With tandem breastfeeding, breast milk can adapt to the nutritional needs to newborn and older children

Quick Summary: Recent research on tandem breastfeeding suggests breast milk adapts to the nutrititional requirements of both a newborn and an older child.

Wow. I love this recent (2021) research on tandem breastfeeding.

Tandem breastfeeding is when a mum provides breast milk for two different aged children at the same time.

The study suggests breast milk adapts to the nutrititional requirements of both a newborn and an older child.

This lends further evidence to support breastfeeding for as long as possible.

There hasn’t been much research published about tandem nursing, but it is something breastfeeding mums often ask about — especially expectant mums of breastfeeding toddlers!

In the study by Sinkiewicz-Darol E.et al., (2021), milk was collected from 13 tandem breastfeeding mothers. The milk was then analysed and compared to the mother’s milk after the oldest child was weaned.

The results:

When compared to the mother’s milk once the older child had stopped breastfeeding, the breast milk of a tandem breastfeeding mum had:

• Higher fat content