Well, breastfeeding the twins may be difficult owing to the extra concern the mother has to keep in mind in order to ensure the nutrition and health of the babies. After all, it is now three people who have to be comfortable with latching and positioning. Moreover, breastfeeding twins can be doubly overwhelming and challenging. Though the benefits of breastfeeding your babies would triumph, yet the whole experience could present the need to supplement breast milk with formula. read about latching a baby properly.
It is highly recommended to exclusively breastfeed a baby till first 6 months of life. Continued breastfeeding should be adhered to till the baby is an year old, and later on breastfeeding should be continued as long as both you and your baby desire. If breastfeeding your twins is taking the toll on you, and you are worried if they are getting enough milk, you need not worry. Thanks, to the supplements! It is absolutely safe to supplement the breastfed baby with formula. Some working moms prefer to give supplement with formula while going to their workplace. Some moms find regular pumping a cumbersome task and they do not want to stop feeding completely too, for them, formula supplement is a good alternative.
Are My Babies Getting Enough Milk?
Generally mothers feel that they are not providing sufficient milk to their tiny babies. On the contrary, most of the mothers produce sufficient milk. Following are some simple methods to determine whether your baby is getting ample amount of milk or not:
Number of soiled diapers: A well-nursed and well-fed baby will have yellowish-mustard colored stools. They usually have 5 to 8 wet diapers per day. This is normal
Weigh your baby: A well-fed baby usually gains half an ounce to one ounce a day in the initial three months after birth. This increase is somewhere around half an ounce a day between 3 to 6 months
Frequent nursing: You should breastfeed your twins for at least 6 to 7 times a day one at a time or both together. You can also divide the frequency between breastfeeding and supplement formula. You can nurse one baby and give bottle to the other and then reverse. If your baby feels like getting nursed all the time, this does not imply that he is hungry most of the time. Some babies nurse for coziness and comfort
These symptoms remain the same even when you have twins. The only difference is that as twins are generally born earlier, their sucking reflexes may not be fully
developed and they could face some trouble in latching on initially.
Tips For Supplementing Breastfeeding With Formula
With twins, it could be hard to exclusively breastfeed them, especially if you are working. Now, supplementing with formula milk could actually make you breastfeed longer, though you might need to pump milk regularly if to keep the breast milk supply from waning. Well there is no ideal method to commence supplementing and it is seen that babies usually refuse to accept the formula milk in a bottle. You will have to make few efforts to encourage them to drink the bottle.
Seek pediatrician’s help: Do not pick any formula milk available in the market and never reside on the advertisement shown on the television and make your choice. Ask your doctor about the most authentic and reliable supplement formula. Since most twins are premature, they might have some specific needs and may need some specific nutrients in the milk. After all it is a matter of your baby’s life and health. You cannot afford to be callous
Give bottle when hungry: When hungry, some babies immediately drink formula milk in a bottle, while others refuse in the beginning particularly if the mother is giving them the bottle. Amazing but true, the babies can identify their mom by smell and touch. They want the natural sweet milk from you! You can give formula milk bottle to one baby and nurse the other one and then offer bottle to the one who has received mother’s milk. Be extra careful and make sure both get mother’s milk and they should not be hungry
Pump milk in bottle: This is far easy if you have been pumping the breast milk and giving to the baby in a bottle. The transition is easily accepted by the babies. So, if you intend to begin the formula milk, give your own milk in a bottle. Then start the supplement formula bottle. The babies will accept the bottle more easily. Divide the extracted or pumped milk in two clean bottles and give to both the twins.
Seek other’s help: In order to make baby’s acceptance of supplement formula milk easy and hassle-free, ask your friend or spouse to give the first few supplement bottles. You can however give bottle when the babies are crying with hunger instead of when they are quiet
Maintain hygiene: Keep the portion size small and give 4 ounce bottle and give it half in the beginning. Clean and boil the bottle after every feed. And change the nipple on monthly basis. These are some vital prerequisites to avoid any invasion of infection to your babies while you offer them formula milk by bottle
How Can I Know If My Babies Need Formula Milk?
READ MORE
Are My Babies Getting Enough Milk?
Generally mothers feel that they are not providing sufficient milk to their tiny babies. On the contrary, most of the mothers produce sufficient milk. Following are some simple methods to determine whether your baby is getting ample amount of milk or not:
Number of soiled diapers: A well-nursed and well-fed baby will have yellowish-mustard colored stools. They usually have 5 to 8 wet diapers per day. This is normal
Weigh your baby: A well-fed baby usually gains half an ounce to one ounce a day in the initial three months after birth. This increase is somewhere around half an ounce a day between 3 to 6 months
Frequent nursing: You should breastfeed your twins for at least 6 to 7 times a day one at a time or both together. You can also divide the frequency between breastfeeding and supplement formula. You can nurse one baby and give bottle to the other and then reverse. If your baby feels like getting nursed all the time, this does not imply that he is hungry most of the time. Some babies nurse for coziness and comfort
These symptoms remain the same even when you have twins. The only difference is that as twins are generally born earlier, their sucking reflexes may not be fully
developed and they could face some trouble in latching on initially.
Tips For Supplementing Breastfeeding With Formula
With twins, it could be hard to exclusively breastfeed them, especially if you are working. Now, supplementing with formula milk could actually make you breastfeed longer, though you might need to pump milk regularly if to keep the breast milk supply from waning. Well there is no ideal method to commence supplementing and it is seen that babies usually refuse to accept the formula milk in a bottle. You will have to make few efforts to encourage them to drink the bottle.
Seek pediatrician’s help: Do not pick any formula milk available in the market and never reside on the advertisement shown on the television and make your choice. Ask your doctor about the most authentic and reliable supplement formula. Since most twins are premature, they might have some specific needs and may need some specific nutrients in the milk. After all it is a matter of your baby’s life and health. You cannot afford to be callous
Give bottle when hungry: When hungry, some babies immediately drink formula milk in a bottle, while others refuse in the beginning particularly if the mother is giving them the bottle. Amazing but true, the babies can identify their mom by smell and touch. They want the natural sweet milk from you! You can give formula milk bottle to one baby and nurse the other one and then offer bottle to the one who has received mother’s milk. Be extra careful and make sure both get mother’s milk and they should not be hungry
Pump milk in bottle: This is far easy if you have been pumping the breast milk and giving to the baby in a bottle. The transition is easily accepted by the babies. So, if you intend to begin the formula milk, give your own milk in a bottle. Then start the supplement formula bottle. The babies will accept the bottle more easily. Divide the extracted or pumped milk in two clean bottles and give to both the twins.
Seek other’s help: In order to make baby’s acceptance of supplement formula milk easy and hassle-free, ask your friend or spouse to give the first few supplement bottles. You can however give bottle when the babies are crying with hunger instead of when they are quiet
Maintain hygiene: Keep the portion size small and give 4 ounce bottle and give it half in the beginning. Clean and boil the bottle after every feed. And change the nipple on monthly basis. These are some vital prerequisites to avoid any invasion of infection to your babies while you offer them formula milk by bottle
How Can I Know If My Babies Need Formula Milk?
READ MORE
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