What Is Triple Feeding? Plus, How to Power Through

Breastfeeding is beautiful, but it comes with a steep learning curve. For many moms, myself included, the realities of the early days are far from the easy-breezy experiences we tend to see depicted on-screen or in advertisements.

For example, some moms experience low milk supply or stress as baby struggles to gain weight.

In some instances, providers may recommend triple feeding baby. But this comes with a catch: It’s all-consuming. “I triple fed my first child and it was exhausting. I’d breastfeed, pump immediately after and then offer him the pumped milk in a bottle,” recalls Christine Carpenter, contributing editor at The Bump and mom of two. “By the time I finished one feeding, I’d close my eyes for 15 minutes and have to start all over again. I was really determined to breastfeed, and while it ultimately didn’t work out for us, I remember the challenges like yesterday. My son is 5 now and thriving."

So what is triple feeding, exactly? Ahead, get tips from pediatricians and lactation experts to help you navigate triple feeding baby with a bit more ease.

Key Takeaways

• Triple feeding is an effective way to increase milk production and help baby gain weight, but it can be emotionally and physically taxing.
• Triple feeding steps: Step one is to initiate direct breastfeeding. Step two is to pump milk from the breast. Step three is to feed baby additional milk using one of five methods: spoon, cup, syringe or finger feeder, bottle or supplemental nursing system.
• Triple feeding can be helpful for moms with low milk supply or those struggling to get baby to latch properly.
• Triple feeding can be exhausting: It’s important to come up with a concrete plan with your medical provider for how to navigate triple feeding and when you can stop. Having a support system through your triple feeding journey is critical.
• Common alternatives to triple feeding include formula or a supplemental nursing system.

What Is Triple Feeding?

Triple feeding is a three-step protocol designed to support baby’s weight gain while also increasing Mom’s milk supply. “Step one is to initiate direct breastfeeding. Step two is to pump milk from the breast and step three is to feed baby the additional milk using one of five methods: spoon, cup, syringe or finger feeder, bottle or supplemental nursing system,” explains Dr. Laurie Jones, MD, IBCLC, a Phoenix-based pediatrician and breastfeeding medicine specialist and a pump expert at Willow.

Jacque Ordner, RN, IBCLC, a registered nurse and lactation consultant at Motif Medical, adds that a supplemental nursing system is basically a “thin tube placed alongside the nipple to deliver breast milk or formula while baby nurses.”

Who Might Consider Triple Feeding?

While triple feeding is far from required for every breastfeeding mom, it can be particularly helpful for women who are struggling with low milk supply or baby latching, and for those with babies experiencing slow weight gain, says Dr. Jones.

It’s a tactic commonly used for late-preterm babies or infants with a tongue tie, low muscle tone or those who are small for their gestational age.

Triple feeding can be super helpful if you have twins or other multiples, adds Dr. Jenelle Ferry, MD, a board-certified neonatologist and director of feeding, nutrition and infant development at Pediatrix Medical Group. “If Mom has trouble breastfeeding both babies at once or back to back, another option can be to breastfeed one baby while the other receives a bottle, then vice versa for the following feed,” she says. The process required to keep this going is essentially the same as triple feeding—“breastfeeding baby, pumping and bottle-feeding baby at each session,” Dr. Ferry adds.

While triple feeding is helpful in some scenarios, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution for all breastfeeding challenges. “But it can be a bridge to ensure safe feeding while the underlying causes of slow weight gain and/or low production are investigated,” Dr. Jones says.

Benefits of Triple Feeding

The benefits of triple feeding baby include:

• It increases baby’s milk intake. “Mom and baby both get the hormonal and regulatory benefits of direct breastfeeding, and baby continues to get appropriate nutrition,” says Dr. Ferry.
• It raises Mom’s milk supply. “It was exhausting, but it did help to keep my supply up in the face of a difficult journey with weight gain for my little one,” says Yumnah S., a mom of three in Taylor, Texas.

Downsides of Triple Feeding Baby

While triple feeding is effective, there are downsides:

• It can be taxing and unsustainable. “Triple feeding is often physically and emotionally draining. Parents frequently feel as though they’re constantly pumping, feeding or washing bottles and pump parts,” says Ordner. “As one cycle ends, they may only have a short time before the next begins. The intense demand of triple feeding baby often makes it difficult for parents to leave the house.”
• Triple feeding can come with uncertainty. “By the end of the first week, my wife was in tears from sheer exhaustion,” recalls Shehar Y., a dad of two in Thornton Heath, England. “The mental toll was enormous because on top of the physical demands, there was this constant anxiety about whether it was working and whether our daughter was getting enough.”
• Triple feeding for too long can be problematic. “If continued beyond the period needed for improving latch or to build supply, prolonged triple feeding can also lead to overproduction,” notes Dr. Ferry. “It can be helpful to check in with a lactation consultant and baby’s pediatrician to ensure both Mom and baby are getting what they need.”

Tips to Get Through Triple Feeding

Triple feeding a newborn or baby can be an enormous feat. For those determined to make it work, here are some tips to help you power through.

• Make a clear plan with a medical provider. “First, make sure you’re working with clear instructions from a medical provider on why triple feeds are necessary and how to work through the root problem,” advises Dr. Jones. Also, make sure to ask what success will look like so you’ll know when you can safely get off of this (unmerry) merry-go-round.
• Enlist help. The truth is that surviving triple feeding requires help. Dr. Ferry recommends enlisting loved ones to assist with bottle feeding and cleaning pump parts and bottles.
• Make a schedule. Dr. Jones says doing all three triple feeding steps in an hour is the goal—ensuring you get two hours off in between to rest and recover.
• Combine steps. If possible, combine steps one and two (pumping and breastfeeding) to help save time, recommends Dr. Ferry.
• Take nights off if possible. “I’ll say that almost no one should be doing 24 hours per day triple feeding for longer than a day or two at most,” says Dr. Jones. “What’s more often successful is to do all three steps during daylight hours and either pump or breastfeed overnight, depending on the safety of your situation.”
• Invest in a portable pump. You won’t be tethered to a chair and forced to sit for hours each day. You can move around the house and go about your business.
• Supplement breast milk if needed. While this is counter to the goals of many triple feeding moms, supplementing with donor milk or formula can be helpful—both in supporting baby’s weight gain and Mom’s mental health.

When to Stop Triple Feeding

Part of the challenge of triple feeding is knowing when to stop. This is where a plan with your provider involving clear benchmarks and an exit plan comes in handy.

Generally, you can stop triple feeding when baby’s gaining weight as desired. “Once an infant is gaining weight consistently and demonstrating effective milk transfer, you can begin tapering down the [process],” says Ordner. “It’s best to do this gradually with scheduled weight checks every few days to ensure baby maintains progress.”

Alternatives to Triple Feeding

If triple feeding isn’t a good fit for you, there are other ways to support your goals of increasing baby’s weight and your milk supply:

• A supplemental nursing system. “This involves a thin tube placed alongside the nipple to deliver breast milk or formula while baby nurses. This stimulates milk supply and eliminates the need for separate pumping sessions,” explains Ordner.
• Separating breast- and bottle-feeding. “Another alternative is to separate direct breastfeeding and bottle feeding sessions rather than incorporating both at every feeding,” Ordner adds. “For example, Mom might nurse for the first four morning feedings and then pump and bottle feed for the subsequent feedings. Many families find this more manageable and less time-consuming.”
• Formula feeding. Exclusively using formula only is a valid option, and a decision you shouldn’t feel guilty about.

As always, if you’re not convinced triple feeding is the right solution for you, talk to your provider.

To Sum It Up

Triple feeding is a demanding undertaking on top of navigating the ups and downs of new parenthood, but remember that this is temporary—and you can do hard things! Whether you stick to the protocol or need to pivot to a backup plan, you’re doing an amazing job. There’s no one right way to feed baby, so be sure to give yourself grace during this trying season.

How We Developed This Article

We know breastfeeding comes with its fair share of challenges. To adequately research for this article and ensure we’re giving parents the latest guidance on triple feeding baby, we spoke with two pediatricians, a lactation consultant and several real moms—including a contributing editor at The Bump. After editing, this article was vetted through fact-check and reviewed by our ob-gyn medical adviser. Learn more about how we ensure the accuracy of our content through our editorial and medical review process.

About the author: Kristen Bringe knows a thing or two about breastfeeding challenges, and is happy to share her top baby-feeding tips. As a mom and freelance writer, she covers parenting, women’s health and mental health topics.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.