Most lactating mothers with twins, triplet or quadruplets are able to produce adequate milk for their babies. The benefits of human milk to mothers of multiple babies have similar properties like other mothers with single babies.
In some cases, multiple babies are born early and may require special care before they begin to breastfeed on their own. Here are the tips to keep in mind:
Double pumping is recommended for preterm multiples. Pumping is expressing milk from your breast to be used for the feeding your neonates/preterm babies. It also stimulates the production of more milk.
Commence breastfeeding immediately after birth for those multiples that are born at the right number of weeks. The more milk the babies will suckle, the more milk your body will produce. Remember sucking stimulates more milk production.
Take your babies for regular weight checkups to confirm if they are breastfeeding well. This is one way of monitoring the growth of your babies.
Trace the number of wet diapers as well as bowel emptying to know if your babies are getting adequate milk.
It is helpful to switch your babies to ensure they feed on both breasts. This can be done by allocating a breast to each baby for hours or a day then switch the baby during the preceding breastfeeding session. Breast switching the babies helps to keep milk production if one of the babies is not feeding well. It also stimulates the eyes of the babies.
Practising partial breastfeeding: besides breastfeeding, you can purchase ideal baby formula recommended for their age. You can consult the lactation consultants or a paediatrician to get the best advice concerning baby formula.