Will I have enough milk?

Most women are able to produce enough milk to feed twins. Many women are also able to breast-feed or pump enough breast milk to feed higher order multiples. To ensure a steady milk supply, consider these tips:

• Start right after birth. Breast-feeding your newborns soon after birth and at least eight to 12 times every 24 hours will help you establish your milk supply. The more often you breast-feed, the more milk you'll produce.

• Pump. If your babies are born early and are unable to breast-feed right away, begin pumping shortly after you give birth to establish your milk supply. Pumping both breasts at the same time will help you make more milk.

  Hospital-grade, double electric breast pumps help stimulate milk production while cutting pumping time in half. Once breast-feeding is well established, pumping also allows other caregivers to help with feedings.

• Alternate breasts. Offering both breasts to each baby at each feeding and alternating the breast the feedings are started on, as well as which baby feeds first, might optimize your milk production. This is because each of your babies might have a different style of feeding. Switching breasts will also give your babies different views, which stimulates their eyes. Consider assigning each baby to one breast for a day and then switching the next day or giving each baby a different breast at each feeding.

Remember to always bring your babies to your breast — rather than bending over or leaning forward to bring your breast to your babies.