Stubborn as a Mule...Low Supply isn't getting this mama down!

[Hezzie]

I have to vent a little and declare my stubbornness to the world. So I'm having serious milk supply issues...probably from the breast reduction 9 years ago but I also found out recently that my mom had low supply issues with both my sister and me (thanks for telling me now, mom, lol!). In addition, my nipples are flat as a pancake except after I pump and they immediately go flat again. I can nurse Nora with a shield, but it's a pain in the butt and I don't make enough milk to really keep her interested. We're using formula and I'm supplementing with breast milk. Yep, it's usually the other way around but I make maybe an ounce a day pumping (that's it, no kidding).

I'm using a hospital grade pump (Medela Symphony...boy it's a milking machine...owwww!), but can't afford the rental or the expensive herbal galactagogues or domperidone (and I'm not going on Reglan...no no no, not with the depression-related side effects). We're going every 2 hours for 20 minutes to try and increase production, but no go so far. So...I bought a slightly-used Pump in Style since I'm only using the Symphony on half power anyway. It will save us money. I may not make as much as I would with galactagogues, but it's ok. Some is better than none at all.

I went to a LLL meeting last week with a friend. Oh boy, was it hard to watch all those mommies just pop out a booby and feed their babies. You have no idea what it feels like to be an outsider and more than a little inferior when you can't do what your body is supposed to do. On top of it, Nora got hungry and I had to pull out a bottle to feed her. I didn't care, I squared my shoulders and did it (was a little scared because I've heard rumors that LLL can be anti-bottle/anti-formula no matter what your reasons...what am I supposed to do? Let her starve?!). I actually got a lot of support from the women once they knew my reasons for using formula. One lady glared at me the whole time and I glared back with a "Bring it on, lady!" look on my face.

Nora is beautiful and thriving and I feel good anytime I can give her 2 ounces of my milk. Sure, it takes me three days to pump enough for her, but I am NOT giving up and I'm committed to do this until Thanksgiving at least. All of you mamas with low supply issues, I feel for you and I pray you find success at whatever level you set your goals for. Our babies our totally worth it.

[Lacrymosa]

Go you! Society can be so judgemental when they see a mother using formula.. it really isn't fair to the women that desperately want to nurse but truly can't for good reason. I admire your attitude and wish you the best of luck getting what milk you can for your baby. Every little bit helps!

BTW, Nora Cecilia.. what a pretty name!

[Mamabeakley]

Yay, Hezzie!

Some is better than none!

I can imagine it took a lot of courage to bottle-feed in a LLL meeting, and I'm glad most of the mamas were supportive.

[ComfyCozy]

Hezzie!!! You go girl!!!!

I'm BFAR also. I had my reduction 18 years ago at age fifteen. They took out three pounds of tissue reducing me from a DDD to a C. The nipples had to be relocated upwards, so there went the ducts. I tried pumping for my preemie and got one ounce in an entire day, pumping every two hours. I dried up after six weeks. I tried solely breastfeeding my second, third, and fourth babies but it was just a no-go. I finally accepted the way it was with the fifth baby and I didn't submit myself to the agonizing over trying to keep her off formula in the beginning. With my sixth, I asked for breastmilk donations and got some very generous donations. I also made homemade formula according to the Weston A. Price Foundation's recipe for raw milk formula. She thrived!! With this baby, I have been given, yet again, very generous donations of breastmilk. So far it's all he has had and we'll go back to the raw milk formula when we need to... BUT--

My second nursed for 15 months. My third for 18. My fourth for 9 (poor little guy expected me to have milk LOL!He was just too frustrated at the breast to be beneficial to him) My fifth for 19. My sixth for 13. I have cherished the breastfeeding relationships I've had with my children. I had tried with my preemie when she came home but she wanted no part of it. She was born at 27 weeks, had just been through too much trauma, and was just too used to only the bottle. My nurslings never had nipple confusion, though I do not deny such a thing exists.

So keep at it, Hezzie!! Every little bit is beneficial to your baby. I do wonder if your supply might go up just a little with more nursing (with the shield if you have to) since the baby's suckling gives better stimulation to the breast than the pump. I took domperidone with the last baby and my supply went way up--I was able to pump two ounces every two hours at a birth I assisted at four months postpartum. But you're right--it's not cheap. I encapsulate my own fenugreek and blessed thistle, obtained in bulk from Frontier. Placenta pills also can increase supply. One last thing--flat nipples can be caused by the adhesions in the nipple tissue. Nursing or manually twiddling them can loosen those adhesions over time and make it easier to get baby latched on. Well enough from this end... Congratulations on your little Nora and your BFAR successes!!!

[texaspeach]

you are doing great!

[GhostRose]

Good for you

I have found that oatmeal helps increase my supply a bit. I have a recipe for lactation cookies if anyone is interested. They are super yummy!

[ErinBird]

LLL is definitely not opposed to bottles/formula no matter what! I've been in your shoes with low supply and am doing my best to maintain an adequate supply now for this little guy- its really difficult. Keep up the good work and LMK if you need to chat about the difficulties of low supply.

[texaspeach]

I think it depends on the meeting you go to.. if you run into bottle opposition from a large # of people at one meeting, see if there's another in your area. LLL isn't technically opposed to bottles, but if the people going to them eetings are it can make it uncomfortable. I know at the meeting I went to there were moms supplementing and moms exclusively pumping. The people there just wanted to make sure the babies got breast milk - any breast milk - in which ever way worked best for the pair.

[Coconut Chronicles]

Good for you mama!

[Mamatoabunch]

I am a BFAR. I had a reduction 20 years ago, at 15y/o. I had the free nipple graft, nipple aereola cut, resized and reattched, all ducts severed. My supply has only been drops, w/ domperdone maybe 10oz a day. My 3rd-7th nursed 3-5 years. I am still nursing my 8th and 9th, along w/ my newborn, our 10th, so you absolutely can do it! I use a nursing supplementor and w/ my last three, I supp at night w/ a bottle. I use donated milk until I run out, formula if needed and raw goat milk from our goat past 6 months. I have used the SNS or Lact-aid w/ my third on. Nursing supplementor have a great benefit to a BFAR mom b/c you kill several birds w/ one stone so to speak. Baby gets your milk, you get the stimulation you need, can do away w/ pump, baby gets the supplement he or she needs, and you can do away w/ two step feeding, nursing then bottlefeeding. Have you been over to BFAR.org? We have an awesome forum for moms just like you!

[mysticmomma]

Are you using MMSB from motherlove? That stuff was liquid GOLD to us as BFAR'ers.

[Hezzie]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the wonderful replies and encouragement! I feel tons better about doing this. Pumping is a huge pain in the butt but I've never once thought about quitting (so far, lol!).

I would love the recipe for lactation cookies! Send it along!

The new pump is working fabulous and is strong enough to extract about the same amount as the Symphony I was renting. I wish wish wish I could afford Domperidone/Motilium. If I can land a job soon, then I may look into it. I know I can order it online from an overseas pharmacy, but DH wants me to price-compare getting our local compounding pharmacies to make it plus the $25 copay for insurance. I currently don't have a doctor and some won't prescribe it to you, so I have to find a doctor that will. I don't want to waste $25 on a strange doctor who tells me no. I may ask Nora's pediatrician if she can recommend a doctor to me, especially since the AAP advocates using Domperidone as a galactagogue and her doc is really pro-breastfeeding.

It's the same story with More Milk Plus. That stuff is great, but it's cost prohibitive for me. I have to take the higher dose because I'm over 175 pounds and so I burn through a bottle quickly.

I am drinking the Mother's Milk Tea...don't know if it helps, but it tastes good. DH hates the smell and grumbles about it, though!

[mysticmomma]

I suggest trying more milk special blend instead of the more milk plus in addition to straight fenugreek until your sweat and pee smell like maple syrup.

[maddymama]

Ummm.... drink a beer every night (or once every few nights.....).... For some reason, every time I drink a beer (hate the stuff, btw), I have a HUGE letdown and waayyyy overproduce for a feeding or two. This doesn't happen for me with wine, so I think it's something in the beer.
Oatmeal also helps me with increasing my supply. I try to make steele cut oats in the crockpot overnight... buying them in bulk is supercheap. I cook one cup steele cut oats to 4 cups water on low 6-8 hours. I usually throw in a handful of raisins for a sweeter taste.
Good luck, Keep pumping, every drop is wonderful and beneficial to Nora.
~maddymama

[momoftworedheads]

You can get fenugreek pretty reasonably at a drug store, I'd try it!

Also, did you ever consider a SNS to try and bring more milk in?

You are doing an awesome job mama!!! Keep it up! Some breastmilk is better than none at all!!!

Take care!

[_betsy_]

Lots of water, lots of rest, lots of oatmeal can help too - the real kind, steel cut outs, works way better for me than the instant kind, and isn't hard to make.

Hang in there - every drop you give her is something special!

[NaturalMindedMomma]

Mama, would you supplement with donated milk? Jut wondering! If your interested PM ME! Or you can check out www.milkshare.com

[tankgirl136]

Originally Posted by maddymama

Ummm.... drink a beer every night (or once every few nights.....).... For some reason, every time I drink a beer (hate the stuff, btw), I have a HUGE letdown and waayyyy overproduce for a feeding or two. This doesn't happen for me with wine, so I think it's something in the beer.
Oatmeal also helps me with increasing my supply. I try to make steele cut oats in the crockpot overnight... buying them in bulk is supercheap. I cook one cup steele cut oats to 4 cups water on low 6-8 hours. I usually throw in a handful of raisins for a sweeter taste.
Good luck, Keep pumping, every drop is wonderful and beneficial to Nora.
~maddymama

It has long been said that Guniess or a good Hefewizen are supposed to help with getting a good supply. I know many who swear by this.