Can I get off of the Lact-Aid?

[twinsarefun]

I have 7 month old twins. All was fine when I had them. I got super engorged and the doctor wanted me to supplement since the babies were not latching good and losing weight. I had lots of milk but they were just not suckling that great. Since I didn't want to have nipple confusion, I went on the SNS (like the Lact-Aid). I followed Madela's directions that eventually the babies would wean themselves off of it. Well, that never happened. They are now hooked on the tube and will not get off! They would nurse when they were younger without it. How I wish I would have just gotten them off! Now I can't. I have switched to the Lact-Aid because now they require so much milk. It was a lot having to re-fill the bottle to satisfy the babies. I wish I had knew about Dr. Newman's advice in how to use the Lact-Aid. I think we wouldn't be in this mess. My supply took a dive as a result of all of this. I do think though that I must have a good amount of milk that is going out though. I haven't started my period yet. Don't you think that is a good sign? Anyone know how to get the babies off of the tube? Any tricks? Fill it with water or something? Any help is appreciated.

[operamommy]

How many ounces are they taking through it daily? I guess I would remember that every ounce you give them of formula is an ounce of milk that your breasts are told not to make - I read that somewhere and it's really stuck with me! Can you try cutting down 1 ounce from one feeding every 5-7 days? You should be able to make progress building up your milk supply and getting rid of the SNS at the same time that way. Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

And kudos to you for nursing twins! I'm always amazed and awed when I hear of mamas doing that!!

[boheime]

What about pinching the tube closed at the top with the little notch in the ring? You could close it like that at some point during the feeding. The tube would stay in the nouth but wouldn't be supplementing.

As far as your period goes.....I'm a low supply mom. I reach a plateau point and can't make any more no matter what, granted that point is somewhat higher with child two. Still, my body thinks it is making a ton. Dd is 22 months and I just recently started having my period again and think I ovulated for the first time this week.

Good luck! We are ttc and I will be tandem nursing with the LA - unless dd suddenly decides she can go without the LA. We are down to using the LA at naps and night for the most part ...although we nurse 20+ times a day.

mandy

[twinsarefun]

Thank you so much for your replys. Mandy, are you just using the LA for those two nursings, but the others without it? My babies are taking in a lot of formula. Five feedings a day and 7 oz. each per feeding. I can tell when they are getting more bm. Their stools are softer. I have tried pinching the tube, but they get really fussy when I do and will not nurse. I was told that taking domperidone will up my supply possibly to where they might take me over the tube. I just hate medication though. We will see how it goes over. Thanks so much for you ideas.

[JunipersMom]

What you can try is watering down the formula a bit at a time - add more each day - hopefully that will help wean them from the formula because it doesnt sound like its just the tube they are looking for. If you are worried about your supply you might not want to jump to dom - because alot of women have a very hard time weaning off of that without losing their milk supply. Maybe you could try pumping between feedings to up your supply instead - and then you could add the pumped milk to the formula also to help them along.
It took me about a month to fully wean my babe off the supplementor. So give it some time and each time you try a new way to wean - give it a couple of weeks before you give up on it.
~Shannon

[boheime]

We are just using the LA at naptime, bedtime, and the nursings in the middle of the night, and first thing in the morning (which usually she is still mostly asleep for). The other times during the day, she is usually okay "nursing mommy." We say "nurse mommy" or "nurse pouch." She started signing the difference at about a year. She had been signing to nurse for months at that point. I still carry LAs in the diaper bag whenever we leave just in case.

mandy

[twinsarefun]

Thanks Gals. Shannon, how old was your little one when you weaned her off of the tube? Did you do the watering down the formula? I have been pumping about 3-4 times a day just to up my supply a bit. I have a hospital grade pump. Maybe I can try that more times a day. I was taking fenugreek, blessed thistle, and goats rue. That seems to help some. I was getting some headaches though. I back off for a few days when I get that. Thanks again for whatever ideas you may have. Mandy, at how old did your baby nurse without the LA? I am hoping that my little guys will take me over it as they get older.

[tash11]

I wouldnt put water in it at all. that will still fill them up but wont give them any calories or nutrition. (thats actually a trick some people use to diet). I would hook up the lact aid (without undoing the tube notch thingy, so no formula flowS) and latch them on and then see how long they will eat before fussing. then let them have some formula from it (so they get as much milk as you can give them first, then the formula). does that make any sence?

The cutting down on how much formula should work too. just be careful and keep weighing them (like every week). just remove ONE OZ per DAY (not per feed) every 4 days or so. (I belive thats what it says in some of the lact-aid or sns info somewhere).

[JunipersMom]

twinsarefun - my babe was 2 months old before we could put away the supplementors. Luckily she was ok with me just pinching off the tube - so missing the fluids wasn't the issue for us it was her liking the tube there.
And you might want to add Marshmallow Root to your herbal protocol - I heard alot of great success stories and I used it once and leaked for the first time..

[twinsarefun]

Thanks Girls. I have tried nursing with the Lact-Aid notched, but the twins still won't take it. Stubborn little guys and smart! Dr. Newman says that if my supply is up, then it would work. I guess I need to get my supply up. It has taken such a dive from the Lact-Aid and SNS to begin with. I was wondering about the marshmellow root. I have some. How much were you taking and did you use that alone? It brought your supply up alone? That is great. I have tried the goats rue, blessed thistle, and fenugreek. I was getting headaches though and backed off. It does help. I do get more with it. Did any of you get headaches with it and also gain weight? I don't eat much and put on 10 extra pounds! Thank you again!

[boheime]

They are probably use to getting a quick "letdown" from the LA and get frustrated that yoru letdown takes a little bit. They lik ethe instant gratification when they are hungry. What about starting with the LA as normal, but then pinch the tube closed with the notch a few minutes later after your milk lets down?

mandy

[tash11]

oh and try breast compression too if you arent already. that helps when my baby is being fussy. she likes it fast too...

[tash11]

Marshmallow

from Defining Your Own Success:

Although it is not actually a galactagogue itself, marshmallow has a long anecdotal history of boosting the galactogenic effectiveness of fenugreek, blessed thistle, and alfalfa....

...side effects: Alergic reations possible, but extremely rare.

[twinsarefun]

That is a good idea. I'll have to try that. Pinching the tube after my milk lets down. We will see how it goes over. Thanky again all! I so desperately want to get these little guys off! :

[3daughters]

Doesn't Dr. Newman say to slip the LA into their mouths after your own milk has slowed down? That way they finish the bm first and then top off on the formula. They boost your supply by continuing to suckle at the same time. Are you putting your pumped bm into the LA with the formula so they can get it that way too?

Another suggestion to getting an instant quick flow for them would be to pump until you let down and then quickly put them to the breast.

Kudos to you for bf your twins! Any bm they get is a real gift. They sound like awesome bright boys!

[twinsarefun]

Yes. Dr. Newman says to slip in the tube after bf first. I didn't have that correct info in the beginning. Only Madela's instructions to use the tube through the whole feed. Now the twins are hooked on the tube though the whole feed or no breast! Yikes! These little guys are way too smart : I'll have to try pumping first for the let down. That is a good idea. Thanks for the ideas. They are inspiring!

[3daughters]

We can only do the best we can with the information we have at the time!

Let us know which strategies work best!

[twinsarefun]

For those that are using the SNS or Lact-Aid, how much breastmilk do you think your little ones are getting? What were your reasons for using it? Thanks for letting me know.