Advice for EP pre-term mama with supply issues

DahliaFlower · July 2014

Ladies who have had babies in NICU and had supply issues with EP, please come in...

I am looking for tips to offer a family member experiencing greatly diminished supply several weeks after a very early preterm birth. Baby is doing great in NICU and has been receiving BM through NG tube, too young to suck and swallow yet. Unfortunately, mama has had some serious medical issues after delivery, which have caused supply to drop very significantly. She is very motivated to keep up w/ EP and has the goal of BF when LO is ready, but she is very discouraged right now.

I have already suggested use of domperidone, seeing a very good local LC (I used her myself for recurrent mastitis manangement), extreme hydration. I told her to keep up pumping routine, even with little to no output. I am looking for advice on power pumping strategies, meditation and other techniques she can do at home while pumping. If anyone has any recommendations for websites w/ images of crying babies or other visual cues to help w/ let-down, please advise. This and any other advice would be greatly appreciated!

DahliaFlower · July 2014

casey78 said:

Has she seen her dr about possibility of retained placenta or other hormonal concern?

Been there, done that! She's already had D&C, they say they got placenta. But I have been concerned there was something remaining... What was your experience?

opheliainwaders · July 2014

This may seem silly, but when you're thinking all the time about baby, you can't forget to eat...CALORIES! To pump enough, even once supply was established, I had to eat a LOT. Like 2500-3000 calories per day, with plenty of healthy fats. Nuts, whole milk, avocado, dark meat chicken, etc.

Odebdo · July 2014

Hospital grade pump...pumping every 3 hours round the clock...pumping in my child's NICU room, play with the settings on the pump...a nurse who was a LC helped me get my supply up to meet my twins needs...and drink lots of h2o and eat!

abenson3 · July 2014

Hands-free pumping and trying to ignore output! When I paid attention to my output, it was almost always lower. I usually tried to Bump or look at facebook or pinterest. I know a lot of women who journal during pump session! Many women have success power pumping. I did not have supply issues, so I do not have 1st hand experience with this technique, but I am sure there are other ladies here who can explain it!

BootsOrHearts · July 2014

Just pumping. Pumping 10-12 times per day, at least 15 minutes and with a hospital grade pump (you can rent them from BRU or from the hospital). Also try breast compressions, google 'hands on pumping', looks weird but it really works!

I had decent luck with blessed thistle plus fenugreek.

Kellymom has a good section on EPing.

https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/exclusive-pumping/

DahliaFlower · July 2014

Thanks everyone for your thoughts! I am going to pass this info along to her.

KTZ17 · July 2014

Chiming in late here, but I had supply issues as well when my dd was born at 31 weeks. I saw the LCs in the hospital and another once she came home. I tried fenugreek, blessed thistle, malunggay, goat's rue, shatavari, and domperidone, plus a special diet that included lots of flax seeds, black sesame seeds, berries, and nuts. My supply was never enough for my DD. I also tried hand expressing after each pumping session so fully empty the breast and once she came home I used a supplemental nursing system. She's still BFing at 14 months despite my supply issues. Best of luck to your family member.

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