Mum's amazing video shows just how much milk it takes to feed triplets
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Aneira Davies
ContributorThe short clip reveals it takes hundreds of bottles (and many hours!) to feed three little ones.
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Breastfeeding a baby isn’t always easy and can be even more of a challenge if you’re the parent of multiples.
From struggles with milk supplies to devoting A LOT of time to pumping, PLUS hearing opinions and questions from what feels like everyone, mums of twins or triplets can have a rough deal.
So one mum took to TikTok to fight back against the stereotypes and share her own success story of breastfeeding multiple babies at once – and, at the same time, reveal just how much milk she goes through in order to feed.
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Nina, a mum of triplets who were born prematurely in January, decided to share her story alongside comments she’d received asking her why she was breastfeeding her little ones.
Alongside the post, she wrote: ‘Feeding isn't a one lane road. The message is never doubt a determined mother. Just let us feed our babies.’
In the video, Nina posts a series of clips of her pumping and feeding her three babies through their nasal tubes and, when they’re old enough to latch, clips of how she breastfeeds the trio.
We’re then shown multiple images of just how much breastmilk is needed to feed the three babies – and it’s astonishing.
In one pic, Nina reveals a full fridge of breastmilk, while another clip shows literally hundreds of bottles and pouches of milk lined up on the floor of her home.
And we can't quite believe it!
Nina also addressed some of the comments she’d received when she revealed she’d be breastfeeding her babies, including being asked ‘Is it really possible to make enough for all 3?’ and ‘I thought NICU babies only took bottles?’
She also revealed further comments others had made, such as ‘Preemies don’t usually breastfeed,’ and ‘You’re never going to sleep again,’ ending the video by celebrating the triplets' '6 month nurserversary'. Go, Nina!
In a follow-up post, the mum of four explains that she initially had to pump and feed the babies through their nasal tubes for five weeks, while struggling with her supply at times.
During this period, Nina revealed that she was pumping every two and a half hours for 25-35 minutes at a time.
‘It was a pretty significant amount of time that I was pumping for in the beginning,’ she explained.
She then went on to reveal that once the babies were able to latch, she was also breastfeeding each baby, while still pumping for the same amount of time as before.
‘They were on a three hour schedule,’ she added, ‘so they were about half an hour apart.’
After only a 15 minute break from both breastfeeding and pumping, Nina would begin the process again.
‘It was pretty intense,’ she went on. ‘It was a full-time job. I was never not feeding a baby.’
At her breastfeeding peak, she revealed she was eating and drinking around the clock in order to keep her supply going and, now that the triplets are seven months old, the feeding has only subsided slightly.
However, Nina also added that every mum should be able to feed their baby how they want, adding that breastfeeding was just something she wanted to do.
‘I don’t think love is measured in how you feed your baby,’ she explained. ‘I think you’re a good mother no matter how you choose to.’
Expressing milk can help with sharing the load with your partner during the early months. We like Medela's Harmony breast pump, which is small enough to fit into your changing bag. See more details here at Amazon.
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