Hi,

I'm 28 weeks pregnant with my first babies and am really trying to find out information on how to breastfeed three babies at once (am trying to grow another breast but it's not working too well for me so far). So I was wanting to learn from your experience:
How did you manage it?
Did you express and freeze, feed two and then bottle feed with EBM?
Were you able to get them into a routine easily?
Did you do anything to prepare for breastfeeding prior to the babies birth?
Any other advise??

Thanks,

Georgie.

Georgie,

I was talking to a friend yesterday about pumping and breastfeeding her 3 month old now that she has gone back to work. Evidently, those thoughts welled up last night and I was awake for 2 hours in the middle of the night stewing about how I was possibly going to manage once I have to go back to work. (I know, I'm worried about things that aren't going to happen for ages!)

I have been telling myself that I can only do the best that I can do but I realize now that my picture of new motherhood had always included committed breastfeeding. My picture of new motherhood needs some serious updating in many ways now!

Anyway, I'd love to hear the advice and experiences that you get. I would think about reposting your question on the main forum. It seems that many fewer people check in here...

Glad to hear that you've gotten to 28 weeks. I'll be sending good thoughts your way!
*Christina*

I breastfed my trio for about 9 months. It is totally possible but very hard. If you can hang tough the first two months then it gets a lot easier. I have breastfed 3 older children so I had experience but breastfeeding preemies was a whole new ballgame. I think the worst part of it was while they were in the NICU. Different laction specialist will tell you different things and will try to force certain techniques on you. I finally quit listening to them and did what I felt was natural and it went ALOT better. I have to thank the nurse that finally told me to ignore them.
Once I was home, the first month was crazy and sleepless. I rarely had a baby at breast and just mainly pumped and then bottle fed. After the babies were about 40 weeks gestation, nursing got easier and I quit pumping and just breastfed. I was really sick of the pump by then. I would breastfeed two at once, sometimes, but I was never really good at that. Other times I would nurse one on one side and then one onthe other nad finish them with bottles. THis all took too much work.
What worked best for me was nursing one baby at each feeding while the other two bottle fed and then I didn't have to pump after or finish one off with a bottle. It was more like nursing one baby since I only did one at a time but it was nice to have that little single bit of time with each baby. Nursing also takes a lot longer so sometimes I would just bottle feed all 3 if I didn't have the time.
I was not great at nursing all 3 but I did it and I loved it (after the first 2 months). At first I had so much breastmilk I could feed the enitre NICU but that dwindled quickly when we came home and stress and exhaustion ate up my energy and thus my milk supply. But if you are determined, just keep at it. Take baby steps. I made a promise to myself that I wasn't going to be supermomma and beat myself up over it, as long as I was nursing a little nad giving the babies some breastmilk, then I was happy with it. Make small goals and seehow it works!
I wish I was still nursing but my milk supply just dried up. Never happened with my singletons but I was never in this situation before so be easy on yourself if it doesn't work out!
Goodluck!!!!!

Anise
Mother to Tristen, Hayden, Holden, and the trio, Ciana, Camden, and Colten

This might sound like a strange question but how did you pick up both of your babies to get them to latch on? I am 33 weeks pregnant and I am really thinking about feedings. Once you have one in your hands how do you manuver to pick up the other to get them both nursing? I am thinking about times I am alone. Thanks, Lisa

I am still breast feeding my trio. It is hard at first and I am an experienced breast feeding and a Nazi about NOT EVER using formula. I have donated breast milk from www.milkshare.com in my freezer to supplement if I need it.....more on that later.

It is challenging but it can be done. I do it and have never used formula. I pumped ever 2 hours during the day and ever 4 hours at night while they were in the NICU to build up my supply. I also breast fed them 2x per day while they were in the NICU for a month.

I strongly recommend the double nursing pillow. It was the BEST $50 I ever spent. It makes BF triplets soooooooo much easier. I go mine at www.doubleblessings.com (but you can find them on craig's list sometimes too).

Anyway, during the day, I breast feed two at a time if I need to but usually, they are hungry one after the other. Double feeding is much easier and faster and I try to do that at every opportunity but if I don't have at least 2 hungry, I just feed the hungry one.
I also try to pump at least once or twice a day (easier now that they are eating solids) so that I have bottles available. The reason for this is so that I can get out of the house. It is next to impossible to feed triplets in public on the breast! Also, so my husband can help out at night so that I can sleep a little more. I take two babies and he takes one to care for at night. He will bottle feed the one he is in charge of all night and I breast feed the other two when they are hungry because I can fall back asleep when they feed (I feed them lying down in bed at night) and he has to stay awake to feed to the amount of sleep we each get is about equal. We alternate who will be the bottle fed baby (EBM) each night so that they don't become "bottle babies".

If all three are hungry, which does happen on occasion, I put my double feeding pillow on and feed two while I use a bottle of EBM for the third. I have only had to do that maybe 4 or 5 times ever.

I just want you to know that it take dedication to BF triplets. It can be done as long are you are willing to do the work. If it helps, I think of it like this: It is really such a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things to BF them. The benefits will last a lifetime and the amount of sleep you lose is really nothing compared to the gift that you are giving. It helps them to develop in so many ways and they have an entire life time still ahead of them to grow but you only get a short window of opportunity to do this for them. Making the sacrifice is really not a sacrifice. I would give my life for each of them so it does not seem too much to give up my sleep.

Go into it prepared to be tired. Know that it will be challenging so you won't be frustrated when it seems harder than what you think you can handle. Then take a deep breath and hit the ground running.

"It is not the end of the journey, but the journey in the end, that matters."
<a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="" alt="Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker" border="0" /></a>

Great book, helped me a ton: http://www.amazon.com/Mothering-Multiples-Breastfeeding-Caring-International/dp/0976896931

also, I lactation consultant recommended the Medela Classic pump. it is old and out of production, but you may be able to rent one. it is the best for building a supply

I agree, it is really hard to do, but can be done. you figure out your own way...but that book really helped me. if you want to do it, then gather around support. and decide for how long you can make a commitment - 1 month or 3 months, then reevaluate when you approach that point.

some formula may be necessary, but that doesn't mean you can't do mostly breast milk. and every little bit of mothers milk they get is so valuable. try to be flexible and patient.

you can do it!

Astrid, a triplet momma on this site and a friend of mine (I call her my triplet mentor) has done an AMAZING job supplying her triplets with breast milk for their first year. Hopefully she responds to this post. If not, check out her blog: http://survivingtriplets.blogspot.com.

I gave it up after three weeks. To me, my kids needed a sane momma more than my breast milk. But, I was never dead set on breastfeeding. It just wasn't something I really cared about. But, I think it is awesome you are already trying to plan. Good for you!

Check out Astrid's blog!

Megan

B/B/G triplets born on 07/24/2008 at 33 weeks
Cullen Andrew- 3 lbs, 14 oz
Jake Byron- 3 lbs, 15 oz
Elliott Calo- 4 lbs, 8