Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply So many questions

I contacted my LC, but we were only able to speak via phone for now. She thinks I may have thrush. My symptoms were itching breasts...itching wasn't so bad that I couldn't bear it. I didn't even feel like I needed to scratch. The only other syptom I had was a shooting pain in my breasts 10 minutes after each pumping session. The pain lasted a maximum of 10 minutes. I have no cracking of nipples, no rash, no shiney, smooth nipples. But I began a protocol for thrush as follows:
1) 2-3 cloves of garlic/day
2) 1 probiotic 3x/day
3) gentian violet applied 1x/day
4)clean the breasts and nipples with a solution of applecider and vinegar after each pumping session (mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of water and apply with a cotton ball)

I began the protocol 2 days ago and I now have no itching. The shooting pain used to last 10-11min and now it lasts no more than 7 minutes.

Has anyone else had these symptoms and what did you use to help?

As instructed from my lactation consultant I treated the situation with many different things:

1)reduced sugar intake
2)probiotics 3X/day
3)gentian violet applied for 3 days in a row
4)clean with a solution of water and apple cidar vinegar after each pumping session
5)eat 3 cloves of garlic each day (I could only do this ONE day as it made my breath TERRIBLE and I'm a hygienist!)

The pain and all itching subsided within 3 days!

BUT I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION!

....I got my little baby 3 days ago! I've been breastfeeding since she was born! I was there for the delivery and spent the night with the birthmom so that I could feed her overnight.
I've been pumping for 10-15min after each feed to help keep the supply up. The first day the supply was still high. The second day I missed 2 or 3 pumping sessions because we had SO much going on (I had never missed more than one pumping session) like visiting with the adoption agency and social workers and pediatricians, etc.
My supply dropped DRAMATICALLY and I only got 10oz today.
This is a huge difference from the 27oz that I got the day before my little girl was born.

The questions are: Did the supply drop because I missed the pump sessions? Will it increase quickly again?

I know she can't be eating 17oz! She's only a few days old!
I thought my supply was supposed to increase when she came because she could extract more milk. Being this old she is surely just eating a few ounces, right?

I need some reassurance. I worked so hard to get that supply up and I feel like I've lost a lot of headway.

Thanks

How big is she? She could be eating a good portion of that. I would not be concerned. You know you can make enough for her and you will. Really, within a couple of weeks, I would stop pumping after feeds altogether and just let your body do it's thing. The only reason I would pump at that point is if you need some extra for something.

Right now you are busy and stressed with all the newness. That could affect your supply some too. It will come back. Don't worry.

The first time I induced I made myself crazy pumping all the time after feeds for the first 3 months. The second time I didn't pump at all once I got to the point of ebf (when she was 2 weeks old). Both babies did fine. I was much less stressed the second time.

Congrats to you! When are papers signed?
Jennifer

She was born on Wed (4 days ago) at 9lbs 4oz. She dropped to 8lbs 13oz later that evening.

We sign the papers soon. We are waiting on some paperwork to come through before it's final. It might be a few weeks, but she has been in our arms since the first day and she isn't going anywhere.

You think that she might be eating a lot? She seems to be eating very frequently which makes me pause because I'm wondering if she is able to get the milk out.

The in-between pumps also seem to be dropping. They are down to 1.5-2.5oz. I'm pumping every other time that I feed her.

We are going to get her weighed on Wed...so I guess I'll know if she is doing well. I guess I thought that the supply would continue to increase with her arrival.

I would love to know that this is normal.

That is a big baby. My girls we adopted were tiny - 5lbs 12oz and 6lbs 1oz. So they didn't drink that much. She is likely drinking 14-20 oz a day.

Kelly mom says from 1-6 months most babies drink between 19-30 oz of breastmilk a day. http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/
And that before 1 month it will be less than that. I have read average from 1-6 months is 24 oz a day. But every baby is different.

Weighing her should give you some reassurance, but remember the goal is to be back up to birth weight by 2 weeks, so if she isn't there yet, that is okay. Is she peeing and pooping? Does the poop look "seedy"? It is so hard to trust it, but you have to.

I actually had a baby scale that I used to weigh the baby before and after some feeds to give me an idea of how much she was taking. But really, you have so much milk, I wouldn't worry.

I'm feeling much better about her eating...she wasn't ready to eat one day so I went ahead and pumped and got 7 oz!...then she ate a full 5oz of it. So I know now that she eats quite a bit and I must be producing if she is satisfied at each nursing session.

She has plenty of wet diapers but she lacks the poops. I've heard so many people say that their children only pooped every couple of days and the pediatrician said not to worry about it. We weighed her at the pediatrician when she was 1 week and she went from 9.4 to 8.8...I'm going to take her in again at the 2 week mark and see if she is gaining.

Thanks for all your help! I'm feeling so much better about the whole process and I've been able to reduce my pumping to just 1-3X/day (I still have to pump if she isn't ready to eat simply to avoid these nasty clogged milk ducts!)

You are so helpful!

They are supposed to be back up to birth weight by 2 weeks, so as long as you are there, you are good. Bf babies often poop only every few days, but I thought those first few weeks they were supposed to poop more. It has been a while, and my mommy brain forgets a lot, so if your ped says it is fine, then I wouldn't worry either.

You sound like you are doing great. As I said before, I would only pump for another week or two and then just let your supply adjust to her need. Then only pump when you need to.

Jennifer