New twin mama questions - fast nurslings? pumpin' for work?

[rbkincaid]

They're 12 days old.

Both babies are nursing well (at the same time), but they get full/sleepy after 10 minutes.

They're sleeping 3-4hrs in between.

My son camped out at the breast for 30+ minutes at a time, so I'm a little concerned "they're not getting enough."

Is it possible that they're just efficient eaters?

I can feel my milk let down MUCH sooner than with my son, too.

They seem to be gaining weight appropriately.

Also, my breasts are full and ready to nurse every 2 hours, though the twins are nursing every 3 or 4 hours.

I've been pumping a quick 5-8 minutes, just for comfort (and to store up for back-to-work).

I imagine it's not helping my oversupply, but I'm not sure what else to do and I want to be sure I have enough milk for work.

Any feedback welcome!

[Smurfette2]

I tried feeding on demand - didn't work! It drove me crazy. My girls are preemies and only nurse about 15 mins so I think your twins are doing fine. Do you tandem? My girls seem to nurse longer when I tandem. Not sure why. I also pump several times a day - mostly in the daytime when I'm at my most active. I don't want to pump after 3 pm because I need the girls to put on weight quick and pumping will disrupt our schedule.

*sigh* I don't have any real answers. It gets more confusing everyday.

[Gena 22]

Sounds like you're doing really well!  There do seem to be some nursing "mysteries."  Like is a 10 min session enough?  And if so, why then do babes sometimes like to camp out at the breast.  In my foggy memory my twins did both. 

ne comment though, on pumping for work!  Oversupply is strange, but having milk in the fridge is security.  I went back to work at 10 weeks and pumped for about two years.  At about months 4-6 I worried because the pump is not as efficient as a babe.  So I ended up waking during the night to pump and supplement the milk I left my twinkies during the day.  Getting a solid supply and some frozen stores now will help.  Good job, momma! 

[~Adorkable~]

my twins feed fast and i always wondered if they were getting enough, i weighed them before and after a few times and saw that they can get up to 5 oz in a 10 min nursing so wow no worries there! yours may be fast like that as well. when i nurse tandem, my let down is faster and more in general, so im sure that would speed things even more.

i do have other times that they take much longer and i have had times were i weighed them and they only drank 1 oz in 10 min, so there is clearly different types of sucking for mine at least.

at 12 days old you are still on a hormone feedback loop and have not switched over to a supply and demand system, so your boobs are just making milk willy nilly, i say enjoy it and pump and build your stash, i had a good one from those days and then used a lot of it when both twins had a big growth spurt at 5-6 weeks. 

if they are gaining weight and wetting enough dipes, i would not worry that they sleep 3 hours between feedings

oh and suggestion when you pump, pump yourself dry or close to it, otherwise you risk getting only fore-milk out of full boobs and it not being balanced milk for later feedings

[mamalovex3]

Mine could nurse all day long so I have to say I'm a little envious!  At 12 old, I literally lived on the couch and nursed all day long! 

As long as the weight gain is good and you're getting good output on the other end, I wouldn't worry about it.  The only thing that occurred to me was the foremilk/hindmilk bit that someone else mentioned.  If they're not emtying the breast (or if you're not emotying it when you pump) you may be getting more of the thinner/low fat milk and not enough of the high fat milk that comes later.