Congratulations on the birth or anticipated birth of your babies. The new little people who have entered your life can be a source of joy for you and your partner. As well as the busy times ahead, you can look forward to the multiples of hugs and kisses from your babies.

Some mothers find breastfeeding one baby demanding. Breastfeeding three or four or more could be viewed as a definite challenge. But many mothers succeed.

If breastfeeding is what you have always wanted, then being able to breastfeed these babies will be even more rewarding, as others before you have discovered. At times the rewards may seem small and mixed up with the challenges; be assured though, this is not a situation that is unique to parents of multiples.

There are lots of great reasons to breastfeed

In multiple ways breastfeeding promotes good health in vulnerable babies. It will save you time and a lot of money. For an informative list of breastfeeding benefits, see the ABA booklets Breastfeeding Higher Order Multiples and Introduction to Breastfeeding available from ABA..

Can one woman produce enough milk?

Yes. People sometimes doubt that it's possible to make enough milk for two babies, let alone more. Knowing how breastfeeding works will help you understand how this is possible. It can give you the confidence to continue breastfeeding even when your babies are demanding and you, or others, begin to question your milk supply. It will help you keep up a plentiful supply so you can breastfeed for as long as it suits you and your family.

The basic rule about milk production is supply = demand. This is a short way of saying that the more often a baby feeds at your breast and removes milk (demand), the more milk is made (supply). This is why mothers of multiples are able to make enough milk for their babies. The extra stimulation of three or more babies sucking means that your body will produce the extra milk they need. Knowing this can help you cope, especially on bad days when your babies seem extra fussy or hungry and you feel like you can't possibly have enough milk for them. Understanding that supply equals demand can reassure you that those extra feeds your babies are asking for will help you make enough breastmilk to meet their growing appetites.

When a baby sucks at the breast, two hormones are released: prolactin which stimulates milk production, and oxytocin which releases the milk from the breast. This release is called the let-down or milk ejection reflex. It is important because it is the mechanism by which the milk is made available to the babies. With the let-down working efficiently, it requires little effort for a small or sick baby to obtain milk.

ABA's booklet Breastfeeding Triplets, Quads or More contains great information collected from mothers who have breastfed their multiples; building and maintaining your milk, feeding positions and rotation of feeds, expressing, complementary feeds, managing at home, and tips in the parents' own words. You can purchase booklets from Mothers Direct.

"I'm very glad I did breastfeed them for 16 months, and put the effort that I did into their babyhood as it is such a short time. It was always me that cuddled and fed them while helpers did the housework. I'm sure if I had bottle-fed I would be saying 'you feed the babies while I do this'. I really feel as if I have mothered them and have a very close relationship with each of them ".