What is Triple Feeding?

Triple feeding is when you nurse your baby, then offer a bottle of pumped breast milk or formula, and finally, pump to maintain or increase your milk supply. This process is often recommended when babies aren't able to efficiently get enough milk from breastfeeding alone, which can be due to various reasons like being too sleepy, not strong enough, or other challenges.

Why Triple Feeding?

The goal is twofold: to ensure your baby is getting enough nutrition and to keep your milk supply up. If your baby isn't effectively emptying your breasts, your milk production could decrease. If you top off your baby with a bottle but don't also pump your breasts to empty more, your body won't be getting the message that your baby in fact needs more milk than what it's currently making. This method helps bridge that gap by ensuring your baby is well-fed and your milk supply remains steady.

The Reality of Triple Feeding

In the world of supply and demand, this last step of pumping is important, but far from easy! Let's talk logistics. Imagine every two to three hours, you need to:

1. Nurse your baby for 20-30 minutes.

2. Offer a bottle and feed your baby.

3. Change, burp, and settle your baby.

4. Pump for another 15-20 minutes.

Add that up, and you're looking at about an hour (or often much more!) per cycle. Repeat every two to three hours, and you can see how this can quickly become overwhelming. When do you eat, shower, or even catch a moment of rest? It’s a lot to handle, and it’s important to recognize that when making feeding decisions.

Making It Work (Without Losing Your Mind)

Triple feeding should never be a long-term plan without close monitoring by a lactation consultant (or other breastfeeding professiona) and a clear endpoint. I often recommend it for a few days to a week, then reassess:

• Is it sustainable? Can you keep up with this routine without burning out? Is the plan negatively affecting your physical or mental health?

• Is it working? Is your baby improving at the breast, and is your milk production stable or increasing?

• Is it aligned with your current breastfeeding goals? Your goals and priorities may change over time, so important to stop every so often, look at the whole picture and reassess your feeding goals to see if your current plan still aligns with those goals.

If the answer to any of these questions is no, it’s time to tweak the plan. You might need to adjust how often you’re nursing versus pumping, or perhaps incorporate more bottle feeding to give yourself a break.

Adjusting the Approach

Sometimes, it might be more practical to pump and bottle-feed for several feedings a day, especially if you don’t have extra hands to help. This can be particularly helpful during nighttime feeds when efficiency is key.

Your ultimate feeding plan might still be to nurse directly, and that’s perfectly fine. Keep practicing with your baby once or twice a day to maintain their interest and skill. Meanwhile, focus on lots of skin-to-skin contact and always use paced bottle feeding when you give a bottle. As your baby grows stronger, you can gradually shift back to more nursing and less pumping.

Try to carve out "special time" each day when you can focus on bonding with your baby without thinking about nursing or pumping. Pick a time when you pump, your baby gets a bottle, and then you can settle down for a few minutes and simply enjoy being with your baby - whether that's doing skin-to-skin, taking a walk while baby-wearing (or using a stroller if you prefer), or going to a local mom/baby support or play group together.

Seeking Support

Triple feeding can be a complex and exhausting routine. The postpartum period is hard no matter what. When you add on extra steps to already exhausting newborn care, your breastfeeding journey may start to feel untenable. It's essential to have the support of a lactation professional, your pediatrician, and/or a perinatal mental health professional to monitor your progress, provide YOU with support, and make necessary adjustments. They can provide guidance tailored to your unique situation and personal experience, ensuring both you and your baby thrive.

A Final Word

Remember, the goal is a happy, healthy baby and a well-supported parent. If triple feeding feels like an impossible feat, know that it's okay to adjust the plan. There is no "success" or "failure," there are just different breastfeeding experiences and yours is yours and yours alone. Your well-being is just as important as your baby's.

Hang in there, and take it one feed at a time. You've got this!