Induced Lactation

firstcomeslove2013

@AmandaG47

@Jalara48

 @Hey_its_jenn 

@karlamo

I am wondering how your induced lactation is going. We haven't had a check in for a while and I am about 2 months into my protocol. I am going to start pumping in September (due in December) and trying to collect as much info on the food I should eat or supplements I should take. I'd love for everyone to share their process or experiences. Anyone else in the bunch inducing lactation?

firstcomeslove2013

@jalara48 are you pumping 2-3 months out from your due date? Is there a reason you decided with that time frame? I know its a lot of work but I am tempted to start pumping early. I can't seem to find any evidence that is pro or against early pumping...

AmandaG47

Hello!

It's exciting that both of you are starting to pump soon. I remember I started pumping right at Christmas, and the girls were due early march. Of course, with twins we were expecting they easily be quite a bit early or else I may have held off. Overall though, I'm glad I got two months of pumping in before they were born.

As for me, I just moved back to the NW and am taking a nice long vacation at home with the babies. It is WONDERFUL. My supply jumped up when they were born and then when I went back to work, it was pretty hard to keep up. I did keep up mostly, but I kept getting a little behind as they grew, and it took a few days to catch up. Being here with the babies full time (with my wife J) is so much easier to keep my milk up. Of course, it's good in others ways too

One side note... I normally order the dom from inhousepharmacy without a prescription (I'm in the US) and I went to order more because I was running low, and it said it no longer allows ordering without a prescription. I was devastated. That is the ONLY way I can get it and I thought for sure it was the end of my BF relationship. It turns out, they have multiple web sites (I think they keep creating new sites) so that they can get around allowing people ordering without a prescription. It's all pretty shady and I don't like that I have to do it this way, but I am really thankful it's available! I decided right then to order enough to last me until the girls are 1 (even though I want to bf longer, I will be happy to reach 1!).

Looking forward to hearing how your pumping experiences go!

firstcomeslove2013

Yeah, I have to order from Inhousepharmacy.vu I think. I agree on the shady-ness but it's the only way to get what I need!

@AmandaG47‌ do you have to use domperidone every day or are you just using it to keep your supply up? Also, would you say you have enough of a supply for one of your babes to support the breastfeeding with just you?

I feel like such a weirdo because I want to make sure it's working so I want to pump like yesterday but we aren't due until December!

Karlamo

My first check in. Feeding is going well still. Our son is 19 lbs so I guess 2 moms, 4 boobs is working very nicely:) My supply def fluctuates depending on the time of month. I was told by a lc that it's normal. I've weaned myself down to 40mg of domperidone and still take 9 capsules of fenugreek. I'm thinking of adding mothers milk special blend. I weaned down on the domperidone for a few reasons. The dose of 80 mg is really high and I'm also planning on trying to get prego via a FET this fall and can't be on any meds.
I started pumping 6 weeks before he was due but my wife went 1.5 weeks late so I was pumping fir almost 2 months. When I stated pumping I was getting like an 1-1.5 oz/ day. My supply didn't ramp up till he started nursing from me. It's tempting to start early but the amount of work it takes is overwhelming. I was obsessed with keeping a schedule and would leave in the middle of things to pump. And pump in parking garages, bathrooms you name it! After he was born I was so overwhelmed with taking care of a baby that I chilled out with the pumping and am much happier with only pumping when I'm not feeding him to keep my supply up.
I look forward to learning and sharing what I know with fellow induced lactation mamas!

firstcomeslove2013

@karlamo thanks for checking in!!! Its always nice to see the success stories!!!

Has anyone in the group followed a specific diet?

Karlamo

No specific diet. Other than oatmeal. I do drink lots of fluids because I'm so thirsty from bf and it keeps your milk flowing. Are you thinking of something in particular? Did you read about something that helps?

firstcomeslove2013

The only thing that I've heard about is oatmeal and the herbs. I just wasn't sure if anyone else had any sort of magic foods!

AmandaG47

@firstcomeslove2013‌ - I take 80mg Dom a day religiously I have never tried to wean off. My wife and I split feeding the twins 50/50 so yes, I am making one whole babie's worth that's mostly why I don't want to try and wean from Dom until they are a year, if my supply goes down we would have hungry babies! As for food, I try and eat oatmeal when I think about it and LOTS of water! But that's it though.

@Karlamo‌ makes a good point - it's really exciting to start pumping but pumping can also get REALLY old! I ended up pumping 6-8 times a day (less than recommended) and not overnight (didn't want to be exhausted before the babies got here) and it was still hard to fit pumping in always. I was glad however that I had that long, I started by producing half an ounce the first day up to about 16.5 oz right before babies were born (increased about 10ml a day on average). It worked out beautifully because it took awhile for my wife's milk to come in and so I fed them a lot in those early days BUT if we weren't having twins, that big of a supply would probably not have been necessary right when they were born.

trisholiosboi

I would love to induce lactation. The process and sneakiness just seems weird to me.