Being fully aware of how she alone is responsible for providing healthy nutrition to both the newborns, difficult as it may be, their mother has to attempt breastfeeding her twins. A few guidelines should suffice to drive away all fears:

(1) Talking to experienced family members, friends with multiple births, a lactation specialist and the doctor/doctors who delivered the twins can go a long way in putting her mind at ease regarding breastfeeding twins.

(2) Their mother has to ensure herself of good nutrition so that her task becomes easier. Excessive worry may result in an improper diet for their mother. Since she is breastfeeding twins, she should have good milk flows; otherwise, both babies will not get proper nourishment.

(3) Diet is directly related to milk production. A healthy diet ensures good quality and good quantity of milk (23 to 27 ounces per day in a nursing mother). Around 500 calories are burnt per day. Hence, if the mother who is breastfeeding twins is undernourished, her own health deteriorates as her body has made milk production its highest priority.

(4) Water is equally important. It is important that their mother consumes 3 quarts of water every day. Going beyond it will bring down milk production.

(5) Going back to diet again, their mother’s diet should consist of 2,500 calories each day. It is to be increased to 2,800 calories every day if the breastfeeding continues beyond 3 months.

(6) Instead of eating large meals, scheduling of five small meals is better since there is regular caloric intake. Their mother’s diet can include pieces of fruit, low-fat dairy products and water with each meal.

(7) Since she is breastfeeding twins, their mother can experience a lot of exhaustion as they need to be nursed every half-hour in the first few weeks following delivery. She is hardly left with any time of her own. Added to this is the worry about whether each twin is getting sufficient nourishment and whether she will be able to produce enough milk for both.

(8) Insufficient milk supply, cracked nipples, sore nipples, and engorgement are certain irritants which can trouble the mother who is breastfeeding twins. But there is no cause for worry. These problems may take time to resolve but are not impossible mountains to cross!

By: Abhishek Agarwal

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