If you breastfeed twins with these easy positions and a comfortable nursing pillow, it won’t be as hard as you think!
If you have never nursed a child, the concept of breastfeeding two babies at once may seem intimidating! This may be even more true if you HAVE nursed one, and know how latched on babies like to be!
I had one child before I had my twins, and I am here to give you the scoop on the double nursing pillows, positions, and all the information you will need to rock the tandem nursing thing!
I wrote a little piece on what differences to expect with twins compared to a single here! This is especially great if you are concerned about your twins getting the same experience or attention as your first!
I will be addressing each question as they come up – for example, I wanted to know what nursing pillows I needed before they were born! And after they were born, they went to the NICU, so I wanted to know if being away from me for an extended time would lessen my chances of breastfeeding success!
P.S. More of my Mo-Di Pregnancy Story Here (It’s written pretty personally, but is great to know what to expect! And how darn big your tummy might get!)
I am (amazingly!) on month 10 of breastfeeding my twins! I do supplement with formula, however, am proud of getting as far as I have!
I’m super excited to share what I’ve learned about nursing my two little ladies!
If I can get my little babies, who started on formula in a bottle, to nurse it’s likely you can too! Here is a picture of one of my twins at 35 weeks when she was born!
I also wanted to let you know that I am an Amazon Affiliate, so I do get a small commision (no additional cost to you!) if you buy something through one of my links. But I love all of the things I recommend!
The Two Best Options for Tandem Twin Nursing Pillows
I want to preface this by saying these pillows are not necessary! I’ll go over how to use just normal pillows to nurse both at the same time a little later.
If possible though, I’d HIGHLY recommend getting at least one of these pillows.
In the beginning, they are so little and floppy that it becomes very difficult and tiresome to try to support both bodies to your breasts.
This is especially true if you have smaller boobs (like me!) and you need to raise them up a bit to be able to latch on.
Anyways, here are my two favorite pillows with pros and cons listed.
Later on I will show you how to use these pillows!
Also, if you haven’t already, I highly recommend setting up a baby registry through Amazon! One of the benefits is 15% off of stuff that no one bought!! Check out my guide on the Amazon Baby Registry here!
“My Breast Friend” Pillow for Twins!
The picture illustrates this pretty well, but I want to make a few mentions about this pillow
Pros
- The pillow is actually more of a dense foam, which is great because it’s way more supportive than any other nursing pillow, and doesn’t lose it’s shape as easy
- There is a ridge (you can kind of see it above their heads in this picture) that is really helpful to prevent them from rolling off the pillow while you’re busy trying to get your other twin on! In fact, I was able to double nurse hands free for a while because this ridge supported them!
- There is lots of extra material to adjust for a comfortable fit around your body! This is great for all the changes your body goes through after birth!
- The Breast Friend pillow also has a pocket for putting things like a burp cloth to prevent scrambling in the middle of the night for something to wipe them up!
- There is a removable back support that is amazing! It really helps get the pillow snug up to your body as well so that the babies don’t roll down into the gap between your pillow and body!
Cons
- This pillow is really only useful for breastfeeding mamas. The babies cannot stay on the pillow without your body being there or they would roll off. If you are determined to not ever use bottles or use them minimally, this is not a concern for you!
- Once your babies get to around 6-7 months, they may be too large for this! Their bodies get too long and hang off the back, making it hard to get a good latch!
The “Twin-Z” Nursing Pillow for Twins
The Twin-Z Pillow is great because it’s SO multifunctional! It can be used for nursing, bottle feeding, lounging, as well as tummy time! I LOVE mine!
Pros
- Multi-Use! This pillow can be used as a double nursing pillow, laid on the ground for bottle feeding, or as a tummy time pillow for the babies!
- There is an easy to open and close buckle at the front of it that is great for quickly securing it to your body, or locking in the babies when they are little!
- This pillow is also adjustable via the strap in the front for different body shapes
Cons
- The pillow gets “indented” over time. What I mean by that it the pillow eventually does start to lose shape in commonly used spots, such as where their heads go when on the ground. However, I will say we got ours used so it might not be of concern to you!
- Due to the rounded edges, it’s way easier for babies to roll off of this, so you’ll have to keep an arm on them for sure!
- Same con as the other pillow – the babies do get too big for it around 6 months. You can still use it to play in or bottle feed though!
Which pillow is the best pillow for tandem feeding twins?
Honestly, if you have the means get both!
As you can see, I have both and have loved each for different reasons. If you can only get one, I’d get the Twin-Z just because it can be used for a lot of things.
However, if based strictly on functionality as a nursing pillow, the “My Breast Friend” blows Twin Z out of the water due to how much firmer and safer it is!
Will I be able to make enough milk for my twins?
Yes! Most woman will be able to provide enough milk for their babies.
It’s all about supply and demand! Keep pumping or nursing, and your supply will come in.
And guess what, if it doesn’t that’s ok too! Plenty of mamas use formula in addition to their own milk!
No, breast size will not determine your breastfeeding success!
Another common concern when it comes to nursing twins is the size of your boobs!
I was a B cup before my twins were born, and grew into a C. When my supply was good, I was easily able to pump 6-7 ounces each breast every 3 hours!
I’m only getting drops of milk after birth! I’m scared I won’t be able to breastfeed my twins!!
Right after birth, the babies will need only drops!
In the first few weeks after birth, your twins will likely need around 2 ounces or so each feeding. Even less if they were born early!
So don’t be down on yourself if, in the beginning, you only get a little bit of milk when pumping. My milk did not come in until around a week after they were born.
Keep trying, however also be aware for signs of the babies not getting enough food. Lots of crying, unwilling to unlatch are signs that perhaps you should seek the help of a lactation consultant!
This is hard mama, and there is absolutely no shame in asking for help, and making sure your babies are fed! Mine got formula when they were born until my milk came in, and they switched over to nursing fine!
If my babies are born early and transferred to the NICU, will I still be able to breastfeed them?
First off, let me say the NICU time will come and pass for most. It is incredibly stressful, scary, and more but the best doctors are there to ensure everything goes the best it possibly can.
YES, you can have a great breastfeeding journey, even if your twins go to the NICU!
If they are born early, and your milk has not come in, ask for donor milk first. Depending on the hospital, this may not be available.
Your babies will likely be offered a bottle with formula until you are better. Don’t freak out!
If you are concerned about breastfeeding while on supplemental oxygen (some babies are sent home on oxygen if that’s the only thing keeping them in the hospital) don’t worry – it’s definitely possible!
Find out more about what to expect when bringing your baby home on oxygen here!
What if I can’t nurse my baby because he/she is too small?
In the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) it may be intimidating to try and nurse them because they will be hooked up to machines and such. In fact, your babies may be too small or fragile for being removed from their bed.
If this is the case, you can still pump near them. Every 3 hours in most NICUs, there are cares performed on each baby by a nurse.
This includes a diaper change, temp check, and feeding. The nurses may check more things, but these three are what you can do to be involved.
This is also a great time to pump if you are in the hospital! The hospital will often provide you with all the things you need to pump, and seeing your babies will help you let down and your supply come in.
If you are able, pumping breast milk for your baby is one of the best ways to help him!
What if I can’t be there for the cares while in the NICU, or I am not able to get much milk yet? Will supplementing with formula at the start make my babies not want to nurse?
Not a problem! My twins were bottle fed for almost a month and transitioned fine when they were strong enough to nurse!
While you will want to be there for every single one, it’s just impossible sometimes. This is especially true if you have other children or work obligations.
My babies were fed a bottle with formula for about a week, and transitioned fine to milk.
The milk was often given through a tube or bottle, as it was easier to measure how much they were eating this way.
Even with mostly bottle feeding for the first month of their life, they adjusted fine to nursing!
Whenever possible, just try to let them suckle and practice nursing! They might not get anything, and may still need a bottle after, but the closeness will help your supply! It will also be great for the babies to get familiar with what to do and hear your heartbeat!
P.S. Something I did while they were in the NICU was Power Pumping! It’s a way to majorly boost your milk supply through pumping, and I wrote a detailed Power Pumping Guide (with a schedule and printable log!) to let everyone know exactly how to do it!
My twins are home, now how do I use these twin breastfeeding pillows?
Moving your twins around may be hard at the start because they are so darn floppy and little! If you have help, you may want to ask for some or at least have someone else around the first time using these pillows.
How to use the “My Breast Friend” pillow for nursing your twins
- Before putting any babies on this pillow, adjust for size! Make sure the pillow is snug against your body to prevent babies from rolling into the gap between your body and the pillow. This also is good for making sure the babies are as close as possible to your breasts for an easy latch.
- Make your breasts accessible so that you don’t have to deal with lifting your shirt and moving your bra around all while trying to balance your twins on the pillow!
- Put the first twin on side of the pillow, and get him /her latched on. It’s a lot harder to try and get them both latched at the same time!
- Keeping the side your 1st twin is on up using your leg (the heaviness may cause the pillow to tilt to one side – you want to level that out with your leg!) put your 2nd twin on the other side
- Voila! You are tandem nursing twins! If they are small, you may even be able to look at your phone or whatever if you want to since the pillow will be big enough to hold them without help from you!
How to use the “Twin Z” pillow for nursing your twins
Since this pillow has rounded edges, you’ll want to make sure your twins are close to you so that you will not need to reach too far to pick up your 2nd twin and move the pillow! They can roll off! This sounds scary but it’s not after the first time you do it!
- This pillow is easiest to use in a chair, but can work on the ground too. Flip up the middle pillow part so as to provide a back rest and a spot for yourself!
- Buckle the front together so that the pillow stays tight against your body.
- This is now similar to the previous twin nursing pillow – put your 1st twin on one side of the pillow (assuming your shirt is already up)
- Maintaining balance, as this pillow has no ridge and is much easier to have a baby roll off, lean over and get your 2nd twin on.
- Now you’re ready to nurse your twins!
Using normal pillows to breastfeed twins
This is pretty self-explanatory, but just two pillows and put one under each arm. Proceed to put your babies on the pillows.
Try to get as firm of a pillow as possible!
Yes, you can also use two single boppies to nurse your twins
This is also possible! Though a little excessive, you can just set the boppies up around your body in a similar set up to the twin breastfeeding pillows above.
It’s kind of a hassle since there will be overlapping areas that make the surface not level, so I do recommend only doing this if you have no other options!
How to nurse your twins without pillows!
The image below from Twinversity is a great illustration for some basic positions for nursing your twins! I’m going to go over some of the less obvious ones in the picture, as well as one of my own not shown!
The football hold (first on the top left)
Basically the same position as using the pillows! I find this much easier when they are older, or maybe it may have been easier with bigger breasts so that I have to raise them up so much to reach my breasts!
Cradle Hold (Middle Picture)
A modification of this position is what I do most often! Especially since my twins are 10 months old now and tall enough to reach my breasts with just sitting on my lap.
My Modified Cradle Hold Position for Older Twins!
The position is pretty self-explanatory! Just get one twin on one leg, and the other twin on your other leg!
Nursing Twins Laying Down
I have seen other positions where both twins are latched on, and the breasts are long enough to reach down to each twin.
Not the case for this mama!
I do co-sleep half the night, and needed to find a way to feed them if they both happened to wake up at the same time hungry!
P.S If you want to co-sleep at night with your twins too, check out my twin co-sleeping guide here!
While I can side lie and feed one, (laying down, one twin will be able to reach a breast) feeding two was out of the question!
So I do my own position (Not sure if it’s named – Maybe call it Leaning Cow? LOL!) in order to feed both of them.
Is this super comfortable? Nope! But it gets the job done, and is also perfect for helping with any clogged ducts!
I like this because I don’t have to disturb them by getting them onto a pillow!
Nursing Twins in Public
Though not technically a position, it’s good to know you can do this without everything hanging out!
I like the double shirt method – I will try to get a picture of this up ASAP!
Basically, what you want to do is have two shirts – a tank or something thin for your first layer (the one touching your skin) and a normal t-shirt or whatever on top.
If your babies are hungry, you can just lift up your t-shirt without worrying about all your tummy being exposed! Your T-shirt will cover most of the top of your breasts, and your tank underneath will cover your stomach!
I have not used a nursing cover very much (all my kids hated being covered, and honestly, I feel like it drew more attention than helped!)
So now that you know the gear and the positions for nursing twins, here are some more helpful tips!
- After a month or two, your supply will start to even itself out. This is especially true if you nurse first, then pump any extra! Don’t be concerned if it seems less, or your breasts seem less “hard” or “full”! This is normal, and it’s likely you still have enough milk.
- Your twins hands will eventually get fidgety – mine like to poke each others eyes! Have a hand available to hold down an arm here or there!
- If you are concerned about your supply, I encourage you to try my amazing No Bake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Oatmeal Lactation Cookies! They are healthy and taste good!! In fact, I sometimes eat them just because I like how they taste!
- Somewhere a long your journey you may need to supplement or transition entirely to formula. That’s ok! Please don’t stress about it! I felt awful, for some stupid reason, the first time I bought formula for my twins. But guess what – they are doing great!
Some of you might be wondering – if you know all these positions and tips and such, why did you transition to formula?
I have a toddler at home as well, and honestly did not have time for the marathon nursing or pumping sessions.
Psst… if you have other children at home as well, you might want to read how I got my child excited about the new babies!
While I wish that I could have exclusively nursed like I did with my son, it simply wasn’t possible while also having time to hang out with him, rest, and take care of my other obligations.
Naturally, my supply dipped and I’m ok with that. I only pump once a day, if that, and nurse when I can.
I do still manage to nurse them through the night, and often my twins only need one bottle of formula! This is made a lot easier by co-sleeping, which I imagine will end soon too due to them just being wiggle worms!
You can successfully breastfeed your twins at the same time, mama!
Though it may be challenging at times, being prepared is the first step!
Share or save this in case you need it for reference later!
Related Articles You Might Enjoy!
- How to stay organized and get out of the house HERE – even with 3 under 3! (free printable included!)
- If you still look pregnant months after your pregnancy, you may have a condition called Diastasis Recti (meaning it’s not your fault!) Check out all the info about the “Mommy Pooch” HERE!
- Here are some healthy, natural cold remedies that are easy to use!
- Solar Eclipse 2024 Kids Printable Activity Pack! - April 8, 2024
- 11 RV Bathroom Makeovers to Inspire You! - April 7, 2024
- 13 Dreamy Hammock Camping Set Up Ideas + Pics - February 22, 2024
