Breast Milk Supply for Twins: How Much Should You Produce?

Whether you’re pumping for your twins, breastfeeding, or a hybrid of the two, breast milk production may have you feeling all-the-way stressed. So we’re here to share all you should know about breast milk supply for twins. 

Are your twinnies on the way and you’re trying to plan ahead for what to expect with pumping or nursing?

Are you a new twin mama trying to squeeze out every ounce of colostrum as you anxiously await for your milk to come in?

Or maybe slowly but surely getting your supply up and feeling somewhat in the groove but wondering if you’ve reached full production yet?

No matter where you’re at on your twin breastfeeding journey, you’re not alone! We’re here to share the latest research on breast milk supply for twins as well as give you the honest inside scoop from real twin moms. 

Is it really possible to produce enough breast milk for two babies?

The short answer to this is in theory, yes. Human biology does allow for a mother to produce enough breast milk for more than one baby in some cases. 

From a historical standpoint, back in the 17th century there were “wet nurses” who worked for French royals who would at times nurse 3 – 6 babies and young children. One study even reported a case of preterm infants being adequately breastfed by a mother post C-section. 

Another study of twin mothers found that the twin mothers consistently produced double the amount of breast milk as singleton mother output. 

How much milk can a twin mom produce?

According to research from 2006, twin moms can produce up to 1.2 liters (~41 ounces) of breastmilk per day during the first month after birth. That volume then goes up to 2 liters (~68 ounces) of breastmilk per day during the second month. 

Unfortunately, there aren’t a ton of recent studies exploring breast milk supply for twins and higher order multiples. But this at least sheds some light on a ballpark amount that’s possible. 

Just realize that there’s some wiggle room for what’s considered “full breast milk production” based on your babies’ current weights, adjusted age, and the demand for breast milk (how often you’re nursing and pumping). 

If you are exclusively breastfeeding, you might not ever “measure” how much milk you’re producing, so weight checks at your pediatrician will be you’re go-to way of knowing if your babies are getting enough.

If you’re pumping exclusively or hybrid feeding, then you may have somewhat of an idea of how much breast milk you produce in a single session. In that case, check with your pediatrician or nutritionist about how many milliliters or ounces you should be feeding your twins within a 24-hour period.

What can influence a twin mom’s ability to produce enough breast milk?

The same factors that influence a singleton mom’s ability to produce enough breast milk are at play for twin moms, with the main one being demand! This means how frequently the babies are at breast and how often mama is pumping. In general, the more “demand” for milk, the more milk will be produced.

Now, that sounds nice in theory. And some twin moms are able to produce enough to meet their twins’ nutritional needs or even oversupply. 

But due to the complex nature of twin motherhood and complicated twin births, there are certainly other factors that could potentially cause challenges to breast milk production.

Some factors that could impact breast milk supply for twins include:

• Not breastfeeding or pumping frequently enough
• Not effectively removing breast milk at each feed or pumping session (hand expression and having the right breast pump and flanges can help with this)
• Higher risk for mental health challenges like postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety that may impact a mother’s ability to breastfeed
• Not initiating baby to breast or pumping soon enough after delivery
• Medical struggles of preterm infants that impact breastfeeding including surgeries, prematurity, feeding aversions, 
• NICU stays which impact how often a twin mother is able to be around her newborn twins
• Increased stress levels
• Not getting adequate sleep, hydration, or overall nutrition 

Twiniversity tip! If you’re trying to boost your breast milk supply for twins, power pumping may help!

The moral of the story? 

Yes, producing enough breast milk as a twin mom is absolutely possible. But there are certainly a few extra hurdles, depending on the unique circumstances of your delivery and twins’ health. 

All that to say, try not to be hard on yourself if you find that your breast milk supply isn’t enough for both babies. Any amount that you’re able to produce is such a blessing, and at the same time, your physical and mental health matter too. 

The way that you feed your twins can be special no matter how you do it, and breastfeeding alone does not define your relationship with your twinnies. 

Whatever you are able to produce, you’re doing more than enough.

What real twin moms said about their breast milk supply for twins

We recently polled our twin parent community…

Twin mamas, for those of you who pumped, breastfed, or a combo of the two, did you have a full breast milk supply for your twins, or did you have to supplement?

And here’s what twin moms said:

• I could barely produce any breast milk – 19%
• I had a good amount but also had to supplement – 44%
• I was an overproducer – 26%
• Other – 26% (could include: had just the right amount, decided to stop breastfeeding or not breastfeed at all, etc.)

As you can see from these varied responses, many twin moms have been able to produce enough milk for both babies! And slightly less than half were able to find a strong balance between breast milk and supplementation. 

No twin mom journey or breastfeeding journey is the same though, so do what you can to stay the path that feels aligned for you. And know that if you are looking for support with improving your breast milk supply for twins, there is help out there. 

Ways you can find support with breastfeeding twins and increasing your supply:

• Book a consultation with a twin lactation counselor who understands the unique challenges of breastfeeding and pumping for twins
• Join our First Year With Twins private Facebook group to tune into insights of other twin moms who’ve been where you are
• Enroll in our On-Demand Breastfeeding Twins Class which covers a comprehensive array of twin breastfeeding topics inside over 40+ videos

Want to learn more about pumping for twins or breastfeeding twins? Check out these articles and classes too:

• When Does Breast Milk Come In With Preemie Twins?
• How to Hand Express Your Milk: The Ultimate Guide
• Breastfeeding Twins BoobCamp
• Pumping for Two Class
• The Beginner’s Guide to Breastfeeding Twins

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