For all of the planning and dreaming we might do, birth is never quite what we think it will be. When the unexpected brings baby out sooner, plans can change in dramatic ways. The good news is, the milk you make for a pre-term baby is just as good as for one born closer to term. Actually, it’s even better.

Breastfeeding a pre-term baby has its challenges, and it might not even look like normal breastfeeding for awhile. But the antibodies and nutrients that your milk provides are life-saving and worth every drop of effort.

Breastfeeding is an incredible way to bond with your child and nourish them with exactly the components they need. And at the same time, that nourishment can eventually become part of our every day lives without a second thought. All of us have kinks to work out as we get to that point -- learning our baby’s cues, checking latches, counting poopy diapers. And then, there are special instances where the learning curve stretches even further. Today, we’re going to cover a few of these special cases: breastfeeding pre-term babies, breastfeeding twins, and tandem breastfeeding with an older baby.