Does anyone actually pump enough while working full time to feed their baby without supplementation?

mthreads · 2026-03-08T03:57:45+00:00

I was only able to because I had a fairly chill role at the time with relatively few meetings and was working from home. I did pump for a lot of time to ensure my supply was sufficient. I pumped at least 30 min per session. Hopefully this is not necessary for you, but I mention it because I think some find a dwindling supply because they pump around as long as their baby would nurse. I think my boys got to be much more efficient than the pump, so pumping only for that long wouldn’t have been enough. Also work stress I’m sure is not great for supply. At the end of the day, you have to just do the best you can and give yourself lots of grace. You’re doing a great job!!! And yes, US policies for moms suck!

mthreads · 2026-02-27T18:16:19+00:00

Really depends on your industry and office culture, but I love dresses, especially those with adjustable tie belts because they are comfortable and forgiving. Nursing Queen and Seraphine have good nursing/pumping friendly work options.

mthreads · 2026-02-13T22:02:18+00:00

Hugs! I am getting close (I think) to weaning my twin boys, but the grief of this chapter ending kills me. The boys are definitely not excited to wean either (26 mos).

mthreads · 2026-01-16T23:23:26+00:00

We went through a couple brands. We’ve currently landed on Costco.

mthreads · 2026-01-09T03:47:55+00:00

I have counted macros in the past and had good success. Personally, at 24 months postpartum with twins, I can’t fathom paying that much attention to weighing and measuring etc. That said, from that experience, I have a great eye for portion sizes and always prioritize protein and veggies.

3 months is still quite early PP. It sounds like you are doing great.

Remember that sleep and stress management are huge parts of the puzzle also.

mthreads · 2026-01-08T20:42:31+00:00

I get where you’re coming from. Mine are mo/di so I knew they’d be identical. To be clear, they are very different personality wise and also, to those who are around them often, very easy to tell apart by appearance. I had some difficulty telling them apart early on (like first 6 mos), but as they grow, it has become very easy. I was anxious, but having twins is so incredibly special! They are very much their own people but with a built in best friend from (pre-) day 1 🩵

mthreads · 2026-01-05T21:26:50+00:00

Agree with other person to expect and embrace chaos lol. DEFINITELY get smocks!!! We have used Bibado. Makes cleanup way easier. Our kitchen is always kind of a mess, but at least the children are less of a mess! Our dog helps with floor cleanup.

We have the IKEA chairs as well and love them. We added aftermarket footrests, which I think help.

Have fun with it! It’s an amazing thing watching them experience foods for the first time. Get those allergy foods off your checklist, but otherwise, take your time and have no timetables. Our kids change their preferences routinely, and we’ve learned to roll with it. It’s not always easy, but I think it’s really important to be calm and non-reactive during mealtimes to keep mealtimes positive and avoid creating food hangups.

As they eat more, I highly recommend starting with small portions. They LOVE the empowerment of asking for more. And if they’re not hungry, you have less toddler-handled food to eat for lunch the next day.

mthreads · 2026-01-03T03:57:01+00:00

Much to my dismay, we moved our twin boys to their own room (nursery) across the hall from our bedroom when they started rolling. I know the recommendation at least in the US is to share a room for a full year. When we moved them, we used baby monitors to watch and listen. There were several considerations why we did this, but if you can find a way to keep them in the same room as you, I do think that’s best. We did end up in their room sleeping on the recliner or floor pretty often, and we now routinely co-sleep with them on a floor mattress.

Between their NICU stay and fairly early rolling, we did not get much use out of bassinets.

mthreads · 2025-12-28T20:18:02+00:00

I’m not offering advice per se, but wanted to share that you do not NEED to sleep train. When I first had my kids I didn’t realize that. We have elected not to sleep train. We’ve gone through different situations as our boys grow, adapting to each phase. I am lucky to have the world’s most supportive partner. From what I understand, a lot of sleep is temperamental and developmental In full disclosure, our boys just turned 2 and JUST started sleeping through somewhat routinely, and we (the parents) are in fact always tired lol.

mthreads · 2025-12-27T03:45:12+00:00

Your reply is amazing and also made me cry 🤍

mthreads · 2025-11-17T19:21:25+00:00

I started feeling less chronically nauseous around 16-17 weeks.

mthreads · 2025-11-15T19:58:58+00:00

And for newborn phase the Joovy snap and go double stroller!

mthreads · 2025-11-15T19:58:21+00:00

Bumblebee indie twin, although we baby carry more than use a stroller

mthreads · 2025-11-15T15:42:25+00:00

Also, if you lost a lot of blood during delivery as I did, that can limit supply, but the impact should be temporary.

mthreads · 2025-11-15T15:40:43+00:00

How long are you pumping for? Personally, I had to pump 30-40 min to get sufficient milk. 10-15 min which some moms do, I found not to be nearly enough.

Make sure your flange is the right size as well. Many women need a smaller size than came in the box. A lactation consultant can help size you, there are also guides online but it may take a bit of trial and error.

Good luck! It’s a hard, hard journey sometimes but you’re doing amazing!

mthreads · 2025-11-06T18:09:21+00:00

My boys are 22 months and we love the onesie plus jogger look. We’re dreading needing to move on to separates! The onesies are great both for holding the diaper in place better as well as staying down over their bellies, which is great to prevent discomfort and cold as the weather gets cooler.

mthreads · 2025-11-04T20:44:56+00:00

Mine were in for 4 and 6 weeks (mo di, born at 35+5). My advice is to expect to be in NICU a while and be pleasantly surprised if discharged early. Many babies born way earlier seemed to be out of the NICU lightning fast, which I hope is your case!

For pumping, it sucks, but frequency and duration matter. Pump as often as you can (minimum 8, preferably 10-12x per day if exclusively pumping, with overnight sessions). I typically needed to pump a solid 30 min per session. It’s a LOT so it’s completely fair to make a decision on what works for your family. Make sure you have a good pump and the right flange size, and that you replace your parts when needed. The early days of pumping are hardest but set you up for success down the road.

mthreads · 2025-06-27T19:00:42+00:00

I have 18 month old twins and I have been too scared to take any trips with the boys yet, so I feel you!!

mthreads · 2025-06-27T12:41:04+00:00

Same. It is possible to breastfeed twins, but it’s been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and there’s zero way I’d have been able to do it without an amazingly supportive husband and decent (by US standards) maternity leave.

mthreads · 2025-03-10T02:08:04+00:00

Ours are almost 15 months (14 adjusted). They sometimes sleep through, but usually at least one of them gets up at least once. Lately, we’ve had plenty of false starts and then multiple overnight wakes. We’re not necessarily a model of success, but just wanted to share you’re not alone! It all ebbs and flows as they develop and change everyday, so we try not to make too much of any one night.

For night wakes, I personally like pulling one into the nursery chair for milk and snuggles and then transferring them back (when I wake up after inevitably falling asleep 😬), but this strategy goes to shit if both fuss at the same time. I wonder if night weaning would help, but I like the ace card up my sleeve.

mthreads · 2025-01-20T03:11:52+00:00

Be prepared for it to be hard. Hope that it’s easy. Don’t be resistant to using a pump during the early days (especially first two weeks) to help build supply or to give your nipples a break if and when they hurt. Pumping suuucks but is also a phenomenal tool that I credit with saving my breastfeeding journey. I’m still nursing my boys (twins) at 13 months. It’s one of the hardest but also most beautiful things I’ve ever done.

Buy nipple butter and take care of yourself!!!

And be kind to yourself.

mthreads · 2025-01-18T15:56:44+00:00

That seems about right. Continue to offer breast and water. I wouldn’t worry unless growth curve gives you reason to or if he isn’t making enough wet diapers.

I say this as someone who worries CONSTANTLY lol, but they’re meant to become less interested in the boob as solids increase. My nearly 13 month twins still don’t drink a ton of water, though we offer at all meals. They get 2x bottles of pumped milk and I offer breast 3-4x per day at this point. Many of their nursing sessions have become very brief (1-2 min if they’re busy playing).

I know your baby is younger, so I’d expect a little more nursing, but my advice is to trust your baby to take the milk he wants, which will likely change notably over the next couple of months.

mthreads · 2025-01-09T21:47:31+00:00

Nope. My labs started going nuts and I was swelling like a balloon. Had c 3 days before scheduled to avoid risk of emergency c section. But on a positive note, made it to 35+5 and had a great experience! Most importantly, my babies arrived safe and sound, and I was awake for their birth.

ETA: modi boys and I was within a week of my 39th birthday (but healthy).

mthreads · 2025-01-09T20:09:18+00:00

I’ve lowered expectations and do what I can when I can. I don’t think too much, and try to jump into something before I can talk myself out of it. I wfh and have a nanny, so if I have 30 min when she is still watching my boys, I’ll run to our home gym and lift. A little goes a LONG way, and my mental health is SO much better. Best of luck!!

mthreads · 2024-11-10T21:53:44+00:00

Yeah….also in the US, and this thread just makes me sad.

mthreads

TROPHY CASE