Congrats on your pregnancy! And welcome to the multiples forum!
As far as your question on breastfeeding and pumping for twins, there are several things you can do to prepare, I'll just jot some ideas down here as they occur to me:
1. Make sure to do all you can to have a healthy twin pregnancy. The key for many of us has been Dr. Barbara Luke's book When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets or Quads. Her nutrition program is top of the line. Also check out her website at
www.drbarbaraluke.com for more information and even a consultation - I cannot recommend this highly enough. As you know, half the battle is having a good start, and Dr. Luke's book is a great help for that.
2. Another book many of us swear by is Elisabeth Noble's Having Twins. This has been out forever and is available in many many editions, the most current being about 2 years old I believe.
3. THE go-to written resource for breastfeeding (and pumping for) multiples is Mothering Multiples by Karen Kerkhoff Gromada. Also check out her website at
www.karengromada.com. This book is set to come out in a new edition in September, but don't wait, get the current edition now and then get the new one too, it's that good!
By the way, the website is worth it for the photos section alone, fabulous and beautiful!!! Some of our MDC mamas are on there, though I forget which photos at the moment.
4. If you are going to need to pump for these babies, as in for work (I assume that's what you're talking about), make certain to get a really good double-cycle electric pump, like the ones Medela makes. You can even rent or buy hospital-grade pumps.
5. Contact your local La Leche League leader now (go to
www.lalecheleague.org and browse for the link to find a group in your area) and start going to groups if you can, especially if there are twin moms and working/pumping moms there.
6. Find out who is a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC - International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) in your area and arrange for a consult with this person before birth. Discuss the issues you had with pumping and your goals for breastfeeding/pumping for your twins. I'm not clear on why 2 oz seemed like a small amount to pump, but since it was an issue for you an LC is trained to help women pinpoint and resolve issues that hinder breastfeeding and pumping success.
7. Know that the best way to a successful breastfeeding relationship is to be together, breastfeeding, early and often. This means starting to breastfeed as soon as possible after birth; responding immediately to babies' early feeding cues; and giving the breastfeeding relationship time to develop before introducing bottles, pacifiers, and other breastfeeding/mother substitutes. With twins it may be easiest to wait up to 8 weeks for this depending on how breastfeeding is going.
8. This means planning now for the longest possible maternity leave, and perhaps looking for ways to negotiate a different work schedule on your return. I know this isn't always possible, but looking at options that keep you and the babies together as much as possible is the way to go.
9. Know that no matter the obstacle you can do it!!! I had life-threatening complications (pre eclampsia), the girls were premature, and even with all that and ending up supplementing with bottles of formula for the first months I still nursed on their cues day and night and we still nurse to this day and love it!
Congrats again! You can do it, you really can! Lots of people will tell you it is "a challenge" or "difficult" or even "impossible." Let my voice be one of hopefully many more you hear saying it is possible, doable, and wonderful!!!
I just came upon your post tonight after nursing my girls to sleep. They were curled up one in each of my arms and we "talked" about our day and sang songs and read books and then they nursed until they fell asleep in my arms. Heaven will have to work really really hard to be any better than that.
