How to bottlefeed twins
Although breastfeeding is best for your babies, it may not be possible for you. Follow our guide on how to bottlefeed your babies and what you need to buy
If you are unable to breastfeed your twins or choose not to, you’ll need to bottlefeed your twins formula milk or with expressed breast milk.
You might choose to give breast milk via a bottle for various reasons, such as sore nipples, to ease engorged breasts or to allow someone else to help with feeds while you take some time out.
You can ask the hospital or your midwife to show you how to wash, sterilise and prepare bottles, or find out how in our sterilising guides and and tips on how to make up a formula bottle.
Bottlefeeding equipment for twins
To save time having to wash and sterilise between feeds, buy as many bottles as there are feeds in the day. For example, if your newborns are having 6-8 feeds in 24 hours, buy 12-16 bottles with slow-flow teats.
Some parents also find it useful to have two sterilisers to cope with the doubled demand.
If you’re going to buy feeding equipment, see our guides:
- Buyer’s guide to bottles and teats
- Buyer’s guide to breast pumps
- Breast pumps – what types are there?
- Buyer’s guide to sterilisers
- Sterilisers – what types are there?
When you don’t have an extra pair of hands and want to tandem feed on your own, using a twin breastfeeding pillow and the ‘rugby ball’ hold is perhaps the easiest position.
You can also try putting your twins in bouncer chairs or baby beanbags next to each other and kneeling in front of them - although your arms may ache!
Sitting in between your twins, with them facing you, your back against the sofa or a wall for support, is another useful set-up.
Don’t leave your babies propped up with bottles unsupervised.
Advantages of bottlefeeding twins
- Bottlefeeding allows someone other than you to feed your babies. It can mean Dad can do some night feeds, and friends and family can help out to give you some time off.
- It’s easy to see how much milk each baby is taking at each feed.
- It may feel like an easier way to feed when you’re not at home.
Possible disadvantages of bottlefeeding twins
- Buying bottles, a steriliser and a constant supply of formula for twins can be expensive.
- Washing and sterilising up to 16 bottles a day is time consuming.
- If one of your babies is crying for milk, it can take time to make up the formula fresh and allow it to cool.
- It can be hard to get (comfortably) close enough to tandem bottlefeed at the right angle.
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