Ellen Rathbun asked about information for a mum expecting triplets. The
following is a post I sent to Lactnet back in June when someone else was
looking for info on triplets. Perhaps some of this may help here.
I have heard from a couple of mums in Western Australia who have breastfed
triplets. Some of the strategies mentioned were
- start pumping as soon after the birth as possible, expressing as much
colostrum and then milk as possible (triplets are usually prem and probably
tube fed initially)
- feeding one baby on each breast and then letting the third have both
breasts, alternating which baby gets the third position
- getting *lots* of help with housework, cooking, washing, etc as feeding
will occupy much of your time!
- surrounding yourself with supportive people - there are many out there
who don't believe it is possible and will undermine your confidence
- being prepared to use formula occasionally, or even regularly
- some triplet mothers prefer to give formula to one baby each feed,
alternating which baby gets the bottle
- it is useful to keep a chart recording feeds, wet/dirty nappies, etc for
each baby
Some references I have used:
Storr GB "Breastfeeding Premature Triplets: One Woman's Experience" J Hum
Lact 5(2): 74-77. 1989
Cooper C "Breastfeeding Triplets" NMAA Newsletter 23(5): 5-9. June 1987
Grunberg R "Breastfeeding Triplets" New Beginnings, September-October 1992:
135-136,148
Mead LJ et al "Breastfeeding success with preterm quadruplets" JOGNN 21:
221-227. 1992
Duggin J "Breastfeeding Triplets - It Can Be Done!" Breastfeeding Review
2(10): 469-470. 1994
Keith D et al "Breastfeeding Twins, Triplets and Quadruplets" pp 52-57. (I
have just a photocopy of these pages - not sure about full details of this
book.)
Joy Anderson IBCLC, NMAA Breastfeeding Counsellor
Perth, Western Australia
P.S. For those who know her, Nancy Sherwood is now living in Perth, running
a small LLL group (small compared to NMAA here), and would like to say
"Hi!" to all her fellow LLL and LC friends in USA (Virginia, I think she
said). I see her at ALCA (Australian Lactation Consultants Association)
meetings.
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