a few nursing twins questions

[mauri456]

so i think everything is going well with nursing.... they are gaining, pooping, and peeing like crazy...

but here are a few questions...

during the day they are spacing to every 3 hrs and four hours at night time is this okay? they are only 2 weeks old. they are gaining,lots of diapers, but just seem to like to sleep. when they wake up they feed great and if i try and feed them earlier they refuse.

i have one side that produces more than the other. the babies have figured this out and who ever has the turn with the lower producer gets mad. today i had that baby nurse off the over producer side too. but, im worried this may be a bad idea, as it will tell the over producer side to make even more and the under producing side to make less.

i may be worrying too much.

[Llyra]

Re: the sleeping

Have they regained birthweight yet? If they have, and you're seeing good weight gain, I would let them sleep, and feed them when they wake. I would be working harder to get more feeds in, if they're not gaining well, if they're not pooping several times a day, if they're jaundiced or not feeding well when awake. But if you're seeing lots of reassuring signs-- let them sleep, and enjoy it while it lasts. In my experience, around a month old, they tend to "wake up" a bit, and take some notice of the world, and stop sleeping so long.

Re: the sides

I used to switch mine back and forth each time. After about two weeks of that, I permanently assigned a twin to each side. That way they could each regulate their own supply, and it worked well for us-- we wound up keeping those same side-assignments for sixteen months.

[f&p'smama]

I agree with Llyra about both issues. I switched sides for longer, probably about 6 months, and they kept their sides till 2-1/2. I also had a side that made more milk than the other.

[JenChaffee]

Mine were spacing their feedings about like that, too. Every couple of months, they must have gone through a growth spurt and I would have a week of them wanting to eat every two hours. If they are growing healthily, I wouldn't worry about it.

As for uneven sides, I would try so hard to remember who ate where so that the next time I could make sure to switch them. After about 6 months, it seemed like everything had evened out and everyone was growing so well, that I stopped worrying about it.

[Red Pajama]

I also had a lopsided supply. I also let the baby on the underproducing side switch at the end to the other side. I did not assign babies to a side, but I was sure to switch them off often enough that they both knew how to and accepted nursing both sides.

As for the nursing/sleeping-- I'd take it as they give it. If you want to squeeze in a pumping session when they're streaching out a feeding, I'd do that.

[Shuli]

I did assign them a side pretty much at birth. It just made it easier, then I didn't have to remember who went where. I had one side the produced more and the other side had a faster drop down time. Each baby got what they needed and the breast sort of accomodated them. At about six moths one of them became dehydrated, so I switched sides and his brother got really mad for two or three feeds until the breast started working the way he liked. Aren't our bodies great like that! It evened out in the end, but when I had my singleton, the breast went into the same mode it had before, one had slower let down and one had more milk. After about a month my body realized and evened out again. So don't worry, if they are gaining everyone is gettting what they need.

[queenofchaos]

I always let babies take the lead for night feeds, esp if they are peeing and gaining well. No sense to wake them up, esp when they don't seem to want it. My twin DDs starting sleeping through the night (tho not consistently) at about 2 wks old, and they gained about 1/2 pound a week each until 4 mths, so I must have been doing something right!

[shahjehan]

Congratulations on your sweet babies!  I agree with PPs to let them sleep when they want to and to not wake them for feedings.  They will become more alert for longer periods very soon.  I never did the assigned breast thing for my babies, as they both stimulated them a bit differently and I didn't want to get lopsided.  Plus I think it's good for them to have the "change of scenery" either side provides. Now at 32 months I still do have a breast that produces a bit more.  It's the one that is most comfortable for me to nurse on when I'm on the laptop.   Good luck!

[mauri456]

thanks everyone!!!! i should have enjoyed that stage more b/c they now nurse NONSTOP.   they are gaining well and good pees/poops.  

i do  have to say that sometimes i feel like they want to more milk than they are getting.   it tends to be in the afternoon which i read is normal... did you all find that.   i usually distract them for 15 minutes and then put them back on and they'll get another let down.   i also started taking fenugreek and things seem better.   just was wondering if you all found that too.

also -- was wondering if anyone was able to save up any milk wiht pumping?  i do have to work some in january and so i started pumping right after a feed.  i usually only get an ounce.   with my daughter i could get more..... but it was only one baby.   to be fair i havent  been consistent.   just wondreing if you all felt like they totally emptied you with their feeds.  i figure its normal its two babies but just wondering.