Nursing Twins- Part 1:  The Preparation 

I had the advantage of nursing my first two but I knew going into this it was going to be much different. Like everything else about twins, I didn’t know where to start. I did a lot of Pinteresting and Googling to try to get an idea of how it could work. 

Now that I’ve (almost) made it 7 months of nursing two, I am ready to share what worked/s for me. I’ll say this each time- What works for me might not work for others and I do think that breastfeeding is great but there is nothing wrong with formula. 

Here are my tips for preparing to nurse twins:

• Do some research. If you’re reading this you probably already have. There are LOTS of resources out there. 
• Buy a nursing pillow for twins. The one that I love and I’m currently still using for tandem feedings is the My BreastFriend for twins. I honestly don’t think I could have nursed two without it. It is a must-have in my book. 
• Talk to your doctor about after delivery. And when you get to the delivery room, remind the nurse of your request to nurse soon after delivery. Even though I had a c-section, they still were very encouraging to help me nurse both girls as soon after the delivery as possible. Find out from your doctor or hospital if there are lactation consultants available to assist you after delivery. It never hurts to have some help, even if you’ve had previous experience. 
• Buy the goods you’ll need. For me, these included nipple cream, nipple shields, nursing pads, milk storage bags, nursing sleep bras, and easy access clothing. 
• Have a breast pump to use when you get home. Your hospital will let you use their pumps while you are there most likely but if you’re going to be going to work you’ll want to start stock piling milk. Your insurance carrier should provide this for you. 
• Have some formula and bottles at home washed and ready to go just in case you need to supplement. My girls needed to gain some so I pumped after each feeding to give them a little extra but it was nice knowing I had some formula if I needed it. You’ll likely have samples from the doctor or hospital. 
• Try to stock your freezer full of easy foods that are healthy and easy to cook for after you come home. I made quite a few freezer crockpot meals in preparation. 
• Make sure you have some pjs and clothes that are easy to nurse in. Consider the fact that even if you plan on a vaginal delivery that you are more likely to have a c-section with multiples so you want to avoid waistlines that cut low on your waistline. 
• Think about where you will nurse and what, if any, furniture you may want to purchase. I planned to nurse both upstairs and downstairs so I had gliders in the living room and the nursery.  I also put a small table next to both. Think about what might work for you. 

The goal in all of the points above is to make it as easy and comfortable as possible for you after you come home with your babies. 

Are you a nursing mother of multiples? What helped you prepare for breastfeeding two (or more)?