how do i cluster feed twins (bottle)

[traceyjones]

My twins are 5 weeks old and waking every 2.5 hours at night and take ages to settle due to winding. I am therefore getting very little sleep and found myself sleeping through their crying until they are litterally yelling for food.

How do I do this "cluster feeding" thing and how much do I give them? they are bottle fed every 2.5 to 3 hours during the day and I try and encourage them to sleep between so that I can get on - is this the wrong technique?

Most of the time I feed them on my own which is stressful in itself as usually the sleeping twin will wake at the first sniff of the formula and I find it difficult to feed both and wind them at the same time.

Any advice gratefully received.

Tired Mum to Freddie and Harry

 

[Freya]

Ok don't have twins myself but my cousin whom I am close too has identical twin girls who a happy healthy 20 months old. she bottle fed them. What I would suggest is infacol maybe to help you with winding - this is good stuff which people on her recommend all the time. As for them waking when they smell milk - can you take one downstairs to bottle and then do next one?

I am sure it will get better soon.

BTW my cousin had it so well sussed that she could give them both a bottle at the same time. They used to like taking the bottle lying on the floor rather than in her arms so she used to feed them like that. !

 

[hev&madi]

i was going to sugest proping them up with pillows or in chairs and feeding at the same time

infacol is really good to

xxxxxxx

 

[traceyjones]

Thanks ladies

The trouble with me is I am so comfy and warm in bed I can't bear the thought of moving into the nursery where I have a perfectly good gliding chair to feed the first one. I guess that would work though and I will make the effort tonight and see how it goes.

Infacol is OK for Harry, he quite likes it now, but Freddie has a distinct aversion to the taste and it gets him all worked up. I've also tried Gripe Water (same effect) and Dentinox which is limited to 6 feeds a day but does go in the bottle, so no screaming.

I guess I'll just have to be patient and hope they get better at 10-12 weeks. At least the nights will warm up soon....

 

[Nicky_Jones]

I don't hvae twins and found Ellie hard enough work on her own so you have my sympathy. You said that you encourage them to sleep between feeds during the day. I followed the advise given in Baby Secrets and in that they recommended playing with your LO after feeds and trying to keep them awake for at least 15mins after feeds. Is there nobody who can help with housework jobs etc. Which is what I assume you meant by "Get on"?