Low Milk Supply Tribe -- Summer / Fall 2007

[MaryJaneLouise]

Well I think we missed a couple of seasons but better late than never.

For the newbies here is my story. I've been feeding two babies off one booby for the last 28 months (breast cancer survivor) Not exclusively, and it's been a very, very long and difficult road. I had a highly medicated c-section, two epidural headaches in the hospital that I had to take lots of pain pills for, two very sleepy jaundiced babies with ABO blood type incompatibility, crappy, crappy help at the hospital, one son with colic, the other with GERD, a skeptical husband, and a very-anti-bfing culture.

I've done just about everything there is to maximize production in the past, and am now on "cruise" mode. Still eating lots of oatmeal (I'm hooked) and the cheap fenugreek, but I finally dropped my last 10 mg dailys of domperidone (motilium). I was amazed that I did notice a drop in my supply from such a low dose to nothing. I'm still pumping once at work during the 3 days I WOH, and I used to get almost 6 ounces; now I'm lucky to get 4 ounces. And I'm feeling a bit "dry" when they nurse, IYKWIM. I'm in a happy place, though, with this gradual winding down. My boys are almost 2 1/2 and still love their neenees

Did you notice out sticky at the top of the page? I'm hoping it is helping out folks. Post your favorite hints & tricks there for all to see. I am seeing less "help my supply" threads since it got stickied, so I hope that's a good thing.

What's up with you guys? Anybody still hanging in there? Anyone new to our tribe?

[MaryJaneLouise]

Where's my peeps?

[Da WIC Lady]

I have low supply, but then again I'm about 28-29 weeks pregnant. DD is still going like a champ though. I'm not really worried about things since in a few weeks I'll have plenty for everyone... In fact, I've been thinking about pumping for DSS since he likes it and he could use the antibodies with ear infection and asthma season upon us. DH has no problems with him drinking EBM in a cup. I just wish I had the supply to do it sooner since school starts in a week. As it is, I'm having trouble keeping up with DD's demands.

Anna

[ErinBird]

I have insufficient glandular tissue and some thyroid (hypo) problems that meant supplementing 20 ounces a day at our peak. We didn't diagnose the problems until my DDs 6w appointment, which led to a lot of panic.

I started using an SNS with donated milk- small amounts from local moms, a few small and large donations from Milkshare, and a ton of milk from a donor in Florida with a massive oversupply (She pumps ~140oz/day and is still EPing for her now 1yo daughter!). Raina never had formula.

I hoped for a while that Raina would be the type of baby to jump right into solids around 6mo. She didn't until 10mo though, so I continued to use the SNS and supplement at almost every feeding.

I just recently painlessly weaned Raina off the supplements- between my now-regulated thyroid and domperidone, plus Raina's HUGE interest in non-milk foods we were down to supplementing only a few ounces a day, almost entirely before bedtime. We switched up her bedtime routine, and suddenly we're not supplementing at ALL! WE used the SNS for just over 9months (42 weeks!).

Its a bit nerve wracking for me to trust my body now. I did for the first few weeks of Raina's life, and it didn't work out. I keep reminding myself that Raina is older and we know each other much better- I can understand her signs that she is not getting enough to eat from me. I can also offer her other foods and other liquids to round out her needs.

She's now 11.5mo and amazing. I'm proud of myself for sticking with nursing in spite of the hassle of the SNS and the worries and grief it has caused me. I'm tentatively planning to TTC early next year and thinking ahead to things I would like to do differently next time.

[booklady1178]

New to the tribe but not low supply

I am so glad to see this thread. I just finished with reading through the old thread. Wow!

With DS #1, he lost 11% and was still in a freefall after week one. He wasn't pooping, looked wrinkled, and was an extremely unhappy baby. When I saw the LC, he was only taking in about 10 ccs per feed. We went through several LCs, EPed for 5 weeks after he started refusing the breast after the 'help' of one LC, eventually got him back to the breast, worked with one of the 'rock stars' of the IBCLC world who told me I had insufficient glandular tissue, nursed with the Lact-Aid for about 4 months, and finally weaned at 15 months. It was a constant struggle. I pumped like crazy, took More Milk Special Blend the whole time, along with domperidone. Eventually I was able to get up to producing about 60% of his needs at my max, never enough to stop supplementing.

Fast forward to now. DS#2 is 2 weeks old. I was optimistic that things would be better this time around. I had an awesome unmedicated birth at a freestanding birth center and tons of postpartum help. And he was a natural at the breast. But while Reid's weight loss bottomed out at only 7%, he still had uric acid crystals on day 5 (several days after my milk was in), and went days without pooping. I cried and cried when it became clear we were going to have to supplement. We did blood tests and all of my hormonal levels are fine. I'm on the dom and MMSB again, and pumping around the clock with a Symphony. Rock star IBCLC thinks I'm just one of the unlucky few who had some hormonal issues as a teen and didn't grow much glandular tissue (I had crazy periods, and my breasts never really finished developing - typical hypoplasia look). I'm still not making anywhere near as much milk as I was at my peak with DS #1, but I do think my supply is better than it was at this point with him.

Unlike Carter, Reid is not very good with the Lact-Aid (he latches poorly, just wants to suck the tube, can't get much out, gets very frustrated, and falls asleep at the breast). I've thought about trying the SNS again, but I hated it with a passion the first time and don't want to throw my money away (we've already spent over $1000 on this in the past two weeks). I like the starter SNS well enough, but it's just not durable for long term use (we've already gone through 2). So we're supplementing with the Breastflow bottles, which are actually working pretty well for us, as much as I hate bottles.

So anyway, that's our story. I'm glad this tribe is around. I really could have used it the first time

[MaryJaneLouise]

Thought I'd share a funny story. I'm still pumping once noonish at when I WOH 3-4 days a week. I was getting 5-6 oz when on domperidone, which seemed "worth it." Now I'm only getting 3 oz when I'm lucky

Anyway, that's not much when you divide it between two cups. I usually give it to the boys to drink on the way home from day care. One of them is a sipper / saver and it usually lasts the 10 minute ride home (or more). The other one tips his head back, gulp gulp gulp, and AHHH! I'm thinking, I slaved over that for 20 minutes, and you just go gulp gulp gulp? . At least they seem to appreciate what they get.

[MarcyC]

I'm here!!!! I haven't really posted my story in awhile, but here goes.

I didn't nurse my first DC at all...I was working at the time and even though I knew I'd quit work after he was born, my "circle of friends" were all my working mom friends...no one pumped. No one!!! And bottle feeding was the "norm." I had even done a lot of babysitting - all bottle fed babies. I guess bottle feeding seemed "natural". LOL!!!

2nd dc is born a year later & I decide to BF...difficult pregnancy, overly medicated & extremely poor advice led to a mere 3 1/2 months of BF'ing & a lot of supplementing even then.

3rd dc is born...I was educated & prepared...even w/ all my knowledge & preparedness, I wasn't ready for IGT & lower than low prolactin levels. We nursed w/ an SNS for over a year, then as food became her main source of nutrition we nursed w/o SNS...made it until her 2-yr. birthday.

Now w/#4 we're battling jaundice & FTT. I'm SNS'ing again, but he's struggling even w/ the easier SNS flow. I'm not making long term decisions now when I'm sleep deprived & hormonal...just taking one day at a time.

I take dom, fenugreek, goats rue, bought bulk herbs to blend my own nursing tea (hops, red clover, oat straw, just to name a few...). I drink oat milk, eat oatmeal, eat tons of leafy greens, almonds, seeds, etc...

plugging along...doing what I can

[marygee]

I've lurked for a while, and asked a few questions, but here's my abbreviated story.

DS was born 15 months ago, and immediately went into that freefall of losing over 10% birth weight, the pediatrician (we've since changed to a new one) threatened to take him to the hospital and put inder a billy-bed for jaundice....thank god my MIL is a lactation consultant, and hopped a plane for the red-eye flight to come out within 24 hours of his birth (he was born at a birth center, and we went home that afternoon). We tried everything...teas, domperidone...you name it.

MilkShare was a lifesaver, along with a friend who was nursing her own 9month old. Except for about a total of 1 month, he's been exclusively breastfed. Otherwise we had to supplement with Nutramagin. I joke that the SNS will be his snuggly when he gets older!

At most when I traveled one time away from DS, I pumped exlusively and only got 6 oz a DAY.

He's now eating mostly solids, yet still comfort nurses and nurses down for naps and at bedtime.

We are out of donor milk - might get a little more soon, but only a few weeks worth - so are trying to figure out the options. Yesterday I managed to nurse him down for a nap with only my boobs - no supplementor. I cant wait until what I have is enough for him....like someone else said, it's hard to trust your body when it let you down before.

We're holding off on cow's milk, since DH had TONS of allergies as a baby. So far goats milk and cheese seems to be ok...last night I tried putting 2 oz of that in the SNS at bedtime, and it seems to work ok.

Does anyone else have words of wisdom about making this transition? I want to nurse him as long as he wants, but trying to determine (or calm my fears) about when to stop using supplemental milk. I wonder about the nutrition, but I know all the formula companies play into mom's fears about not giving their babes every super-over-fortified formula to make them all geniuses....

mary

[MamaBear1976]

My story, condensed: Breast hypoplasia to begin with, add in multiple breast biopsies with scarring on both areolas, so I only produce about 16-20 oz (20 oz is extremely rare for me) in a 24-hour period. I EP because my daughter rejected my breasts at month 3 or so. I grieved it, that loss of nursing, but I'm working through it and have come to terms with being a low-supply EPer.

[mighty-mama]

Not really sure about my supply factor..

But as not only am I in the same April/05 club w/ MaryJeanLouise, I am also a breast cancer survivor, exclusively nursing off on breast... Still my little guy is only 8 days old, and we go to the ped tomorrow.. So we'll see where his weight is..

I'm eating oatmeal daily, drinking 3x a day; Mother's Milk Tea, and will be getting some Fenugreek tomorrow..

Otherwise, I'm hoping to supply enough with the one side.