Nursing while PG with Twins

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Hi, Tassy. Congratulations, on your incubating twosome! All we know about continued BF (and related oxytocin release with let-down) during pregnancy is that it does not appear to be a risk factor in otherwise low-risk for preterm labor/birth pregnancies. That can NEVER be said for twin or higher multiple pregnancy, since twin and higher-multiple pregnancies are at high risk for preterm birth, including near-term birth that is also associated with more infant-related issues, e.g. feeding difficulties. (About 13.5% twin pregnancies deliver at full term; that percentage has been in place since long before the current trend to induce twins by 38 weeks -- a practice I disagree with.) And other women's experiences are only that -- their experiences, which may be helpful or give a false sense of security...

Yes, there are women who continued to BF through a twin pregnancy and delivered full-term. But there are also plenty of women in similar situations who did experience preterm labor/birth. I've known a number who had to very abruptly wean an older baby or toddler due to preterm labor. The problem is that no one can know which women are likely to be affected and preterm labor is not always stoppable, so keeping preterm babies in is not always possible. I guess we could also say that we don't know if the BF contributed, but we do know that oxytocin is released with BF so I think it's good to be honest with oneself about that. I'd suggest Barbara Luke's and Nancy Bowers' books re: multiple pregnancy and related nutritional requirements -- NOW is the time to increase diet when BF is also using calories.

Ask your midwives and care providers what advice they give expectant mothers of multiples re: sexual activity and orgasm. (Female orgasm is associated with oxytocin release too -- but usually not occurring as often as with BF -- and male ejaculation during intercourse appears to be associated with a release of prostaglandins, which are also associated with cramping/contractions.) Many/most of us had restrictions placed on sexual activity at some point during twin/multiple pregnancy; many suggest BF, with its oxytocin release, be considered as a similar issue.

You could ask OB care providers if regular fetal fibrinectin (fFn) testing after 20 weeks or monthly transvag ultrasound exam of the cervix to check for shortening or coning may give you more info to go on and help guide decision making.

Whatever you do, be honest with your OB care providers re: your 1 y.o.'s BF.

I don't mean to sound harsh, but I think it's important to make an informed decision. I'm soooo with you re: keeping these new little ones inside to grow and develop for as long as possible if at all possible, because I'm a (formerly BF) MOT, a hospital and follow-up LC, and a long-time LLLL of a group just for mothers of twins and higher multiples who knows the added difficulty early brings to new babies' BF as well as ability to stabilize other body systems.

Karen
(author of Mothering Multiples: Breastfeeding and Caring for Twins or More)

Hi Tassy! Welcome to the Multiples forum. When I found out I was pregnant with twins at 14 weeks I was still nursing my 2 year old ds. I searched high and low for info about nursing through a twin pregnancy and I actually found very little information. Very little research has actually been done on mothers nursing through a twin pregnancy. I did find info telling me to wean but the number one reason I found was that if you go into pre-term labor then you will have to wean immediately, which is hard on the toddler. The logic is to wean slowly so that if you do encounter problems you won't have to wean cold turkey.

I ended up going with my instinct and listening to my body and continuing to nurse throughout my pregnancy. My milk dried up in my 4th month and from then on ds was only getting a bit of colostrum. He actually got down to only nursing a few seconds a day. I did get very strong contractions when he was nursing, especially during the last trimester. My midwife actually believed (and I agree with her in my case) that the stimulation was helping to prepare my body for labor, much like braxton hicks contractions. I had a great pregnancy and carried my twins to 40 weeks, 1 day. They were born at home in the water and weighed 6 lbs 10 oz and 8 lbs 4 oz. If I could choose to do it over again I would. I think it is important to listen to your body and instinct and make sure you take excellent care of yourself. Stay active as long as possible, but rest as often as you need to. In the final weeks I would get worn out just going to Target and have to spend the rest of the day laying around the house. If you have any more questions or would like to chat, please let me know! I think that was my picture you saw of my toddler nursing with one of my twins.

Thanks for bringing up this topic. I will continue to watch the responses. I am 10 weeks pregnancy with twins and am still nursing my 4.5 year old once per day. She has talked a little about being done nursing when she turns 5 years in July. But, then she turns right around and says she is going to nurse until she is 10 years!! That will definitely not happen, but I do want to be sensitive to her needs as well as consider my body's needs as well as the needs of the twins. Whew! A lot to think about for one mama.

I applaud you for putting so much thought into this!

I was nursing my 2 year old when I found out we were having twins (at 14 weeks). Before I found out it was twins I had every intention of continuing to nurse him through my pregnancy and after. He was still nursing A LOT, at least every 2 hours and it was really draining me. I had started to gently cut him back when I was so sick in my 1st trimester and then did even more after we found out it was twins. He weened when I was about 5 months pregnant. I went on instinct and how I was feeling and how he was reacting. Some days we nursed more and some less until he was ok with not nursing at all. He was also older than your baby so it was easier for me to be ok with weening him.

I also tried to do research on this and found almost nothing. I chose to ween because I was exhausted & I did not want to have to ween him suddenly if something were to happen. He was getting no milk btw but I think he would have continued the whole pregnancy without it. You really need to focus on your nutrition now and make sure you are getting tons of protein for all of your babies. Being pregnant with twins if hard and adding nursing to that also is taking a lot out of your body so make sure you take care of yourself.

I never felt any more contax with nursing him and never had any problems during the time I was nursing him and had my twins at 40 weeks and 3 days at home without any pregnancy complications.

Bump for Ladybugchild.

Thanks, Nancymom!