Breastfeeding Twins Myths & Facts with Twin Mom & IBCLC Shelly P.
- jaimiezaki
- 1 day ago
- 10 min read
Tips for Breastfeeding Twins
Are you expecting twins and worried about how breastfeeding will work?
Do you feel like everyone is silently assuming you’ll “just need to supplement”?
Have you heard horror stories—and are now wondering if exclusive breastfeeding is even possible with two?
If you're carrying twins, you're already doing something incredible.And when it comes to breastfeeding, you deserve support that honors your goals—not pressure to settle. So many twin moms are told right from the start that formula is inevitable. That breastfeeding two babies is “too much.”
But you don’t have to accept that story. You can write your own.
In this episode, you’ll hear from someone who’s walked that road—and made breastfeeding twins not just possible, but joyful.
In this episode of Breastfeeding With Confidence, I sit down with Shelly—a twin mama and lactation consultant from Canada—to talk about the real challenges and triumphs of breastfeeding twins. From the early postpartum to the decision between tandem nursing vs. individual feeding, we’re covering what it really looks like to exclusively breastfeed multiples.
Shelly shares how prenatal breastfeeding education can set you up for success, how to stay grounded in your "why," and what new or expecting twin moms can do to thrive. If you’re planning to breastfeed twins, this episode is full of encouragement, strategy, and sisterhood.
Transcript:
Jamie:Hey Mama Bear! Welcome to the Breastfeeding With Confidence podcast. Do you dream of bonding with your baby through exclusive breastfeeding but worry about breastfeeding pain or low milk supply? Maybe you’re struggling with breastfeeding and no one seems to have any answers.
I’m Jamie Doula, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and mom of five. I’ve been where you are—working through painful latches, milk supply worries, and postpartum depression.
Supporting countless mothers through their breastfeeding journeys for over eight years, I’m here to tell you breastfeeding doesn’t have to be perfect to be positive. Each week, I’ll share breastfeeding tips to help you prevent and overcome unexpected challenges so you can truly enjoy bonding with your baby.
If you’re ready to shut out the toxic whispers of the world, embrace your God-given intuition, and release your inner fierce Mama Bear, grab some coffee or your favorite herbal tea, and let’s dive in.
Jamie:We have Shelly with us today. Shelly is a twin mom and lactation consultant from Canada. Where in Canada are you, Shelly?
Shelly:I’m in Windsor, Ontario—right across from Detroit, Michigan.
Jamie:Awesome! She’s here to talk to us all about breastfeeding twins because there are a lot of myths, lots of advice out there, and some secret hacks I’m sure you’ll want to hear. Shelly, go ahead and introduce yourself—tell everyone who you are and why you do this work.
Shelly:Sounds great! Thanks so much for having me, Jamie. My name is Shelly. I’ve been a registered nurse for the last 14 years, with the last 10 years working specifically with moms and babies.
I’ve been an IBCLC for five years, specializing in twins and multiples. I have twins—my boys just turned seven—and a little girl who just turned five.
So yeah, I’m busy balancing mom life and private practice, mostly working with twin families. I feel like so many lactation consultants got into this work because of our own struggles—and that was definitely my experience.
When I found out I was pregnant with twins, I had been working with moms and babies in public health for almost four years. I had seen many feeding journeys that weren’t going as planned—lots of struggles and challenges. I thought, “Oh my gosh, this is not going to be good.”
And we struggled a lot. But I was able to exclusively nurse my twin boys for two years. During that time, I realized my experience wasn’t isolated. Many twin families aren’t supported in the way they need to be to achieve their feeding goals.
Between having my twins and then my daughter, I decided to take the IBCLC exam. Thankfully, I passed on just two hours of sleep with a very colicky newborn.
Jamie:I know that feeling! I had to do a road trip to take my exam—it was wild.
Shelly:Yeah, my first exam was canceled in March 2020 because, well, you know… I was seven months pregnant then, and it was rescheduled for September 2020. I had a very colicky newborn but somehow it all worked out wonderfully.
It’s been such a joy to work primarily with twin families—and even a few triplet families—helping make breastfeeding and pumping manageable and sustainable.
Jamie:Listening to you, I was thinking your first breastfeeding journey was with twins. Mine was with a singleton, and it was hard! I remember always wanting twins, thinking “twins would be so cool,” but after struggling with my son, I was like, thank God we didn’t have twins—I think I would’ve died!
Breastfeeding is hard enough as a new mom just learning something new. Add another baby to that, and it’s a whole other level. Can you talk about some of the unique challenges you faced that you maybe weren’t ready for, even knowing the common challenges from your work?
Shelly:Great question. I was very fortunate that my twins were born at 37 weeks and 6 days. Since 60% of twins are born premature, being almost 38 weeks took a lot of the typical challenges for premature babies out of the picture.
They didn’t need any NICU time, which was great. I had a scheduled C-section, so I was prepared for the typical post-C-section challenges.
Both boys latched right away in recovery, and I thought, “We made it!” But then things started to decline.
That first good latch is such a hopeful moment—it shows you it can happen—but then everything starts to fall apart. Looking back, that first latch did happen, so we knew it was possible.
What I wasn’t prepared for was that babies born late preterm or early term feed very differently than full-term babies. A 38-week twin feeds differently than a 38-week singleton. Even though my twins were a decent size—6 pounds 4 ounces and 6 pounds 15 ounces—they had a lot of water weight, which impacted things.
When I had my C-section, I have naturally low blood pressure, so they gave me lots of IV fluids—four bags before surgery, then another four during surgery. I was counting all this because I’m a nurse.
In the first 24 hours, one twin had 12 wet diapers, so I expected a big weight loss. I didn’t ask for a 24-hour weight check because I didn’t know to, but I now always encourage families to get that.
The babies were sleepy and jaundiced. The hospital wasn’t very supportive. They said, “That’s nice you want to breastfeed, but here’s some formula—you need to supplement.” I said, “But you haven’t even weighed them!” They told me, “You’re having twins; you won’t be able to breastfeed.”
I asked for a pump. They left it at the door. I had just had a C-section, was alone with the babies because my husband had to run home. I felt very set up for failure.
The night nurse and I did not get along. She was adamant about supplementing, saying it wasn’t going to happen. And honestly, if you keep telling me it’s not going to happen, it won’t!
Jamie:So, morning of discharge—how did that go?
Shelly:In Canada, after your first C-section, you’re discharged at 48 hours. It was a busy weekend. My husband was working that morning; I asked if we could stay later until he got off, but they said no.
They weighed the babies at 10:20 AM. One had lost 7%, the other 9%. I was told to sign a paper agreeing to supplement. I felt so defeated.
I literally slept only about two hours in those 48 hours. Nurses kept waking us up at odd times. It was a disaster.
Shelly:I went home feeling defeated. The lactation consultants I knew said, “You can breastfeed twins.” But I wasn’t prepared for the challenges of nursing babies who aren’t quite full term.
I was a first-time mom with a C-section. My milk transition was delayed. I didn’t know I should pump. When I did start pumping, I used a 24-millimeter flange, which wasn’t right and caused more issues.
I wondered, “Why are they having so much trouble latching? Why are they so sleepy?” I wasn’t prepared to feed 37-week and 6-day babies.
Long story short, we had four weeks of triple feeding—breastfeeding, pumping, and supplementing. Looking back, it didn’t need to be that long, but I lacked guidance on tapering off pumping.
I pumped so much, I ended up with an oversupply—horrible oversupply—and no one helped me figure it out.
Sleep deprivation made it even harder.
Shelly:I’m thankful for that experience because now I know where things could have been different. I prepare my clients better. We set realistic expectations so we’re not triple feeding for months, or pumping with the wrong flange wondering why there’s no milk.
My particular challenge was feeding babies who weren’t quite full-term. Once they hit 40 weeks, something snapped—they latched better, and things improved a lot.
Side note: They had oral restrictions. I asked four professionals, and all said no. Now, at seven years old, they have airway issues and will need expansions and frenectomies.
Jamie:Your story is so inspiring and frustrating because these are the stories we hear every day—not just with twins, but with singletons too.
It’s like the same thing, just doubled.
Simple things—like understanding how fluids impact weight loss—can prevent early supplementation that delays milk coming in.
It’s so frustrating that moms are told, “You’re doomed because you have twins,” and then they get the same bad advice singleton moms get. Twins are different, but the bad advice is the same. It sets moms up for failure either way.
So what are your go-to tips for moms expecting twins? You mentioned setting realistic expectations. What are the two most important things you want them to remember when it gets hard?
Shelly:Great question. Prenatal education and support are musts—especially for twins.
Misinformation and myths are everywhere. Prenatal education helps families spot red flags and know when to ask for help.
When you believe breastfeeding is supposed to hurt for weeks or that you can’t make enough milk for twins, you keep pushing through or don’t reach out when you need to.
Prenatal education is my number one recommendation. Twins have unique challenges, and families need twin-specific info.
Number two: Know your why. Why is breastfeeding important to you? Because when it’s 3 AM, and you’re juggling two babies who aren’t latching or won’t settle, or you’re pumping and overwhelmed, knowing your why keeps you going.
Your reasons have to be yours—not your partner’s, mom’s, or anyone else’s. Your why will keep you grounded when it’s tough.
Shelly:I tell my clients every feed for the first six weeks was mental for me. I’d remind myself of my reasons because it was hard. But I’d do it all over again—it was 1000% worth it.
Once we got past those initial challenges, breastfeeding became manageable. Babies aren’t easy, but it became the most convenient thing in the world.
Jamie:That’s exactly how I feel too. For me, one big reason was convenience—I hate washing dishes, and the thought of washing 16+ bottles a day and pump parts was overwhelming.
I functioned better just nursing. People might think that’s silly, but it’s valid. Everyone’s reasons sound superficial sometimes, but your reasons are valid and you don’t owe anyone an explanation.
Jamie:Let’s talk tandem feeding versus individual feeding. I haven’t worked with many twins, but my approach is to get each baby feeding well individually before trying tandem feeding. What’s your take?
Shelly:I agree. I rarely make blanket statements, but most twin families should feed babies individually at first to ensure good latch and transfer.
Newborn twins need lots of support, and tandem feeding can be overwhelming. Some twins look like they’re nursing but aren’t transferring milk effectively—called “great pretenders.”
I’ve seen moms encouraged to tandem feed too early; babies looked like they nursed but didn’t gain weight because they weren’t emptying breasts, so milk supply didn’t increase.
I recommend individual feeds first. Once latch and transfer are good, families can work towards tandem nursing.
Some moms practice tandem feeding once or twice a day if they have extra help. Others try tandem feeding and find it too overstimulating and prefer individual feeds.
There’s no right or wrong—you don’t have to tandem feed.
Jamie:What about logistics? For individual feeding, do you feed one breast per baby? How do you swap?
Shelly:Usually, one breast per feed for individual feeding. Feeds are staggered closely—baby A on right breast, then wake baby B to feed on left breast.
When tandem feeding, moms often switch sides so babies get a turn on each breast.
Cluster feeding and tandem feeding often mean switching babies back and forth all day.
In the beginning, I recommend one breast per feed since milk supply is lower and breasts need time to refill.
Jamie:That makes sense. Thanks so much for sharing your story and wisdom, Shelly. What resources do you have for moms expecting twins or navigating twin feeding?
Shelly:You can find me on Instagram at @TwinMomGuide.
I offer an online twin breastfeeding course—highly recommended during pregnancy. It has lifetime access and moms can watch videos as many times as they want.
I practice virtually and see twin families everywhere, offering consults prenatal, postpartum, back to work, weaning—everything.
I’m also working on free resources to share soon on Instagram and my website.
My website is twinmomguide.com.
Jamie:If you’re having twins or navigating twins, check out twinmomguide.com—Shelly’s got you covered!
Thanks so much for coming, Shelly. Any final advice for moms?
Shelly:It is possible to breastfeed twins with confidence and joy.
Jamie:Alright Mama Bear, that’s a wrap for today!
If this episode helped you feel more confident or prepared, please leave a review—it helps other moms find this podcast and join our community of fierce and confident Mama Bears.
And if you know a friend who needs encouragement or real talk about pregnancy, breastfeeding, and motherhood, share this episode.
You’ve got this, Mama Bear. Trust your instincts, stay fierce, and I’ll catch you in the next episode!
Jaimie Zaki is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and mom of 5! Jaimie has volunteered as a La Leche League Leader, worked as a nurse, doula, and birth photographer, and is the host of the Breastfeeding With Confidence Podcast and founder of the Confident MamaBear Society. Jaimie provides holistic breastfeeding advice for pregnant & new moms, helping them overcome unexpected latching trouble and milk supply issues. She empowers mothers to make informed decisions from a place of confidence and intuition.
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