Tips for breastfeeding twins
If you have decided you would like to try breastfeeding twins or multiples, ask around to see if anyone locally has done so in order to ask them for some advice. Your health-visitor or midwife may be able to arrange for a contact.
Your local breastfeeding support group may be able to give some help and advice or local or national support groups for parents of multiples, for example the Twins and Multiple Births Association (TAMBA).
However, possibly your main worry about breastfeeding twins or multiples will be how you can successfully breastfeed two or more babies at once.
Many breastfeeding mothers of twins choose to hold their babies in the rugby ball position - a baby under each arm - as it allows them to support the babies well. It also means that as the babies grow they are not kicking each other! However, although some mothers of twins manage this very well, others find it more manageable to simply breastfeed one baby at a time.
If you do want to breastfeed both babies together then using a breastfeeding cushion (as seen in the image above) will help raise your babies into a more comfortable position for you and can also free up your arms!
Obviously, with more than two babies, breastfeeding simultaneously will not be possible. However, if this is the case you may like to consider expressing some breastmilk and feeding it from a bottle or sippy cup to the baby or babies who are unable to be breastfed during a session. Alternate which baby gets the sippy cup though so that each baby gets an equal chance on the breast.
Try different methods until you find the one that best suits you and your babies.
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