Tips for Bottle Feeding Twins Alone
When it comes to all of your twin responsibilities over their first year, there are few tasks that take more time than feeding. Think of it: feeding every 2 hours means up to 12 feedings in a day – times two! That’s why I pulled together the top tips for bottle feeding twins alone, to help save you time with twins. Because bottle feeding newborn twins at the same time by yourself is totally possible
In the beginning, it may feel like you’re feeding 24 hours a day (which, sadly, is not far off). And just when you feel you’ve gotten the milk routine down, it’s time to introduce solids!
When you add up all the time associated with bottle feeding – from washing bottles, sanitizing, purchasing formula, preparing formula, feeding both babies, clean up, and repeating, it can truly take hours of your day – you start to realize how much of your week can be dominated by feeding. Let’s dive in to the feeding section, and look for ways to make it easier!
BREAST VS. BOTTLE
First off, if you’re making the decision between breastfeeding or bottle feeding twins, I have one tip: be kind to yourself.
Every parent wants to give their babies the best start possible in life – yet we also have to choose the route that works for us.
Both have their pros and cons. For example, breastfeeding can be less expensive and take less time, yet bottle feeding can be shared among multiple caregivers other than just mom. Bottle feeding can be easier to track, yet breastfeeding is available with no preparation.
As with most things in twin parenting, it’s not an easy black and white answer. You may start with breastfeeding and switch to bottle feeding, or perhaps you exclusively pump and feed via bottles. Or, you may choose to try breastfeeding and simply supplement with a few bottles a day. That’s what we did and it was absolutely the right thing for us and our family.
If you do decide to try breastfeeding? We’re here to support you with that as well. Check out the top 10 tips to breastfeed twins to help give yourself the best chance of success on this route.
TOP TIPS FOR BOTTLE FEEDING TWINS
Bottle feeding twins is certainly not the same as bottle feeding a singleton, and it comes with its own unique challenges (hello, no free hands).
So, to help you along your journey bottle feeding twins, let’s go through the top 8 tips for bottle feeding twins by yourself.
- 1st TIP – DON’T BUY ALL YOUR BOTTLES UPFRONT
- 2nd TIP – GET THE RIGHT GEAR
- 3rd TIP – PREPARE A DAY IN ADVANCE
- 4th TIP – HAVE A BABY FEEDING STATION
- 5th TIP – FIGURE OUT YOUR BOTTLE POSITION
- 6th TIP – TAKE TURNS BURPING
- 7th TIP – TAKE TURNS FEEDING
- 8th TIP – TAKE A BREATH
STRATEGY 1: DON’T BUY ALL YOUR BOTTLES UPFRONT
First on the list of tips for bottle feeding twins alone is to not buy all baby bottles at once. In an effort to be as prepared as possible for your twins, you’ll be tempted to go all in on buying bottles before they arrive. Try to resist.
The main reason is that babies may not like the bottle brand you’ve chosen. To avoid wasting all that money, a better route is to buy 4-6 bottles of different manufacturers, test them out, and see which your babies take to.
Then, do everything you can to ensure the babies take to the same brand, so you don’t have to buy two different sets.
Many parents, myself included, have had to invest in multiple bottle brands in order to find one that works for their little ones. Loading up your online shopping cart and waiting until you know they like it can save you a good amount of money.
STRATEGY 2: GET THE RIGHT GEAR
Next up on the tips to bottle feed twins is to make sure you set yourself up with the right gear. To do so, think through your formula plan in advance:
- Are you going with ready-to-drink, concentrated liquid, or powder?
- Are you switching at any ages?
- Will you mix it yourself each time, or will you pre-make it for the day?
- Will you get a machine that makes it on demand in just a few seconds?
- Do you need a bottle warmer, or can you get by without?
For tips on what feeding gear can really help with twins, check out the Gear Section and the Minimalist Twin Registry Checklist. But truly, there’s no one perfect solution. Some parents find that a bottle warmer can be a huge help, others a colossal waste of money (I’m the latter).
STRATEGY 3: PREPARE A DAY IN ADVANCE
A great tip on how to bottle feed twins simultaneously is to prepare a day in advance. “Prepare” means a few things when it comes to bottles, but most of them can be done the night before.
- Clean Bottles: Ensure you have enough clean bottles to get through the next 24 hours minimum. Empty the dishwasher or clear the sink, and have them all ready to go. You do not want to be stuck with hungry kiddos while you wash and sterilize equipment.
- Prep Your Water: Boil it, cool it, and get it ready. Waiting 30+ minutes for water to boil and cool is not fun with hungry twins.
- Prep Your Formula: If you don’t have a formula machine, some moms will pre-mix their formula for the day, so you don’t have to make it from scratch for each feed. Just be sure to follow directions to make sure it’s safe for consumption.
STRATEGY 4: CREATE A BABY FEEDING STATION
Next up on the tips for bottle feeding twins alone is to create your twin baby feeding station. Similar to if you were breastfeeding, aim to have everything you need for feeding all in one spot. That includes a safe place for your twins to rest while being fed.
Bouncy seats or a twin bottle feeding pillow often work well. My favorite is the Twin Z pillow. You’ll also want a stock of burping cloths, bibs, and pacifiers for when they finish.
And don’t forget about yourself either, mama! A water bottle, a yummy snack, your phone, etc. should all be nearby. While you may not have a hand free feeding twins, small breaks do happen.
STRATEGY 5: FIGURE OUT YOUR BOTTLE POSITION
Once babies are in their feeding position, it’s time to get those bottles into mouths. Sound simple? Think again!
The natural inclination is to put a bottle in each hand and bring them to your babies’ mouths. That does work – but it leaves you handless to do anything else. An option to have a hand free is to position babies close enough together to hold both bottles with one hand, meaning you have a hand free. You can do this upright in bouncers close to each other, or in a twin feeding pillow.
Whatever you do, avoid bottle props. While they can be tempting to get your hands free (and I fully appreciate how great hands-free can be with twins), bottle props come with several risks, including chocking on the liquid.
Instead, get your babies close together and practice holding two bottles in one hand. You get a free hand to sip a coffee, Facetime, or do a million other things on your list.
And if that doesn’t work, know that feeding sessions usually get shorter over time. Eventually, babies will even learn to hold their own bottles. You’ll get there!
STRATEGY 6: GET OUT THOSE BURPS
Yes, it’s possible to burp twins simultaneously – though it’s usually safer to wait until they have strong neck control.
Option 1: Take turns burping one after the other. It’s pretty straightforward; a good tip is to try to keep the baby you’re not burping upright until you’re able to burp them.
Option 2: Burp both babies simultaneously. A favorite position is to place one on your shoulder and one belly-down on your lap. Some parents can do both twins belly-down, and some are even able to have one on each shoulder by reclining on a couch.
The age and neck strength of your twins is going to determine which options work for you. It will also likely change over time, so if something doesn’t work the first time that doesn’t mean it never will. Your cuddly twin who lays comfortably over your leg? Eventually they may become the wiggly twin, who you can’t keep in the same position no matter what you do.
STRATEGY 7: TAKE TURNS FEEDING
One of the best perks of bottle feeding is that the twins will not be tied to one person – aka mom. Dad, Grandma, really anyone who visits is capable of bottle feeding a baby and giving mom a break.
The best part of this is sleep – sweet, sweet sleep. If someone can take on even one feed, it can be the difference between 2-3 hour sleep intervals, to getting a solid 6-hour stretch.
6 hours uninterrupted is almost a whole night’s sleep! To any new twin mom, this is gold. I truly would have wanted the gift of sleep in those early days more than jewelry. Your options to maximize sleep:
- First feed after bedtime: Mom goes to bed early with twins, partner tops them up when they go to bed. The downside is you get no evening time to yourself, but if you can force yourself to do it you can feel like a brand new woman the next day.
- Middle of the night feed: Your partner takes on one of the exhausting middle-of-the-night feeds. You aren’t forced to go to bed too early, and you still get a longer sleep stretch. It won’t always work for partners with demanding jobs, but if it does, it can be a great option.
- First feed upon waking: You get to sleep in (my favorite!). Even though you’ll do all the middle-of-the-night feeds, with your partner taking on the first feed of the morning you can catch an extra few hours of sleep. Knowing that you can sleep for another ~3 hours make the nighttime wakeups almost worth it.
- Middle of the day feed: You get to go for a nap, let your partner feed the babies, and sleep as long as you need to. Imagine – a natural wake up, with no screaming baby alarm!
STRATEGY 8: TAKE A BREATH
My last of the tips for bottle feeding twins alone is to take a breath. Feeding is hard, mama – especially bottle feeding twins and especially bottle feeding twins by yourself. If you’re struggling, know that you are SO not alone. While bottle feeding twins may seem easier than breastfeeding twins to some, a lot of factors can make it challenging.
As with many things, feeding twins gets easier with time and practice. At some point, you’ll whip up bottles in no time, pop them into two happy mouths, and be done in a few short minutes!
It won’t happen in week one – but trust me, bottle feeding twins alone will get easier.
Bottle Feeding Twins Alone Gets Easier
If you’re considering bottle feeding twins and have been searching how to bottle feed twins by yourself, I hope this article has helped.
These tips for bottle feeding twins alone really helped me when we were feeding our twins. If you end up deciding to bottle feed, either exclusively or to supplement (as I did), just remember these two things:
- There are ways to make it easier
- Twin feedings typically get easier with time (both breast AND bottle)
Not only do you become more adept at feeding, but your babies do too. Your twins learn over time how to drink from a bottle. They become more efficient at eating, and they also become stronger.
My last word is this: if you find yourself struggling in the early days, hold on mama. As with almost everything with twins, it gets easier in time.
Read Next:
10 Best Tips for Breastfeeding Twins
How to Thrive with Twins: The Online Class
5 Most Helpful Pieces of Twin Gear
Follow Along on Social @TwinWinning
