DD--reluctant eater..help needed!

elizabeth0705

Hi all,

I gave birth to twins (a boy and a girl) at the end of November. The babies were basically full term at 38 weeks, if a little on the small side (5.5 lb for DD, 6 lb for DS). My goal was (and still is) to breastfeed them as much as I can.

DS latched very well right from the beginning. DD had a harder time...she was sleepy and never wanted to open her mouth wide enough. Due to the twins' weights, we were doing breastfeeding + pumping (and supplementing with pumped milk at every feed) + formula supplement at every feeding. Once they were gaining well, we switched to alternating breastfeeding and formula (one baby gets both breasts, and one baby gets a 4 oz formula bottle) + pumping for each feeding. In the last week, we've been trying very hard to experiment with tandem feeding.

My biggest problem at this point is that it is really hard for me to tell whether DD is getting enough when she breastfeeds. She will usually feed very well for five minutes or so, and then she kind of fades out...sleeping and sucking very weakly on and off (I have to prod her to continue). Then, in the past few days, sometimes she will wake up and look hungry, but when I put her to my breast, she roots around with her mouth open and cries hysterically even though my nipple is inside of her open mouth (I've noticed this more so with the right breast). Do you have any ideas as to what the problem might be, how to gauge whether she's eating when sucking faintly, and ideas for ways to get her to eat more?

I have seen a lactation coach twice, but each time she is over DD "performs" well! Also, DD does seem to be gaining weight at an appropriate pace, but it is hard to tell whether that is from the formula or from the breast milk. 

Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated!!