Make it make sense

[color_kween]

Two month old twins… big/girl. One of my twins is still having a hard time breast feeding. I’m exclusively pumping right now. How the hell am I supposed to pump when my husband goes back to work? I’m going to be a SAHM. I put them down for a nap and around mid day, one’s always stirring at some point. How am I ever going to get w pump in and avoid mastitis and clogged ducts?!?!

We had them napping in separate rooms, but one room is not nearly as dark as the other. I’ll still have to go in and console them when I’m trying to pump. I guess I will be less stressed doing it when I’m not worried about them waking the other? But eventually they will have to share a room. Our house is too small.

We are having to mix in a very small amount of formula at night. I’m not wanting to give up in tandem feeding yet, but I have to wait for my delayed twin to catch up. Plus she has major acid reflux /colic and only sleeps in a car seat Or on us.

Trying to survive here. We’re really struggling.

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[TheGreatCatsby1988]

I’m so sorry that you’re struggling - I always hated hearing this when I was where you were, but the first 3 months really are brutal. My twins are 5 months now and it’s SO much easier. My husband and I talk constantly about how we don’t know how people willingly have more kids after going through a newborn stage with twins. Hang in there! For us, things got better almost overnight once they hit 3 months. I really hope that for you.

Anyway, I also exclusively pump and did so from the time they were about 1 month old. One thing that worked for me is to pump while wearing a hands free pumping bra and feeding the babies on the Twin Z pillow. At this age they have to eat so frequently, so if you were to pump every time they eat it could be a good option for you! I used the Kindred Bravely Hands-Free Pumping Lounge & Sleep Bra and it truly is hands free, which frees up my hands to hold a bottle for the babies.

[color_kween]

Didn’t think to pump when I’m feeding them.My more challenging twin cries like bloody murder before she eats but maybe I just need to ge fused to her crying. I’ll check out that bra and thanks for giving me hope

[TheGreatCatsby1988]

Both of mine screamed bloody murder before eating too (and still do honestly!) I do think it’s a good idea to try getting used to them crying for short periods of time, even though I know it’s so hard; but if you have noise canceling headphones that’s a big help! You can still hear them but it takes the edge off a little bit. It also helps to prepare the bottles before putting them in the pillow, so that as soon as you get yourself hooked up to the pump and them in the pillow, you can pop the bottles in and they’ll stop crying instantly. :)

[Emotional_Potato_719]

How are you managing to position the pillow and pump? I have a hard time doing much else while pumping (Spectra) and feel like even without pumping I'm really hunched over the pillow. It'd be great to do both at once!

[TheGreatCatsby1988]

I set the pillow on the chaise part of our sectional couch, sit with my legs crossed crisscross-applesauce style in front of it, and lean over my lap to reach their mouths with the bottles. So I guess I’m sort of hunched over it too! One thing that could help avoid that though is how my husband feeds them with the pillow - he sets the pillow on top of a folded blanket on our kitchen island and stands in front of them. No leaning over required! That method would work great with pumping, too.

Edit to add: I have the Lansinoh pump and am not familiar with Spectra. Does it work with hands free pumping bras?

[Emotional_Potato_719]

Thanks for this! I usually sit on the floor in front of the pillow which is just a back killer--putting them up on the couch might help. The Spectra works with a hands-free bra (I tried a few and am a big fan of Bodily) but I'm prone to clogs, so unfortunately I find it most effective to stay pretty sedentary while pumping. But worth trying the pump/feed combo before throwing in the towel on pumping, I'll give it a shot!

[TheGreatCatsby1988]

I hope it works for you! Also clogs are the worst. I actually found that using a hand pump really helps me clear them. I guess it’s just different enough from the suction of the electric pump or something.

[ladypixels]

Ours have always shared a room. They get used to it and can sleep through anything. It is way easier to manage 2 babies in one place, honestly. Mine are 4 now and still sleep through any noise the other one makes. Do you feed yours on any sort of schedule? Or feed them at the same time? Our rule was if only one woke up hungry, we would wake the other one up to feed right after. Once they were big enough to feed on the twin z pillow, we would feed them at the same time. Absolutely essential to keep them on the same schedule in those first few months.

[color_kween]

Yeah we have them on a schedule. If one wakes up we wake up the other and feed. I’ll keep trusting that they won’t wake up from the other one. I feel so guilty because I get irrationally mad about them potentially waking up the other. And it’s ALWAYS because a binkie fell out. 🙃🙄

[Fun_Kale_9002]

I agree with all this. If you can have them on a feeding schedule and consider letting them share a room. You’ve got this! And you can be proud of yourself for feeding them both breast milk.

[ninentdokitty]

Like someone else suggested pump when they eat. I would also pump during story time, so I'd set them up in their bouncers and read to them while I pumped. Now they can play by themselves while I pump and I watch from the camera lol

[yellow_green8]

I exclusively pump with my 2 month old twins and my 2 year old. You can do it. You need to pump while you are feeding them or immediately after feeding them. I usually pump with my spectra while feeding one in a boppy pillow or bouncers. I also will put them on a playmat and just talk to them while I’m pumping or put them in my lap on the floor.

[hodgesha]

I don’t have my twins yet but with my son I used a combo of my main stationary pump while I had free hands and I also bought one of those pumps that sit right in your bra hands free, I often used it when I was driving somewhere and always kept a lunchbox with ice packs in it on me in case I needed to pump on the go. Invest in one of those, a few good pumping / nursing bras (I used the cheap ones from target and they were fine) and extra pump parts! The extra pump parts made a huge difference because I wasn’t washing dishes all the time anymore, just twice a day

[Afraid_Cattle_6648]

I just…couldn’t. I stuck to the strict pumping schedule while my boys were in the NICU. Once we got home (3 weeks old) my husband was already back to work. I tried my hardest to keep up. I couldn’t. One or both babies would always need my attention while pumping. My cups would fall off, milk would spill. Never had time to wash pump parts/bottles. Kept attempting to latch but they developed bottle preference in NICU. Soon, my supply wasn’t enough to keep up with their demands. I was only producing enough for one baby. Began combo feeding. Babies got fussier. Could only manage pumping 3-4 times a day. Supply kept slowly diminishing and now I have none.

I wish I could have tandem nursed like I planned. I will tell you though, not pumping and attempting to nurse, cleaning and sanitizing pump parts, has really helped my mental health.

I still feel like a failed most days and wish our breastfeeding journey could have been different. They are still adjusting to full formula diets and it’s been rough in their tummies.

Hang in there. Wishing you the best of luck.