Breastfeeding Support Desperately Needed

I am at least now having "let down" during feedings. It was so bad that I wasn't having let down last week.

That's atleast something. I NEVER had a "let down" at all. My mom watched me pump one day and was like "that's it?" She was the one who clued me into the fact that something was wrong. I didn't really have a clue as to what to do.

I just placed a call to my lac spec for additional support. I almost started bawling leaving her a message. this is awful and I am sure being upset about all this is not helping.

Google "lactation cookie recipe" online. I swear by these! I made tons of them when I was nursing and could tell when I hadn't had them for a while. There's oatmeal and brewer's yeast in them, which are both good for supply...

Have you asked your DR for medicine to help increase supply? I was on Reglan and it helped. It was the same stuff my son was on for GERD/REFLUX. I watched a tv show where a woman had a baby , her sister carried the baby for her, but she was able to breastfeed due to meds from the DR to give her milk.
Another thing that is really important is making sure you get enough fluids in for the day. When I was stressed or did not have enough water, I did not produce enough. I also pumped with my first (both boys were preemies and my first wouldn't latch on so I pumped, my 2nd I breastfed but I pumped while he was in the NICU) and with my first, through pumping, I started to deplete around 5/6 months as well. Your body goes through changes and it is hard to strictly pump because you do not have a baby sucking harder and longer and telling your body to produce more. I struggled too. I pumped every 2 hours like clockwork, never missing a beat. I got about 2oz each side every 2 hours. With my 2nd, I was able to breastfeed until he was 14 months. Supply & demand. He started nursing less frequently but had a more vigorous suck, so I was producing well. But with both, if I did not drink water or crystal light all day long, I had no milk! Seriously... don't have caffiene, and make sure you drink! DRINK! DRINK! & when you pump you have to be in a stress free , relaxing enviornment to have a good let down. That can hinder supply as well.
Good luck! & Relax! 
Michele

Just an FYI, Reglan is no longer considered safe for nursing mothers (or anyone really) as it has been shown to have possible life long side effects for mother and baby.

One drug that is considered safe for nursing mothers is Domperidone, but if you live in the US you can not get a perscription for it as it is not FDA approved (there are ways around that though, such as compounding pharmacies and internet orders), but in most countries it can be gotten by perscription.

WOW! Good to know! That was 7 years ago that I took it. My friend, a nurse at the hospital, was on it too and told me about it. Crazy. Thanks!

I actually took it 8 years ago when my triplets where born, it's only in the last few years that they deemed it unsafe, makes you wonder about all the other stuff they say is "safe"!

You have gotten some great advice so far!

From now on you know not to take any kind of decongestants, they are made to dry up bodily fluids and will almost always affect the milk supply. Some cold meds that are safe are things like Tylenol Cold, saline flushes (or actually breast milk will do wonders for a stuffy nose), vicks vapor rub and steam. 

The best way to get your milk supply back now is to pump or nurse  as much as possible, every two to three hours at the least. Breastmilk is a supply and demand kind of thing, the more you demand of your body the more it will supply. After each feeding with your daughter, pump! Tell your body that you need more then what it supplied.

There are many prolactin inducing foods and herbs that can be useful such as -

- Fenugreek
- Blessed Thistle
- Brewers Yeast (you can get this at just about any health food store, I always added it to my oatmeal in the morning)
- Oatmeal
- Mothers Milk Tea (can be found in most food stores, and I saw that Target now carries it too in their tea section)

You also want to make sure that you are drinking enough fluids and are staying very well hydrated, eat when you are hungry and make sure you are maintaing a good calorie level.

I hope everything works out for you! Hopefully you will get the lactation consultatnt on the phone and she will be able to reassure you and help you though this hard time!

I haven't read all the responses...so I might be duplicated.

Add in additional pumping sessions....nipple stimulation is what you need....think quantity and not quality......pump for 10 minutes....and if you can.....come back in 40 minutes and pump again.........after a few days....your supply will start to increase.

The decongestant.....NOT YOUR FRIEND!!  Not only does it dry up your sinues.....is dries up your milk.

When you are with baby....offer the breast as often as possible....even if baby isn't really hungry persay.....most babies (unlessed they are stuffed) won't turn down the breast.  Pump during the night also (if baby sleeps through the night)....if not...let baby sleep with you for easy access to the breast during the night.  A few night time feedings will help your supply as well (this worked for me because my babies were all co-sleepers........)

Fenugreek didn't really work for me (other then making me smell like syrup).  I took Domperidone (bought from a Canadian Pharmacy online) - it's actually given to chemo patients to help them from throwing up, but the side effect is increased milk supply.....I only took it as needed (like when my period was coming), but I noticed increased supply the next day after taking it (my LLL actually told me about it).

Is baby eating solids (cereal yet)?  If so, offer the breast first and then solids.

Lastly....don't stress =)