Breastfeeding my twins is driving me crazy!

[bgbgbb]

I am still exclusively breastfeeding my nearly 9mo twin boys.:babyboy::babyboy: It's never been an issue, until now. My supply is still great and it's not exhausting me like I expected it would. And the weight-loss side of things is fantastic with all the milk I have to make for them, I can eat whatever I want.

What is bothering me is that they are both teething and very clingy, but everytime I pick them up all they want to do is feed. I am actually envying my husband because he can give them a cuddle, but as soon as I try to cuddle them they whine and cry and get into the breastfeeding position until I either give it to them, or put them down. I've been in this same place with my other 4 kids, but having twins at you all the time is twice as hard. I'm actually going out all day, keeping them in the pram so I can avoid them crawling up to me and trying to constantly feed.

Very soon my husband is going overseas to work for a number of years so I'll be a solo mum. It is not going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination, but if the twins keep at me the way they are now I'll never have any time for the other kids, let alone myself.

To you other twin mums who have actually breastfed this long, how did you cope? What should I do?

[SuperGranny]

hi, I think you are champion to be feeding them this long. I had weaned my girls by nine months, and by then they were only have one or two feeds a day, and three meals of solids. For myself, I would be weaning them before I was going to be a solo mum. It would be just one too many things to be having to do alone. I dont know how you can get to have cuddles without feeding them since you are their only sorce of food just now. sorry , not much help. but I do think you are doing a great job. Marie.

[bgbgbb]

Marie, thanks so much for the words of encouragement. It is such a hard decision as I love breastfeeding, it gives a closeness that I never got once I put them on the bottle. But then again I have to remind myself that when they feed now I'm lucky to get 1 feed a day that is snuggly and sweet, the rest are about them biting and wrestling with my poor nipples whilst trying to see everything else that's going on around them.:( The being able to eat anything I can whilst breastfeeding them is also a bonus, as is not having AF.

I have 6 weeks before DH is off, then he's away for 6 weeks, then back for 3. I'm not sure how easy this weaning twins bit will be, it was hard enough with 1! I think I'll try to cut down a feed now and see if they take the cup and then go from there...

[Areca]

Perhaps PM Sheer Bliss. She has twins, plus 2 others. Her DH doesn't work away but he is a shift worker. She is still feeding her twins, they are 19 months. I know she had a really rough time of it for a while and was very close to weaning but she obviously found a system that worked so she might have some useful suggestions for you.

:hugs: It's awful enough when you have one baby wanting to be permanently attached to you all day. I am not a twin mummy, but I have had to deal with rough feeders...DS is particularly bad. The second he bites, pinches my neck, slaps me etc. I take him off and walk away from him. He doesn't like it but I'm not his punching bag. I figure if he has time to beat me up then he isn't all that interested in the breastfeed anyway. Now they're 9 months old maybe you could work on feeding them to schedule? It might solve the not wanting to cuddle you + rough feeding issue? It would also allow you to work around feeding them when your DH is away. I am all for demand feeding, but I think it's completely different when you're looking at twins, 4 other kids and solo parenting.
Of course, if weaning completely is what you need to do to get peace and serenity in the house then that's what you do. I just know that can be a really rough road to go down too, and perhaps a compromise on the feeds might work better?

[bgbgbb]

The second he bites, pinches my neck, slaps me etc. I take him off and walk away from him. He doesn't like it but I'm not his punching bag. I figure if he has time to beat me up then he isn't all that interested in the breastfeed anyway.

I have not laughed as much for days, the 'beating me up' line is priceless (and so true for me too).

I really would like to keep going as I do love it and they are definitely my last babies. Good tips, might try them

[Sheer Bliss]

:hugs::hugs:

As Areca said, I am sure it was around the 9month mark that it started to do my head in too!!! They would drive me bonkers with being clingy, and the on off, look around, bite, on off, hysterics if I put them away and almost rip my shirt trying to get them back out again!!! I started offering snacks from around 2pm in the arvo, to try and keep them busy and full and also avoided sitting down, as my lap seems to be an open invitation!!!

At 19months my 2 almost never feed when out now, they just stopped asking just after 12months I think. Too much happening, and too much running about to do, and that made it HEAPS easier, if they were having clingy days, we went to the park to keep them busy, so it's only a few more months until you are there. There are days now when they barely look for the boob for more than a few minutes in the morning, and others (esp this last week!) where they have been waking at night, and asking all afternoon. There are hissy fits now when I say no, but a few strawberries and a sippy cup often distract them, or play outside - DD2 has worked out how to jump with both feet on the trampoline, so that works to distract her.

BEST advice I remembered hearing was to take it one day at a time, and also NOT to wean on a day that you are hating it, as you are more likely to regret it as the emotions will over-rule what you really think. In the end, I introduced a bottle at night for DD2, she would wake soooo easily at bedtime if in the room with the other kids, whereas DS2 would fall asleep on the boob and stay asleep. Now, they both have a bottle of cows milk at bedtime, as the older 2 were getting a bit more demanding, and it has helped me to spread myself a little more when DH is at work (it's usually 5nights of me solo parenting the dinner/bath/bed thing, more if he does overtime). But I still feed them at other times, so if they wake at night, it's still just a matter of popping them on the boob, which being so lazy suits me!

Hang in there, you are doing a MARVELOUS job, and as you know, this too shall pass. It's that clingy age, and before long, you will be at a park, and have this sad realisation that your independant last bubbas have been happily playing and not hanging off the boob for the last 3hours. :flowerz::flowerz:

ETA: DS2 will NEVER cuddle me if he wakes during the night! If DH is there, he cuddles him back to sleep, but if I get him up, he lays straight down trying to attach to his boob (they have their own sides) and will NOT lay straight in my arms!! LOL

[bgbgbb]

Thanks so much for your post, I had my reply all written out last night, after I gave my thanks and then the server crashed. Haven't got much time right now to write what I was going to say, other than those tips are great and its wonderful knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Would you mind if I PM'd you if I am having any problems or questions?

Thanks again!:thumbsup::flowerz::flowerz:

[Areca]

Server crashed on me too last night. Good luck with it BG! It's always nice when you feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Glad I could give you a laugh last night!

[els]

it is pretty hard time feeding twins while husband's away. Unfortunately it will happen to my best friend, I should give her heads up, LOL:exercisebike:

[jlc70]

Its just the breastfeeding driving you crazy? :p

Mine are crazy full stop - from the wrestle to change their nappy - it's exhausting doing one, then oh hell I've got another one to go :eek:
Trying to bath them safely together and stop one from drowning the other :eek:
One twin in the walker, the other standing hanging on for his grim life whilst his sister zooms around chasing the dog OR standing twin pushing the walker with his sister in it into everything - potplants, toilets, oven door, dog etc :eek: - haven't had time to baby proof yet!
Ohh and then theres the breastfeeding - night and day, they love it! DS also loves getting into the BF position everytime you pick him up - I've now resorted to always feeding him first as DD has learnt to wait patiently in the "queue"
I will persevere though, although everyday it is crazy - they are getting the best.
Hang in there you're definitely not alone :)

[Sheer Bliss]

:laughing:The server has a lot to answer for ATM, crashing and then you loose any 'new posts' next time you come back in!

If it was me you wanted to PM - anytime!! Sometimes just getting it all off your chest helps make it clear in your own head.

[bgbgbb]

:laughing:Sometimes just getting it all off your chest helps make it clear in your own head.

You're so right. I thought after reading your post that there is light at the end of the tunnel and to focus on that rather than 2 crawling babies wailing at my feet every time I sit down. I've decided though that it wont hurt for them to use a cup, so am going to spend a few weekend days, before DH moves overseas with work to, out and about so they dont have me there to distract them.

Will definitely PM you, we have so much in common with our breastfeeding, natural births and balancing other children on top of twins.:wave:

[HunterzMummy]

OMG this could be me writing it lol. Mine are 8 months and driving me batty trying to bf them. There have been so many days in the last 2 wkd I wanted to throw the towel in. It's ALOT of hard work and mine seem clingy 24/7 lately. Ohhh that's one now - wil come back later to finish lol. Your doing awesome :D

Ohh andni have g/b twins as well and them naturally 2 ;) and have a older one. Would love to swap stories/tips :)

[bgbgbb]

I've got to the stage where I take them off the second they start fooling around. I gave them both a cup the other day (was trying to feed myself - yes it does happen!) They loved the cup at first, but then spent most of the time pouring it over each others' heads!:laughing: