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Making the decision on when to wean your twins off of overnight feeds is a big one that will differ for each parent.
You'll want to make sure your babies are getting enough calories during the day to make up for not getting any overnight once you wean them off of their overnight feeds.
The timing
Appropriate timing and daily caloric intake are both things you'll want to discuss with your pediatrician, as it can differ from baby to baby.
A breastfed baby may be ready for weaning at a different time than a formula-fed baby. And one formula-fed baby may be ready for weaning before their formula-fed counterpart for a variety of reasons, so be sure to run this past your pediatrician for their insight and expertise.
The time is nigh usually as your babies get close to the six-month mark (for those who are formula-fed; breastfed babies are closer to 12 months) and are over 14 pounds.
When it's time, be prepared to implement a plan that you can stick to...if you can't be consistent, you can't expect it to yield the results you're hoping for.
When it's time, be prepared to implement a plan that you can stick to.
Similar to successfully sleep training your twins (you can read all about that here), you have to approach this task with intention and organization.
If you can't be consistent, you can't expect it to yield the results you're hoping for.
The endgame is to wind up with babies who sleep through the night, so that you, too, can enjoy the splendor of a full night's sleep.
The process if you're bottle-feeding
At the very beginning, when our twins were newborns, we started with a mix of breastfeeding and bottle-feeding, but by the time we were getting ready to drop the overnight feeds, we were fully on bottle feeds because they needed to have their intake supplemented with formula.
We were able to drop the overnight feeds in about a week by decreasing the amount of ounces in the bottle every two days (and making sure the twins were getting the appropriate calories in their daytime feeds and through the solids at that time; this was key to them not waking up hungry in the night).
When we started the weaning process, we had two overnight feeds—one around 10:30 p.m. and then another around 2:30 a.m.
We started by cutting the 2:30 a.m. feed first, and then once that was successful, we used the same method for the 10:30 p.m. feed. We stuck to the following method, and it went off without a hitch.
By the time we got to the "none" night, they didn't wake up for that "zero-milliliter feed" and we all slept right through the night instead. It was glorious.
We began the week at 180 milliliters in each bottle (their usual intake amount per feed at that time) and then decreased that feed by 60 ounces every two days until the end, when we went from 60 milliliters to just 30 milliliters and then none. By the time we got to the "none" night, they didn't wake up for that "zero-milliliter feed" and we all slept right through the night instead. It was glorious.
When that worked, we kept up with getting the calories in during the day through bottles and solids and then cut out the 10:30 p.m. feed the same way.
For us, using Philips Avent 9-ounce bottles was the perfect way to wean and decrease ounces precisely as needed. We pre-measured our water amounts in each bottle, so that all we had to do was add the correct amount of formula when the time came. This made the overnight feed efficient and easy, and everyone was on the same page for the process.
Philips AVENT 9-Ounce Anti-Colic Baby Bottles
These are Philips' Avent Anti-Colic Baby Bottles. They hold nine ounces of fluid and are designed to reduce feeding issues for your baby (colic, gas, and reflux).
Once that bottle was finished, there were no top-ups for that twin, and they seemed to somehow sense this because they would just roll over as their bottle got empty and drift right back to sleep almost instantly.
With this plan, their last bottle was before bedtime around 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. and then they'd be good to go until they woke up the next morning around 8:00 or 8:30 a.m.
I'll never forget our first night with zero wake-ups for overnight feeds. I woke up and checked their monitor, and the message that flashed along the bottom of the screen made it all worthwhile: "Hey, Mom, I fell asleep 10 hours and 20 minutes ago."
I think my smile as our success sunk in lasted just as long.
The process if you're breastfeeding
If you're breastfeeding your twins, it's best to wait for weaning until they're at the 12-month mark. Before then, weaning off of overnight feeds can affect your supply, which you don't want.
(Side note: I really liked using the TwinZ Nursing Pillow for tandem feeding my newborn twins. It provided support in all the right places, so I didn't have to worry about anyone rolling away during dual feeds.)
Twin Z Nursing Pillow
The Twin Z Nursing Pillow is our pick as the best nursing pillow for tandem feeding your twins.
When it's time to implement weaning, the process is generally the same as the one used for formula-fed babies; you decrease the amount you're giving every couple of days…it's just harder to know exactly how many ounces your babies are getting because you can't see their intake.
Instead of measuring or worrying about specific ounces, you can focus on cutting down the length of time each baby feeds for.
Instead of measuring or worrying about specific ounces, you can focus on cutting down the length of time each baby feeds for.
If they feed for, say, somewhere between five and 10 minutes, reduce the time in a way that allows them to get used to the decreased feed, cutting down the feed by a couple of minutes every other night, until you get down to no feed at all.
As you trim down the feed time, your little ones may need help settling and getting used to going back to sleep with the shorter feeds. Find what works best for you and your babies. If you can teach them to self-soothe, this takes you out of the equation when they wake up in the night, which is the ultimate goal.
If your twins are already doing shorter overnight feeds (under five minutes), you may be able to just stop the feeds without any time reduction, and, instead, help them re-settle, if needed, so they can soothe themselves back to sleep.
Considerations
Keep in mind, cutting out overnight feeds is a big change for your little ones. Try not to implement the weaning process at a time your twins will be going through other big changes, like if you're trying to get them to stop using their pacifiers, if they're starting childcare, or if you're welcoming a new sibling or pet into your family.
If the weaning process is the sole focus at that time, you are more likely to be successful with your efforts and can soon be slumbering just as peacefully as your little ones.
Doesn't that sound like a total dream after so many sleepless nights? It doesn't have to be. And what could be sweeter than that?
How did you wean your twins off of overnight feeds? How long did it take? What worked best for you? Let us know in the Comments section below.
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