Bottle propping? | Imamother

SS6099

Mon, Jul 27 2015, 1:32 pm

Anyone here bottle propped for their twins? Mine are 4 months old and it takes forever to feed them.
Please share your experience, and if used, which one is recommended.
Thanks.

amother

Tan

Mon, Jul 27 2015, 1:45 pm

I can only imagine how much time a day it takes to feed twins. Feeding time is such important bonding and development time, if you can, don't prop besides I have heard that propping can lead to problems.

Here is a link about bottle propping

http://www.sharecare.com/healt.....-feed

pesek zman

Mon, Jul 27 2015, 2:00 pm

amother wrote:

I know you mean well but I'm not sure this is helpful to OP. She obviously needs help managing the feeds or she wouldn't be asking. OP: I wish I knew of something to suggest but I don't. Good luck

Miri7

Mon, Jul 27 2015, 3:25 pm

Sometimes I needed to feed my twins by bottle at the same time. I would place them on the sofa with me - one in my lap and the other snuggled by my leg with pillows on the outside if needed. At some stages I could get them both in my lap seated cross legged. I would then hold their bottles for them. I could talk and play with them or sing songs as they ate. They learned to hold bottles pretty quickly, earlier than my other kids.

As a mother of twins, you have to do what you can to manage. I am sure that you go to great lengths to engage with and snuggle them both. It will get lots easier!!!

ETA: I also found that there were a couple of nice old ladies who loved to come and hold and help feed the babies. That way each gets a snuggle while they eat. You may want to ask someone to come one afternoon a week for an hour around eating time. Just a thought.

TwinsMommy

Mon, Jul 27 2015, 10:20 pm

I locked mine in bouncy seats on the floor and sat cross legged between them with a bottle in each hand. Answered the phone by hitting the speaker phone button with my toe. Yelled "come in" to door knockers. My hands were never available- lol. Burped them one at a time. When someone else was available I cuddled with one while feeding but if not, this was my strategy. out and about, I stood above the double stroller holding two bottles. I think propping is really bad for gas--- you want to be able to control the input. plenty of individual cuddle time between feedings-- I often had one nap on my chest. they both have lots of special needs and it took FOREVERRRR for them to hold anything--- long past bottles I was still holding their sippy cups for them. Baruch HaShem they're 8 now. good luck!

Ruchel

Tue, Jul 28 2015, 10:22 am

IMHO if you are around to check on what happens, and you spend time with them whether feeding or not... sanity first. For ex if a baby is with his mother all day, hours in the same room or on the same bed etc, it's ok if she props. Just, safety ! Be around.

working hard

Tue, Jul 28 2015, 11:38 am

My twins only had breastmilk, however I pumped for the 3AM feed and gave them bottles propped up with me or my husband sitting and watching them the whole time for saftey reasons. The feed was much faster and helped me to get much more sleep. Once they dropped the feed I stopped doing it.

Just as a side point, I burped them both together. If you need a description let me know.

amother

Aubergine

Tue, Jul 28 2015, 11:48 am

Please please don't do this. They need the physical bonding very importantly now, more so than later on. It's not for me to tell you what to do, but get someone else to do everything else in your house, but you do the feedings, and diaper changings, both of which are natural bonding times, you smile to the kids, you hold them...

My friend (whom I mentioned in the "I really wanted twins" thread) exclusively nursed her babies until about 12 months old (they're now 1.5 and still nurse). She borrowed money to pay for extra cleaning help in the first six months, made one-course suppers for the longest time, and still does not fold laundry. IDK all of her other shortcuts.

But please prioritize your babies' needs for stimulation, bonding, physical touch. It's not their fault that they were born together. I'm sorry in advance if I came across too strongly on you, but if you are not on the brink of insanity, take care of yourself while taking care of your babies, not instead.

Dev80

Tue, Jul 28 2015, 12:00 pm

I don't have twins but this caught my eye. I've been bottle prop feeding my baby since he was about four months old, always using a very slow nipple. BH have never had any problems with choking and only do it if I'm right there. I'm not such a dramatist (if you only prop feed your baby will suffer!!! etc etc) so I very much believe you do what you gotta do! I had 3 kids in 2.5 years so yeah propping the bottle happened a lot. But I held him other times as much as I could, just not always during a feed. I have to say he's a bubbly and sweet toddler and I really think having a sane mama has helped him get that way.