FTM pumping question

rbell955061

Hi this is my first time posting. I am a FTM of triplet boys. They were born at 31 weeks and are still currently in the NICU and are 33 weeks 3 days now. They are doing so well and should be coming home soon!! I am pumping right now trying to supply them with enough milk. I have a low supply and wonder if anyone has any suggestions on how to help increase my supply? I use a Medela hospital grade pump that I rent from the hospital and I am currently taking a prescription from my doctor. I can only use this prescription for three weeks. Does anyone have experience with this or with breastfeeding multiples? Any help would be much appreciated! Thank you!

jesslynnw90

Congratulations on your sweet boys!! So happy they are coming home soon!! I don't have experience with nursing for multiples, but I'm sure Pinterest does! I was going to suggest that there's a prescription you can take to help but you're taking that already. Are you drinking an insane amount of water. I constantly have a water bottle with me wherever I go. I've been eating lots of oats and flax seed. I've been drinking mothers milk tea, which to me doesn't have the greatest taste, but I just chug it down. Also, Pinterest has really great recipes for smoothies, cookies, etc that help promote milk production. Hope this helps a little! Again, congrats on your boys!!

rbell955061

Thank you jesslynnw90! I recently started taking fenugreek, blessed thistle, and I have been drinking the tea. If you add a little honey it is not so bad. Everything seems to help a little but my supply is still lower than it should be gut better than before. I ordered some flax seed and brewer's yeast. It should be getting here today. I carry around a water bottle all of the time too. I think the ladies at the nicu probably think I am crazy cause I bring a cooler of six giant water bottles I constantly refill lol. I followed your advice and have started looking on pinterest. I found some smoothies and cookies to try. Hopefully this helps! I hope all of this starts to work soon. I really want to be able to feed my babies. I feel like this is one of the few things I can do for them while they are in the nicu and I hate feeling like I am failing them. Thank you for your response and advice. It is really appreciated.

etayislove

Congrats! Supply issues can be so frustrating, have you tried getting in contact with your local La Leche group? Mom's of multiples need lots of support and you might find another multiple mom that is already in the group and would be able to give you some tips and pointers.

Water intake, eating well, taking prenatals, and using herbal supplments can be helpful. Getting skin to skin with your babies if able is also a great way to up supply, kangaroo care style. Are or have you been nursing them yet?

SmallCityLiving

My twins are 13 months old and still nursing after a rough start where they were on formula in the NICU and my milk came in late. I recommend putting them to breast as often as possible as soon as you can. That may even be every hour and a half or two in the beginning. Once they're at a safe weight and gaining, slowly cut back on the supplements (formula). Good luck, either way every drop of milk is good for them even if you can't exclusively breastfeed. I wish we as women would stop beating ourselves up over it. Just do he best you can and that will be enough.

To be honest with twins I actually wish I had supplemented with a bottle of formula at night to get them sleeping better earlier. I was too stubborn to do it but I think it would've helped my sanity when I went back to work.

Good luck, let me know if I can help in any way.

nursej519

@SmallCityLiving -- even though I am not a mom to twins, your words really meant a lot to me. Its so stressful when you want to breastfeed and are struggling. But you're exactly right.. Every drop I can provide for my child is good for her and better than none at all.

rbell955061

Thank you all for your advice and kind words. It can be so very frustrating and hard to do this breastfeeding. It is especially hard I guess since my boys are not ready to take to the,breast yet. They are still working on learning feeding coordination with the bottle and still take most of their food from the feeding tube. I am still producing the same amount and I think I have officially tried everything. I drink the tea, make the smoothies, use

rbell955061

Sorry my post went to soon lol. I use the supplements and make the food with brewers yeast and flax seed. It seems that I am just destined not to be able to fully breastfeed. Thank you again for your advice. I am still trying and will continue until I can actually try breastfeeding with each of my boys. I hope that that will help the production. It should be soon as put youngest should be coming home soon of he keeps doing so well. it will be so nice to have them home soon! I can't wait to be able to hold my babies and to take care of them.

sarahandandy

I did power pumping to increase my supply with my first- sitting during an hour tv show & pumping 10 minutes on, 10 off during the whole show. Are you pumping at night? That should increase your supply also.

nursej519

@sarahandandy did that work? How often throughout the day?

Bethany_Lynne

Night pumping can really help boost your supply quickly.

rbell955061

I tried the version of power pumping a nurse recommended but it was shorter than that! Maybe I can try that way as well for a whole hour. One of my boys is possibly coming home tomorow. We are staying overnight right now at the nicu getting our practice run in on night feedings. I am pumping though the night as well. I have gotten to try breastfeeding with him twice now and it does seem to be helping my supply!! He has done well with it but it is hard work for him so it tires him out. I am also a little more stressed the past two days as one of my other boys unexpectedly developed a stomach infection and was transferred to a different hospital. They were worried it was very serious and could require surgery but hee seems to be doing well and may only require some medical treatment instead. I know stress is very bad for your supply so I an trying not to stress but it is easier said than done come tomorrow I will have three babies in three different places. It will get a little complicated. I am just hoping that I can stick to my pumping schedule with all these new developments, especially since my supply is starting to increase slightly. I made lactation cookies too and I have been using the Brewers yeast and flax seed in oatmeal and protein and kale smoothies. I think this has helped a little as well. Beware though that brewers yeast is tough to swallow. Not a great taste but not bad in the cookies. I try to use the fact that they are lactation cookies as an excuse to consume all the unhealthy calories...Especially the chocolate chips haha.