Breastfeeding one baby is A LOT of work! So imagine trying to breastfeed newborn twins. It is quite the endeavor. There are a lot of extra factors to overcome when breastfeeding newborn twins, especially if you want to exclusively breastfeed them.

Besides the issue of having two newborns to feed, twins are typically born earlier than singletons. On top of that, the recovery time for the mother after a twin birth is longer. 

As a twin mom myself that went through my own struggles trying to breastfeed twins, in this post I am going to share how birth and postpartum recovery can impact breastfeeding twins. Additionally, you will get a step-by-step guide for breastfeeding newborn twins. And finally, my top tips and hacks for success.

Please note, there are affiliate links in this post. Read my privacy & disclosure policy at the bottom of this page to learn more.

Twin Birth and Impact on Breastfeeding

One of the biggest factors that will influence your breastfeeding twins journey will be their birth, particularly if your twins are born early. If your babies arrive earlier than expected, breastfeeding could go a little differently than initially planned.

I learned this lesson when my twins were born at 35.5 weeks and brought to the NICU. When babies are born early, which is more common for twins, they are not quite developed enough to have a good latch and sucking reflex.

Because of this, I ended up pumping for my twins and supplementing with formula as needed. The moral of this story is to be prepared for the possibility of your twins being born early. If this happens, you might need to start out pumping before being able to switch to nursing.

Recovering From Birth As a Twin Mom

Another thing that will effect your experience breastfeeding newborn twins is how you feel after giving birth. For me personally, the birth of my twins involved being at the hospital for 24 hours, pushing for over 2 hours, and dealing with horrible spinal headaches from my epidural for one week after birth.

By comparison, the delivery of my singleton was so much easier. I did not have an epidural, I was at the hospital under an hour and it took 3 pushes and boom he was out (I lucked out big time on this one).

There were stark differences between the deliveries and postpartum recovery, which definitely had a big impact on my breastfeeding success. For my twins, getting through just one pumping session was very difficult and painful due to the spinal headaches.

While with my singleton, I was able to focus on nursing, since my postpartum recovery was so much easier. So, if you have a difficult delivery and recovery, the start of breastfeeding your twins could be slower than you anticipate. But, you can always work on things like increasing your milk supply, further down the road when you start feeling strong enough.

Will You Always Breastfeed Newborn Twins At The Same Time?

During the newborn stage, the answer to this question is no, you will not always nurse your twins at the same time. However, you will need to do this sometimes.

This means it will be necessary to master tandem feeding newborn twins. In the first 6-12 weeks your newborn twins schedule will be different and you will be working towards getting them on the same schedule. But at this age, they just aren’t capable of a reliable schedule yet.

Breastfeeding Newborn Twins Must Haves

Since some times you will find yourself feeding your twins at the same time and sometimes you will feed them separately, I recommend two different types of breastfeeding pillows. First up you should invest in a twin feeding pillow. There are two options I recommend choosing between:

From what I’ve seen from my twin mom’s Facebook group, it really is each individual’s preference for what works best for them. I personally had the My Brest Friend Twin pillow. I found it very bulky. If I were having twins right now, I’d go with the Twin Z pillow because it also works well to help with bottle feeding twins at the same time AND you can use it for your twins to lounge in too.

Now since you will also need to breastfeed your newborn twins by themselves, I also recommend getting a single nursing pillow too. The best are either the My Brest Friend or the Boppy. Personally, from the days of nursing my singleton, I preferred the My Brest Friend pillow for the newborn stage. Other items I recommend getting include:

Breastfeeding Newborn Twins: Step-By-Step Guide

Now that we covered some important things to know about and prepare for regarding breastfeeding newborn twins, let’s jump into what the step-by-step process might look like.

1 – Prepare Before Birth

To start, I recommend taking a breastfeeding class about 3-4 weeks before you are due. It’s even better if you take one taught my a twin mom, which is why I recommend the Ultimate Online Breastfeeding Class from Milkology. This course is the gold-standard for online breastfeeding classes and is taught by Stacey a twin mom and Certified Lactation Educator.

You should also set up a comfortable space in your home where you plan to nurse your twins most often. This should include supportive chairs, nursing pillows, burp cloths, and water bottles.

2 – Establish Milk Supply

Once your twins are born, you will want to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, if possible. From there, each baby will require frequent feeding.

Aim to nurse each baby every 2-3 hours to stimulate milk production (yes this is a crazy amount of work). You can also use a breast pump after feeding sessions if one baby isn’t latching well or to boost supply.

3 – Latching

Latch one baby at a time. Ensure each baby is latched properly before focusing on the second. Check for effective latch by looking for wide-open mouths, lips flanged out, and rhythmic sucking with audible swallowing.

4 – Master Positions

You will want to have a proper position for both breastfeeding your babies by themselves and at the same time. Here are some options for breastfeeding twins at the same time:

  • Football Hold: Place each baby under your arms with their heads at your breasts.
  • Cradle and Football Combo: One baby in a cradle hold and the other in a football hold.
  • Double Cradle: Both babies in a cradle position across your body.

I recommend checking out this video on tandem breastfeeding twins to get an idea of what to expect. Finally, I also recommend using nursing pillows (as discussed above) for extra support for both you and your babies.

5 – Understand Hunger Cues & Alternate Breasts

Learn each baby’s cues that they are hungry, such as rooting, sucking on hands, or fussiness. You will also want to switch breasts for each baby at every feeding to balance milk production.

6 – Understand Newborn Twin Feeding Schedule

Check out these sample breastfeeding twins schedules to help you understand what your days will look like. And remember, breastfeeding sessions with newborn babies are LONG! They can last anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

When possible feed both babies together. If one twin is hungry, offer to feed the other baby as well. This will help work towards getting your twins on the same schedule eventually. Of course, this will not always work out that both newborns will want to eat at the same time, especially since newborns sleep so much.

To make your life a little simpler I recommend tracking feeds for each baby. You can use this Twin Breastfeeding Tracker to record feeding times, durations, and which breast each baby nursed from all on one page.

Ultimate guide to breastfeeding newborn twins Pinterest pin.

Combined Feeding (Pumping or Formula) Newborn Twins

It is not uncommon for twin moms to end up doing some kind of combination feeding for their babies. This could mean both pumping and nursing their babies or it could mean supplementing with formula as needed.

I just wanted to bring this up because it’s important to understand that whatever way you feed your babies is a success. If you prefer to exclusively pump for twins or you end up using formula as needed to feed your little ones (or even for all feeds), it’s okay. You need to do what works best for you and your babies!

For more info on pumping or bottle feeding twins, check out these articles:

Breastfeeding Newborn Twins Tips & Hacks

Before I sign off, I want to leave you with my tips and hacks to help you towards your goal of successfully breastfeeding newborn twins. Here is my list.

  1. Work on your milk supply: In order to have enough milk supply for two babies, you will be nursing or pumping A LOT! You will need to at least 10-12 feeding / pumping sessions per day to keep up. Be ready to spend most of your day (and some of your night) either pumping or nursing.
  2. Have help: Line up as much help as possible during the newborn stage. Whether it’s family, friends, or paid help, it will be worth it. This will allow you to focus on nursing when needed.
  3. Feed twins at the same time: Figure out how to feed your twins at the same time as early on as possible. But also understand there will be times you feed your newborns at different times.
  4. Be prepared: Make sure you have the gear you need for breastfeeding twins (listed above).
  5. Supplement if needed: Do not stress if you are not able to exclusively breastfeed your twins. You can always supplement with a little bit of formula, if needed.
  6. You might have engorgement or sore nipples: For engorgement, apply warm compresses before feeding and cold compresses afterward. For sore nipples, use nipple cream or hydrogel pads and ensure proper latching.
  7. Stay hydrated and nourished: Drinking plenty of water and eating healthy will help boost and maintain milk supply. Keep water and snacks nearby during feeding.

Breastfeeding newborn twins is not easy, but with a lot of hard work and dedication it can be done successfully!

With patience, practice, and perseverance you’ll find a rhythm that works for you and your babies. Celebrate your progress and don’t hesitate to ask for support when needed. Good luck twin mama, you got this!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *