Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Progress At this point

Hi
Our baby girl is 3 1/2 weeks. My tiredness is starting to go away as I adjust to being up every 3 hours. I only breastfeed one time per day when my milk supply has built up to it's highest (late morning, early afternoon). I have not been able to maintain pumping for 10 minutes after feeding and again every 3 hours to increase my supply. I've just been too tired.

Baby now has a good latch and is no longer a sleepy feeder. She does take her time but does well with the nutritive suck.

Interestingly, my milk supply is still increasing. I'm now leaking if I don't pump and when I do pump, I'm getting 2 ounces.

I just had asthma that turned into bronchitis with a fever and so I started taking Guafein syrup (robitussin expectorant), I didn't want baby to drink my milk during this time. I also started having pain and lumpiness in my right breast but I put a heating pad to it and it went away.

Tomorrow I plan to start my pumping again, and put baby back to the breast. She really enjoys it, latches on well, and is satisfied afterwards. I enjoy it, too.

I'm still using the bottle and have not been disciplined enough to get back on the lact-aid only. Well, my husband came home to tend my fever and he took care of the baby round the clock while I was sick. So by using the bottle, he was able to feed her.

I'm a little disappointed at my performance this time. Seems like a year ago, I was pumping for a good month before the baby was born and I was making up to 8 ounces a day. This time I only had a week to prepare and I'm not able to get the discipline I had last time.

I haven't given up yet. Any words of wisdom?

Thanks
Sleepy -off to bed

Hi, Karie!
I read your post last week, but only just now have had time to write you.
I'm no expert, but it sounds to me like you are doing great. Your baby is latching, your milk supply is INcreasing. (On my best day, I got 1 oz. total by the end of the day-- 2 oz. per pumping sounds great!)
My only advice (and again, I'm a real newbie with no baby yet) would be-- don't be too hard on yourself. You're tired... you've been sick... you're still adjusting to new baby and sleep deprivation...
I think you're doing great-- and it's wonderful that your little one doesn't have nipple confusion-- so even when you were taking meds that kept you from breastfeeding, hubby could step in and feed her. That's great!
I know what you mean about comparing yourself to yourself-- how you used to do it, could be doing it, etc.
But that was a year ago and you didn't have a teeny baby who came into your life quite quickly and whom you are still adjusting to.
Give yourself the grace you deserve. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Here is one of my favorite quotes. It's from Mark Twain and I think it is so profound:
"Comparison is the root of all discouragement."
Even comparison of yourself to yourself. All you can do is your best. And, as you know, it's about bonding to your little sweetie and giving her your best. If pumping more would be too much and make you crazy, you wouldn't be giving her your best 'cuz you'd be a crazy person and not a peaceful mama.
From where I stand, any woman who steps up to the plate and does adoptive breastfeeding --with soooo little advanced prep 'cuz of the time limitations-- any woman like that is my hero.
You're terrific, Karie!! Don't give up. And give yourself grace.
Blessings,
Heather

Thank you Heather, for those kind words of encouragement. You are so right. I never really looked at it that way. Just was worried about performance.

I've relaxed, kept up the breastfeeding and domperidone, pump when I can. Baby is still enjoying it very much.

Thank you for your support,