my journey to exclusively breastfeeding twins

When I found out I was having twins, the immediate excitement was quickly followed by a healthy dose of overwhelm. Then came the questions: Could I really breastfeed two babies? Exclusively? (Yes, it’s in my Google history) As a second-time mom, I had some experience, but twins felt like a whole new ballgame. This is my honest journey to exclusively breastfeeding my twins, from the sheer exhaustion to the unexpected joys.

My Essential Supplies

Before the twins arrived, I dove deep into research, trying to anticipate what I’d need for tandem feeding. My two absolute hero products were the Twin Z Pillow and the My Brest Friend Twin Nursing Pillow. When the boys were tiny, with virtually no neck control, the My Brest Friend was key because its firm, flat surface and single-piece front provided the crucial support needed to position two fragile newborns. As they grew and I got more comfortable, I actually switched off quite a bit between the two, depending on how I was feeling or what position worked best.

I also became a big fan of the Hatch nursing bra for comfort and convenience. For the first month, we supplemented with bottles as well, using wide-mouth Dr. Brown's bottles we already had from our first pregnancy – and a bottle washer was a surprising luxury. Pumping was also part of my routine (I used the Spectra), and I vividly remember a lactation consultant noticing that one of my nipples was larger and recommending I size up a flange. Small but mighty tip!

Starting Early: At the Hospital

Note: My twins were born 37+3 and I was able to keep them in the room with me.

Having successfully nursed my first child, I felt like I had some experience under my belt, but tandem feeding twins was uncharted territory. So, I brought My Brest Friend pillow to the hospital. The very first time I nursed them, I told the nurse I wanted to try tandem feeding, and they immediately helped me get set up. Our hospital's lactation consultant visited us every single day we were there, which was incredibly helpful. I could call the nurses in any time I was trying to nurse, and they would kindly come in and help me position for a tandem feed. I even remember a few nurses coming in just to watch me set up for tandem feeds, saying they'd never seen a mom attempt it in the hospital before, which suggested to me that this isn't that common at least early on!

This early support was critical. We also went back to see the lactation consultant at the hospital two or three times after discharge. She helped me with their latch, and most importantly, taught my husband how to expertly position me with blankets and pillows, ensuring a comfortable and effective setup.

Those first few weeks were brutally hard. I constantly questioned how much milk they were actually getting, and they were both so tiny – one of them could only latch well on one side. I remember my nipples getting cracked and having to slather on coconut oil, while simultaneously trying to maneuver two very small, fragile babies into the correct position. The exhaustion was overwhelming, feeding every two hours around the clock. I distinctly recall one instance where I spent 30 minutes just trying to get one of them to latch.

During this time, I absolutely needed someone to help me set up to nurse. Once I got one baby in position, I couldn't reach to grab the other with one hand. The twin nursing experience was profoundly different than with my first child. I also developed really bad wrist, shoulder, and neck pain from constantly hunching over, watching them intently, trying to ensure a correct latch. And we’re not even talking about burping here.

There were moments of pure desperation. Sometimes, I was so utterly exhausted that I'd ask my husband or my parents (who were staying with us) to give the babies a bottle of formula while I tried to pump on the side. It was exhausting, both physically and emotionally. I even remember my dad feeling so bad that he offered me money for formula, which I politely declined. (He has said multiple times afterwards that he thought the twins were starving.) Then, a friend of ours surprised us by buying eight huge boxes of formula because she'd heard how difficult things had been. It was a true act of kindness, and a reminder that it's okay to accept help.

Breast-feeding general and is just a mind f**k in my opinion.

A month in, I learned from this Doula (YouTube channel) that it takes six weeks for your body to adjust and produce enough milk, so that gave me a target.

Surviving the Nights:

In the beginning, I felt like I tried every possible combination for night feedings. I aimed to feed them at the same time, but if I couldn't get a perfect double latch, my husband would bottle-feed the other. However, even when I could tandem latch them, I still needed my husband's help to get them set up. So, for the first month to month-and-a-half, we were both up for every single feeding, for one reason or another.

Once they got a bit bigger, probably around 10 pounds with more neck control, I felt comfortable enough to start doing nights solo. I often found myself falling asleep sitting up while tandem nursing. Otherwise, I'd try to nap during the day whenever they napped. A few times, my husband would take them in the morning after their first feed, allowing me to grab a hour or two of uninterrupted sleep.

Days & Nights Later: Evolving Routines

Once they were bigger and I could set them up tandem by myself, I exclusively breastfed them. Frankly, it felt easier than washing, sterilizing, and prepping bottles constantly, especially after my husband went back to work after two months and it was just me at home (before I hired some part-time help). So, starting at one and a half months, I was exclusively breastfeeding.

Now, at six months, we're starting to re-introduce some bottles in preparation for when I go back to work (and yes, they're currently refusing the bottle, which is a new challenge!). As they've gotten bigger, they naturally started eating less at night and sleeping longer stretches. Around two or three months, I transitioned to nursing them individually at night because one would simply sleep longer than the other. This allowed me to prioritize my sleep a bit more. And the best part? Now that they're six months old and so much stronger, nursing them tandem is incredibly easier because they can basically latch on their own!

The Right Mindset:

When I first found out I was having twins, I talked to a colleague whose twins are now in their 20s. She told me she nursed her twins tandem for 6-7 months, and my mind was absolutely blown. I was amazed, shocked, and frankly, in disbelief. Then, when my twins were about a month old, a woman approached me in Whole Foods and said she nursed her twins until they were two! At the time, I was in the thick of it, questioning every single day how long I would even be able to continue.

But day by day, week by week, I kept trying. And then here we are, at six months, having basically exclusively breastfed them. It’s wild to look back.

Everyone has their own perspective about breastfeeding, but for the most part, I truly enjoy the bond, closeness, and the unique opportunity it gives me to simply be with them. This past week, however, I needed to focus on my older child, so our nanny gave the twins bottles. It definitely offered a bit more flexibility, and I cherished that dedicated time with my older one. But I did genuinely miss that intimate feeding time with the littles.

As the countdown to the end of my maternity leave begins, I'm trying to pump more to build up a supply. Deciding when to stop breastfeeding, knowing this is my last pregnancy, is a very bittersweet moment.

Like so many things with parenting, I often find myself looking back at the hardest times and already missing aspects of them. In the moment, I try to remind myself that everything is transient, and every single moment, even the challenging ones, is ultimately good.