If you intend to breastfeed and these are your first children or if you have not attempted breastfeeding before, be prepared that breastfeeding twins can be very challenging in the early days as the babies and you attempt to master latching, develop a schedule, await your milk coming in and establish your milk supply.

Establishing Latching

Latching refers to the successful attachment of the baby to the breast. Establishing a successful latch can be difficult at the best of times, but is often even more so with premature babies and especially your first times breastfeeding twins.

Milk Supply Issues

Another challenge twin mothers often face is establishing and maintaining a sufficient milk supply. The early days are an integral time to get things going. You will need to breastfeed and/or pump about every 3 hours around the clock. You may want to keep this in mind and have your visitors scheduled around these times.

Pumping Challenges

Your first few days of feeding and/or pumping sessions may be disheartening. You may be putting in a lot of time and effort and have very little to show for it – only a few drops of clear liquid from the pump or babies that are losing weight. This is because it can take several days for your milk to come in. Don’t be discouraged. This is normal and the stimulation provided by your babies or a pump is important to help get things going. If pumping, you may notice a few tsps of a clear liquid. This is colostrum and as insignificant as it might seem, it is a perfect first food for babies.

Supplementing With Formula

If your babies are on the small side, you may be encouraged by the maternity nurses to formula feed while you wait for your milk to come in. You may want to speak to a trusted health care provider before the babies are born to establish a plan for how your babies will be fed in these early days.

Best of luck with breastfeeding and CONGRATULATIONS on your new babies!