Breastfeeding Twins: Positions, Milk Supply and a Plan That Works

Expecting twins and wondering if you can breastfeed both? You can. The NHS puts it plainly: it’s perfectly possible to breastfeed twins, triplets or more, and many twins are breastfed until they start solid foods.

It takes planning, practice and a lot of help, especially in the first weeks. This guide covers how to build a supply for two, the positions that make feeding both at once possible, and what to do if your babies arrive early.

Can you make enough milk for twins?

Usually, yes. Milk production works on supply and demand: the more milk is removed from your breasts, the more your body makes. La Leche League GB notes that people expecting multiples often develop more breast tissue in pregnancy and can usually make enough for two, or even three, babies.

What matters most is frequent, effective milk removal from the start:

• Feed each baby often. La Leche League GB suggests each twin feeds at least 8 to 10 times in 24 hours, and wake a sleepy baby if needed.
• Start early. Skin-to-skin contact and feeding in the first hours after birth help get things going.
• Express if a baby can’t feed well. If one or both babies aren’t feeding effectively, expressing keeps your supply growing while they learn (see below).

For more on what builds and protects supply, see our guide on how to increase milk supply.

Feeding together or one at a time?

Both approaches work, and many parents use a mix.

	One at a time	Both together (tandem)
Best for	The early days, while each baby learns to latch	Once latching is going well
Pros	Easier to focus on each latch; easier to spot problems	Saves time; one baby’s strong sucking can trigger a let-down for the other
Cons	Feeds can take up most of the day and night	Harder to set up alone at first; usually needs a pillow and practice

The NHS suggests many parents find it easier to feed each baby separately at first, then try feeding together once they feel more confident, which may take a few weeks.

HealthyChildren.org, the AAP’s parent site, shares a tip many twin parents swear by: when one baby wakes to feed, wake the other too. Feeding both at around the same time keeps you from feeding around the clock with no break.

The best positions for tandem breastfeeding

Cleveland Clinic and HealthyChildren.org describe these common options:

• Double football (clutch) hold. Each baby lies along one side of your body, tucked under your arm, with their head at your breast and legs toward your back. It’s often the easiest tandem position to learn and keeps weight off a C-section incision.
• Football plus cradle. One baby in the football hold, the other in a cradle hold across your lap.
• Double cradle. Both babies in cradle holds with their bodies crossing in front of you.
• Laid-back. Leaning back with both babies lying tummy-down on you can free your hands, as La Leche League GB notes.

Our guide to how to breastfeed explains each single-baby position and how to get a deep latch.

Make your setup work for you

• Use a twin nursing pillow. HealthyChildren.org describes a large U-shaped pillow with a firm core that goes around your waist. After a C-section, it suggests waiting a week or so and using bed pillows on both sides until then. See our guide to choosing a breastfeeding pillow.
• Get help positioning. In the early days, you’ll likely need someone to hand you each baby and help with the latch.
• Mind your posture. Bring babies up to you rather than hunching over. As the AAP points out, hunching for 20 minutes, 8 to 12 times a day, takes a toll on your body.
• Alternate sides. HealthyChildren.org suggests switching which twin gets which breast at each feeding.

Breastfeeding premature twins or twins in the NICU

Twins are more likely to be born early. The NHS notes that breast milk is especially valuable then: it’s easier for premature babies to digest and contains antibodies that help protect against infection.

If your babies can’t breastfeed yet:

• Start expressing as soon as you can after birth. Hand expression works well for colostrum in the first days.
• Express often. La Leche League GB suggests expressing both breasts at least 8 times in 24 hours, about every 2 to 3 hours in the day and at least once at night.
• Move to a hospital-grade double electric pump as your supply increases. Our pumping schedule guide can help you plan sessions.
• Do skin-to-skin as much as possible. Holding your babies, including kangaroo care in the NICU when it’s allowed, supports both bonding and milk supply.

If only one twin can feed at the breast, the NHS suggests that baby’s feeding can help your milk flow for both, while you express for the other.

Looking after yourself

Feeding two babies is demanding. A few things make it more manageable:

• Accept every offer of help. A partner or helper can burp, change and settle one baby while you feed the other, or give a bottle of expressed milk.
• Set up feeding stations with water, snacks, burp cloths and a phone charger.
• Eat and drink to hunger and thirst. Making milk for two takes energy, so try not to skip meals.
• Keep sleep safe. It’s tempting to bring both babies into bed, but the AAP advises against bed-sharing, including with twins. Each baby should sleep on their back in their own crib or bassinet.

When to call a doctor or lactation consultant

Contact your babies’ doctor promptly if either twin:

• Has fewer wet or dirty diapers than expected for their age
• Is very sleepy, hard to wake or not feeding at least 8 times in 24 hours
• Hasn’t regained birth weight by about 2 weeks, or isn’t gaining steadily
• Looks increasingly yellow or seems unwell

Ask for a lactation consultant (IBCLC) early, ideally before you leave the hospital, and again if feeding hurts or one baby seems to feed more or less than the other. Our breastfeeding support page lists where to find help, and our breastfeeding basics hub covers the early weeks.