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Human milk fortifier?

TheDairyQueenx3TheDairyQueenx3 member
in Breastfeeding
I wasn't sure if I should ask this here or on the preemie board but if anyone has use it before I would love to know what brand and how much it cost and if insurance covered it and if you needed a script. I know there is a fortifier that is in either 24,26,28,30 cal increments made from actual Human milk (prolact +) but I'm not sure how to go about getting it. Their website didn't have any info so I have called their pedi To see if she can order it. We have done weighted feeds and he transfers beautifully, has a great latch, and is a nursing champ but for what ever reason is very very slow to gain where as his twin has no problems gaining. So of course my pedi suggested the dreaded "f" word and I was basically in tears as I have been trying so hard. It dosent help that no one in my family BF and everyone hates the fact that I do so I have 0 support and this just fueled the fire so to speak for them to bash my decision. They did this with my first son as well ad it gets very exhausting emotionally. They will be 10 weeks this wed. And I feel like I'm failing at This horribly watching one twin thrive and the other lag behind. Anyhow long story short I have lots of frozen milk I can fortify so he gets the extra calories to help him gain but just don't know how to order or purchase the fortifier. Similac and enfamil are not human milk based so I don't know if that would alter the taste or not. Also if anyone has any suggestions that may help me in doing something different to help him gain like changing my diet to boost fat content I would love to know how to do so. Sorry for this probably being all over the place I'm trying to nurse them as I type this on my phone. Thanks everyone!


Together 6 wonderful years.
TTC #1 18 months 1 loss DX unexplained IF-- BFP July 2009-- ITS A BOY
TTC #2 3 years and 3 losses DX PCOS -- BFP April 2013-- TWIN BOYS!
~DS1-Feb 2010~ 
~DS2&3- Nov 2013  {7 weeks early}~ TTC #4~
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Re: Human milk fortifier?

  • PurpleIris30PurpleIris30 member
    I discussed this quite a bit with the doctors when my girls were in the nicu, as they add a fortifier as a matter of course due to prematurity and extra calorie needs. I have a milk protein allergy and was really worried about giving them a cow milk based fortifier. The human milk based fortifier was only available for babies before a certain week gestation (something like 28 weeks, but don't quote me on that). My girls were born at 32 and it was not an option for them.

    After reviewing literature on improved outcomes for preemies on the fortifier, I did consent to the 24 cal supplementation mixed with my breast milk. It was enfacare (infacare?) - an enfamil brand, which was cow milk based. After they were home and their weight gains were good, our pedi gave the ok to stop the two supplemented bottles they were getting each day and go to all breast feeding. So maybe if he got a bit of a boost and caught up on the weight gains, you could go back to breast feeding?

    How much is your smaller twin gaining? Less than .5oz per day? Or within normal range but just less than his twin?
    Married 8/2008. IVF with PGD March 2013.
    3/22 ER: 25R, 20M, 15F. 9 genetically normal, and 3 survived to Day 5
    3/27 ET: transferred 1 embryo, beta 9dp5dt=163, 12dp5dt=639
    4/25 1st ultrasound at 7 weeks = identical twins with heartbeats?!!!
    PPROM at 31w, delivery at 32 weeks of two beautiful girls
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  • TheDairyQueenx3TheDairyQueenx3 member
    I'm still waiting to hear from my doctor about getting a prescription for them. Did either of you notice a change in smell or even if baby(ies) didn't care for the taste? The smaller twin is gaining between .25 and .5 oz. and he has to go have a procedure done that will require sedation to determine if he needs surgery or not and then he ha another surgery coming up in the near future on top of this so I know that will set him back even more considering the one surgery is upper respiratory and throat. I'm hoping once he is caught up we can skip the fortified milk and EBF 100% again. How many fortified oz in bottles a day did your LOs need?

    @mosymama thank you! If I get the ok from my pedi to use cow milk based I will let you know :)


    Together 6 wonderful years.
    TTC #1 18 months 1 loss DX unexplained IF-- BFP July 2009-- ITS A BOY
    TTC #2 3 years and 3 losses DX PCOS -- BFP April 2013-- TWIN BOYS!
    ~DS1-Feb 2010~ 
    ~DS2&3- Nov 2013  {7 weeks early}~ TTC #4~
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  • PurpleIris30PurpleIris30 member
    My girls never seemed to mind it at all. They were getting two bottles a day, which were between 2-3oz each. They were about 5ish lbs then, if I remember correctly. We were also able to stop the fortifier fairly soon after coming home from the nicu.

    Hope your baby's surgery goes well.
    Married 8/2008. IVF with PGD March 2013.
    3/22 ER: 25R, 20M, 15F. 9 genetically normal, and 3 survived to Day 5
    3/27 ET: transferred 1 embryo, beta 9dp5dt=163, 12dp5dt=639
    4/25 1st ultrasound at 7 weeks = identical twins with heartbeats?!!!
    PPROM at 31w, delivery at 32 weeks of two beautiful girls
    image
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  • mgm84mgm84 member
    MosyMama said:
    I was supposed to fortify one feeding every day, but once we were out of the NICU and nursing on demand, LO gained weight quickly and I didn't have to use the HMF anymore.

    GL with everything!
    This.  It really shouldn't be necessary.
      
    Lilypie - (eoyh)


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  • TheDairyQueenx3TheDairyQueenx3 member
    @mgm84 they are 10 weeks old and twin B is only up 2 pounds from his birth weight so it is necessary at this point especially because he has a few surgeries he needs to put weight on for. We have done weighted feeds he transfers milk great but he just is burning to many calories for other medical reasons so he isn't gaining at all. The other twin however is doing perfect. So that's why we really do need to fortify some expressed milk for him.

    @purpleiris30 thank you me too! As if having twins wasn't stressful enough right! He has a wonderful medical team at the children's hospital so as long as we get threw the next few months I'm hoping he will catch up to his brother. I will try 2 2 oz bottles at first and see how that goes.


    Together 6 wonderful years.
    TTC #1 18 months 1 loss DX unexplained IF-- BFP July 2009-- ITS A BOY
    TTC #2 3 years and 3 losses DX PCOS -- BFP April 2013-- TWIN BOYS!
    ~DS1-Feb 2010~ 
    ~DS2&3- Nov 2013  {7 weeks early}~ TTC #4~
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  • elamplelampl member
    My girls seemed to have gas from the fortifier so the NICU nurses gave me the recipe to add formula to breastmilk bottles to equal 24/cal fortifier.   As the NICU.   I added a 1/2 teaspoon premature Enfamil to a 50 ml bottle and then just phased it out personally (With Pedi's approval) as I got comfortable with their weightgain. 

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