Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Is it me, my meds or my pump?

I have been taking Dom with Fenugreek & Blessed Thistle since October. I pump about 6 times per day for 10 minutes. I am using a Medela Symphony pump. After I pump I can usually still hand express quite a bit from both breasts. I am only getting about 2 - 3 oz per day and am a little discouraged when I hear that some women are getting over 6 oz. What am I doing wrong? Is it me (I have PCOS)? My Meds (120 mg of Dom w/ 18 fenugreek & 18 BT per day) or my pump (I have heard you all rave about the Limerick)? BTW, I still do not smell like maple syrup.

We are not matched yet and I may have started pumping too soon but I fear having a last minute match and not having enough time to BF.

HELP~

Did you do the Birth control part of the protocol?

Yes...for 6 weeks. Breasts changed and felt fuller.

I am in a similar situation as you. We are waiting for a match too. And I'm worried that I might have rushed this too. I have read everything that I can get my hands on. With all the reading I have done about this, I have realized that every person is different. People have very different experiences with this. I have been pumping for about a month. I get frustrated too. And there are days when I really get nervous that I won't get to the point where I have a full supply and I'll have to supplement with formula.

I can hand express milk too after I finish pumping. How long have you been pumping for?

Danielle I would pump for about 7-8 minutes stop and massage/jiggle then pump for another 7-8 minutes you can pump up to 20 minutes just don't do it all at once. Take a break to massage/jiggle and see if that helps you have another let down and get more milk out.

Thanks everyone. I knew I would get suggestions here and probably still will.

BellaLuna - I have been pumping since Oct 25th.
Lalle - for whatever reason I forgot about the stopping/jiggling and restarting. I'll give that a try.

Thanks again~

I went on the protocol 6 months before my baby was due, then i pumped 20 mins every 2.5 3 hours day once at night and went up to twice at night the last two weeks. My baby is now 3 months old, My supply is increasing slowly but i only get 12-14 oz a day. SO every-one is different. I HAVE to supplement. I do fenugreek blessed thistle and oatmeal everyday. Supplementing is not so bad, you can make your own formula with fresh ingredients, I use raw colostrum, raw cream, raw milk, goat milk, nutritional yeast, life start, cod liver oil, sunflower oil, I make my own whey, olive oil, coconut oil, and lactose. She gets my milk as well and she has been exposed to lots of sick people including me with a stomach bug and she did not get sick.
Every-one is different, I am sad that I can not give her just moma's milk. But, there is more to it than full supply.
Marica.

Let me be specific, in a 24 hour period I pump 20-24 oz but my DD takes more, so i supplement.
Marica.