What was your twins weight when you started using the twin z pillow to BF? [The issues BF twins continue...]

[jeaninmt]

TL;DR: as title says, What was your twins weight when you started using the twin z pillow to tandem BF?

Hello!!! I am currently tandem feeding our twins but I have to use a lot of blankets to support them on the Twin Z, I was doing solo BF but I had the issue, mostly at night, where the twin I wasnt feeding started asking for food and then crying, I asked here what to do and one of the suggestions was to do tandem BF adding support, and that is whay I have been doing since then.

The thing is, they are 2,7 and 3kg right now, and I am having problems trying to put them on a good position so their latch is good, I thought they were doing ok, but after todays appointment with the pediatrician where I told her how their feeding was, she told me there may be a problem with their position, which may be the cause why they feed too often, because they are not comfortable (they are gaining weight perfectly, it is just their feeding timing what we are trying to correct)

Because of that, I am thinking to solo feed them again, which is so time consuming.... but if they are indeed too small I will just give up for now, I am also small so there is gap everywhere, thats why I wanted to know how much weight they need for the twin z to work, because maybe its me who is doing it all wrong.

As always, thank you very much!

 

[investigate]

@jeaninmt I had way more success with the square “my brest friend” pillow than I did with the Twin-Z for tandem nursing.

 

[choidaga]

@investigate I cannot second this enough. I used the My Brest Friend twin pillow to tandem nurse until my boys were 18 months old. Worked like a charm.

 

[jeaninmt]

@investigate Unfortunately I cannot buy it, they dont sell it nor send it here....

 

[mattbraunlin]

@jeaninmt We’ve always used the twin z. My smallest boy was 4lb 12oz. Early on I had to use pillows to support.

How often are the eating? What position are you trying to use for feeding? My experience has been that pediatricians often are not trained in breastfeeding so are not always giving the best advice.

 

[jeaninmt]

@mattbraunlin In my opinion they are eating normal, they ask for food every hour, hour and a half or two hours, and maybe once a day, every three (they are 6 weeks, and were born at 35+2). But I told her that their only "problem" is that they eat 5-10 minutes, they stop and just when I put them back on the crib is when they wake up to ask for more food, I try to make them eat before doing that, tried every suggestion, but its impossible.
She seemed to know a lot about breastfeeding, made me feed the girls to look out after any kind of problem and explained me a lot of stuff.
I have been trying all say to make them have a good position in the Z pillow without luck, I think there has to be a setup that works but we dont find it, if you nursed them there since birth there must be a way! Hahahaha

 

[mattbraunlin]

@jeaninmt This is very normal for their age and sounds like cluster feeding. I’m surprised she didn’t mention that.

What position are you using for feeding?

 

[jeaninmt]

@mattbraunlin Does cluster feeding happens all the time? She did mention growth spurt and that its normal for babies to demand food often tho, right now they are eating hour most of the times, and eat less than 10 minutes each feeding.
I always feed them both, and I am realizing that the non hungry twin eats less, so that one will ask for food sooner, if I wont give her she will wait more time to ask for food.
I am using the twin z for feedings
Thx for answering btw!

 

[dallaskay]

@jeaninmt I hated the Twin Z for bf and ended up buying a MyBrestFriend Twin which is so much better. I started using Twin Z at birth (2.5 and 2.9 kg) and had the same issues trying to get them in the right position and being so uncomfortable. We love the Twin Z for everything other than bf. I encourage you to consider the MyBrestFriend.

 

[sesquiterpene]

@jeaninmt 5 lb 2 oz no pillows or blankets needed cause I was massive

 

[terry2xx]

@jeaninmt Not the twinZ - we are using the TwinGo pillow. I started tandem feeding at 3½ weeks with pillows and blankets and then got the pillow at 4 weeks. They were about 6 ½ and 7½ lbs. It works with a burp rag rolled up for head/neck support. I'm a huge fan of the back support pillow it has. It helps with posture while feeding.

 

[passionable]

@jeaninmt We’ve been using a twin Z since my twins were born three weeks ago, smallest was 2.8kg. I usually put a thin pillow or blanket under each side to lift them up a little higher. I don’t always tandem feed because they are still pretty sleepy and fall asleep mid-feed, and it’s easier to keep them both awake if I feed one at a time. So I only attempt a tandem feed when they’re both pretty alert. For what it’s worth I think it’s pretty normal for newborns that age to be pretty sleepy at the breast and also cluster feed frequently! It’s definitely extra hard with twins though to be feeding that frequently. Newborns change so fast so hopefully it will be a short phase for your twins.

 

[lilalleycat]

@jeaninmt I started them immediately after birth. I use the twin z pillow backwards, clip in the back, middle piece between my legs and do the football hold. Worked amazingly! they were about 4.9 pounds and 5.6 pounds when i start started them.

 

[gloria12]

@jeaninmt I started being able to use it without a mountain of pillows when they were 4 weeks/8ish lbs, but still need pillows underneath at 17 weeks/13lbs

I do think if you have smaller or more perky breasts something like the TwinGo or My Brest Friend twin would be better. I have bigger boobs that sit high on my chest so the TwinZ isn’t great, I still need a pillow under each side, one behind the back, AND I need to put my legs up on the ottoman to raise my knees under the babies heads. It does get much easier once they can latch themselves though, so I’m sticking with my TwinZ so as to avoid another obnoxiously large and overpriced breastfeeding pillow in the home.