Quit or keep trying ?

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

You've gotten great advice here! Definitely rent the hospital-grade pump! Anytime a woman is pumping INSTEAD of nursing, let along pumping for two babies, she needs the very best pump you can find. With twins you're facing a couple obstacles - not only does your wife need to make a lot of milk, but twins tend to be premature and a bit delayed, so they are harder to breastfeed at first. However, many women have done it, and many have even breastfeed their babies exclusively! Set your sights at a reasonable level - get through today, keep up the pumping, and keep trying to latch the babies - but just know that it is possible.

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

Keep trying to latch the babies too...exclusively pumping long term is VERY hard.

Where are our twin moms?! It is TOTALLY possible to exclusively breastfeed twins, even triplets!

And actually,mtge amount she expressing is kind of normal, just a bit low, for a mom with 5-7 day old babies. I had a hard time keeping up with my single baby at that age, he was 9 days before I had any extra.

Pump for a total of 120 minutes broken into 8-12 sessions, around the clock. Super important to have at least one pumping session between midnight and 5am for the first 12 weeks if a mother is choosing to or has to exclusively pump.

Again, work on nursing babies. EPing is much more difficult than what breastfeeding becomes.

[@llli*joshuas.mommy]

Listen to AprilsMagic, she (and others) have great advice! If your wife can pump every 2 hours during the day instead of every 3, it would be better. One session at nighttime is very important. Also, take a look at and have your wife take a look at this video on "Hands-on Pumping" from Stanford University. It has great tips on how to maximize milk production while pumping. Here's the link:

http://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastf...roduction.html

Any breastmilk, for any length of time, is better than none. If she can't ever make enough to exclusively breastfeed, it's not the end of the world, but there are still lots of things to try to help her make more milk (including a hospital grade pump and adding breast compressions to pumping). Breastmilk is especially important for the health of preemies, given their immature immune system and immature gut. So at least for now, I hope she'll decide to keep at it!

[@llli*irishlad]

All,

Just to update all of you. The larger pump has been a god send and an IBCLC nurse is coming in to us in 2 days.
We have about 100ml of EBM twice a day and we are feeding our premie twin daughters on about 1/3 EBM - 2/3 Formula and the flow is improving daily.

This has really been a help to my wifes mental state.

I really hope anyone who is/was in my situation has this outcome and I really hope people can see beyond the 'fail to b/f' = 'fail to mother' trap. We were able to pay out easily for the big pump and pay for the consultant. We have 2 perfect twin daughters and the b/f issue almost ruined everything for my my wife, I feel really lucky that this seemed to work out and I fear that regardless of my support, my wife would have really struggled mentally with failing to b/f.

Thanks for all of your excellent input. This is a great forum.

[@llli*auderey]

awesome!! congratulations, and i hope that the IBCLC will help your wife get both babies to the breast and your wife can stop pumping! good for you for supporting her, and for her for sticking with it. Keep us posted!

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

Great! Keep up the good work!! Breastfeeding twins can be a real challenge at first, but it is POSSIBLE. Sometimes you have to redefine what breastfeeding "success" means to you, and shoot for something attainable, at least at first. But she's getting her supply on track now, and really, the sky is the limit! Keep us posted.

[@llli*danlynclark]

That is fantastic! Congrats on your babies! I would also suggest looking into an SNS (Supplemental Nursing System). Babies can still be fed expressed milk and artificial milk via a tube that is attached to Mom's nipple. The breast is being stimulated and the babies are "nursing".

[@llli*djs.mom]

All,
This has really been a help to my wifes mental state.

I really hope anyone who is/was in my situation has this outcome and I really hope people can see beyond the 'fail to b/f' = 'fail to mother' trap. We were able to pay out easily for the big pump and pay for the consultant. We have 2 perfect twin daughters and the b/f issue almost ruined everything for my my wife, I feel really lucky that this seemed to work out and I fear that regardless of my support, my wife would have really struggled mentally with failing to b/f.

I really appreciate that you are here looking for support for you family, however I want to gently caution you to REALLY REALLY respect your wife's feelings and instinct around wanting to breastfeed. Her feelings are instinctual. We are first and foremost MAMMALS. There is something very very primal about being able to feed our children the way that nature intended for us to. Women who stop even of their own free will often feel depressed and grieve. And there are larger incidents of PPD associated with sudden or abrupt weaning. I think that saying "we have two healthy babies" as if that is all that matters really minimizes how important breastfeeding is. To both your wife and your children. So please please continue to support her in any and every way that you can. Even when it makes no sense to you. Even if it's not what you consider to be important. I can't tell you how many women I have seen fail as a result of their partner not being supportive. And how devastating that is. So again I am really really glad you are here but please allow her to lead the way. And believe us when we tell you it CAN BE done. If that is what she wants to work towards, be encouraging. Tell her She can do it! Because she can! My cousin exclusively breastfed her twins with her DH's support. They self weaned at 3. No formula ever. Delivered at 33 weeks. She needs to decide if that is what she wants to work towards. It is overwhelming for everyone in the beginning because all you do is feed. It's DEFINITELY going to be like that with 2 babies. And the babies will always empty the breast better than the pump. But even if she chooses to combo feed, she gets to feel great about what she is providing your children.

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

Waht DJs Mom says is true. We have an instinct to nurture our babes at the breast.

Keep working on pumping, but work even harder to nurse those babies. In the long run, it makes caring for twins much easier. I have a good friend who had twins, and she exclusively breastfed them. One was held in football hold, the other in cradle hold on a pillow, and she went out, came to church, everything, with twins in tow, no bottles So tell her there is hope She needs to hear that. EPing is so much work (I have had to pump for my cleft baby for 16+ months) that she will get discouraged.

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

http://forums.llli.org/forumdisplay....-More-Than-One Here is where you will find a lot of twin famiiies