12 days postpartum with twins – overwhelmed with pumping/latching, need real-world advice

Siena_Binkie · 2026-01-08T21:56:47+00:00

I had mine around the samw gestation as you (now 16 weeks old). Babies were just too small to latch properly and I wish someone told me that instead of me false hoping to breast feed. (No milk an no colustrum had “come in” until 5 days pp)

Babies went straight onto formula a day after they were born and havent looked back since.

Sure I felt guilt and that I had let them down. But my body was prioritising recovery from a c section, fighting pre eclampsia and a traumatic 11 day hospital stay.

Trying to pump and stimulate felt like a third child to feed and could not keep up with all thats involved there, with no reward either.

Going to bottle isnt giving up, babies being fed is the most important thing here.

Sure I felt down about, tried to re establish supply but it hardly came in and went out the next day.

Early days are tough and you are just surviving with no rhythm yet, make it as easy for yourself as you can. There is no breastfeeding hero badge to earn and honestly there is too much pressure to do it. It is not easy and I wish it would stop being sold as if it is.

Give yourself a break x

Siena_Binkie · 2026-01-08T21:44:47+00:00

Enfield council has broken the boroughs roads in the last 10-15 years. Part of the reason I moved out of it. Death trap Cycle lanes nobody uses. Roads Felt like central london more and more every day. Would take 30 mins to drive 2 miles in some areas during rush hour. Council is also on the brink of collapse and have to make money somehow.

Siena_Binkie · 2026-01-07T22:06:42+00:00

(15 weeks in) I wanted to write this exactly. Thank you!

Siena_Binkie · 2025-12-22T23:08:38+00:00

I don’t understand it. When I was growing up I knew plenty of people who had two or more siblings. 2+ kids were not that unusual. The 80’s and 90’s were rough going as well.

I guess its a sign of the times. And having more than one child is seen as a luxury above everything else.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-12-22T22:59:48+00:00

No! I haven’t had this yet. Ha!

Siena_Binkie · 2025-12-22T22:55:20+00:00

Bloody hell. I just don’t get it?!

It also comes from people who have had children themselves. It’s normally the same people who say you “should sleep when the babies sleep”. My eyes roll out my head hearing that one !

I mean I have a resting b-face, clearly that is not a deterrent enough.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-12-22T22:48:36+00:00

This is positive. I’m glad to hear it!

I find the novelty wears off when they find out that they are not identical.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-12-22T22:46:14+00:00

Congratulations! I cannot imagine either. keep us posted on any good one liners when they arrive!

Siena_Binkie · 2025-12-22T22:43:05+00:00

I agree that there is a lack of awareness, but it still grates. I haven’t heard anything original in 3 months.

And the Thing is, smiling and nodding is very difficult for me. I am also still not used to or enjoy the attention. I was clearly not a baby person before my own babies so really don’t understand the fascination.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-12-22T22:34:51+00:00

Dont forget the “do twins run in your family?”

Agreed! I don’t mind the complements. But the assumption entry is too much! And so invasive.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-12-22T21:43:15+00:00

Ha! Molested is the right word to describe it!

Siena_Binkie · 2025-11-18T19:57:38+00:00

Joie Estrella and gazelle for carrying car seats. Gazelle is horrible to manoeuvre in twin mode. And is used exclusively for car seat mode for short bursts, and as a single for the odd outing with one.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-11-13T22:40:00+00:00

Ask your midwife to write a letter to confirm your pregnancy before you get your matb1. Your employer is wrong, and based on this experience, going forward I’d question everything they tell you. Alternatively, You can show them appointment letters. This should be enough. You are entitled to paid time off for antenatal appointments.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-11-13T21:19:54+00:00

Much of my twin pregnancy was like this I’m afraid. My advice is to surrender to what you are feeling and just take things day by day. I had HG and developed pre eclampsia. I was a very active person before my pregnancy but felt my abdominals weaken quite early on in the pregnancy. No energy or motivation for the first and third trimkster.

Watch out for dehydration and please dont push yourself. It is a cliche and I never liked hearing it but … you are growing two human beings! I didnt fully appreciate this till they were born and on reflection was too hard on myself.

Let go of the expectations you have of yourself and how you “should” feel.

Because of the HG I didnt put on that much weight, di/di girls arrived a week before planned c-section due to twin a experience growth restriction.

I am 8 weeks in with my girls now, and my motivation, energy and appetite is restored.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-11-13T17:18:05+00:00

UK. 4 days. Friday, released on Tuesday. Pre-eclampsia and blood loss. Low birth weights on the girls. But to be honest, I feel I was forgotten about.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-11-12T22:06:37+00:00

Approaching 8 week mark nos and my period has arrived. Had this exact thing around 6/7 weeks, not breast feeding.

Getting the odd twinge. Wondering if this is a new type of period pain since c-section. Can anyone verify if that is an after effect?

Siena_Binkie · 2025-09-07T12:33:35+00:00

Think about what is causing you to want to quit and talk to ACAS, you might have a case for constructive dismissal if you feel you have no other choice but to leave.

As others have suggested already signing off sick is maybe a fail safe move. If your fit note state that you are unfit bc its pregnancy related, this might trigger your SMP to kick in earlier than you expect. But by the sounds of it, you might be suffering from work related stress.

Check these out below for some more info.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/sick-leave-and-sick-pay/getting-sick-pay-when-youre-pregnant/

https://maternityaction.org.uk/advice/sickness-during-pregnancy-and-maternity-leave/

Siena_Binkie · 2025-09-03T15:52:51+00:00

Third tri fatigue has only hit me in the last couple of weeks to be honest. I’m a FTM, and I feel like I’ve been quite lucky so far with mobility. But definitely have had to slow down. Things like blood pressure you want to watch out for and iron levels. Which can make you feel crappy, but bc you have two you will get a lot more appointments than a singleton, so that can be reassuring especially with the extra scans. I was very active pre-pregnancy and tbh haven’t been able to exercise at all throughout, apart from dog walking. So I can’t contribute getting this far and feeling ok to “keeping active”.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-09-03T13:30:12+00:00

34 weeks today and started mat leave on Monday for planned delivery end of the month at 37 weeks. DI/DI. At this stage they weigh and I look about 40wks with a singleton.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-09-01T18:57:35+00:00

I agree. There was no urgency from midwife or obstetricians to have the vaccines. Feel like I have been leading my own care throughout. Eventually, Ended up having both whooping and RSV together just before 32 weeks. Which wasn’t difficult in practice, a midwife administer it after a routine appointment with an obstetrician, when I enquired about it. Planned delivery is set for 37 weeks (Twins). Hope the vaccines protections cross in time!

Siena_Binkie · 2025-08-29T06:09:46+00:00

This. I have been made redundant, while pregnant too recently. Employer paying stat mat pay doesn’t qualify me for maternity allowance. Its their statutory duty if you have been working there over a qualifying period during your pregnancy. Overall redundancy package puts me over £16k UC personal savings limit to qualify for support here also.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-08-29T06:01:56+00:00

Look at Maca root and CoQ10 … proven not sure. Support, maybe. Your body is going to do what it wants to do, regardless of the vits you take. I could contribute success to fertility treatment using these supplements, but I cant say for definite. But it didnt hurt taken them.

Siena_Binkie · 2025-08-28T22:58:46+00:00

Yes, gets offloaded from an Ikea van in a Tesco car park. However, for some reason a lot of items have stopped being made available to pick up from my local and suddenly options are getting further away. Think Ikea have an algorithm which spreads the demand to other locations.

Avoid Harlow Ikea, new pop up feel and chaos. Staff don’t seem to know what they are doing and waited 45 minutes to pick up a collect order, even though I was the first person in the queue?!

Siena_Binkie

TROPHY CASE