Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Relactating, still only drops of milk

Hi,

I am relactating for my 8 month old baby. I still had a pretty full supply until December and then by Jan 1 had no milk left but could get drops. Now I have started relactating (long story) and have started Domperidone one week ago. Today I switched to 20 mg 4 x day instead of 10mg. The first 2 days I had nothing, then sticky drops of yellow fluid, then now I have milk, but I only get drops. I am puming with a Medela Symphony every 2 hours during the day and once at night. I have been using a syringe to collect the drops off my nipple and the horns. NOt enough to even get into the bottle anyway. I end up with about 1.5cc total for the day if I'm lucky. But I've been giving it to him anyway! Makes me feel better.

My plan is to stay on this course for one month and if it's not working either give up or try taking Prometrium w/ the dom for 30 days and then come off and pump again and see if I have better results.

Any tips? I'm drinking water and gatorade, eating oatmeal and taking the domperidone.

Thanks!

Keep thinking positive...you are doing great!!!

No suggestions, just wanted to share some encouragement.

Hang in there and keep checking in here with us. Right now you are still in the early days so lets just wait a week and see where you are at then. You are doing great!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Thanks ladies! I am still keeping up the pumping every 2 hours. I haven't pumped at night the past few nights as I've been too sleepy since upping the Dom to 20mg, I just can't focus enough to do it. I will try to add it back in soon though. I've been getting in about 9 sessions a day for 15-20 mins each. I've started having drops that are trying to run into the bottle. I'm getting about 1/2 cc total from both breasts per session now. Still tiny amounts, but it's more than before. It's really only been 8 days so I should just be patient!! Still no luck getting baby to the breast though. He's 9 months today and latched as recently as December, but he won't have anything to do with it now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Trying, have you seen a lactation consultant? An international board certified one... she will be able to help you with your latching issues. What bottles are you using with your little guy? Avent are the suggested ones as well as the new playtex I think. But it is suggested that you use the #1 flow nipples to make him work harder for the milk and then it is less likely he will get as frustrated at the breast when you do get him latched.

Dear Trying,

Congratulations on your new little one and on your decision to relactate. Kudos to you for your hard work.

Your milk supply will take time to come in but it should come in if you keep doing what you're doing. If you are too tired to pump during the night, don't be so hard on yourself. Just pump before bed and as soon as you wake. Then get at least 6 more pumping sessions in during the day. Do you know how to hand express? It's important to do this after each pumping session to be sure to drain your breasts as much as possible. This helps to further stimulate them. If you're not sure how, it's a good idea to arrange a home visit with a board certified lactation consutlant to show you how. You can find one here www.iblce.org Just click on the "About IBLCE" button and the US and International registries pop up.

You CAN do this.

Best,

Our LC's here aren't overly helpful in terms of older babies and relactation. They are super busy at the hospital and that tends to be their focus. We don't have any independent ones around here that are certified.

We are using the Playtex Naturalatch bottles. I have Avent, but he never could use those so we switched to Playtex. He is on the rapid flow nipple now, but I still have all of the slow flow which I could pull back out. I tried giving him the 2nd nature bottles this week and they made him mad!

On the hand expression issue. I have read how to do it, but I can't get milk out w/o a little squeezing/pulling on the nipple. The whole rolling thing doesn't get any milk out for me. I have pretty large breasts as well and I think that makes it a little harder.

Dear Trying,

If you email your area code I can try to find someone near you. lenore@asklenore.info or lengold@sprynet.com Some medical doctors and nurses are also IBCLC and/or have a lot of breastfeeding experience. The Symphony is a good pump. Are you renting it? It may be more economical to purchase a pump. In that regard the Symphony is a bit pricey.

There's a new pump available through the Limerick Company of Calfironia that I've been testing for the past few months. It's got flexible breast shields that compress the nipple/areola while suction is applied. I'm impressed with this pump because it's so efficient that it does not require hand expression after pumping. And the company's customer service is wonderful. Note that I do not work for this company or receive any money from them.

Best,

Lenore,

How much is the Limerick pump? I haven't found it on the internet to compare pricing. I have a PIS as well, but I just don't seem to respond really well to it. About the same as tthe Symphony really.


Kristen