How to handle reduced supply (w/ little hope of boosting it again)

[Violet2]

Hello. It's me again. I'm trying to sort out how to handle what seems to be an irrevocably reduced supply at this point.

I've been pumping now several times a day for over a week and we are finishing ( I hope) a three week nursing strike/teething nightmare. Instead of pumping increasing my supply, the net effect has been to empty my breasts so that when DD nurses there isn't anything for her. This has not helped the biting and nursing strike as she gets frustrated.

I try to pump after she nurses so my body gets the message to make more. Failing that I pump between feeds but my breasts are not filling up like they used to so we come up short in our nursing sessions.

Basically after 11am there are no more wet diapers unless I supplement with either formula or EBF (I pump enough for one or two bottles a day, although lately just one). She also won't nurse in the afternoon, there's just not enough milk and right now this is when she's prone to biting me. I have a hard time even getting milk out myself when I squeeze my nipples. This is a marked change from what my supply was even a week ago.

That's the other issue, DD is willing to nurse now but she's not willing to put in the work required to get my supply back up. So she just gives up and resorts to biting and isn't going to help replenish my supply given how she's nursing now.

I'm already taking Fenugreek, Goat's Rue and I've been flirting with Dom--I have some side effects from the Dom and I'm not comfortable with it although I took some today out of desperation and will try taking just a very small dose for a few days to see if that helps.

I don't have the funds to branch out into things like Shatavari (sp?), everything else has left my wallet empty.

So here are my questions/thoughts and I would really like some input, ideally from mommas who've been in a similar situation or LCs.

1.I did stop the dom abruptly and perhaps that's the problem? I can take a small dose for a few weeks (I think) and then wean off. What do you think?

2.Will we be able to keep going as we are indefinitely if I supplement in the afternoons and give up trying to nurse? Do I need to pump still? Should I? Or just let DD have that milk from the tap?

Of course anything could happen. My supply could rebound,but if it doesn't (or if I can't even tolerate a low dose of dom) I need some guidance on what the realities and logistics are of mixing formula and bfing so I don't further reduce my supply.

Thanks
V

[shanti1]

Try putting the pump away for a weekend and soley nurse. Nurse, & nurse some more. Cosleep. See where you are at the end of the weekend.

[ColwynsMommy]

If you're going to stop using domperidone, the cost of that will easily cover shatavari. I got it from www.swansonvitamins.com and it was $7 for 120 capsules (which is a 30 day supply the way I take it). When you first register, you get a $5 off coupon that pays for shipping. Then when I got my shipment, they had included an extra bottle for free (not a mistake, it was listed on the invoice with a price of $0) and another $5 off coupon. That's not too bad, considering the Goat's Rue I'll start taking in a few days will cost me $50 a month, and if I were take domperidone, it'd be over $50. I was quite pleased to find something to take that will cost me only $7 a month, and it's definitely working--my breasts are fuller and I can express colostrum ridiculously easily.

[Violet2]

Thanks. I didn't realize Shatavari was so inexpensive, I'm used to Goat's Rue pricing.

Although the clinical evidence on Shatavari isn't as great as I'd hoped. Seems to be a mixed bag.

And you can't use dom with it b/c it has similar effects as dom, which I hope don't include the side effects I've had.

Oh yeah, I prepaid the dom and am out $$$ now. So I'm not saving, I'm operating at a loss. Which is fine, but I'm not working and can't keep buying stuff.

V

[tbone_kneegrabber]

You could try using a supplemental nursing system, so that she is stimulating your breasts to make more milk while she is getting pumped milk or formula
http://www.motheringfromtheheart.com...l%20nurser.htm

[Violet2]

Originally Posted by tbone_kneegrabber

You could try using a supplemental nursing system, so that she is stimulating your breasts to make more milk while she is getting pumped milk or formula
http://www.motheringfromtheheart.com...l%20nurser.htm

That is a thought esp. since I could really use the extra stimulation right now.

Thanks
V

[mommabird]

You could always "pass along" the dom. to another mommy... not that I advocate that or anything...

[Violet2]

Update:

Supply is better with very small doses of Dom BUT I finally found information addressing the side effects I've been having and it's really not safe for me to take. Sudden death doesn't sound like fun to me.

So unless the Shatavari works (which I have my doubts) we're probably going to be weaning as once the Dom stops I think it's over.

Although she's nursing much more vigorously and is hungry.

If only I'd understood nursing strikes better. If only the information was more thorough. If only I'd started pumping much earlier. If only I'd never started Dom (which I think is the real reason for the big drop off, the sudden discontinuation of Dom made my supply plummet I think).

Anyway, I did try. I made it to seven months (almost 8 actually) which is more than I thought I would be able to do.

And I'll know better next time, if I have another child.

V

[FREEmom1120]

I have a lot of "if only's" too.

[Violet2]

UPDATE;

Just thought I would post.

We seem to be doing better. I went from supplementing with 3 bottles of formula to none today. I have no idea what happened. I just kept pumping and kept offering the breast and I guess it finally all came together.

There's still room for improvement, but at least my DD doesn't need the formula, she gets enough from me to stay hydrated.

So a happy ending. Although I'm not counting on anything, but for now we seem to be good.

V

[ColwynsMommy]

That is so awesome! I'm so excited for you.. great job!

[CathMac]

Originally Posted by Violet2

UPDATE;

Just thought I would post.

We seem to be doing better. I went from supplementing with 3 bottles of formula to none today. I have no idea what happened. I just kept pumping and kept offering the breast and I guess it finally all came together.

There's still room for improvement, but at least my DD doesn't need the formula, she gets enough from me to stay hydrated.

So a happy ending. Although I'm not counting on anything, but for now we seem to be good.

V

Violet2,
Good for you. Keep up the good work. I don't remember your whole story but if your situation allows you might want to consider co-sleeping as a good way to maximize the amount of milk DC gets while your Prolactin levels are highest.

~Cath

[silencia]

Check out Motherlove.com They make a lot of supplements to help increase breastmilk. The More Milk Plus is the one that has had alot of success. They are not dried herbs, they are liquid extracts, so they are stronger than other brands. Their website is really helpful with lots of breastfeeding issues.