Today is day THREE of NO FORMULA!
I have successfully relactated.
Tomorrow will mark four weeks that have passed from the time I began this journey. It definitely doesn't feel like it's been almost a month! The time has passed so quickly.
I hope that I can inspire women who don't believe they have a second chance.
I cannot describe the feeling it gives me to know that I am giving him the very best.
Wow this is amazing. I wish mine was coming in a little bit faster....I cant keep up with pumping like I need to since I also have a 21 mo. old and working full time but I am doing my best right now. I am taking my herbs and lacation cookies too. I am nursing more and that seems to help some too. That is just great that you are able to pump enough for him after just 4 wks of relactation. You should definitely be so proud of your self!
ReplyDeleteAlso I saw you are taking Reglan. Are you still taking this? Have you seen any side effects? I am wondering if maybe I should call my ob about something to help boost my supply but I am scared after reading so many of the side effects of reglan. But I have read some people get them some dont. You are an inspiration to women like me, but I am definitely struggling today with this process. I just read a part in a book that was made by LC's and LLL leaders that if you stop the milk production before 6 wks there is a chance of not getting a full supply back since there was never one developed. This just makes me cry because I stopped at 4.5 wks. Now I am feeling like all hope is lost.
ReplyDeleteTanya, I stopped breastfeeding at 3 weeks and resumed pumping at 10. However, I could always express just a couple drops so I guess I never actually stopped producing.
DeleteI took a full prescription of Reglan, which ended right about when I reached a full supply. I didn't have ANY side-effects, other than increased milk-production. A full prescription is three 10 mg tablets a day for 20 days. You don't want to take it for longer than three weeks apparently.
I am still working on increasing my supply by taking a combination of Blessed Thistle and Fenugreek, as well as increasing the amount of time I spend pumping. I am lucky enough to be able to spend so much time pumping! It's easy with a 3 month old. I can understand having difficulty finding time having an older little one.
I really feel like you would benefit from a prescription medication to help increase your supply. If you can't get your hands on Reglan, you should look into ordering Domperidone. It's not FDA approved in the states, but it is in Canada. You can order it online. I think I am going to look into ordering some too in the future, if I ever need a boost again.
Thanks. I never stopped breastfeeding but I just slowed it WAY down for about 2 wks to only a few times a day and the first day I pumped after that 2 wks I got a ounce so I never lost my supply completely. That is why I had hoped to be able to bring it back up to full supply, but after reading that it just got me down. I am bringing home 7oz total from the 3 pump session I do at work and then I nurse/pump at home. I just got my sns last night so I am hoping to do no bottles at home and keep him on the breast for full feedings using that. I was all upset so I called my hubby to see if he could make me feel better but nope he didnt. He feels like I wont ever be able to get a full supply and that I just need to deal with it and move on. But I just cant let it go. I thought about domperidone but was scared to get it due to side effect but I may break down and do it...I am still waiting for my OB to call me back so I can talk to them about it. I know depression was a big side effect for many women who took it and they say if you have a history of depression or PPD then not to take it. I do have a history with PPD and some depression on a regular basis so I dont know how comfortable I would be taking it or if they would want me to but that is where the Dom comes in because it doesnt have those side effects. I dont know if I can get hubby on board to get the Dom though.
ReplyDeleteDepression was a big side effect for women who took Reglan ( not Dom) sorry
DeleteThe SNS is a good idea.
DeleteIt's really unfortunate that your husband isn't supportive! I couldn't have done it without Eric cheering me on.
I think that the Reglan is worth a shot, despite the side effects. I have a history of depression and didn't experience anything close to that while on Reglan. I think you could try it out and simply stop taking it if you notice any signs of anxiety or depression. As long as you're in tune with yourself, those emotions won't go unnoticed.
Honestly, when my midwife heard I was taking Reglan she wanted me to stop and to begin taking Domperidone instead because Domperidone has less side-effects.
7 ounces isn't bad for an 8 hour (I assume) work day. I only pump 24 ounces a day, which is what the average 3 month old takes. You should know that babies are better at extracting milk from the breast than a pump, so in 8 hours your baby would get even more than 7 ounces!
Its like he is supportive but I think he is afraid I am going to develope PPD again liek I did with my daughter. So I think he just wants me to be done with it and move on.
ReplyDeleteIf my doc think it is okay to take Reglan I may, but it scares me so so bad because I dont have depression right now and I def do not want to go that route again. My LC recommended Dom so I thought if my doc was on board with that I would rather take it.
Yes 7 oz for an 8 hr work day. This is wk 4 for me though...SO my first day pumping I got 1 oz total for the work day and now starting week 4 I am getting 7 -8oz for a work day. So I know it is an increase but I was hoping to have a full supply back and be off of formula by now. He definitely nurses and seems more satisfied than before so I know he is getting quite a bit. On the weekends we dont do many bottles he mostly nurses so that is incouraging anyways. But before I did my whole 2wk break/slow down from nursing so much I was able to pump 2-3 oz in a few minutes. So I am just wishing to have that back. My baby is 11 wks old now and I am worried that my time for increasing milk supply is coming to an end since they say aroudn 12 wks is when it goes from hormonal to more supply and demand.
You can't compare your supply now to what it was then. Your supply is the highest in the first few weeks and then it tapers off a bit for ALL women! The fact that you have had that sort of increase in just 4 weeks is amazing! You can ALWAYS increase your milk supply, no matter how old your baby is. Finnegan is 14 weeks old and my supply is still going up and I expect it to increase even more.
ReplyDeleteA rule of thumb to follow is if you nurse/pump 8 times a day, you'll maintain your supply, to increase you have to nurse or pump at least 12 times a day.
That is great that you are exclusively nursing over the weekends. If you didn't work, I bet you'd be exclusively nursing all day every day. It sounds like you actually do have a full supply, even if it isn't what it was. :) Just keep with it! It is so worth it, isn't it?
You know, we're making the same amount every day. :) I'm jealous that you are nursing so much. :)Hey, and we started doing this at the same time too! We're boobie twins. Haha.
I totally get where your husband is coming from. He thinks that if he tells you it's okay to stop trying so hard that it is helping you by not stressing you out. You should let him know that it would help and that you want him to encourage you to increase your supply. It's nice to have a cheerleader. :)
DeleteYou should add me on Facebook, Tanya.
ReplyDeleteok So I finally heard from my OB and they said they do recommend taking Dom, but with my history of PPD and depression they did not want me to take Reglan. So I just ordered my Dom. I am nervous and excited. Not sure how much to start with so I will have to do a little research on that.
ReplyDeleteYes he takes a few bottles on the weekends usually if he wants a bottle it is like an ounce after a nursing session here and there. Haha your right we are right on the same track with each other! That is pretty awesome! We should be pretty proud of ourselves. I don't really have anyone to talk to about all this because my family is not really supportive of this kind of this so I am keeping it to myself. They all just think I am just bfing whenever I feel like it. I figure its not their business and I will just be proud to have done this for me and my baby and no one else. My friends wouldn't understand either although I have 2 friends who know about what I am doing and they are happy for me. Yeah my hubby just wants me to be happy but he has seen me struggle a lot and I think it worries him. Plus I am sure it is not easy on him for me to be so busy nursing/bottle feeding/pumping. It leaves him doing a lot with our daughter and doing things around the house. I will see if I can find you on FB.
Hi Nicole, I stopped breastfeeding 3 days after I have birth. My baby is now 2 months and a week. I'm really trying to try this agai
ReplyDeleteMy doctor told me it's too late to try again :( how did you get reglan
ReplyDeleteThank you for this : ) I needed to hear a story like yours. It makes me feel like I have a chance of getting my LO back to being ebf.
ReplyDeleteHi Nicole.
ReplyDeleteI am desperate to increase my flow. My baby is now 14 weeks and stopped taking the breast since a month now. Pls guide.