Is it possible to breastfeed quadruplets

For more information about the importance of breastfeeding, see the Health outcomes associated with infant feeding and Breastfeeding your premature baby articles. Can one woman produce enough milk? People sometimes doubt it's possible to make enough milk for two babies, let alone more. Knowing how breastfeeding works will help you understand how this is possible. It can give you the confidence to continue breastfeeding even when your babies are demanding and you, or others, begin to question your milk supply.

It will help you keep up a plentiful supply so you can breastfeed for as long as it suits you and your family. This is a short way of saying the more often a baby feeds at your breast and removes milk need , the more milk is made supply. This is why mothers of multiples are able to make enough milk for their babies.

The extra stimulation of three or more babies sucking means that your body will produce the extra milk they need. Knowing this can help you cope, especially on bad days when your babies seem extra fussy or hungry and you feel like you can't possibly have enough milk for them. Understanding that supply equals need can reassure you that when your babies asks for extra feeds, simply by responding, your breasts will continue to make the amount of milk your babies need.

When a baby sucks at the breast, two hormones are released: prolactin which stimulates milk production, and oxytocin which releases the milk from the breast. This release is called the let-down or milk ejection reflex. For help with breastfeeding problems, contact your midwife or lactation consultant, or call the Breastfeeding Helpline on mum 2 mum Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

If you are having twins, triplets or more, find out everything you need to know about your pregnancy, the birth, feeding and raising your babies. This article is a shortened version of our booklet 'Breastfeeding:twins, triplets and more' in which we have drawn from the experiences of other mothers of twins to put together information and ideas.

We hope these will help you deal with the challenges of breastfeeding and parenting your babies. Read more on Australian Breastfeeding Association website. Some mothers find breastfeeding one baby demanding. Breastfeeding three or four or more could be viewed as a definite challenge. But many mothers succeed. Knowing how breastfeeding works will help you understand how it is possible to breastfeed twins, triplets, quads or more. If you are pregnant with triplets or more, the birth will need careful planning.

The main risk is that they will be born prematurely. Find out more here. Twins are more likely to be born early, often before 38 weeks, so it's important to understand your birth options. Raising multiple babies - triplets or more - involves planning, hard work, and well designed routines.

But with support, raising multiples does get easier. Learn about formula feeding for your baby, how is it different to breastmilk, why formula feed and what do if your baby is allergic to formula. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is not responsible for the content and advertising on the external website you are now entering. Video call. This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.

The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional. For more information, please visit the links below:. You are welcome to continue browsing this site with this browser.

Some features, tools or interaction may not work correctly. There is a total of 5 error s on this form, details are below. Please enter your name Please enter your email Your email is invalid.

Please check and try again Please enter recipient's email Recipient's email is invalid. Please check and try again Agree to Terms required. Thank you for sharing our content.

A message has been sent to your recipient's email address with a link to the content webpage. Before the babies are born, you can:. Many twin and multiple babies are smaller or born premature.

Get tips on caring for these babies. Most mothers can make plenty of milk for twins. Many mothers exclusively breastfeed or express their milk for triplets or quadruplets. Keep these tips in mind:. Breastfeeding during your next pregnancy is not usually dangerous to you, your breastfeeding child, or your new developing baby. Your child may decide to wean stop breastfeeding on his or her own because of changes in the amount and flavor of your milk. Your doctor also may advise you, or you may want, to wean your baby if:.

Your child will need additional food and drink, especially if he or she stops breastfeeding. You will probably make less milk during pregnancy, especially after your 20th week. If you keep nursing your child after your baby is born, feed your newborn first to make sure he or she gets the colostrum.

Once you are making more milk, you can decide how you can best meet everyone's needs, but stay aware of your new baby's needs for you and your milk. You may want to ask your partner to help you by taking care of one child while you are breastfeeding. Also, you will need more fluids, healthy foods, and rest, because you are taking care of yourself and two small children.

Yes, but the amount of milk your breasts will make will depend on how your surgery was done, where your incisions were, and the reasons for your surgery. Women who had incisions in the fold under the breast are less likely to have problems making milk than women who had incisions around or across the areola, which can cut into milk ducts and nerves. Women who have had breast implants usually are able to breastfeed.

If you ever had surgery on your breasts for any reason, talk with a lactation consultant. If you are planning to have breast surgery, talk with your surgeon about ways he or she can save as much of the breast tissue and milk ducts as possible. Many mothers who adopt can breastfeed their babies with some help. You may need to supplement your breastmilk with donated breastmilk from a milk bank or with infant formula. But some adoptive mothers can breastfeed exclusively, especially if they have been pregnant in the past.

If you plan to adopt and want to breastfeed, talk with your doctor and a lactation consultant. They can help you decide the best way to try to establish a milk supply for your new baby. Options include:. You can try breastfeeding or returning to breastfeeding after your baby is older. This process is called relactation. It may take weeks or even longer to get a full supply of milk, so you will need to continue to supplement your baby's diet with formula.