Domperidone and herbs - please help

[sara1313]

I have posted a couple of times and am now just getting back on to respond to some of the questions. I am taking 120mg of dom, taking Fenugreek, blessed thistle, goats rue, drinking tea, etc. You name it, I am doing it. It is helping a little, but I am still not producing enough. I have to supplement at most of his feedings (he is 3 weeks old). He is gaining weight (but I wonder if it is partly due to giving him supplements at his feedings).THis is my second child and I had the same problem with my daughter.

My question is should I up my domperidone? I am worried about taking so much stuff and it getting into my son and hurting him in some way. I took a lot of the same stuff with my daughter, but did not start the domperidone until she was 5 months old.

Is it safe to be taking so much stuff? I am fine and not worried about me, it is my baby I am worried about. Is there a good brand of fenugreek (I have NEVER had the maple syrup smell and I take a TON of this stuff).

Is there anyone else who has taken all of this for long-term use?

**I know I have a low supply that has been confirmed by 3 hospital lactation consultants with my daughter and my son.

I really appreciate all of the support and help on here.

[ladyleah]

Damn- my first post got deleted! Ugh!

Anywho- I don't have much help for you---but I just wanted to throw some support your way. I know what its like to have low supply issues.

My IBCLC says that they take Dom "like Pez" in Canada and other countries and she has never heard of any major issues or side effects. (although that is heresay and neither here nor there-- I know!) So, I feel that the feedback I have always heard is that it is safe at those doses for many weeks and/or months-- but I obviously don't know exactly how it will impact your son!

According to the Jack Newman (MD) and KellyMom websites- some people take 40mg of Dom 4 times per day- which is already a higher dose then you are on. Also, Dr. Newman says that some moms need 4-6 weeks before noticing the supply increase-- so since your son is only 3 weeks, perhaps you should give the Dom some more time to work?

At 3 weeks I was having serious (confirmed as well) supply issues due to a bout with mastitis. My IBCLC told me that its a process to increase supply, and that she would really be able to tell closer to week 6 (and NOT to judge before that time that this was the way it would always be)-- as that is when the supply is better established. Sure enough- my supply took a while to increase, but by 6 weeks it was really good. She was right. She is awesome For me what worked was:

1. Oatmeal and brewers yeast(?) daily (who knows if this works, but I am still doing it)
2. Pumping after nursing at least SEVEN times per day (then eventually 4 times a day, and now I only do 2 times per day)
3. More Milk Plus (3 or 4 times a day with the higher weight dose even though I am only 150lbs.)
4. Goats Rue (both from Motherlove) (3 or 4 times a day, one cap.)
5. The tea (I can't remember the name...Mothers Milk?)- one cup per day with 2 bags in it steeped at 20 minutes.

Perhaps trying the More Milk Plus instead of the plain Fenugreek might work? It's more expensive, but it worked far better for me then Fen alone.

I am not sure about taking Fen or MMP and Dom together. Some say to only do one or the other, some say that it's fine to do both. I have heard both things and I think that many moms just do what they find works best for them.

Good luck- and hang in there!

PS- Renting a Medela feeding scale for 2 weeks was AMAZING for me....and enabled me to stop supplementing once I realized that my LO was actually getting enough milk per day. I had no idea-- and I probably would have been overfeeding him and kept supplementing if I didn't know what he was getting from my breasts. I have not had to supplement him in 29 days now (but who's counting...LOLOL) and he is gaining about an oz. a day!