EBF question

TheDairyQueenx3 · November 2013

My boys are now 11 days old and still in the NICU so exclusivly pumping ( although I do nurse both when we are at the hospital) I'm finding it really hard to keep up with the amount that they are getting as I am hardly able to keep up with the amount for just one of them let alone two. I have been drinking mothers milk tea, oatmeal, hot showers to relax, drink tons of water, massage to help with let downs. I am pumping every two hours. I don't know what else to do. Anyone else who has EBF have any tips on how to make enough for two? Or had to supplement then successfully ween them later on? If you did supplement how did you go about it?

carrotcake06 · November 2013

What are you pumping with? For how long? Are your shields the correct size? Are you pumping after nursing (when you nurse?).

I had a hell of a time in the beginning w not producing enough for them. The NICU kept upping their feeds (a good thing!) but my output just wasn't there. It took me days to get anything.

I would pump for 30 min every 3 hours around the clock. What seemed to help the most was pumping after I was able to nurse them and to get the NICU to count nursing as a feed. That's the only way I got ahead in those early days.

I was finally able to stop supplementing around day 10 and they haven't had any formula since. We're going strong at 5 mo so it can be done even w a slow start.

You could also add in a power pump in the evening - pump for ten min, break for 10 min, repeat for a hour. I've had a lot of success doing that when I've needed a little supply boost.

The NICU sucks a lot and having to stress about production doesn't make it easier. Hang in there.

TheDairyQueenx3 · November 2013

I have a Medea instyle pump. I'm pumping every 2 and a half hours for 30 mins each time. I think y shields are fitting properly but I may try a larger size this next session to see if that changes anything. I trying to be at the NICU as much as possible but we live 2 hours away and we have a4 year old at home with no one to watch him since family is 14 hours away so I can only go for a few days at a time on DH days off. I do pump after I nurse but the NICU just bumps up the feeds so fast I can't keep up and they go threw what I can get too fast. It's so frustrating! Lots and lots of tears already but I just can't give up I will pump an nurse until the day not a single drop comes out or they self ween but for right now keeping up is like mission impossible and I afraid when I get them home they will stop gaining or lose weight.

carrotcake06 · November 2013

I know - it's so hard. And you're doing the best that you can. I have an older one, but he goes to daycare and we only live 30min from the hospital. Doing the NICU thing while recovering from giving birth is brutal, especially when you're so far away. It's mentally, physically and emotionally draining.

Keep doing what you're doing. You're doing a great job. And dont forget to take care of yourself.

SV917 · November 2013

Fenugreek in the liquid form really helped me. I would add a few drops to my morning coffee and some in my oatmeal. I just have one in the NICU so I had the benefit of the other bringing the milk in and doing long nursing sessions, but I did see an increase with the fenugreek drops. Unfortunately, I had to stop because my daughter is in the NICU with blood sugar issues and fenugreek can affect that, but the supply hasn't decreased too much after I stopped. I also get a ton when I use the NICU's pump. I use my Hygeia at home but always make sure to have a pumping session at the hospital.

LottaLattes · November 2013

My suggestion would be to actually pump 20 minutes every 2.53 hours, and to do at least one power pump a day (take one hour where you pump for 10, off for 10, and do that three times in place of one pump) preferably in the morning. And if you aren't, try to get a block of sleep at night. Stress can affect supply too, and I know it is hard but try to relax as much as you can. I also added a scoop of flax to my oatmeal every morning.

And mostly, as little as 1oz of breastmilk a day is beneficial, and a little supplementing wont hurt them at all. Do what you can, but long run, you are doing GREAT.

somewhereincali · November 2013

You should use a hospital grade pump if you are pumping instead of nursing. Medela Symphony or similar. Should be able to rent from hospital or pharmacy

LottaLattes · November 2013

Oh and when I supplemented I would mix formula with bm and give each half

jocie2581 · November 2013

I wasn't able to keep up with their supply in the nicu until 10ish days. I rented a hospital grade pump -medela symphony- and pumped 20 mins every 3 hours. Eventually I had an oversupply issue.

My advice. Relax and do the best you can. Formula is not the enemy. Give yourself time to recover and continue pumping. It took my body time to produce enough milk.

megs3084 · November 2013

Nicu nurse chiming in. This is actually pretty common among our moms and first I'd like to say it sounds like you're doing a great job.Please don't beat yourself up. It sounds like you're pumping pretty frequently. I would've suggested every 2 hours if you weren't already doing so. When you pump, are you completely empty when the time is up? If not, pump until you're empty and a min or 2 past that. It will signal to your breasts that they need to produce more for the next feeding as the demand is still there. STress can greatly affect supply too. I know its easier said than done but please make sure you're taking care of you. Eat well, stay hydrated.

tootsscott · November 2013

This is all good advice. We're in hospital waiting for our twins who may/may not end up in NICU and am now trying to wrap my brain around feeding 2 babies with my boobs!

kari.sandall · November 2013

I EP for my twins for 4 months, they were never good at nursing, but around 4 weeks I started having supply issues and couldn't keep up. We started giving them half bm half formula. After 4 months my supply dropped again and I just couldn't take it anymore. So we went to straight formula and never looked back. Keep pumping and get those babies on the beast as often as possible! You're doing a great job! Having babies in the NICU is hard.

bumpuser924057 · November 2013

I had one twin in the NICU and one twin in the hospital room and home with me, plus a two year old, so I was never able to get the amount of pumping in that I was supposed to since I was already nursing one baby around the clock. My boy twin took almost a full month to learn how to latch and nurse, and he got mostly formula for that month while I nursed DD almost exclusively, supplementing with just one formula bottle at night. They are five months old now and both are mostly breastfed, and both still get one 3oz formula bottle before bed just because it's been part of the bedtime routine from the beginning and I'm too scared to change it

.

When my boy twin finally got on the boob, I really bumped up the herbal supplements - I think for a few weeks I was taking 10 fenugreek capsules and 5 blessed thistle capsules a day - and I always keep a stash of Quaker Chewy granola bars handy because they're tastier, easier, and faster than oatmeal. I was able to back off on the fenugreek/blessed thistle after a while and seem to still be maintaining a good enough supply for two.

shaunah816 · November 2013

All of this advice is great, and can I also chime in that I think you're amazing. We're so hard on ourselves, particularly as new moms, but you are an absolute super hero. Way to go working so, so hard on providing BM to these teeny tiny new creatures. I hope things continue to go well for you all!

TheDairyQueenx3 · November 2013

Thank you so much everyone. Your advice has helped a ton. I actually have produced a little more thanks to all the suggestions! Even though it's up by only a 1/2 oz it's still more than before. We hopefully will be bringing them home here very very soon and I'm just going to try EBF and pumping after feeds instead of even trying to supplement and see what happens for a day or two. We will be working super close with the LC and NICU the first few day to make sure they are getting enough and are having good diaper output before we officially take them home incase the SNS system will be needed or not. I never thought breast feeding would be so difficult since it was suc a breeze with my singleton. I'm trying so hard and I refuse to even entertain the thought of giving up ( though it has crossed my mind at the wee hours of the night!) I'm setting small goals and so far we are half way to my first ( a month) then keep going from there. To hear that you all are able to do it is very encouraging and to know I'm not the only one who has struggled in the beginning is also comforting to know. It's so hard not to feel like your failing when it comes to this stuff. First it was because I couldn't keep them in long enough, then it was how do I balance two babies and a toddler and make sure they all get enough from me, now it's the milk supply. Thank you all so much again!!!

Momof8inSC · November 2013

Fenugreek worked like crazy for me along w pumping while mine was in NICU. It became almost too much lol

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