Triple feeding can help establish breastfeeding, but many parents find themselves stuck in an exhausting cycle of breastfeeding, pumping and bottle feeding. If that’s you, support can help you find a way forward.
The triple feeding plan is something I see quite often when supporting new parents.
And to be honest, it frustrates me a little. Not because the plan itself is wrong – sometimes it can be really helpful – but because many parents are given the plan without the guidance they need to make it manageable or temporary.
So let’s talk about it.
What is triple feeding?
Triple feeding usually means feeding your baby in three steps at every feed:
- Breastfeed first – baby latches and feeds at the breast
- Express milk – using a pump or hand expressing
- Top up – offering expressed milk or formula by bottle
Health professionals sometimes suggest triple feeding when:
- baby has lost more weight than expected
- milk supply needs support
- baby is struggling to transfer milk effectively
- parents are feeling worried about how much baby is getting
In the right circumstances, it can be a helpful short-term plan. It protects milk supply while making sure baby is getting enough milk.
Why triple feeding can become exhausting
The challenge is that many parents are put on a triple feeding plan without clear information about when or how to stop.
Without support, it can quickly become an exhausting cycle.
A typical feeding round might look like this:
- Breastfeed
- Pump
- Bottle feed
- Change nappy
- Try to rest
By the time you’ve finished, it can almost be time to start again.
And this is happening while you are:
- recovering physically from birth
- adjusting emotionally to becoming a parent
- coping with broken sleep
- worrying about your baby’s feeding or weight gain
It’s no surprise that many parents feel overwhelmed, anxious and completely exhausted.
Triple feeding is meant to be temporary
A triple feeding plan is not meant to be forever.
In most situations it should be used as a short-term bridge while you work out what’s going on and create a more sustainable feeding plan.
That might involve:
- improving positioning and attachment
- helping baby transfer milk more effectively
- supporting milk supply
- gradually reducing top-ups
- adjusting how often you pump
The key thing is that there should be a plan for moving forward.
If you feel stuck on the triple feeding treadmill
If you’re currently triple feeding and it feels relentless, please hear this:
You are not failing.
You are not doing it wrong.
And you don’t have to struggle through it alone.
Getting some personalised feeding support can help you:
- understand why triple feeding was recommended
- create a clear plan for stepping away from it
- protect your wellbeing as well as your baby’s feeding
You’re very welcome to reach out to me for support. Or check the UK Breastfeeding Directory for local support.
You can also contact the NCT Infant Feeding Line on 0300 330 0700 for free, evidence-based practical and emotional support.
And if you’re working with a breastfeeding specialist, lactation consultant or infant feeding supporter, let them know if the plan is becoming too much.
Because while feeding your baby matters, so does your recovery, your rest and your experience of early parenthood.
You deserve support with all of it.
Where to get support
NCT Infant Feeding Line open 8am to midnight, every day of the year: 0300 330 0700
National Breastfeeding Line available 24 hours a day, every day of the year: 0300 100 0212.
Find local expert support in the UK Breastfeeding Directory.
If you’re local to Bromley, pop in and see me at Baby Cafe Bromley on Monday mornings. Or book a private 1:1 home visit.
Read Sherry’s book The Confident Mother.
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