Nursing my daughters has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. Twins can present some unique breastfeeding situations. I encountered a number of difficulties, especially in the beginning. My hope is that others will gain some insight and information from my experience.

My girls were 6 weeks premature and required time in the NICU. I wasn't able to nurse either one of the girls immediately. Annika, who had no problems at birth, was about six hours old the first time she nursed. Marisa was on oxygen for about 4 days, so I wasn't able to nurse her until she was off the oxygen. Fortunately, both girls latched on well on their first tries, and I was feeling very confident about nursing my premature twins.

Annika came home from the hospital exactly one week before Marisa. I nursed Annika exclusively, and pumped after each feeding for Marisa. I tried to get to the hospital at least once everyday, to take Marisa the milk I pumped, as well as nurse her, but it was hard. Not only did I have a new baby at home, but 3 older children that needed me as well. They were having to supplement some of Marisa's feedings with formula, but even though most of what she got was breastmilk, most of it came from a bottle, not breast.

When Marisa came home from the hospital, she had nipple confusion from getting so many bottles. She had become a terrible nurser, and I didn't know what to do. I reached out to some other breastfeeding moms in the community who were able to guide me through reteaching her to breastfeed. This was one of the most difficult times for me. My family was already pressuring me to bottle feed. When they found out Marisa was having problems nursing, my family really turned up the heat! I needed my family's support so much at this time, and it just wasn't there. It hurt me a great deal. I was lucky to find a community of nursing mothers to offer me the support I couldn't get from my family.

I was also having problems with the logistics of nursing 2 babies and learning how to get them on and off my twin nursing pillow. Once again I turned to the nursing women in my community, and found 2 moms that had nursed twins. I'm not sure I could have done it without their help, and even if I could, they made things much easier for me.

Annika and Marisa were about a month old before I was comfortable moving them on and off my nursing pillow, and getting them both latched on. It was a hard month. In looking back, I think about everything that could have gone wrong did. We took things one day at a time though, and managed. I just wasn't prepared to throw in the towel, so when we had problems, I kept looking for solutions until I found them.

My girls nursed every 2 to 3 hours until they were about 4 months old. Sometimes they would nurse up to 45 minutes at a feeding. Most of the time they nursed together, which I finally got used to. (I hated nursing them together in the beginning, it was very uncomfortable. It was too stimulating, and I felt so exposed). The hardest part had become finding things to do while I nursed.

I spent so much of the time sitting on my couch nursing, I had to find things to occupy my mind. Plus, keeping my mind busy, helped ease the physical discomfort, and the emotional discomfort of being so exposed. As I became more comfortable nursing both girls at once, in front of other people, you can be discreet nursing twins, I became a captive audience for my older kids. We talked, read together, watched movies. It was nice being able to really be there for them in a way that I don't think I'd been in a long time. When my older children weren't around, I used the time to not only bond with my babies, but as an opportunity to read books, do crosswords, pay bills, and watch t.v. As a mother of 5 kids, I learned multi-tasking when you can, is a real lifesaver.

At around 3 months, I tried to alter their schedules in the evening, so they didn't wake up together at night. I had become to exhausted to nurse them together in the middle of the night. It was easier to nurse them one at a time, so I could catch a few catnaps while they nursed. They started sleeping through the night around 5 1/2 months. I was grateful. they have gone through a number of periods since where they have stopped for a week or two at a time though.

When they were about 7 1/2 months old I had to buy a new nursing pillow. The foam in my old one had gotten so compressed, and they had grown so much their rears were hanging off the end. The new pillow was about $50 with shipping, but well worth the expense. We love it!!! It is thicker, longer, and has sloped sides to keep the girls on their sides, it also keeps them from squirming around so much.

Annika and Marisa are now 9 months old and nursing is going well. Every once and a while we still hit bumps and snags, but we are all 3 committed, so we always seem to work it out. I will continue nursing for as long as it works for us. I hear so many moms say, "I'm going to nurse for 6 months", or "I'll nurse for a year", I think you are cheating yourself and your baby/babies if you try to set a deadline. Nurse as long as it works. I stopped at 15 months with my 3 year old because of family pressure, and I regretted it very much afterward. Nursing is one of the closest connections you will ever have with your children, don't be in a hurry to give it up, because you will spend the rest of your life trying to get it back in one way or another.

My older children have been my greatest asset. My 10 year old, Jacob, has taken on much of the responsibility for my 3 year old, Gabrielle. My 8 year old Levi, and Gabrielle also help out, getting things for me when I'm nursing, entertaining each other, and entertaining the twins. My children are the backbone of my family. When no one else seems to be there for me, they always are, and I could never thank them enough. I never doubt their love, and I hope they never doubt mine. Thank you Jacob, Levi, and Gabrielle, for being so wonderful, and thank you Annika and Marisa, for helping me to see what a lucky woman I am.

Hints and Tips

1. Buy a nursing pillow, the best you can find, before the babies come, and take it with you to the hospital. DO NOT leave the hospital until you have had a lactation consultant show you how to get the babies on and off the pillow, and both latched on. Make sure you are comfortable doing it yourself when you leave the hospital.

2. Buy a t.v. tray to keep in front of you while you nurse, it is easier to reach things in front of you, than next to you on an end table.

Use it for:
paper and pen
books
drinks
phone
TV remotes
dinner ( I spent many meals nursing)

3. Expect to spend most of the first 3 or 4 months nursing, and plan accordingly. It isn't like nursing one, you have to sit down, you can't move around and nurse. If you have older children, try to make arrangements for other people to spend some extra time with them, so they don't feel forgotten.

4. Let people know you need at least a couple of weeks with the babies before you want visitors. It will give you and the babies an opportunity to get more comfortable nursing by yourselves, without an audience. By all means though, if people want to come over to help you out, let them know the door is always open, after all, there is laundry to be done and meals to be cooked, and you are not going to have the time.

5. Give up the idea of the SUPER MOM before the babies come. She doesn't exist. It is impossible to be perfect, and I've heard trying causes great anxiety, and can lead to insanity. I wake up everyday knowing that I will be the best mom I can be, some days that's better than others.

6. Being there for your children, is the greatest gift you can give them, but being there for yourself is important too. Take time to run outside and get a breath of fresh air, even if you have to turn right around and come back in. Don't wait for the time, it will never come. Make the time, even if it seems like the house is falling down around you, in fact, especially, if it seems like the house is coming down around you. You will be a better person for it.

7. Don't allow yourself and your babies to be a prisoner in your house. They need fresh air too. Buy a good twin stroller, not double (double strollers are designed for an infant and older child, and are not very convenient for 2 babies). If the weather is nice go for a walk around the block, or take a trip to some inside location like a mall or store you can spend some time in. Front pack carriers, and snugglis are nice to. When the babies are small you can wear 2 yourself, or buy one designed for twins (they do make them).

8. Get ready for the ride of your life, you have already bought your ticket, there's no turning back now!!!

Written by Rachael Martin, 28 year old mother of five - 2 boys and 3 girls. Jacob Michael 10, Levi Daniel 8 1/2, Gabrielle Itta 3 1/2, Annika Ruth 9 months, and Marisa Simone 9 months. I have a B.A. in Philosophy from Purdue University, but am a stay at home mom. I was married and divorced when I was younger, but have been married to my husband Phillip for 3 years. My life has had its ups and downs, but I am very grateful for what I have. I wouldn't change anything, even if I could, good and bad, it has made me what I am, which isn't so bad.

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