If you’re asking this question, I can tell you haven’t been around Twiniversity much yet. Our role here is to help you figure out what is best for you and your family. Typically there are no wrong or right answers here.  

I will say as a Certified Lactation Consultant, that breastfeeding one, two or even more has some amazing benifits to both mama and babies. It’s also very cost effective and little preperation is needed.  That being said, the decision is really up to you, not us. 

I promise, if you miss the “magic hour” you’ll still be ok. Sometimes new families of twins are separated from their babies after birth, it’s pretty common since (according to the CDC) over 82% of twins are born prematurely and sometimes even need a quick trip down to the NICU. If you are separated for a few minutes, or a few days, that doesn’t mean you will not be able to breastfeed. It does mean you’ll have to seek help a little sooner after delivery to ensure that you’re getting on the same page as your twinnies feeding schedules, but just because you missed the “magic hour” does not disqualify you from having an amazing breastfeeding twins experience.

It’s important that you know that your experience will be very different than the experience of your friends with singletons (one baby). Lucky, you’ve been give two babies and happen to have two boobs ready, so you’ll be ok, but it might take a little bit of extra work creating that great supply than if you have one baby and two boobs. It’s typically why folks find us in the first place and often join us for our Twins Breastfeeding Class or even call us directly from the hospital for a quick Virtual Twins Lactation Consultation.

It’s really important that you know that A. You really can do this and B. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s far from impossible.

Who told you that? Yeah, the answer is no. For many, many, many generations moms who chose to breastfeed just did, without a pump. Your body is SO MUCH more efficient than a pump and you need to trust me on that. No matter which pump you get by the way. You and your twinnies will not only have a delicious exchange of Oxytocin (often called the love hormone) that allows you to produce more milk than your pump and helps you bond with your twins AND helps your body heal from delivery. So no, you do not NEED a pump, but it’s nice to have for those moments you want to slip away.

The best position is the one that makes you the most comfortable. I hope that you experiment with all the breastfeeding twins positions and just go with trial and error. I wish there was a way that I could get new moms to stop worrying about what’s best for everyone else, and just focus on yourself and your babies. What works 100% for one mom may be an epic failure for another. Try them all, and as they get bigger, try them all again. Each time your twinnies grow, you might find that something you weren’t a big fan of in the beginning is the absolute best now.

I hope that before your twinnies even arrive that you’ve been able to sit down with your partner and discuss the ways that make you feel the most supported and appreciated. If each of you know that, you’ll have an easier time parenting in general, not just with breastfeeding. We know that partners really do typically want to provide unlimited support, but typically just don’t know how. I strongly suggest you AND your partner join us for a LIVE Twiniversity class (hosted virtually) since it’s as much for the partners as it is for our moms. In class we discuss, at length, different options they may want to consider to help make your life easier. Our next class is right around the corner, so check your schedules and register ASAP. They tend to sell out pretty fast since space is limited. OH and there’s a chance you’ll even get the whole class covered by insurance too! Depending on your plan of course. AND, if you’re struggling financially, please email us at Community@Twiniversity.com, scholarships are available just for you.

Thanks to some federal laws that were passed a bit back regarding breastfeeding, there is a good chance that you’ll get A LOT covered. Your insurance company should cover your breast pump, your breast pump supplies, a breastfeeding twins education, lactation support and potentially more.

The struggle you may have is that despite what they “will” cover, it might be hard to find providers in-network. Typically, even if you have an “in-network only” plan, if you can’t find someone, you usually have the right to go outside the network and find the support you need.

That’s how many families get reimbursed for our lactation services. We’re able to provide a SuperBill that you’ll submit directly to your insurance.

Check with them first so you can create a gameplay, but rarely do any of our moms/students/clients find a “twin specific lactation consultant” like we have here at Twiniversity. If your insurance is giving you issues, you can also look for a practitioner that will accept a “sliding scale” meaning that you pay according to your income.

The important thing is that you SHOULD start looking ASAP around your area for someone that might be able to help you in person after the twins get here. And in a jam, you know we’re here for you too.