Cathy Bargar:

Thanks for letting us know what worked for you.  I do agree with you that
nursing both babies at once, especially at the beginning is overwhelming for
some mothers.  I don't believe in pushing a particular way of nursing on any
mother unless that is the only way in which her baby (or in this case babies)
is/are willing or able to nurse.  However, I do encourage a mother of twins to
try breastfeeding both babies at once at least one time while she has me there
to show her how it can work.  If she doesn't want to try,  that's okay.  If it
doesn't work for her or if she doesn't like it, that's okay, too.  I find that
some moms only one to feed both at once, some only want to feed one at a time,
and some like the idea, but it doesn't work well at the beginning because each
baby needs too much attention to keep him/her nursing.

> Have to respond to Bonnie Jones' recent post re: nsg. twins. I breastfed my
> twin daughters for about 14 months, and a lot of my suggestions to a new MOT
> would be different than hers.
>
> In particular, I don't necessarily recommend starting out by nursing both
> babies at once, especially if she's had a CS, a particularly arduous
> delivery, etc. I had a CS, complicated by a post-op infection, and I
> absolutely hated nsg. both babies at once. The main thing I try to do when
> working with other mothers of twins is help them figure out what will work
> best for them and their babies.

When I asked a fellow nurse who has twins, what I should add to the section on
multiples in our parent handout, she said she felt it was important to not
always nurse the same twin first because you spend longer with the second one.
I know everyone will find different things important.

Thanks again for adding your insight to this thread.

Bonnie Jones, RN, ICCE, IBCLC
from the sunny S.W. USA

Cathy,
Sorry I just resent you your entire post.  I hit the wrong button.
Bonnie