IF = lactation problems?

zazu13 · March 2014

Hello. This is my first post here. Summary: My twin girls conceived on IVF #5 were born via c-section one week ago at 35 weeks. I had pre-eclampsia & was induced due to sky high BP. After a 34 hour labor that would not progress, a magnesium IV drip, being emotionally and physically spent and 2 days of no food I opted for the section. My girls both went immediately to nicu, but one joined me in my room 7 hours later.

My question: I have barely any milk 7 days pp. The lactation consultants all suggested that my IF was a contributing factor. I am nursing / pumping every three hours, but barely getting enough to send my NICU baby 1 -2 oz per day. My baby who came home with me is getting formula though I do try to nurse her 5-10 min before each bottle. She's so little and sleepy that its not very successful. Im trying not to be too discouraged, but feeling defeated. Did anyone else get told IF means you wont get milk? Is it too late to do something to stimulate more production? Similar stories?

Ruthie04 · March 2014

Welcome and congrats on your twin girls!

I have heard that IF can contribute to poor supply, but I don't know that my issues had much to do with IF. My boys were 36 weekers, also a c/s. They had horrific latches. So bad, in fact, the LC at my pedi's office encouraged me to quit. My milk came in as I was leaving the hospital at day 5, but I didn't do enough to get my supply up. I should have been working on their latches and pumping every two to two and a half hours until I was established. I did do power hours that helped, but by the time I figured things out, my supply was already established and it just wasn't enough. I made it to 7.5 months of BFing, but never had the supply for two babies.

Seven days is not too late to increase your milk supply. You definitely have some time, but not much. You need to get those babies on your breast as much as possible. Do you have access to a LC who might be willing to visit your home? I really think this would have helped, as my pedi's LC and the LC at the hospital didn't have the twin knowledge and the knowledge of late term preemies to help me through my issues (my boys were also SO sleepy due to prematurity). Additionally, one of my boys had a mouth that was just too small to get a good latch, so we used a nipple shield and a tube for milk. It would also have been super helpful to have some help establishing a tandem routine, as that can be super tricky in the beginning.

BFing can be so difficult- especially with twins. You are doing a great job and, with support, you can make some really positive progress toward BFing. Congrats and best of luck!

Jenny935 · March 2014

I had some issues BF at the beginning, but they weren't supply related. Nobody mentioned IF as being a problem. I know that IRL friends in the C-section department have lagged a little behind, but I know many have been successful eventually. I hope you can figure it out!! GL!

kmc84 · March 2014

Honestly, it sounds like the physical and emotional stress of your labor and delivery is probably what is slowing things down. C sections can slow things down even more. My friend had a c section and her milk took all of 9 days to come in.

As for the other part-sorry to say this momma, but pumping or nursing every three hours is no where near often enough, especially for twins. You need to be nursing/pumping at LEAST every two hours around the clock right now. You also must be pumping with a hospital grade double pump (if you aren't all ready using one). Drink tons of water, get lots of calories to help your supply. I know you have one baby in NICU, but as much as you can, do skin to skin with one or both babies. The skin to skin helps with milk production also.

Congratulations and good luck!

chicagobride_07 · March 2014

I had three weeks hospital bedrest prior to delivery, a c section under general anesthesia, and DD was in the NICU for 15 days. The experience for me was pretty traumatic all around. My milk never came in, and embarrassingly enough I was just too emotionally spent to deal with it. My LO has been FF since she's come home and is doing great at 9 months. No one suggested my lack of milk was due to IF, though.

PurpleIris30 · March 2014

Hi there! congrats!

I've heard PCOS can impact supply but not IF in general, since there are so many types of IF.

Both a CS and general prematurity can lengthen the time for milk to come in. It took 4-5 days for me. 7 days is not too late, but it's time to enlist the help of a lactation consultant. There were some available through my NICU.

Keep putting baby to breast as that helped stimulate production more than pumping, but at the very least make sure you are pumping for 20 minutes every 3 hours around the clock. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water (over 100 oz). I also need to eat lots of protein.

With a lot of pumping diligence I was able to produce enough for both babies after that first week or so and able to transition to EBF after the NICU, so it's not impossible. Hang in there!!

boymomstrong · March 2014

I am sorry your having such a hard time, i had a very similar situation but only one baby not 2, and it did take longer for my milk to come in and it was more work, but if you suppliment with formula it will hurt your supply, and the more baby nurses the better your supply will be.
I was told that PCOS can cause a delay or low milk supply, not sure ab your situation, i am mobile bumping, but i was able to nurse for a year, and we would have gine longer if not for the desire to have another baby...
Just keep trying and doing the best you can, its more important your girls eat than any thing else!
Good luck and congrats on your twins!

ccam · March 2014

Congrats on your baby girls and welcome to the board!

I also struggled with BFing. DS (c-section) lost so much weight in the first few weeks that I started supplementing. I tried so hard and did everything but his latch was awful. I honestly think I just never built up a good supply. I switched to pumping and made it until 4.5 months. I was able to give him about 10oz a day of breast milk and the rest was formula. No one ever suggested that it was due to IF though.

You definitely still have time. Do lots of skin to skin and breast feeding. Pump as much as possible. Drink lots of water, etc. It is not easy but it can be done. Good luck to you!!

luvboston · March 2014

Congrats I had the same problem and no one told me that. There is medication they can give you but it only works sometimes. It's either going to happen or its not. Good luck.

Mrs.AmyDylan · March 2014

Hugs! Hang in there! In my Bradley class we talked about the volume of a baby's tummy being the size of a marble to start. Thus, you don't need much milk at the beginning.

I realize you have twins, but you need to be putting baby to the breast as much as possible, every 60-90 min while they are awake. Since you do have twins (not sure if both are home with you), but if one is still in the NICU, feed one and pump the other side at the same time. This will help to capture the natural let downs your baby triggers.

Breastfeeding in the beginning is so much harder than it seems like it should be in the beginning. We dealt with a tongue tie. I'm so glad we stuck with BFing as it is such a comfort to J with teething.

You are doing great! Just don't quit on a bad day! And get yourself to a LC!

Mnerani · March 2014

From what I know about premies (which isn't a lot, but some), BF issues have more to do with THEM than YOU. My sis works with a lot of premies on their latch and suck, as babies born early tend to have issues with this, which then in turn affects your supply. I encourage you to find a LC who is willing to work with you as long and as patiently as it takes to establish a supply. I hope it works out, and in any case, congratulations!!

mcgeeva · March 2014

Welcome and congrats!!!

I have to say I 100% disagree with the lc. I ha you same situation with an emergency csection due to pre e, had the drip, don't really remember the first two days of birth and it took me a good week for my supply to come in. When it did I had oversupply and got mastisis so I think everyone is different and some just make more milk then others. I used formula until I had enough milk in. I would find another lc. My pediatrician had an amazing on call on. I also drank tons of fluids and ate to hopefully get my supply up. I've never tried the pills but ate tons of oatmeal. No clue if it worked or not but I made it to 1 yr bfding. Try calling your pedi lc. Good luck!

TJ1979 · March 2014

Everyone above had great advice. Especially that you just need to be pumping more often. A few tips to help with supply... Definitely drinking tons of water, and eating lots of calories. Eat oatmeal (the real kind, not instant), flax meal, brewers yeast, fenugreek, mothers milk tea, and even dark beer. And lactation cookies are delicious. I know it's easier said than done, but you also need your rest and lower stress. Smelling baby's blanket or clothes, watching baby videos, or holding or nursing a LO while pumping the other side will help too.
GL, I really hope you can make this work.

pb_bride · March 2014

Congrats and welcome!

BIG HUGS to you!

I had a c-section (born 41w1d) and my milk came in around day 7 pp. No one ever commented on IF being a factor with the milk coming in late, though I'm not sure how many people were aware of the fact. DS lost a good amount of weight but I was stubborn enough to keep BFing and not supplement. Eventually my milk came and he gained enough weight back. I just weaned DS last week when he turned 16m.

Good luck to you!

BlueEyedDreamer · March 2014

I've been struggling with low supply since DS was born, and my LC did say that she noticed a connection between low supply and IF but wasn't sure that there was any real causal connection (besides the PCOS link that PPs have mentioned). We were unexplained IF, and now we're unexplained low supply...

Don't give up - I was producing VERY little (~5mL) per feeding when my milk "came in" around day 5-6. I've worked really hard and am up to pumping/transferring ~2 oz (60 mL) per feeding. So don't give up hope! Find a good LC to work with and nurse, nurse, nurse or pump, pump, pump. GL!

Dragonfly1226 · March 2014

kmc84 said:

Honestly, it sounds like the physical and emotional stress of your labor and delivery is probably what is slowing things down. C sections can slow things down even more. My friend had a c section and her milk took all of 9 days to come in. As for the other part-sorry to say this momma, but pumping or nursing every three hours is no where near often enough, especially for twins. You need to be nursing/pumping at LEAST every two hours around the clock right now. You also must be pumping with a hospital grade double pump (if you aren't all ready using one). Drink tons of water, get lots of calories to help your supply. I know you have one baby in NICU, but as much as you can, do skin to skin with one or both babies. The skin to skin helps with milk production also. Congratulations and good luck!

All of this. I EBF my twins. When I first started, I nursed every two to three hours and pumped after every nursing session. I had both girls with me from the start which helped, but if you are supplementing with formula then you need to pump after every nursing session to help build supply. This also gives you a bit if BM to supplement with before going to formula.

Also, drink a ton of water. I drink about 100 oz a day. GL hon!!!

kzawisl · March 2014

^ man, you ladies nailed all the good advice!
I had twins, too. I EP'd because of poor latch. I pumped at least every three hours, ate a bowl of oatmeal every day and drank a dark beer every day. While I didn't produce enough for both to be on breast milk exclusively, I did provide about 70-80%, and supplemented with formula (and donor milk from my dairy cow sister when she visited with her LO)
You can do this, mama. Welcome to SAIF!

Roeni · March 2014

My milk came in on day 3 after csection and I had engorgement issues, so the opposite of not having enough. I already have a lot frozen one week after milk came in so IF didn't affect my situation. I have been eating well and drank a TON of water in the hospital (2-3 pitchers a day). Although it killed me to have to get up and use the bathroom so many times I really think the water helped my supply.

zazu13 · March 2014

Thank you for the replies. I'm drinking a lot of water, eating oatmeal and trying to pump frequently. So far I am getting only about 1/4 how much I need to feed my 2 girls. Better than none. Today I actually leaked a bit and took that as a good sign. Hope I can increase my supply and eventually EBF both.

kmc84 · March 2014

@zazu13‌ Great job! Keep at it momma! It's hard work, but I promise it will get easier! If you have not already, find an IBCLC to work with. They are the best of the best when it comes to breast feeding! Are you using a hospital grade pump? It really is a necessity for you to make this work.

This may sound a little (or a lot) crazy, but I swear that if I had a few 'crappy' calories, the next day I produced more milk. So, I say why not treat yourself to a cupcake or big brownie and see what happens? If it doesn't work, hey! You just had twins! You deserve a treat

afsalinas · March 2014

I've never heard that but it makes sense. Ds had terrible latch problems despite being for vaginally at 40 weeks. A lactation consultant told me the roof of his mouth was very high and my nipples were short. We physically didn't match up. I used a nipple shield the entire 4.5 months I bf'd. I also had a TON of pain. It didn't go away until 5 weeks into it. I never produced a lot and had to supplement with formula the whole time. Hang in there. BFing is hard!

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