Breastfeeding Multiples:
Breastfeeding Triplets
Rebecca Grunberg
New York, NY USA
From: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 9 No. 5, September-October 1992, pp. 135-6, 148
We provide articles from our publications from previous years
for reference for our Leaders and members. Readers are cautioned to
remember that research and medical information change over time.
I always knew when the time
would come that I would nurse my baby. But when we got the fantastic
news that we were expecting a whole family at one time, I knew I had
to do a lot of research to learn all I could about breastfeeding triplets.
Is it possible to exclusively breastfeed three babies? What if they
are premature? How can a mother cope with the logistics of nursing three
babies with two breasts? I had so many questions about breastfeeding
in addition to the questions about the pregnancy itself! As I began
to search for answers, I realized how little information there was on
triplet pregnancy, let alone breastfeeding three babies! I want to do
all I can to enlighten expectant mothers of multiples by sharing some
of my experiences and knowledge.
The Triplet Connection, an
informational support group founded in 1983 by Janet Bleyl, was the
most helpful resource for me. The lifesaving information in their Expectant
Mothers Packet contains crucial information to help expectant mothers
of multiples achieve a healthy long-term pregnancy as well as information
on breastfeeding premature babies.
La Leche League was able
to put me in touch with mothers who had actually nursed triplets. The
Leaders in my area were very helpful to me during my search for information
on breastfeeding multiples. THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING was a great
reference for the overall basics. Amazingly, I meet women all the time
who never heard of La Leche League and I can't stress enough how important
it is to know that there is an organization that can solve most problems
associated with breastfeeding and is 100% committed to it.
In addition to the help available
from La Leche League, many neonatal intensive care units have a resident
lactation consultant (LC) who should be excited about helping you fulfill
your desire to nurse your babies. Meet with her prior to your delivery
so she knows you plan to nurse your triplets and keep in touch with
her to make sure she will be on hand after the birth of the babies.
Having the LC present at my babies' first feeding proved to be invaluable
for me. She was able to give the guidance and moral support I needed
right after birth. An LC's services are usually free of charge while
you're in the hospital, but they charge an hourly rate if you should
need their services at home.
Prior to delivery, I made
sure to have each of the residents know of my wishes to nurse my babies;
unfortunately I was met with negative, almost adversarial reactions
from the nurses after delivery.
We were blessed with three
beautiful, perfectly healthy babies, Tatiana (4 lbs. 9 oz.), Allegra
(4 lbs. 4 oz.), and Zachary (4 lbs.), at 37 plus weeks. Although they
had no problems, the chief resident wanted to keep them in the Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit for a few days because of their weights, which was
expected. When I was brought down to see the babies, I was met by the
lactation consultant who helped me with the proper positioning for nursing
one and then two babies at a time using pillows for comfort. I was so
excited to finally hold my tiny babies to my breasts. To my amazement
they all rooted and latched on instinctively. This may not always be
the case, as every infant and every situation is different.
I had a screen partially
around me and I could look up at the faces of the nurses on the floor.
I sensed a strange tension in the air instead of smiles or nods of approval.
It was explained to me that the nurses did not understand my insistence
on nursing my three tiny babies, because they are used to dealing with
critical babies and having total caloric and medical control. On my
next few trips down to the NICU without the LC, many of the nurses came
up to me one by one while I was nursing the babies and voiced their
very negative opinions. I lost hope for a moment, then I immediately
realized I had babies at my breast where they belonged and had to get
back to the big job I had ahead of me. I also realized I had to get
my babies home as soon as possible since the environment was just not
conducive to recuperating or nurturing my newborns.
After a week of warning nurses
not to give my babies pacifiers and bottles without my knowledge, my
son's and one of my daughters' "latching on" became very weak because
of "nipple confusion." Nipple confusion is a very real problem for many
newborns and it takes a lot of time and patience to get the infant to
relearn what was initially instinctive. Due to the negative surroundings
and the knowledge and faith I had in my husband and myself to care for
our infants, we brought our babies home earlier than the chief pediatrician
had proposed. At home my babies immediately started to thrive and gain
weight, but I had to work very hard at getting two babies sucking as
well as they had been doing the first few days of their lives, before
so many interferences.
When I think back on my hospital
experience, what angers me is that most women, vulnerable at such an
emotional and exhausting time, would have surely given up any hope of
breastfeeding their babies with the negative environment I endured.
I thought it was important to recount the experience I had in the hospital,
so you can realize how uninformed many professionals can be, even in
big city hospitals. Unlike my experience, my sister gave birth about
the same time in a Miami hospital and the staff was totally supportive
of her breastfeeding, encouraging her not to feed her son formula, water,
or use bottles. They helped her nurse her baby around the clock, although
she too was recovering from a cesarean. What a difference this makes
in how a new anxious mother feels as she is handed not one, but three
of the most precious beings in her life.
The most important initial
advice I can give is to be mentally prepared: "I will be breastfeeding
my twins, triplets, or more," and don't let anyone tell you that you
can't do it or react negatively about your desire. You should be confident
in all the information you have obtained and the preparation you have
done prior to their birth and proceed to take on the challenge one day
at a time, although on many days the challenge may be one minute at
a time. Once you have given birth, you must continue your high calorie,
high nutrition pregnancy diet that included an abundance of liquids.
If you eat well, you should not gain weight, since you will be using
up calories feeding your babies. I returned to my pre-pregnancy weight
before I knew it. Tell yourself that your body will be on loan to your
children for at least six months and after that six months you will
want to continue breastfeeding anyway! It is such a minuscule amount
of time to give your whole family compared to their lifetime and yours.
The first two months are the hardest, but they go by so quickly. Remind
yourself that you are giving your babies the best and most complete
food possible loaded with antibodies that help build their immune systems.
And stay confident with the fact that the more your babies nurse, the
more milk you will produce. As long as the babies are suckling every
two to three hours, your milk is a never-ending fountain. It is convenient
not to have to deal with sterilizing bottles and formula, it's economical,
and breastfeeding has so many other wonderful bonuses, including sweet-smelling
diapers!
What did I do when all three
babies were crying for food? You will quickly find out that your babies
have different personalities from each other. One may be very demanding,
another colicky or hypersensitive, and if you're as lucky as I was,
one will be happy and content to wait. It only takes one, since you
will be getting very good at nursing two at once. This was my exact
scenario: I had two very demanding babies, and one patient baby. I often
nursed one at a time, thereby bonding with each alone, and also nursed
two at once which saved a lot of time. I think the most helpful thing
I learned to do at the beginning was to sleep with a baby at my breast.
I would lie down on my side, arranging pillows under my head until I
was comfortable, then I would position my baby facing toward me directly
in front of my breast. I would cradle her in my arms with her head using
the top of my arm as a pillow, or you can experiment with pillows for
support. I was even able to rest at those four AM feedings when my husband
would get up and bring a baby to me. Your husband or your helper should
assist you around the clock, especially during the first month while
you are recuperating. It was my husband Michael's loving support and
our hearty sense of humor that got us by so smoothly the first few months
and continues to do so.
Having a sense of humor is
probably one of the most important characteristics parents of multiples
could have to help deal with the stress and joy of raising triplets.
It is also very important to get help. Have someone do the cooking and
cleaning for as long as you can, whether it be friends, relatives, live-in
housekeeper, people from your church or synagogue. The first month at
home with the babies all you will be doing is sleeping, resting, eating,
and drinking with a baby or two at your breast. Then I recommend you
head out with your triplet stroller and enjoy a pleasant walk no matter
what time of year it is. I used to feed all three and head out for two
hours and make it back in time for the next round of feedings almost
daily. When the weather got warmer I did not have to head home since
I was able to nurse discreetly in public and most often do so unnoticed.
As I reflect over the past
twenty-two months, I am amazed and gratified at the wonderful experiences
I had breastfeeding my babies. It was a week before they turned twenty
months old that two of my babies were weaned, the third having weaned
earlier. The memory is still fresh, so sweet, so precious, something
I will savor for the rest of my life.
Last updated Friday, October 6, 2006 by njb.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:29:22 UTC 2007.
