Lots of people have lots of different ideas about triple feeding. We’ve heard things like, “someone told me this was just my new normal, I’m going to have to feed the baby this way forever,” or “triple feeding is the only way for the baby to gain weight.” The myths are everywhere, so let’s talk about!
What is triple feeding - really?
Triple feeding is when mom feeds baby at the breast and then pumps and then bottlefeeds breastmilk to baby all in one feeding session. Triple feeding is generally meant to be for a short, pre-defined period of time, as decided with an IBCLC.
Why might someone be encouraged to triple feed?
The aim of triple feeding is to increase the overall amount of milk being fed to baby to improve weight gain. Often poor weight gain means because baby is not transferring well at the breast. This is common in babies with oral restriction, premature or late preterm infants. Triple feeding can also be used to increase supply in mom. However, if that’s a concern, it should be managed carefully to avoid oversupply.
It’s meant to be a step in the journey not a permanent solution.
A lactation consultant will likely suggest triple feeding for no more than 3-4 days, then meet with you to assess progress. She can also help you calculate how many ounces extra a baby would need to improve weight gain. This is based on things like weighted feeds and how much you produce in a typical pumping session. We know that nursing, pumping and feeding back could take an hour to 90 minutes from start to finish. It’s a lot! We aim to do this only temporarily in order to reduce stress on mom, very few people find it sustainable for more than a few days.
If triple feeding is part of your lactation journey, know that we are here to support and guide you!
Let us help you come up with a sustainable plan for increasing your milk supply. Book a visit with Wisco Lactation on our website. We offer home & office visit in SE Wisconsin and NE Illinois. We also offer virtual visits worldwide.