Increasing Milk Supply

[Alli and Kyle Hicken]

I have a question for any moms out there who chose to pump while their child was being tube or exclusive bottle fed. I have been pumping for Grant for 6 months now (he is exculsively NJ tube fed) and I am finding that in recent weeks, my supply is decreasing dramatically. I have tried "power pumping", increasing my fluid intake, and many of the other things suggested by PCMC lactation. Has anyone tried medications? Were they effective? Any tips? I would really like to keep pumping so Grant gets the benefit and immunity during the flu season, but I am not that the 10-12 ounces I can get a day are enough to do him good for the efforts that it takes. Ideas would be great!

Alli
mom to Grant (HLHS, etc)

[deanna.m.gourley]

Ally,

For Gracie, I tried pumping and like you after about 6 months my supply started dwindling. My doctor was against the prescription med--Domperidone
that is suppose to help with milk production because of some of the side effects on hearts and fear that it could possibly pass through the milk to Grace. She did give me a prescription for Reglan that also is suppose to help with milk production (figured since Grace was on it, it would be safe) but one side effect is depression, which I suffered from.

I did try herbals (Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle) and they worked for a while. Eventually I was able to get milk from some other heart moms to get us through Gracie's glenn before having to switch to formula completely. (The cardiologists told us to stick with just heart mom milk since they are as cautious as I would be.)

Good luck,

Deanna---Gracie (HLHS), Morgan (HH)

[djgatherum]

Sorry this won't be helpful. But, I also had the same problem. My milk supply started to dwindle at about 6-7 months, and I opted to stop pumping. We were fortunate that it was at that time Addy had her heart surgery, and it was also March. You could always pump what you can and then supplement with formula??

Jenn Gatherum

[Martie]

Allie-

I have had the same problem. I did skin to skin with my Drewboy before I pumped. This helped with my let down, and I found I was able to get more milk. I also made sure I pumped with my little guy in the room with me. This helped me to connect emotionally. I also found that if I pumped when stressed that my milk supply dwindled. I have pumped now for 8 and 1/2 months. I have had my peaks and valleys with the amount of milk that I have been able to produce, but it has been worth the battle. Good luck!

Martie (Drewboy--Coarctation, ASD, VSD)

[Bless her heart]

After Lilliana's birth, this will be my first time pumping, but in the past... I have increased milk supply with the herbal tea "mother's milk". Most health food stores, or organic sections sell this. Fred Meyers... possibly even walmart! Good luck!! I haven't had a problem with milk supply, but took this occasionally, if they were sick, etc... It worked REALLY well.

[Chrissie]

The mother milk tea works great. I used it with my 2nd child and swore by it. I found it at GNC it was really hard to find in stock so I would buy a ton, you can probably buy it online? I also tried Reglan. It seemed to work, but didn't notice a difference when I stopped taking it. Kudos to you 6 months is a very long time.