NHS breastfeeding DVD freaked me out!

Just enjoy feeding the babies and let dad enjoy it too, expressed or formula.

Nice to see a male perspective.

I think giving women choice and being non judgemental is so important - everyone needs to work out what works for their child and family.

Nice to see a male perspective.

Thanks Mapleleaf. I sometimes worry about posting in here.

I agree the outcome that you want is a happy FAMILY.  Whatever you have to do to make that happen is no one else's concern.  If you need to bottle/breast/co-sleep/contended baby book who cares! 

I am sure breastfeeding is best, but almost all of the studies about smarter kids and all that have serious flaws. 

Anyone here who has breastfed twins?

I get a lot of opinions from women who don't even have kids about how I won't be able to breastfeed them and yet I've read up a few stories from mothers of twins who have had no problems.

I'd like to know how practical it is. I want to breastfeed. I want to do it for at least a few months but I'm very aware that it may not be possible or practical for me. I have a pump already so that I can express and have Jon help me feed them but I'm hoping for someone whose been there and done that and can reassure me that it can indeed be done.

They always recover

No, no they don't always.   

Ashley my sister in law and a very close friend both breastfed twins successfully, they got a lot of advice and support from the lactation consultant at the hospital and did a lot of research beforehand, but I know they succeeded so it can be done!

My friend took the same hospital antenatal course on breastfeeding that I'm supposed to take in a couple weeks, and she said they were so pro-BF that they wouldn't even explain any details of how formula feeding worked -- they just said, don't do it. Eek!

This may be a stupid question, but how strictly do you have to stick to either BF or formula? It sounds like sometimes you can do a mixture of both (eg give formula at night so they sleep better) but is this easy to pull off, or wise to do?

And while everyone's here -- any recommendations for specific breast pumps? Will probably go get one in the next couple weeks...

Having support at home's the best foundation for whichever route you go and for having a happy home life and family.     Speak with your OH and make sure that he understands all the craziness and emotions going on with you revolving all this - it's the best way that he can support you whatever you (both or you) decide is best and most comfortable all round.

Formula's pretty easy to do - just follow the instructions on the tin.  Sorry, but I'm not much help on the mixed feeding, but I'd assume that once baby's happy with the transition of taste between breat to formula (sometimes it can be tricky finding a formula that baby will take due to taste, stomach issues etc) you can either mix x amount of BM with Formula or switch feeds between all BM & all formula...  It'd be best coming from a Mum that's already gone the mixed feeding route.  The only experience I have is from weaning DD off BM to formula at 18mos.

I had a Tommee Tippee hand pump to start with, which was ok.  Then went onto a Medela Mini Electric pump when I returned to work and never looked back.  I bought mine second hand off ebay for £20 and bought a replacement breast shield (with 2 replacement valves) from Target for about $6.  I only had the 1 bottle that came with the pump from Medela and then just transferred into my Tommee Tippee bottles or freezer bags.  The only down side with Tommee Tippe bottles is their size; they're quite wide, so don't fit into the little bottle pouches in most changing bags.     (Just something to consider.)

I have to agree with most BFing comments here.  The first few weeks will be tough, but the first few weeks of having a baby home are going to be tough anyway. 

I know you said you're considering mix feeding so you can use formula at night to get him to sleep better.  I just wanted to let you know that doesn't always work - a friend from my antenatal classes tried it when she was just desperate for some sleep, and he continued to wake up at all the same times he was waking up before.  Mix feeding often puts you on track to simply going to all-formula, as your milk production slows down (it's all based on how much the baby demands, and if he's getting milk elsewhere, he's not demanding it from you.)  I'm not going to tell you this is the end of the world, I'm just letting you know that it frequently happens that way with mix feeding.

Further to the sleep thing,  I tried expressing some milk (as Gina Ford recommends, sigh) to give him a 'big' feed before bedtime, and that didn't work for us either.  I just ended up giving in to the demand feeding, and honestly it just started working itself out after a while.  It felt like FOREVER at the time, but it was just a couple of months iirc.

Those first several weeks are tough, but honestly, it becomes very easy.  It's great to not have to get up in the middle of the night and mess about with bottles.  And it is a bonding experience, as well as all the health benefits. 

(I'm just saying this to give a bit more perspective.  I'm not going to beat the Breast is Best drum- it's completely your decision what you end up doing.  But you said the DVD freaked you out a bit, and I wanted to say not only is it not that bad, but it ends up being extremely easy once you and the baby get the hang of things.)

Oh and Geeta -- I think I'm a ways ahead of you, right? (I'm 32 weeks now.) I can let you know how long the "no TV" thing lasts after the baby comes... 

Yep, you are 10 weeks ahead of me!  Let me know...I hope we can manage without a TV!

Anyone here who has breastfed twins?

Not me.  But a woman in my NCT group did/still does and they just turned a year.  It did seem like she was ALWAYS feeding one or the other when we would meet up after the babies were born.  But she was really good at juggling one feeding baby and one sleeping/crying baby.  I know she had a way to tandem feed, but I am pretty sure it wasn't something she could do in public.  When they got older I think it got easier as they weren't feeding as often.   They were born early and spent the first 5 weeks in a special care unit being bottle fed and she was still able to get them to switch back to breast.  

As for the general BFing mafia (i.e. the NHS, NCT etc), I think you need to do what YOU feel comfortable with and what is best for you and baby.  I introduced formula as an occasional feed from about 4 weeks, because I had no interest in the pumping and storing.  It was a complete convenience thing.  But up until 6 months DD was 90% BF with the odd bottle and we had no problems.  We then introduced a regular formula at 11pm to try and get her to sleep through....NO luck!  But it was nice for DH to do that feed.  Now at nearly a year the 4 feeds a day are split, 2 breast, 2 formula.  So really whatever works for  you can be possible.

Good luck!

Yep, you are 10 weeks ahead of me!  Let me know...I hope we can manage without a TV!

Just plonk yourself down in front of the computer and come onto UKY while you're feeding.

Just plonk yourself down in front of the computer and come onto UKY while you're feeding.

There's definitely going to be loads of wasting time on the internet come June! 

Ashley my sister in law and a very close friend both breastfed twins successfully, they got a lot of advice and support from the lactation consultant at the hospital and did a lot of research beforehand, but I know they succeeded so it can be done!

Not me.  But a woman in my NCT group did/still does and they just turned a year.  It did seem like she was ALWAYS feeding one or the other when we would meet up after the babies were born.  But she was really good at juggling one feeding baby and one sleeping/crying baby.  I know she had a way to tandem feed, but I am pretty sure it wasn't something she could do in public.  When they got older I think it got easier as they weren't feeding as often.   They were born early and spent the first 5 weeks in a special care unit being bottle fed and she was still able to get them to switch back to breast. 

Thanks guys. I hate having people tell me what I'll be able to do or not do, especially when they haven't got kids of their own. I understand it's going to be harder with two but I'm pretty determined, so we'll see.

I get a lot of opinions from women who don't even have kids about how I won't be able to breastfeed them

Tell those women that they should carry twins for nine months, deliver them, try to breastfeed them, and then come talk to you. 

Tell those women that they should carry twins for nine months, deliver them, try to breastfeed them, and then come talk to you. 

Believe me, there's a lot of things I'd like to tell them... but I keep schtum. A couple are not voluntarily childless and it'd just be mean shoving my luck under their nose.