It was bloody exhausting the triple threat in new-mother torture

From the annals of early parenthood, another complex issue for the sleep-deprived, freaked-out and under-pressure: triple feeding. Also called breastfeeding with EBM (expressed breast milk) top-ups, it’s designed for babies with weight issues â€" due to premature birth, low milk supply, inefficient latching on or other challenges â€" in the first few months of life. And it involves â€" wait for it â€" not just (1) breastfeeding, but also (2) pumping and (3) bottle-feeding with EBM at every feed.

Extraordinary as it sounds, “triple feeding is becoming more and more common,” says Naomi Hull, senior manager for breastfeeding information and research at the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA). “It’s a thing!”

It’s not easy, but more mums are “triple feeding” their underweight babies.Credit:Getty Images

Still, there’s much to consider beforehand, cautions Hull. “A mother will need to have a formal feeding assessment to make sure it’s the best plan,” she says. “And she’ll need a lot of assistance while it’s happening, both professional and personal. It’s incredibly time-consuming. There’s not only all the breastfeeding and pumping, there’s the preparation of the [bottle-feeding] equipment, too.“

And she needs to get enough rest and good food herself.

“It’s a challenging option,” confirms Charlotte Fielding, a breastfeeding counsellor with the ABA. “The mothers who do it are committed, determined and brave. It’s not a long-term plan: it’s a means to an end.”

“I have PTSD from the sound of that breast-pump! And my highest supply was always after midnight, so I’d be sitting there, alone in the dark, every night.”

“Mothers must have a timeframe for triple feeding,” agrees Hull. Usually, just a few weeks: “If it goes on and on, mums are more likely to wean early â€" just from exhaustion. There’s also an increased risk of depression.”

“It was bloody exhausting,” admit Ellen Gulson, 36, from Sydney’s east, who triple-fed her first son when, at three weeks old, he was losing weight and becoming increasingly fussy.

“I think I have PTSD from the sound of that breast-pump! And my highest supply was always after midnight, so I’d be sitting there, alone in the dark, every night.”

She eventually switched to entirely expressed feeds via bottle, but Gulson regards the strategy as having “worked wonderfully for us at the time.

Having said that, I’d never do it again voluntarily!” Nonetheless, Gulson went on to have three more kids in the next three years. None of them needed triple feeding, but still … well … wow.

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