Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply what to do

I'm not really sure what I should do. We are waiting to be matched, without any prospects as of yet. I have been pumping since May and have gotten up to 21 ounces per day. Then, I decided to stop the Domperidone and slow down the pumping and my milk supply has gotten very low (4 oz). I may have gotten too excited and started pumping too early. Now I'm not sure if I should stop pumping and start all over with the pill and everything or if I should just continue pumping.

Any help would be so great.

Thanks,
Jen

Jen S.
Try to look at your situation and what is best for you and your family. At times I too wonder if I started the protocol to early. I was so excited to start the protocol and see what the results would be.

While on the protocol I was so tired, depressed at times, and boy did I eat junk food. I am glad to have that behind me. Most likely in September we will be moving so I know if I was still on the protocol that the move would be even harder.

I have been pumping since April 3 and I am just now averaging 15 to 16 1/2 ozs. a day. I also seem to be back to my old self which is great. For me my supply seems gradual and slow in coming. If a baby comes by the fall or winter maybe by then I will be up to a full supply. Who knows? If a full supply does not happen for me then I can use my stored milk in a lactaide.

There are times that pumping can be hard and stressful and times that it is not. I really thought that we would be one of the lucky few who got a baby quickly. I have thought about if a baby does not come by Jan. 2004 that perhaps I will need to call it quitting time. In retrospect I would probaly do it different. I would have waited to start the protocol until we were approved then stay on it nine months or until we knew of a placement. I can't go back though I can only make the best of what I've been given. I guess I need to do that with the pumping.

There are a few options that you can go with. You could start the domperidone again. Take a month or two off then go on the protocol again. Stop completly and start again when you know of a baby using just the herbs and domperidone. Or you could continue what you are doing.

Take some time to reflect and ponder on your situation and then go and make a decison that you can be comfortable with.
I hope that I was able to help in some small way. I am not one of the more knowledgable ones on this site.

take care,
Bella

Jen-- I am not an expert either, but it seems to me that if you were pumping 21 oz a day for awhile, your milk-making apparatus has already developed. It does not make sense (to me anyway) to redo the protocol. I know how exhausting the pumping can get tho. I also am wondering if I have what it takes to pump for months on end with no baby in sight. Is your current pumping schedule feeling do-able? if so, maybe you could hang in there and keep a little bit flowing in case that call comes soon. I don't have a lot of wisdom, though. It is an issue I am struggling with too. When I think about the possibility of having to wait months longer than I already have, it makes me wish I had not begun pumping so soon....