IF YOUR BABIES ARE admitted to the NICU There are 2 main ways to use the pump to If your babies are admitted to the NICU, possible, keep a photograph of your babies in build your milk supply while still feeding your chances are they will not be ready to feed at front of you when you pump. This will make babies at your breasts. One way is to express the breast in the first 24 to 48 hours. it easier to express your milk. milk for 10 minutes after each breastfeeding, However, you will need to start expressing making sure that you pump at least 8 times your milk so that your breasts receive the each day. Or you can feed 1 baby at the breast necessary stimulation and you produce the while someone holds the pump at the opposite colostrum your babies need. If you’re not breast. The suction pattern of the pump at 1 feeling well after delivery, someone may breast will help keep milk flowing to your baby assist you with pumping. from the other breast. If you pump and Start by sitting in a large chair or on your breastfeed at the same time, be sure to bed, with pillows supporting each arm. EXPRESSING MILK alternate sides for pumping and feeding so Begin with the baby who feeds more eagerly. If you plan to exclusively breastfeed your that each breast can be completely emptied on Cradle that baby under your arm in a babies, you should use the breast pump at a regular basis. “football hold”* on the side you will use to least 8 times a day. During the first several breastfeed. Cup that baby’s head and days, you may pump only a few drops of FEEDING 2 BABIES AT A TIME shoulders with your hand. Use your other milk. After 14 to 21 days of this frequent milk In the beginning, it is usually easiest to feed hand to support your breast. expression, you should be producing about one baby at a time, using a position that 25 to 30 ounces each day, which should be supports the baby’s head and upper body. Once the baby is feeding well, have someone plenty of milk for 2 or 3 babies each When one of your babies attaches to your help you position your other baby at the weighing about 3 pounds. If you plan to FEEDING YOUR EXPRESSED MILK breast and sucks eagerly for several opposite breast. Move the hand that is breastfeed exclusively, your goal should be minutes without slipping off the breast, supporting the breast for your first baby and about 15 ounces of milk each day for each TO MORE THAN 1 BABY you can start feeding 2 babies at once. For use it to position the other baby in the baby by the time they are discharged from Colostrum the first few times you try this, have someone football hold at the opposite breast. Your the NICU. Even though all of your babies are in the there to help you. helper can assist with supporting your NICU, they may have different health breasts and can reattach an infant who slips Several things will make it easier for you to conditions that influence when and how off the breast. Another approach is to use express milk for your hospitalized babies. If they will receive your expressed milk. both hands to feed 1 baby while your helper the NICU has not placed your babies next to Colostrum, the milk that you produce during positions and supports the other baby. each other, ask that their incubators or the first 3 or 4 days of milk expression, is bassinets be moved, so that you can be near rich in substances that protect babies from Once both babies stay attached well to the all of them at the same time. Second, ask to infection and other prematurity-related breasts for feeding, any of several positions use your electric pump at your babies’ problems. It is especially easy for babies can be used to breastfeed 2 babies. After you bedsides. Expressing milk where you can to digest. are home and all your babies are feeding see and touch your babies may help your well, breastfeeding 2 of them at breasts empty more completely and boost For these reasons, you will want to make sure a time will be quick and efficient. your milk supply. Doing this also means you that all of your small, premature babies do not need to spend visiting time away from receive colostrum as their first feedings. your babies in a pumping room. If this is not 58 *See page 16 for a detailed description of the football hold. 59