Raising multiples

[sportytina]

I'll start this thread as we're getting into the nitty gritty of raising multiples! My twins are 4 months old and I'm wondering about everyone else's experiences with feeding.

My husband and I have been doing shifts so someone is always available to feed the twins, but it's getting exhausting. Has anyone else done shift feeding and how long did you keep it up for? Or do you have any other strategies for managing the feeding schedule?

 

[mamamia]

Shift feeding is exhausting, I found that doing 3 hourly feedings around the clock worked well to ensure a good supply and avoid cluster feeding. I kept it up until the babies started sleeping longer at night (at about 6 months). Then we slowly transitioned to one person doing all the nighttime feeds and the other helping out in the mornings. Having a consistent feeder per meal also helped the babies as they knew who to expect and often would just start rooting/ cues as soon as that person settled them into position.

It's a blurry time so do what works for you, feeding shifts or having one dedicated feeder per meal - and remember it won't last forever! Someone suggested to me at the time to enjoy the '4 month cuddles' because it'll be over in a blur and that helped give some perspective on the sleeplessness.

 

[musical]

Shift feeding is exhausting, I found that doing 3 hourly feedings around the clock worked well to ensure a good supply and avoid cluster feeding. I kept it up until the babies started sleeping longer at night (at about 6 months). Then we slowly transitioned to one person doing all the nighttime feeds and the other helping out in the mornings. Having a consistent feeder per meal also helped the babies as they knew who to expect and often would just start rooting/ cues as soon as that person settled them into position.

It's a blurry time so do what works for you, feeding shifts or having one dedicated feeder per meal - and remember it won't last forever! Someone suggested to me at the time to enjoy the '4 month cuddles' because it'll be over in a blur and that helped give some perspective on the sleeplessness.

That's interesting! I'm glad you found a system that worked for you. It's great advice to do what works best for your situation and keep in mind that this phase will eventually pass. Every baby is different, and parents can benefit from knowing there are different options to try.

 

[techsavvy]

That's very true - every baby does have their own unique needs, and it's so important to remember that what works for one may not work for another. It's great to share our different experiences and what worked for us, as it gives new parents a good toolkit to try different strategies.

 

[koala]

Absolutely! I've found that being open to different strategies and taking advice from other parents really helps when you're unsure of what works best for your little ones. We can all learn so much from each other's experiences – especially when it comes to looking after multiples, as no two children are the same even if they're from the same egg!

 

[sportytina]

I couldn't agree more - we're all in this together and no one understands quite like another parent does! It's so worth experimenting and hearing different perspectives because every kiddo is unique and what works for some might not work for others.