Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply How did pumping go for you at first?

I just started pumping yesterday after being on the regular protocol for 16+ weeks. I have also started Moms Milk Plus (which has fenugreek and blessed thistle). We are expecting boy/girl twins via gestational surrogate who are 30+wks now- due to be delivered via C in mid June.

I'd love to hear from others who are ahead of me in this protocol, how your first week or two pumping was, and how long it took to get enough milk that you started saving. I got drops in the very first session and have gotten drops since then, but that's it. I know it's very early though. However, my two friends who did this were already covering the bottom of the bottle on Day 2 which is why I'm asking for more examples.

Can you let me know how much you got in those first few days, and also how long it took to produce enough to save? I pump every 3 hours from 9am-midnight and then once at night.

Thanks!

Hi! Congratulations on the twins! I have a little girl due mid June via GS as well! I did the regular protocol for about the same length of time as you and then started pumping about 6 weeks ago. I did start out with getting about a teaspoon per breast at each pumping session but I really believe that is because I was pregnant and had a 20 week loss within the last 2 years and had my milk come in at that time.

I am now getting about 14 ounces per day and increasing slowly. I was able to save the milk from the beginning but it took me a few days to get to two ounces, which is the amount that I saved in. I recommend that you get some of the 80ml bottles (Medela makes them) and use them for your first savings because they are smaller. Then when you have more of a supply you can move to using the bags.

Your pumping schedule sounds great - it will be no time before you have a supply! DO you plan on using a supplemental system if your supply is not full by the time the twins come?

Thanks for the reply and congrats to you as well on your little girl! May I ask why you started pumping so far in advance - 6 weeks ago which is about 10-12 weeks before your daughter is due? I'm just wondering if I have started too late (as I'll have about 6 weeks to build up supply, but Lenore's protocol said 6 weeks so that is what I followed).

14 oz a day is amazing!!!!! That is just amazing progress! But it sounds like you started out with a healthy supply so I shouldn't expect to get up to that much. That would be a dream to have that much in 6 weeks- that is enough to feed a newborn, right? I have no illusions that I'll be able to build a full supply by the time they get here- particularly for two! So I am definitely considering Lact-Aid but wanted to wait till I get closer to the delivery to figure that out.

Thanks for the tip on the bottles.

And I'm so sorry about your loss at 20wks. I lost a little boy at 15wks two years ago (but my milk didn't come in- it was too early). I remember all too well how painful that was.

I really only started pumping that far in advnace because I felt my body was ready. I had been leaking for weeks already and experiencing letdowns. Lenore actually told me to leave them alone for a bit longer but I was a bad girl (shhhh lol). I have not gotten tired of it and I have been able to freeze about 375 ounces so far so I am glad that I did. This way I will be able to supplement with my own supply if I have to.

Yesterday I think I actually got about 17 ounces. It varies a bit day to day. Don't worry if you get up to that, like I said, I think my body was just ready and I listened to it. I am actually keeping my fingers crossed that by the time my daughter arrives I have closer to 20 ounces per day and that when I begin to nurse I will increase with her dmeand and be able to EBF. That is my dream!

Now I have to figure out what I will do in the beginning when she is born because I should have a supply that actually exceeds what she will eat for the first few weeks (maybe). I think that I will have to nurse and possible pump as well in order to keep my supply up. That will be a full time job for sure!

I'm so sorry about your loss as well. But we have babies on the way and that is what matters now!

Keep me posted on your progress!

I had no notice for our daughter that we adopted so I started pumping the day we got her (she was 2 days old). I got drops right away and by 3 days I covered the bottom. I had a full supply (for her) by 2 weeks (probably taking 1 1/2 to 2 ounces 8 times a day). I think this is unusual but it helped having her around. I did not nurse her for the first week - just pumped. Then the second week I nursed first then pumped and bottle fed. The third week we dropped the bottle feeding.
You just started so give your body time. I am sure it will start going faster soon.
Jennifer

Thanks Jennifer. Congrats on your success in BFing your daughter- that is just awesome! I needed to read this b/c I am getting very discouraged. It's only Day 3 for me but I am still just producing drops. It's so discouraging - it's not even enough to drip into the bottle- it's just stuff that stays around the shield. Oh well, it is what it is and I'll stick to it for now- just very hard when you see no results...

Just keep working at it. I think everyone increases at their own pace. I would think about taking the fenugreek tablets seperately because I am not sure how much the more milk has in it. I think the fenugreek helped me more than the blessed thistle. You have to be taking quite a bit to make a difference 3 -610mg tabs three times a day. Good luck
Jennifer

(barge) Hi twinsontheway

I just wanted to ask if you press on your breasts at all while pumping. That really helps me get more milk out. It's just a thought. Also, what kind of pump are you using?

Best wishes,
Nancy

Thanks so much for the advice.

I'm now on Day 4 and I'm getting a tiny bit more- like maybe 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp each session, but it's starting to really worry me since most women seem to produce much more.

Nance- I don't press on my breasts - I'll look into doing that. They are in the handsfree pumping bra though so I don't know how I would be able to do this. Any tips. I am using a hospital grade pump- the Medela Symphony. So I think the equipment is good- my breasts are just not!

One thing that is interesting is that I haven't started bleeding yet from being off BCPs. I'm spotting but I've consistently spotted for the past 6 weeks or so. So I wonder if I still have BCPs in my system or something like that.

Anyway, I'll hang in there. I'm just so bummed not to be making better progress. My lactation consultant, though, says this is normal and not to expect to cover the bottom of the bottle for another 10 days or so. She was encouraged that there are even drops. So I'll be hoping she's right. It's just that when i compare to most stories I hear online, it seems that my production is definitely WAY slower than most. Sigh...

twinsontheway -

I've been pumping for 13 days and I'm now getting about 2.5-3oz per day (I'm pumping 5X day and once at night). It has increased from just drops in the first day, to about what you're getting by around day 3, but I feel like it's a little stalled.

I'm eating oatmeal daily which is supposed to help, and upped my domperidone as per Dr. Newman to 40mg, 3xday. We'll see if that helps.

I was feeling frustrated yesterday as well, but as Dr. Newman reminded me, breastfeeding is about more than breastmilk. He said not to get caught up in the numbers of it all - you're either going to produce enough or you won't and will need to supplement. He said they can't predict who produces more or less, and not to be discouraged.
So I'm right there with you! Hopefully the supply continues to increase.
Karma