Breastfeeding Twins

[Moussa Mom]

I'm expecting our little ones in November of this year. I've been poking around online looking for a twin breastfeeding pillow but can't seem to figure out what the best one is? Does anyone have any practical advice about selecting a twin breastfeeding pillow? I am leaning towards the foam, not inflatable, E-Z-2 Nurse pillow but I just can't commit (I'm having commitment issues these days!). They're expensive, and I want to be sure I get the right one.

[floretta]

I don't have twins, but I made my own nursing pillow and my friend then used it for her twins. She said it worked well for her and it was not very expensive to make. Do you have any sewing experience at all?

[L'sMom]

I received the EZ to nurse inflatable pillow as a gift before the babies were born. I've used it twice - both times in the hospital. I'm guessing the foam ones would be about the same. I find that the U in them is too deep and can't sit properly on the arms of a chair so the babies end up being up too high - or you can't sit far enough back in the chair to make it comfortable. I also found it very hard to squeeze around my post baby belly (had a section). I was pretty disappointed with it after all I had read and researched online.

I went out and bought one of the jolly jumper pillows. It was about $60. It has worked awesome for me. I tandem fed them a couple of times and the pillow was big enough to fit them both comfortably when they were little.

Good luck. I had to try a couple before we found one that worked for us.

[funkymom]

Get a good nursing pillow, mine was a large soft one and I found it easier to use then my EZ to nurse pillow but that is just me. I would switch between tandem nursing and single nursing.

[Moussa Mom]

I do some simple sewing, yes, but no more than quilting and receiving blankets. Is it a complicated project?

I didn't think a standard nursing pillow (i.e. Jolly Jumper pillow) would be wide enough around to fit two babies, but I might check that out first. It is all uncharted territory for me right now, in terms of tag team breastfeeding or single feedings. I just want to keep my options open to see what works best.

Good to hear that the EZ pillow may not be worth it afterall. It'll cost over $100.00 and seems like a hefty price to pay if a good 'single' nursing pillow will do the trick.

Thanks for all your advice!

[Ceili]

I have the EZ-2-Nurse Twins pillow (foam), but I don't quite have the twin nurslings yet. I can let you know once they're born and I've had a chance to try it out a bit.

Originally Posted by L'sMom

I find that the U in them is too deep and can't sit properly on the arms of a chair so the babies end up being up too high - or you can't sit far enough back in the chair to make it comfortable.

The instructions/FAQ that I've read for the pillow say that it's intended for use on a couch or bed rather than in a chair? Not only because it would fit better, but because then there's a space to either side of you to place the babies (for picking them up/putting them down before and after sitting and nursing them -- ie, you sit down between the babies, then lift one from one side onto the pillow, then lift the other one from your other side onto the pillow).

[L'sMom]

Originally Posted by Kathy

The instructions/FAQ that I've read for the pillow say that it's intended for use on a couch or bed rather than in a chair? Not only because it would fit better, but because then there's a space to either side of you to place the babies (for picking them up/putting them down before and after sitting and nursing them -- ie, you sit down between the babies, then lift one from one side onto the pillow, then lift the other one from your other side onto the pillow).

Guess that's what I get for not reading the instructions Oops! At any rate the foam one might be better than the inflatable. I just found it too bouncy and the kids didn't rest on there well enough for me to be comfortable with it.

[floretta]

Originally Posted by Moussa Mom

I do some simple sewing, yes, but no more than quilting and receiving blankets. Is it a complicated project?

I didn't think a standard nursing pillow (i.e. Jolly Jumper pillow) would be wide enough around to fit two babies, but I might check that out first. It is all uncharted territory for me right now, in terms of tag team breastfeeding or single feedings. I just want to keep my options open to see what works best.

It's one of the easiest possible sewing projects. You just cut out two large half-moon shaped pieces of broad cloth, sew them together and stuff them with the stuffing of two or three cheap on-sale pillows. Then you make one or two covers using the same pattern and a duvet zipper.
I also put a zipper into the inner pillow so that I can add/remove some of the stuffing. This way you have total control over how firm and large you want it to be. I will happily share my pattern and let you look at my pillow, just pm me if interested.

Oh, and the Fabric land on Exeter is closing and has all fabrics currently 66% reduced, just in case you are looking for fabric in the near future

[Ceili]

Originally Posted by L'sMom

Guess that's what I get for not reading the instructions Oops! At any rate the foam one might be better than the inflatable. I just found it too bouncy and the kids didn't rest on there well enough for me to be comfortable with it.

Yeah, I hope that it works out. I like the idea that it's designed to help you be able to nurse both babies hands-free -- that would be nice (esp. with us having two older young kids around too!) We'll see.

[L'sMom]

Originally Posted by Kathy

Yeah, I hope that it works out. I like the idea that it's designed to help you be able to nurse both babies hands-free -- that would be nice (esp. with us having two older young kids around too!) We'll see.

That's what appealed to me too! The promise of being able to talk on the phone, eat lunch etc. I wish I had of gotten the foam one because I think it would have been a different experience. I hope it works out for you! A good pillow is they key!

[Ceili]

Originally Posted by Kathy

I have the EZ-2-Nurse Twins pillow (foam), but I don't quite have the twin nurslings yet. I can let you know once they're born and I've had a chance to try it out a bit.

OK, I have to say that this pillow works really well. Definitely the best nursing pillow I have (and I have a few), and you really can nurse twins hands-free with it. (Or, alternatively, it frees up your hands from basic holding and baby-juggling to put towards actively working on improving their latches, positioning, etc. much more than you could with a less supportive pillow.) So yep, I recommend it.

[rawmom]

I don't have twins so I don't know if you need a special pillow or not. However, if you need one of those U-shaped ones I believe I have one here from when my girls were babies and you are more than welcome to have it. Just let me know!

Karen

[L'sMom]

Originally Posted by Kathy

OK, I have to say that this pillow works really well. Definitely the best nursing pillow I have (and I have a few), and you really can nurse twins hands-free with it. (Or, alternatively, it frees up your hands from basic holding and baby-juggling to put towards actively working on improving their latches, positioning, etc. much more than you could with a less supportive pillow.) So yep, I recommend it.

I'm so glad it has worked for you!!

[Mumma]

I have identical twin daughters who were born premature. Breastfeeding was something I desparately wanted. I had three breast feeding pillows. Two were given to me, one I bought myself. Without a doubt, the Ever So Tiny breast feeding pillow was the best. It has a strap that keeps the pillow with you. I could tandem football both babies and balance a dinner plate in front of me. My DH & I jokingly called it the aircraft carrier.

The Ultimate Twin Nursing Pillow

When my girls were tiny and fragile, this supported them without making me hunch my back. When they were bigger, they could still lay supported on this to the bottom of their rib cages and the rest of them draped across the bed. It came with a cotton cover & I bought a second so if someone spilled or sicked up, one cover was already always clean.

DH freaked when he saw the invoice for $96.17. It was the best $100 I spent on anything for the girls except their side by side stroller. I used it for nearly a year and even though they're three, I can't seem to part with it.

I successfully breastfed my girls - never bought formula - until they were two. I tried to ween them at a year but they weren't having any of it. At two, I had to insist. This pillow and my LC - they're the reasons I got to do this great thing for my girls. So much of what I wanted went wrong when they came early. This definitely went right.

[HappyandBlessed]

My neighbour nursed her twins without a pillow. She removed the centre cushion from her couch and sat there with one baby on either side on the couch cushions.