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Monday, June 11, 2012

For MoMs by MoMs-Feeding & Schedules

I am linking up once again with some of my favorite twins moms to talk about feeding and schedules with twins.

I feel being on a schedule was one of the biggest blessing that came with the twins being in the NICU. When Jackson and Riggs came home they were on a very strict feeding schedule and it was important to me to keep. As I mentioned in last weeks post I was called the Baby Nazi at one point by my mom, but until you have twins you don't understand how have a schedule is your sanity. The golden rule was when one eats they both eat if not you will never get a break and you will always be feeding.

We came home on a 3 hour feeding schedule of 3, 6, 9, 12 repeat. This worked well for us and gave us some predictability with the twins.

I had great desire and intentions of breast feeding the twins, but also knew we would do what worked best for us as a family. Since they were preemies we began with me pumping and them being bottle fed and in the long run this is what we stuck with. I know pumping like this to many this sounds horrible but for us it worked. I knew I was going to be going back to work so pumping was going to be a huge part no matter what. I found that I could put one on my lap the other in a boppy beside me while I was pumping with my hands free bra (lifesaver) and we could be done with the entire process in 20 minutes. When we did BF it would take about an hour by the time they fed, I pumped and then supplemented. While this is not how I had hoped it would go it is what worked best for our family and I was able to provide them some breast milk for 7 months.

For us the feeding was the most important thing for us to be on schedules with. We knew we wanted kids who slept well but also wanted flexibility to be able to be on the go with them as well. We felt this worked well for us-we even took pack 'n plays with us to friends houses so they could sleep and we could have fun.

Schedules are so important with twins, find one that works for your family and you will be able to breathe during those first crazy months!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow I can't believe you provided them with milk that long!! That is definitely an accomplishment!! We take PAC n plays with us to friends houses also so we can all have adult time when babies go to bed!!

Heather said...

I so wish I had gotten one of those hands free bras. I might have pumped more and longer if I had.