Maybe it’s because I had the luxury of nursing my singleton first. Maybe it’s because I have a two-nado running around. Maybe I’m venting. Or maybe its just cold, hard, facts. Breastfeeding twins kinda sucks…
Nursing twins is not often this magical, wonderful thing you hear breastfeeding mamas talk about. This -ish is WORK! Yes, we have had some sweet moments & I am very grateful that I am actually ABLE to exclusively breastfeed two humans, but honestly, there have been days that I was ready to quit.
We started right out the gate with a 2.5-3 hour schedule, one kid at a time, WITH SNS TUBES. So this means, I was nursing at least SIXTEEN TIMES A DAY for at least THIRTY MINUTES at a time. (thats approx 8 hours a day; *read: a full time job*) Oh, & don’t forget balancing the hakkaa on the other breast so we had milk to put in the SNS tube for the baby next in line. What is even sleep? Trying to keep a SNS tube lined up & teeny newborns awake to eat because they have a weight check in 48 hours is not an easy task. Actually, it kinda sucks.
We slowly phased out the SNS tubes and phased in tandem nursing. I won’t lie, this is a game changer when it comes to saving time. BUT now you are helpless. Stuck in a spot for an undetermined amount of time with basically no use of your hands. All those breastfeeding pillows are helpful, but they can’t always get the angle just right or ensure everyone’s neck is supported or latch is right. & you know what really sucks: when your mouth is like the Sahara & you’re wishing you could siphon the water that is right in front of you, but you can’t grab.
Eventually, you’ll find your footing & find a position that works for everyone and you’ll get the hang of slinging babies. Nursing one, while burping the other. & you won’t even recognize the feat that you are pulling off. The fact that you can one handedly move a baby from nursing position to burping position, in one swift movement, and back again, without even blinking an eye. & you know what, it kinda sucks that you become so desensitized to it all. That you don’t always appreciate those little moments, because it is more of a chore than an cherished experience.
“Oh, well, when they have better neck control it will get easier!” you’ll hear. WRONG. Because you know what else happens when they have better neck control? They have better recognition of the world around them. AKA each other. Who needs to eat? Playing with each other’s hands seems like a much better idea. Oh! What is brother doing?! Watching him seems like more fun, too! Our 30 minute nursing sessions quickly turned to 10. But you know what happens when twins nurse for 10 distracted minutes? They’re grumpy and hangry again in about 25. So then it’s back on the wagon. We’re supposed to be making our way to fewer nursing sessions, not more!! #visciouscycle
So then you’ll hear, “Well, you need to nurse in a dark, quiet room.” Awesome. I’ll let the two year old roam free & hope he doesn’t destroy the 10% of the house that isn’t already all over the place. But, let’s say you dare give it a try. Then you get even more frustrated because the distracted nursing continues. One gets mad (why, you may ask? your guess is as good as mine. too strong of a let down? impatient for the next let down? gassy? a burp? who knows) and starts crying, which prompts the other to pop off & do the same. & it turns into this never ending cycle of *suck, suck, scream* alternating between kids. 😀 But wait. Don’t forget your house is now upside down also, because you left the two-nado on the lose. Oh, the joys.
Don’t forget ALL the touching. sooo. much. touching. There have been many times where I had a baby on each nip & a toddler hanging around my neck. & if there has EVER been a time I didn’t want to be touched, it was nothing on these moments. Can a girl just get some alone time where no one is touching her?! Maybe next year lol
& forget about nursing in public. sure, when they’re teeny it’s feasible, but trying to inconspicuously breastfeed two babies with FOMO? good luck. You can’t even really pull off nursing one at a time either, because the other is just going to cry while they (impatiently) wait for their turn, which will undoubtedly distract the other from nursing in the first place.
& I haven’t even touched on the factors of breastfeeding that kinda suck regardless of how many people you’re trying to keep alive. The pumping, clogged ducts, mastitis, constant hunger, lack of sleep, growth spurts, aversions, scratching, etc. You give so much of yourself away when you are breastfeeding. & it can be EXHAUSTING. But man, is it rewarding.
Because, yeah, breastfeeding twins kinda sucks. But how amazing is it, really?! I may be a dairy cow (lol) but this body of mine is pretty powerful. It has single handedly created, grown, and maintained TWO lives from conception on. So while I often find myself counting down the days until they are one, I am so thankful to be on this journey and to have the opportunity to nurse these kiddos, even with the many challenges that come with that.