Lynne -McKensey Hall is an internationally certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and Registered Midwife.  She has helped hundreds of families on their breastfeeding journey.  Lynne’s focus is centred on supporting mothers by offering options available for breastfeeding that will work within the family unit.

She shares with us her tips for getting started with expressing for twins or more. Please note this article includes affiliate links.

You can learn more about Lynne and how she can support you on your breastfeeding journey HERE

I wish I had known about expressing breast milk for storage and the occasional bottle feed when I needed. The information in my e-booklet  ‘Expressing’ on my website is useful for mothers with premature babies, multiples and anyone wanting to provide expressed breast milk in preference to breastfeeding.

Here is some background to expressing to get you started.

Establishing your breast milk supply

It takes about three weeks for your breast milk supply to establish and for you and your babies to get into a feeding rhythm. For a singleton baby I think it’s worth waiting until a mother has established a feeding pattern before expressing but, I appreciate feeding multiples is very different.

Learning to express so your partner or helpers can bottle-feed one or all of your babies is a great idea! My bottom line is however and whenever you can give your baby’s breast milk is gold! Bathing, changing nappies, nursing or carrying a baby in a sling also provides wonderful bonding opportunities for your partner to help as well.

For some mothers expressing is a very effective way of stimulating and maintaining their milk supply if necessary and provides feeding options with multiples.

Pumps and teats when expressing for twins and more

A good double pump is worth its weight in gold. Spectra, Ardo and Medela in that order are ones mothers’ often tell me are very good. What is equally as important is the teats you use that more closely simulate how your babies would draw your nipples over the back of their tongues. Long slim teats rather than short fat inflexible ones should be avoided (so say the speech pathologists).

Expressing for twins and more

Expressing may take some practice to feel confident with the pump and the timing of your expressing.  I think expressing is a learnt skill and I believe you have to ‘love your pump’ and get into the zone to get the oxytocin and milk flowing but it’s a skill you can become very good at with a little practice and patience that provides further options and choices with providing breast milk to your baby. Congratulations for wanting to do so and good luck.

Twinfo, and hundreds of other multiple birth parents, highly recommend the Spectra pump. You can find out more about this pump HERE.

Lynne offers lactation consultations, including expressing advice, via phone and skype. You can find out more about Lynne’s services HERE

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