I’m lumping all the breastfeeding-related questions into one post. All things boob, if you will.
Are you planning on just pumping as long as you can? and How long do you plan on breastfeeding?
I have no plans, no goals. I never did. Those of us with PCOS are warned during our fight to get pregnant that we may struggle with breastmilk supply. Knowing that, my answer to the “Are you planning to breastfeed?” question was, “I hope to.”
I had no idea what my body would do. Would I be one of the lucky PCOSers who fight an oversupply (or welcome it, in my case), or would I be in the second half of the group, the women who fight an undersupply or even milk that never comes in?
I learned quickly that I ended up in the first category.
Pumping, at first, was my one physical connection to my babies. They began receiving breastmilk on their second day of life. It was a TINY amount – just 1 mL every two hours. That is 1/30 of an ounce.
I spent my pumping sessions – eight or more each day – focused entirely on the babies. We bonded then, and I felt empowered by my involvement. I fell in love with the act, a burden on most pumping mothers I talk with, and I’m grateful for my feelings toward the chore.
Providing breastmilk has been incredibly healing for me. I entered motherhood feeling like a failure, like I had let my tiny fighters down by releasing them into this big world on their own before they were ready.
I plan to provide breastmilk for as long as I can. If it gets too hectic, I may need to stop. If my body gives up, I will have to stop. Until then, I’m a milk machine, eating as much and drinking as much water as I can to hold up my end of the production bargain. My body and I have become partners since giving birth, and I’m proud of us.
Also are you nursing any of them directly, or do they always get bottles?
I try to nurse each baby at least once a day. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. I’m trying to be more conscious of taking time for them because it gives us private time with each other and it gives them a chance at the all-you-can-eat buffet, rather than us giving them a certain amount.
On most mornings, Rob and I feed the babies before he leaves for work. He gets their diapers changed while I prepare one bottle. I nurse two at once while he gives a bottle to the third. It’s quiet family time for us each morning, and it works out amazingly well. The baby Rob feeds with a bottle gets the chance to nurse later in the day. Each morning, I rotate who I take and who Rob takes based on who did what, when, and with who the day before.
The daily tandem-feeding practice is helping me get better at it, but I still struggle when one needs to burp mid-feeding or if one gets a bit overzealous and has a coughing/choking spell. I’m hoping that, with more practice and growth, we’ll all five get better at tandem feeds.
I discovered in the NICU that nursing all three babies one at a time for each feeding session gets to be an assembly-line process, and it is just too rushed and impersonal. I tried it, and the experience wasn’t good. Two at once and then one by him/herself is much more enjoyable, but I still prefer to do only one or two at once and let the other two or one receive bottles.
I went into this multiples game fully expecting to prop bottles in order to feed three babies, but I’m proud to say that, aside from their first 7 weeks in which they received feedings through a tube (OG then NG), my trio have gotten all of their meals in the loving arms of a person.
Are you having to supplement or do you produce enough for all three?
I have been producing approximately 2 liters of milk each day. For a mother of singletons, that would be far too much. For me, it’s just enough. Or almost just enough. I haven’t run the numbers to a T, but, no, I don’t need to supplement.
You may have seen me mention using formula, and that’s because we fortify the babies’ bottles of breastmilk with preemie formula (Similac NeoSure for Toby and Eleanor, Enfamil EnfaCare for Callista) at a ratio of 1 tsp. of formula per 70 mL of milk. They started on fortified breastmilk to increase the caloric value, and when the neonatologists tried to lower the calories for a week in the NICU, the babies stopped gaining weight. Because of that, and because they have continued to gain at an even, healthy rate, we have kept them on fortified milk. They receive 24 calories per ounce, whereas plain breastmilk is 20 calories per ounce. Plus, the increased calcium and phosphorus are recommended for preemies to promote good bone growth – something term babies get as they grow on the inside for longer.
So, no – no supplementing. I haven’t touched my freezer stash, and I haven’t given them a straight-formula bottle.
How do you find time to pump?
I have an AMAZING family. They all recognize the importance of breastmilk and know I produce best if I can pump without interruptions. Our family – my parents, Rob’s mom and his brother – help me during weekdays with feedings. If the babies stay up for a bit after eating, whoever is helping that day takes over baby duty to let me slip away and pump in another room. If the babies go down for naps shortly after eating, I pump then. If it’s just Rob and I at home, like at night or on the weekends, I pump while he hangs out with the babies.
Basically, I pump after each feeding, as close to the feeding time as possible. I do this to keep my body in sync with the babies’ and to keep my production on the same schedule, which allows me to nurse for any feeding if I want.
If I have to skip a pumping session for whatever reason, I’ll try to make up for it later, either by staying up a bit later and pumping once more before bed or doing two sessions in between feedings.
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Apologies for the choppiness of my answers. Please speak up if I didn’t cover something you’re curious about or if I need to expand on something.
You and your boobs are rockstars, I’m so glad breastfeeding/pumping hasbeen a positive experience for you
You are amazing. I know how much a job breastfeeding one baby is. Your body is amazing. Making 2 liters a milk a day? simply amazing. You are doing an awesome job. Seriously.
I am in awe! You are an inspirational mama … your babies are so lucky to have you!!!!
In total awe of you! You rock, mama!
All I can say is “WOW”!!!
What an inspiration! I’ve been nervous about breastfeeding my twins when they arrive because it didn’t go so well with my son. He was a HORRIBLE tongue-thruster and we had pretty bad jaundice issues in the beginning. But knowing you can do it with three babies makes me feel like I can do it with two!
Amazing! I breastfeed my twins and pumped after every feed to supplement for the first 5 months. I can’t imagine doing it with one more baby in the mix too!
I am nothing short of amazed by this! Wow, just wow!
wow, so amazing, jenn! love that you are able to do this for your babes.
I ditto LCW. I’m kind of amazed at your boob powers.
You are awesome! My jaw dropped at “2 liters a day.” Incredible. It’s amazing that you , your boobs, and your babies have such wonderful support!
You are amazing!!! You make it all look so easy and you’re so good at it. Great job mama!
yay for boobs! 😉 this was really informative to read, thanks for sharing!
You are such an amazing mama! I’m a fellow PCOS “cyster” and mom to three beautiful boys (singletons!) I nursed them for a combined total of 7 years, never dealing with hormone-related under or oversupply issues, thankfully. I’m also a postpartum doula who has worked with nursing dyads facing both those issues. It is always wonderful see a success story like yours. Way to go!
I didn’t think it was choppy at all! Totally awe-inspiring, from your commitment to your approach to your support system. Way to go, mama!
Awesome!!! I really don’t know what else to say!!
You should get/make a shirt that says “I make milk, what’s your super power?” Good for you for being persistent and for doing an amazing job! Your babies may have been born premature but clearly they are thriving “on the outside.” Its amazing how much milk you can pump as well as direct feeding. Keep up the good work!!!!!!
absolutely amazing. your commitment to breastfeeding is super impressive. I EBF’ed one baby and know how much work *that* was. I’m in awe of your resolve. kudos.
Wow! Good for you! My first thought when I read 2 liters is ‘she must be starving all the time!’. Breastfeeding my twins made me more hungry than I’d ever been in my life (if we were out and about and I told my husband I had ‘The Hunger’, he knew we had to do something about it IMMEDIATELY), and I’m sure I was producing less than two liters. You’re awesome!
Wow. Incredible.
You are amazing! Good for you!
This is a fantastic post and so reaffirming about the power of family! I like how you approached it with a great openness to your experiences. Keep up the great work! You are truly an inspiration to mothers.
Amazing! How long each day do you spend pumping? I can’t believe you produce 2L! That is awesome.
I pump anywhere between 20 minutes and 40 minutes a session, depending on how lazy the flow is. I’m pumping five times a day now.
You are seriously impressive! You need to wear that BF tiara proudly b/c you more than deserve it!!
I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, you are amazing!
Wow! Amazing!
also onemiracleandcounting.blogspot.com
a friend sent me a link to your blog and i am so glad she did! i have pcos. i have a 3 year old and weaned him at almost 3 years old so we could go back to IVF (all four of our last attempts have failed.) I just wanted to tell you that you are an amazing mother! you babies are oh so blessed!
You are truly amazing!!
I wasn’t able to handle one I can’t imagine three! (Sadly I was one of those PCOSers that had absolutely no supply- and I didn’t know about that until day 5 of absolutely no milk coming out.) My boy was in the NICU for 17 days so I feel ya (not to the extent that you did, but I understand!)
Keep up the great work!!
Your commitment to breastfeeding your babies is an inspiration! Thanks for being a breastfeeding advocate!!
You are such an inspiration to women. The world needs more breastfeeding advocates like you!
Wow Jenny. I am seriously just so impressed and in awe of your committment to EBFing. It’s the hardest thing I have ever done – for one baby. I just can’t even imagine three. I really can’t find the words to express just how amazed I am by you!! I’m totally speechless. Good for you
I am so happy to read your post! I am determined to give my triplets as much breastmilk as possible once they are born and only hope and pray that I produce enough. If I dont, I’ll give them every ounce that I can. It is great to hear success stories of others breastfeeding triplets!
Your family is amazing. I was in the pcos boat as you, but was alone with my trio for more than 12 hours a day 5 days a week. I kept up for 7 months but as my trio got older they required more of my attention which just made it difficult to get pump time in especially when I was pumping 20+ ounces at a time, it took forever to empty out completely. Kudos to you & your amazing family!!!