Breastfeeding SupportGOT MILK? The Breastfeeding relationship is so important... if you need support, or are a boobie juice pro, come on in! This is the breast (uh, um best) discussion board on the web.
They didn't even try to let me pump after the c section just because I was in so much pain. Today is the first day that I have felt ok and not in pain 24 hrs.
So yesterday and today I have been trying to pump but not getting much out.
I know some people say oatmeal. But there is some med that starts with a d you can take too? Domperidone or something like that? Where can I get some?
Sorry I haven't updated, we are either at the hospital or on the road or asleep.
And I know I still owe two people packages of fabric and I will get them out. i feel soo badly that I haven't sent them but right now I am just overwhelmed by life.
Small update, Clara is up in the penthouse now. That is what they call the NICU part she is in. She only has one tube and that is for feeding. They were nippling her every other feeding but they say she was working too hard so now they are only going to nipple her one feeding and put the rest in the tube. Otherwise she is doing great!
Eleanore we thought was doing great, and she has made great progress, but then they slip in little things like she has a blood clot in her heart and they are worried about brain damage. They did take her off the ventilator and the oscillator and she has been able to stay off so that is good news.
My babies are 8 days old and I have only held Clara twice and Eleanore not at all.
Cheryl, mama2miracles, I got a package in the mail today that I think was from you. THANKS soooo much! First time in a long time that I was crying tears of happiness! I love all the cute pink goodies! Can't wait to be able to put my babies in them.
The link to pictures is in my sig if anyone wants to see how much better they look.
THANKS again to everyone here!
Mindi
__________________ Sometimes realize, I could only be as good as you'll let me
Mindi,
The girls look beautiful! I love the close up of you and Clara. You are looking great!
For milk supply: oatmeal, fennel seed, mother's milk tea, fenugreek, beer (helps with let down and relaxation, in moderation). I'm not sure about the RX med, I've heard it works well, but your doc has to prescribe it. Pumping on a regular schedule will also help increase supply, especially if you see that your girls are thriving on breastmilk. A friend had early twins, and she didn't intend to breastfeed - her doctor told her that her main job while they were in the NICU was to pump to help her babies thrive. She did and they were almost exclusively breastmilk fed for their time in the hospital. She actually appreciated having that job because it was so hard not being able to hold and care for her babies.
You and your family, especially little Clara and Eleanore, are in my prayers. Is there anything we can do for you? Anything you need? Anything the other kids need during this busy and stressful time? Please let me know if so!
We are doing ok. We are usually here going crazy doing stuff or on the road or at the hospital.
Right now we are ok, well as ok as we can be. I am soooo grateful for all the support for the Sep Moms! It means soo much to me, I read but just haven't had time to reply.
Thanks!
Mindi
Mindi! I was just coming here to see if you had updated - been thinking about you and your twins a lot. Yes - that package was from me - glad you like it!
It sounds like Clara is doing really, really well. I remember that with my girls - having to back off feedings and just let them be tube fed so they can rest. Now that she is able to feed - it shouldn't be that much longer before she can do it more. I know with the NICU my girls were in - they wanted 48 hours with no tube feeds before sending them home.
Pumping - I was anal about it. 10 min every 2-3 hours during the day and no longer than 4 hours at night. It still took about quite a few days of regular pumping for my milk to really come in. So don't despair right away if it's not there. Your body has been through a lot and it takes longer for milk to come in after a C-section. (don't know if you have had one before - but it's not as immediate as after a vaginal birth). Also some meds they might have given you to stop labour or for blood pressure or anything like that - can also delay milk coming in for even longer.
For natural stuff to help milk come in - try fenugreek capsules - you can get it at a health food store. Also eat oatmeal every day - that helps also. I think the other stuff Dopendreine is prescription.
But at this stage just pumping regularly is a big deal. AND when you can see Clara - see if you can hold her skin to skin next to your breasts WHILE the tube feed goes in. (Ng tube right? through the nose - so if you can even put her mouth near your breast to associate that would be good). Then right AFTER her feed - go pump. That contact with your baby will help your body realize it needs to get milk going.
Editing to add that I LOVE the photo of you and Clara! Elenore is also looking a lot better that the earlier photos - thats a cute pic of her yawning.
__________________
~ Cheryl ~ single mama to
Melissa (9), Michael (8), Madeleine (7)
twins Megan & Maribeth (4)
Last edited by Mama2miracles : 07-27-2005 at 03:33 AM.
Ohhh, I was wondering about you at MD! I'm so glad that they're doing better in spite of the blood clot, etc. That would just make any mothers nervous! What I did was ~ I nursed and pumped afterwards but since you are not able to nurse them yet, I would sit next to them and pump. I noticed more moms get letdowns in NICU just listening to their baby(babies) and the nurse would use the fantanstic "gold" milk in the feeding tubes. Maybe ask if that's possible?
I would just focus on herbs for now ~ domperidone takes a while to arrive. I'd just pump for 15 minutes on a hospital-grade machine every 2 hours and get your supplies up.
Good luck hon!
PS Editing my post to add ~ can you do kangaroo care? Take your top off and lay Clara on your chest? Or just not yet?
__________________
ISO:
Boxtops for Education
Clothes for my kids (WAHM PERFECT!):
DD: Winter Jammies size 6-7 100% cotton
DS: Winter Jammies size 6 100% cotton
Oatmeal and Mothers Milk Tea worked wonders for my supply. I also used Fengureek with a lesser degree of increase in supply. The oatmeal really worked the best for me.
Good luck and I'll continue to keep your girls in my prayers!
__________________
Carissa ~ Mom to Therese, Devan, Caelan & Todd My Feedback
The most important thing is DEMAND - demand for milk creates the supply. You need to be using a hospital-grade pump and pumping for 15-20 minutes a minimum of 8-10 times a day. Pump whether anything comes out or not. By not demanding your body thinks you do not need milk - and won't make any.
There is no substantiation so far for the affect of oatmeal on milk production nor beer - experts feel that oatmeal might help by making sure mama gets good nutrition and the beer by relaxing mama - but no known medical association between those and increased production.
There is a known association between galatagogues and increased bm production. Galatagogues are are herbs or rx meds that stimulate increased production by the mammary glands (your breasts) and sweat glands (no way out of this). The most traditional herbs for this are fenugreek, fennel, blessed thistle, and goat's rue. It's much much easier to take these in a tea or formula than any other way - and it's critical that if you use tea that you steep it for the long, recommended period to get the full nuturitional aspects.
Our youngest stayed in nicu for 27 days, during which time I hemorraged severely 2x and needed several blood transfusions and was put on complete bed rest. I managed to pump and pump a lot by the time he got home! Some tips that helped me: my husband would bring a receiving blanket to the nicu each day and put it under our son - then bring the 'older' blankie home to me. I would smell the older blankie when it was time to pump to connect with his scent - that baby smell, even with medications and hospital stuff, goes right to a mama's heart! DH also taped the baby's little sounds on a message recorder for me to listen to. I would massage my breasts with warm hands, towards my nipples, for a few minutes before starting to pump, and meditate on how much I loved my little guy and how only I could give him healing mama milk. It was hard! I didn't get to hold him till he was 11 days old - but still, those things really helped me connect.
Another idea, kinda on the odd side but very useful, can you put someone else's toddler or older baby to your breast? Nothing has the sucking oopmh of a toddler!
Pumping takes time to produce results and you are getting a late start - but certainly not too late. GIve yourself permission to not produce milk for something like a week - and then pump pump pump. I bet you'll be dancing with happy surprise in 4-5 days!
lmk if I can answer any question,
Cathy
certified lacatation education
What helps build up milk supply
You are looking great!
James and Maximilian!!!
I'm so glad that they're doing better in spite of the blood clot, etc. 
That would just make any mothers nervous! 
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