I have tandem nursed/pumped for my cleft affected infant and older sibling. Unless the mother has a condition that affects her supply, she will produce enough for both children. There are lots of benefits to having a nursling when you are exclusively pumping;

While it can be hard to build an abundant production with a pump alone, the older child, depending on how frequently they nurse, could bring the production up to an abundant supply.

Nursing the older child may be pleasurable and help compensate for not being able to nurse the younger one for now.

Nursing the older child can help with oxytocin release and let-down- she could use a hands free bra and pump from one breast while nursing the older child from the other. 

She can pump first and then offer the 'empty' breast to the older child, boosting supply.

And as the previous poster said,

"Another possibility would be for the 3 year old to take the abundant fore milk, then pump for higher calorie hind milk." 

If the mother knows the mechanisms of supply-and-demand and the reasoning behind the different strategies she can use with her older nursling, then nursing/pumping for two may well work to her and the younger baby's advantage. Also, nursing the older one is a good way to connect with that child despite the stress and anxiety of having a premature baby in the NICU.

Alice Farrow
Rome, Italy

www.cleftlipandpalatebreastfeeding.com
www.languageofinclusion.com
'Want to be an IBCLC?' 

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