How to Breastfeed Twins

Two babies.

Two breasts.

Enough said.

Well, not exactly . . .

We've all heard the recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics urging new moms to breastfeed their babies for at least a year. In reality, most moms try for a few weeks, but only about 30 percent make it to six months.

And that's with just one hungry baby.

Many moms are tentatively nervous about the prospect of nursing. For expectant moms of twins it's double the anxiety, particularly in the face of naysayers who can't imagine how a woman could breastfeed twins and not wither away into a shell of a human being. But with a little advance planning, a lot of patience and a supportive friend or two, nursing twins won't seem like an impossible fantasy. Here are a few tips:

Take a class. OK, so this sounds counter-intuitive, taking a class to learn how to do something that's supposed to come naturally. But believe me, taking a breastfeeding class will not only leave you feeling empowered, but it will provide you with helpful tips you might not have thought of on your own. Check with local hospitals to see if they offer breastfeeding classes, or, even better, if there are courses on having multiples.

Buy a pillow. We're not talkin' a regular, run-of-the-mill nursing pillow. We're talkin' a specially made twins nursing pillow. They're thicker, sturdier and can simultaneously hold two newborns. In the early days of my twins' lives—when I felt like my entire life was consumed by mammaries, spit-up, and diapers—the twins' nursing pillow was a life-saver. I was able to breastfeed the babies at the same time and cut my nursing time in half. Because the pillow was so thick, it brought both babies up to my breasts, rather than having me hunch over to reach them, and spared me backaches.