Breastfeeding

~~Low Supply Ladies Check In~~

This is a weekly check in where ladies who are dealing with a low supply of breastmilk can share their successes and get support for their challenges and difficult days.

If you are looking for supply boosting ideas here is a link to a great post that JenniferJaneC posted rating all of the supply boosters she has tried. Here is a recipe for lactation cookies and here is a recipe for lactation banana bread.

Here is the link to the Motherlove webpage. They are the makers of More Milk Plus and More Milk Special Blend. There is also a store locator on their site so you can find the closest place to you to buy it.

How are you doing this week ladies?

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Re: ~~Low Supply Ladies Check In~~

  • Mr B baked a batch of the cookies last week and they've been a delicious (and hopefully purposeful) treat.  I am still taking the DMP and believe I am starting to notice a difference.  She will nurse and get 1.5 oz from me and then I can immediately pump and get anywhere from 1 oz - 2 oz.  Sounds like I might actually be borderline able to EBF but only if I can get her to continue to strengthen in order to nurse more effectively.  Due to her weak suck and the fact that I'm a BFAR mom, we might not ever be able to have 20 minute nursing sessions for a full feeding but if I could EBF, I would be totally okay with that. We are doing our oral exercises but we need to do them 3-5 times a day and we're only getting about 2-3 sessions.  We extended the rental of the scale for another month so we can continue to monitor her weight gain.

    Overall, the last 7 days have been very good!

    The Bee Hive Est. June 30, 2007
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    25 Weeks - GOAL MET 52.2 Pounds gone! 27 Weeks Total Pounds Lost: 54.0
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  • Morning :) It seems like the Domperidone I've been on for 10 days is finally kicking in. I've been able to pump 2+ oz during my mornings sessions and 1+ in the evening. Still not enough to feed BM exclusively, but we're on our way. This is harder than I thought it would be... well, for different reasons than I thought, that is. Have a great day!

     

     

  • Thank you for posting this! I am definitely going to try the oatmeal. I'm a working mom and would love to pump more milk and decrease/eliminate formula supplementing.
  • imageMrs.B6302007:

    Mr B baked a batch of the cookies last week and they've been a delicious (and hopefully purposeful) treat.  I am still taking the DMP and believe I am starting to notice a difference.  She will nurse and get 1.5 oz from me and then I can immediately pump and get anywhere from 1 oz - 2 oz.  Sounds like I might actually be borderline able to EBF but only if I can get her to continue to strengthen in order to nurse more effectively.  Due to her weak suck and the fact that I'm a BFAR mom, we might not ever be able to have 20 minute nursing sessions for a full feeding but if I could EBF, I would be totally okay with that. We are doing our oral exercises but we need to do them 3-5 times a day and we're only getting about 2-3 sessions.  We extended the rental of the scale for another month so we can continue to monitor her weight gain.

    Overall, the last 7 days have been very good!

    Which oral exercises are you doing with LO? The occupational therapist didn't give us any, except to let DD suck on our pinky and to be diligent about tummy time. I'd love to work more on strengthening her suck if possible. Thanks! 

  • Hi ladies I am new to this check in!

    I also had a low supply issue with DS2.  Right now with DS3 I am pumping every 3 hours after he eats.  Right now at each pumping I am getting about 25ml, which is more than I ever got with DS2.  Because I am not getting that much we are also having to supplement with formula.  But as of now he is getting more BM than formula at each feeding.

    We have been working on his latch and as of yesterday he was able to latch with a nipple shield.  I also tried last night with out a nipple shield and I got him to latch on to one boob!   But of course he only sucks for about a min and than falls asleep. 

    I have not tried any of the milk producing tips yet.  But I did with DS2 and those didnt seem to work that much either.  But I will not give up!!

    I figure as long as he is getting some BM it is better than none.  I nursed and supplemented DS2 until he was a year and that is the plan with this one as well.  Although I hope to one day get him on all BM.

    I need to start frequenting this board more often.  

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  • I just read the recipe for lactation cookies.  What is flaxseed meal
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  • Domperidone ordered and we are still trying to nurse often, she doesnt have the patience to latch more times then she actually does, hopefully i can get my pumping output back up with the Domperidoneto do at least half of what im doing now!
  • Feeling a little discouraged this week. After supplementing for 3 weeks, we have been EBF for the last month. I started back to work this week and I only have 2 opportunities to pump, I'm getting about 8 oz, but baby is taking12 at daycare.  I feel like if I could get another pumping session in I would be able to do it, but I teach and I can only pump when my kids are gone. School already altered the schedule to get me 2 times spaced apart from each other.  It makes me feel sad to know I was doing it when I wasn't working and now that I'm working we are going to have to look at supplementing again. 
  • imageCheekie4:
    I just read the recipe for lactation cookies.  What is flaxseed meal

     

    It looks like cornmeal only a bit darker.  We found ours at the health food store.

    The Bee Hive Est. June 30, 2007
    The Bee Hive Blog
    image
    "So I sing a song of love, Julia"
    06.10.10

    BFAR:We Defined Our Own Success!
    image
    25 Weeks - GOAL MET 52.2 Pounds gone! 27 Weeks Total Pounds Lost: 54.0
  • Morning! AF is a day or so away so its been a rough few days. I went from being able to pump a little less that the 3 bottles LO needs a day while I am at work to 2! I cant wait till next week, I hope I can make it up this time. I am almost at my initial goal of 6 mo EBF but I REALLY want to aim for that year mark!
  • imageCheekie4:
    I just read the recipe for lactation cookies.  What is flaxseed meal

    It's basically like cornmeal.  If you can get Bob's Red Mill products near you, they sell one that's good quality and not too expensive.

    Brewer's Yeast is harder to find sometimes, I had to go to a health food store for it.  But I also sprinkle it on my oatmeal in the morning. 

    Also, make sure you're drinking lots of water and getting enough calories ladies, that makes a HUGE difference.

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  • Wow!!!  So impressed that there is this little support group going on!  I felt so alone in my supply issues at first until I met other moms with the same problem.  Just wanted to share some success with you all.  I started at getting 1/8 oz (both breasts) pumping without BF beforehand - really REALLY low supply.  Pumped like a maniac and continued to BF as much as possible, and now with the help of some domperidone and a lot of determination, I can say that at 3.5 months, DS often does not need any supplementation at all!!!  I would say he gets an average of about 2-3 oz of formula a day, and he is a big eater.  I am still lugging around my medela symphony pump to work every day and getting up 2x each night to pump, but I am so happy and feel so satisfied with my progress.  I NEVER thought I could do it, and so I just wanted to say to all the moms out there with low supply to not give up if it's important to you - it takes a long time to build up supply and I did have to medicate, but I did it.  Good luck to all of you!!! 
  • I feel like I'm in the story of "The Little Boobs That Could" Every time I pump, I'm almost like, "I think I can. I think I can....."

    I've started Synthroid after finding out my thyroid gland apparently crashed postpartum. I think it is helping. ?I really think this might have been my biggest issue. So ladies get your thyroid checked if you can't find any other reason for your supply problems.?

    This week I've been able to get about 3 oz each time I pump at work. With pumping after feeds that's enough to send her to daycare with little to no formula in her bottles. ?I know 3 oz doesn't sound like alot, but compared to where I started, it's a major increase.?

    We're still having to supplement with about 6 oz of formula/day. ?I'd love to get it down to none by the time she is 4 months, and have a month or two of EBF before starting solids.

    My daughter's stomach issues, colic seems to have cleared up since ?I stopped taking More Milk Plus. It pains me to know I might have been causing her this discomfort because of something i was taking.?

  • Today is my second full day of taking domperidone. I got 1.5oz at my last pump, which is great for me. In the very beginning I was only getting .5oz (combined) after pumping, so the fenugreek, oatmeal, water, eating, etc...are helping a little bit. I am hopeful about the domperidone. In a couple weeks we will reassess and see if we can get DD back on the boob. Ever since seeing this check-in I wait for it all week! Thanks, ladies!
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  • My weeks been good. DS maybe took in 3 oz of formula yesterday - I had to really coax him because I'm so not used to him not needing it. The day before he took in 8 oz. Today, he's alerady taken 3 oz Tongue TiedIndifferent I'm so confused! The domperidone is working since my supplementing has decreased so much. I pumped a bit more often but I have such a hard time figuring out what to do with DS while I pump after he eats (what do you guys do with DS when you pump after he eats?). I'm hopeful that if I increase my pumping that I planned on doing last week we'll have good results.
  • Have you tried pumping after each home feeding? It may get you just what you need... I tache too amd I am going back at the end of this month. I am trying to see what others do but I am also trying to get my body used to pumping an extra night session and after each feeding. That way when i go back to work it won't be so hard to get the supply I need. Also have you tried right after the bell rings at the end of the day?
  • imageelissa808:
    Morning! AF is a day or so away so its been a rough few days. I went from being able to pump a little less that the 3 bottles LO needs a day while I am at work to 2! I cant wait till next week, I hope I can make it up this time. I am almost at my initial goal of 6 mo EBF but I REALLY want to aim for that year mark!

    This is my first check-in. I'm hoping this is my problem too.  I went from 24oz+ to 15oz.  I have increased pumping times/length, more milk plus, oatmeal, flax seed, fenugreek.   I ordered lactation blend which should be here tomorrow. Plus he's teething so nursing has not been the easiest.

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  • in terms of what to do with LO while pumping...

    i hand him over to dad if he's around, but otherwise i stick him in the swing or put him on the couch next to me in the boppy and play with him to the extent i can whilst pumping.  i always make sure to have a pacifier handy in case he starts fussing.  it's very tedious to BF, then feed him EBM or formula, and then pump - takes forever!  so every once in awhile i will pump when he is napping and skip a BF session.  It makes me feel guilty, but i figure it's better than me being completely frazzled...

  • nycnola -

    you sound like me - right before i started domperidone i was getting like 1/2 oz combined, sometimes 3/4.  i took one dose of dom and got 1.5 ounces.  that was when DS was around 6-7 weeks.  now that he is 15 weeks i can get 5.5oz!!!  that is, of course, only pumping.  i work, so a lot of times i am not able to BF, and i skip BF in the middle of the night because it just takes way too long and i wake up to pump too, but i do BF when i can.  keep with the dom and the pumping, and i bet you'll get there.  for me i think the key was pumping at least 2 more times than he fed every day.  my supply just kept ramping up and up.  so keep at it!

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