Triple feeding is a regimen in which you 1. Nurse; 2. Supplement; 3. Pump.
When you and your baby are attached to each other, ideally by day 4 -
- your baby removes enough milk to gain 1oz per day, and
- you produce enough milk for your baby to gain 1oz per day.
There's no need to supplement or pump.
However, if there is a "glitch in the system," a temporary intervention is to triple feed to get supply and demand back on track.
Criteria for triple feeding:
In the first few days
- latch refusal and/or poor milk removal ( Click here for latching help)
- more than ~7% weight loss in the first 48 hours ( Click here for normal newborn weight loss info)
- more than ~10% weight loss at any time
- less than ~1oz per day weight gain after day 4-5
- low milk supply (ie, needs formula or donor milk in order to gain)
- not back to birthweight by day ~14 or before
After ~ 2 weeks
- baby fails to gain enough weight to follow the weight curve
- low milk supply
Well baby check-ups at 1,2,4,6,9 & 12 months will make sure growth stays on track.
Click here to read about scenarios in which triple feeding might be helpful.
Click here to learn how babies behave when they are NOT getting enough to eat.
Click here to learn how to log your activities as you triple feed.
This 4 min 17 sec video shows you the steps of triple feeding, so you can be most efficient with your time.
Kay Anderson MD, IBCLC
5/23