant at a time will allow mom to concentrate on each baby exclusively.
Two infants breastfeeding at the same time will require more coordination but there are some benefits to it as well.

Mom can try the football position for breastfeeding both infants at the same time with a baby tucked under each arm as if carrying a football. It’s all about comfort for mom and babies. Or, she can try a cradle position supporting an infant in each arm with their bottoms resting in her lap or against her chest.

It’s important to pay attention to latching when feeding two infants at the same time. Latching affects how well an infant can nurse and can help prevent plugged ducts. Ensure the infants nurse until they fall asleep or relax completely and are no longer sucking and swallowing.

Infants will need to nurse about every 2 hours during those first weeks so feeding them both at once can be a means for mom to get a little more sleep and still ensure they get all the attention and nutrition they need.

If the mother feels she may not be producing enough milk for both her infants then she should check that they are both latching on properly first. Then ensure they are having enough wet diapers. Allow the babies to nurse on demand (when they are hungry) but make sure they nurse at least 10 times a day. It’s all about supply and demand, the greater the demand for breast milk the more milk a mother’s breasts will produce.

Breast pumping after both infants have been fed is another way to increase the milk supply but the mom should ot go overboard with it. Too much milk can be very uncomfortable.

Mothers are as well equipped to nurse twins as they are to nurse a single infant. It will just require a little more coordination but the results are well worth it.

August 11, 2009   No Comments

Breastfeeding after an Initial Delay Is Possible

by LisaC

For a number of reasons, often due to health issues with the baby or the mother, breast-feeding may not be initiated immediately after delivery. The question is often asked “Is it possible to initiate after a delay?” The simple answer is yesit is possible and relatively easy up to two weeks after delivery to transition the baby from a bottle and formula to the more natural and healthy breast-feeding method.

Mothers who have delayed breast-feeding might encounter a couple of common issues, most notably would be the difficulty of transferring an infant who has become accustomed to the bottle to the breast. The other issue might be that of establishing a milk supply after a period of delay.

To deal with the first issue, the infant who has become used to a bottle and might resist latching on to the breast, one of the best things to do is to spend a lot of time in skin to skin contact. Some infants experienced no problems whatsoever transitioning from bottle feeding to breast-feeding.

However, if the infant is resistant to breast-feeding, a mother might use a clear silicone nipple shield that may help an infant get used to the breast because it feels more like the bottle nipple that they are used to.

Medela makes such a shield and it is relatively inexpensive and yet can help overcome one of the more common issues experienced by mothers transitioning infants from the bottle to the breast.

The other issue often encountered if there has been a delay in initiating breastfeeding after delivery is without the milk supply will often need to be established. Frequent stimulation of the breast by attempts to feed the baby is one of the most natural and frequently recommended courses. However, it can also be helpful to obtain a hospital grade breast pump for a short period of time. It normally does not take too long to establish an adequate supply of milk so soon after delivery.
At first a mother may want to use a supplemental feeding device which supplies formula while the baby sucks at the breast. Doing this will provide the proper stimulation for the breast to establish milk supply and yet ensure that the infant is getting adequate nutrition during this period.

There are several methods of establishing an adequate milk supply as well as transitioning the baby from bottle to breast. Many mothers may find that consulting with a lactation specialist is a great benefit and will help guide them in their choices.

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July 27, 2009   No Comments