Too Long to Breastfeed

[lily81]

My twins have started taking between and hour and two and a half hours to feed. My milk supply is high, I can express 520ml in about 20 minutes in the morning. The longest I have tried to feed them for is four hours, this wasn't constant feeding because I stopped a couple of times as I was getting so frustrated that they wouldn't feed properly. I am pretty sure they are attaching properly. Has anyone else had this problem. I am so jealous of the people who are saying that their babies feed for 10-15mins or 1/2 hour.[/ :confused:

Mother of
Ethan & Riley 11 1/2 weeks (7 weeks premmy)

[madvoice]

That's a good supply of milk you've got there.. Even for twins :). I'm pretty jealous of that. All I could ever get in one sitting was 160ml. Each baby is different (well in your case the double blessing of twins) and some can take longer than others. My 11wko daughter generally takes around 15-20 minutes for a feed but there are times where she is obviously very hungry and can go for an hour or more. Is the time you spend breastfeeding your twins total or per child? Just curious.

[lily81]

For both, I feed using the football hold. It just seems like I am feeding all day, even though they settle fairly well after feeds, after sitting there for two hours I get a little depressed.

[Chickadee]

At around 6-7 weeks my daughter seemed to feed constantly. For example, I'd feed at 1pm for about 20 min to 30 min. She'd have a little doze, and then I'd be feeding again at 2pm or soon after.

My CHN suggested I was confusing hunger with bub being tired. But I suspect from other stories on here that most bubs go through a big growth or hunger period around that age and want to feed alot, and then settle back down. Hopefully someone else can either confirm or deny that idea.

[xkwzit]

Hi Lily

One of the things that a lactation consultant told me with DD1 (who was failing to thrive) was that it is possible for babies to spend too much energy during feeds if the feeding is inefficient. DD1 often fed for about 45 - 1 hour and with a couple of tricks, I managed to make her feeds a bit more efficient (she started gaining proper weight - but the feeds weren't any shorter!).

I think if you've got any questions at all about breast feeding, lactation consultants are worth their weight in gold ;)

Cheers

[lily81]

I tried to book in to a lactation consultant today but the boys have had a mucked around week so I wanted them to have a rest today to try to get into some routine. They only slept for about a total of 2 and a half hours yesterday after I feed them nearly all day but then they nearly slept through all night.

[julesandbabyboy#1]

i contacted an absolutely fabulous lactation consultant when evander was 2 mos old. basically he was NAPPING on the breast, and she suggested that when he stopped actively sucking, to unlatch (approx 3.5-5mins) and offer the other side. within another 5 to remove him and lay him down to sleep. now this as proved to be true for us because he is nursing super quickly...and to think i sat around unnecessarily for an hour per feeding just because i beleived he was still sucking :rolleyes: he was, but not for milk, just for comfort...

[kamckellar]

I Too Have Twins And In The Early Days All I Did Was Sit And Feed.id Go 2 Days Without A Shower Cos I Just Didnt Have Time.i Expressed Very Well Too And Was Told By A Lactation Consultant That I Was A Good 'cow'.in The End I Found It Easier To Express And Bottle Feed.so This Is How It Was Done.they Are 2 Yrs Old And Now On Cows Milk.but With My First Son He Was Bf For 27 Months And It Took The Clinic Sister To Watch Me Feed Him And She Said That He Took His Feed In About 20 Minutes And The Rest Of The Time He Was Just Comforting.she Said I Could Try A Dummy But I Didnt Want To.you Can Tell The Difference Between A Comfort Suck And A Feed - The Feed Is Long Drawn Out Sucks While The Comfort Is Short Quick Sucks.hope This Helps.good Luck With Your Bubbies. :)

[lily81]

Thanks so much for your reply. I never know if the boys are finished feeding and just comfort sucking because when I try to put them to bed they won't settle and keep opening their mouths like they are still hungry. My mother-in-law keeps telling me that they have had enough but I can't stand to hear them cry and moan when I put them to bed. Maybe I will try to see a lactation consultant next week, I need to do something, I went to the doctor today and he said I am bordering on suffering from PND.

[kamckellar]

MATEY,MATEY,MATEY,YOU WILL BE FINE.YOUR BOYS ARE HOW OLD?I TOO WAS ALWAYS OFFERING THE BREAST TO MY SON AS HE WOULD WAKE STRAIGHT AFTER A FEED WHEN I TRIED TO PUT HIM DOWN.SOME BABIES REALLY LIKE TO SUCK WHICH IS WHY DUMMIES WERE INVENTED.I DIDNT USE THEM FOR MY BOYS BUT WHEN MY TWINS CAME ALONG THEY WERE A GODSEND.KEELY GAVE AWAY HER DUMMY AT 6 MONTHS AS RUSKS WERE MORE IMPORTANT BUT ISLA STILL HAS HERS.I DONT GIVE IT TO HER TIL BED TIME AND SHE HAS GONE TO BED WITH OUT IT.THE FIRST 3 MONTHS ARE SO HARD WITH 2 BUBS.IM A SINGLE MUM AND I STILL DONT KNOW HOW I DID IT.BUT YOU WILL COPE AND IT DOES GET EASIER.IF YOU EVER WANT TO CHAT ABOUT ANYTHING DROP ME A LINE.My EMAIL ADDRESS IS
kamckellar@bigpond.com take care,kathy :)

[lily81]

My boys are 11 weeks old but they were 7 weeks premmy (although they weighed 5 pound 4 ounces). I try to use dummies too but they seem to catch on that nothing is coming out of it and spit it out. I am starting to dread every feed now and don't find breast feeding that enjoyable anymore. I am a twin myself and my mum says that my sister and I were good babies so I can't even get any advice off of her either. You are so strong to be a single mum and cope with everything, I feel like a bit of a whinger now!!

[kamckellar]

i comp fed my girls formula and by the time they were 6 months they were fully formula fed.i was devastated.it took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that they prefered the bottle to me.but in hinesight they needed to be fed and formula worked so much better for them.my girls were 11 weeks premmie and weighed 3lb 1 and 2lb 13.i missed the bf but i was still able to bond and cuddle while i bottle fed them.in the end it turned out easier for us and by the time they were 10 months old they were feeding themslves.so i had time to myself which was a rarety.you do what you think is best.they are your bubbies and if you stress out they will sense it.the local chemist has baby health sisters available and they are normally trained midwives.so they can offer you support and help.

[xkwzit]

Lily
I don't think that ANY mother of twins could be accused of whinging - so don't worry at all about that. All of us mothers to single babies know how full on one baby is, I personally can't even imagine dealing with twin newborns :) :) .

We're here to listen to you and occasionally offer some advice that may or may not work with your little guys. Just use all the help that is available to you and then choose what is best for your little family.

Hugs and kisses your way

[lily81]

Thanks everyone so much. I nearly lost it yesterday, I sat there from 3.52pm until 8.00pm trying to get the boys to feed properly, in the end my husband took them off me, put them to bed and let them cry themselves to sleep. They slept until 1am!! I was able to get in contact with a lactation consultant who runs a private practice and she is coming to see me tomorrow so fingers crossed she can give me some hints. :)

[mummy_to_4]

I know this is a couple of weeks old but just wanted to offer my 2 cents.
You may find because they were premmie that the first few months or so they may be a bit slow with feeding because they dont have that strength and energy a full term bub has and so may take longer to feed. I know it felt like I was feeding 24/7 with either one or both my twins attached to me but it too will pass. I went on to breastfeed my twins till Taylor was 14 months and Tahlee was 19 months old when they weaned. Can you express some into a bottle so someone else can feed them whilst you get some sleep or have a shower or go for a walk on your own???
Things do get better and you have to do what you feel is the best for you and your children. Just remember that!!!
Have you rung the ABA (Australian Breastfeeding Association) aswell as they can offer some great advice over the phone with one of their councellors.
Wishing you all the best.

[lily81]

I have contacted the ABA and a private lactation consultant. The lactation consultant found that they were not attaching properly and also suggested that they may have an allergy to cows milk so I am off all dairy. This still has not seemed to help much they still take ages during the day to feed. It is weird though their late night feed is about 40 mins then they go off to sleep for about 4 hours whereas during the day they feed and feed and feed.