How to breastfeed in case of twins: Tips.

How to breastfeed for twins: Tips.

If a baby alone is challenging, with two the fatigue doubles. By organizing themselves, however, it is possible to take care of the little ones efficiently… even with feedings.

If you are breastfeeding

In the case of natural feeding, it is advisable to attach the babies to the breast at the same time, to feed and satiate them at the same times. Since there are two babies, it is not possible to hold them in the arms as is the case when the newborn is one. Each baby is attached keeping the head forward, while the body rests on the mother's forearm which corresponds to the sucking breast: right for the right breast and vice versa. The head rests in the hollow of each hand and the legs remain under the armpit of the mother. To help support the little ones, it is possible to purchase, before giving birth, the special U-shaped “nursing pillow”, which makes the little ones feel more comfortable.

It is good to alternate the babies at the breast, because often one breast is fuller of milk than the other. Also, little ones don't always suck with the same greed. By alternating them, you are sure to feed them adequately, stimulating the sensation of appetite. To be sure not to make a mistake, you can write down the date, the baby's name and which breast he sucked in a notebook. The ideal is to alternate the little ones every day. In this way, a further need of the children is satisfied: to be able to see the mother from various angles. In fact, only one child has the possibility of seeing the mother's face once from the right and once from the left. In twins, the risk is that they are always attacked from the same side and this exposes them to see the mother's face always from only one point of view.

If using the bottle

Mothers who cannot breastfeed or who have little milk and therefore have to resort to supplementation with the bottle, must necessarily breastfeed first one twin and then the other. One of the two babies can always be entrusted to the partner or the person who helps, but, at least in the first weeks, it would be preferable for the mother to breastfeed both babies personally. In order not to be caught unprepared by the appetite of the little ones, it is advisable to take advantage of a moment of calm to prepare sufficient stocks of bottles for the whole day. A bottle of milk lasts 24 hours, as long as it is kept in the refrigerator.