i'm so frustrated

[megs4413]

so i was exclusively pumping for my son who has s severe cleft lip and palate and is unable to nurse. when he was 8 weeks old i had to go on an anti-convulsant and was advised to discontinue breastfeeding. but i just read a report about the drug suggesting that even though it is excreted in breastmilk it is among the safer drugs in breastfeeding.

i'm pretty frustrated. i'm pretty much dry, though i do pump once in awhile and dump when i "feel the urge", i don't get much. i would like to try relactating. it's been about 6 weeks since i was pumping regularly. what do you think? can it be done? does anyone know the best way to go about it?

[egoldber]

I think it can be done, although I think it might be unlikely that you would achieve a full milk supply again. BUT any breastmilk he gets means more antibodies and good stuff. :) I would talk to a local LC and see what they suggest. But I am sure that it will involve:

renting a hospital pump
taking galactogogues (fenugreek, reglan, domperidone, etc.)
pumping every 3 hours

This may help get you started:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/relactation.html

[Sillygirl]

Megs, no info on relactating, but I wanted to say how sorry I was to hear about the bad advice you got from your health care providers. It drives me CRAZY when my colleagues say "pump and dump for a week" or "stop breastfeeding" like it's no big deal. Unfortunately the FDA categories are pretty worthless and people perceive a liability risk. I have handed out Dr. Hale's website whenever I can. If you're up to it, maybe you could pass that along to your doctors so they have access to better information for the next mom to come along. Eight weeks of exclusive pumping with a newborn is an amazing accomplishment and I wish you tons of luck as you try to do more.

[megs4413]

thanks katie...i actually got the info off Dr. Hale's site. I wish I would have known about it when this first came up. My pediatrician doesn't seem to think it's any big deal that he's not on breastmilk anymore, either. Even though he vomited the regular stuff, the lactose free stuff, AND the nutramigen.

[egoldber]

I'm sorry Megs. Thats awful. :(

[tylersmama]

Big hugs, Megs! That really really stinks that you got bad advice.

I don't have any advice about relactating, but I know you can do it if you want to. You have been a total inspiration to me through everything you've gone through. 8 weeks of exclusive pumping is awesome! As Beth said, any amount of milk you can give PC is better than none, so even if you can't re-establish a full supply, you would still be doing a great thing for your little man. So, start drinking lots of water, get out the oatmeal and fenugreek, and get pumping! Good luck!

[megs4413]

ok....so i started the fenugreek. i;ve been doin oatmeal all along, and i'm drinking my water.

but, the pumping is really hurting...like sharp pin-prick kind of pain. ideas?

[egoldber]

Like letdown feeling? That kind of pins and needles sort of feeling?

You can use some lansinoh to lube it up a little.

[megs4413]

no like...OMG i'm gonna pass out this hurts so bad feeling....

i got drops of yellow thick, colostrum looking stuff out of both boobs...that's a good sign, right?

[egoldber]

Oh yes, getting any milk is a good sign!

The milk is probably thick because its been collecting and sitting in the ducts for awhile. As you get the milk moving again, it makes sense that it may hurt while the ducts are clearing out.

[DebbieJ]

Megs, you are awesome!

This site may help: http://fourfriends.com/abrw/Boot%20Camp/bc1.htm

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[Wife_and_mommy]

Just wanted to lend my support. :)

You can do it!


http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url] http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]

I love them most when they are sleeping.--Me
http://b4.lilypie.com/HSUwm4.png
http://b2.lilypie.com/UgAXm5.png

[elaineandmichaelsmommy]

Aren't you in the st.louis area? If so, give Sierra a call at Kangaroo Kids. She's great at this kind of stuff and can help you any day of the week. She's a LC and I think a few of the other gals at the store have their certifications and as always the help is free.
They'll even come to your home and visit you for about $70 I think,but the gal who does that is an rn I think.

Good luck, what you're doing is sooo great for pc. Keep it up mama.

[elephantmeg]

sorry you're having such a rough time. There are a bunch of breastfeeding forums on lalecheleague's website
http://forums.llli.org/
including one on relactating/inducing lactation. They are monitored by LLL advisors and I found other forums very helpful when I was breastfeeding. HTH and good luck and best to PC!

[egoldber]

Megs, how are you doing?

[megs4413]

doing OK. still not really getting anything more than drips, but that's OK. I did leak a bit last night, so that tells me things are working...hopefully things will get going!

i'm considering getting a prescription for domperidone....what do you think? i'm on the fenugreek...but i'm wondering if it's giving me diarrhea? i don't know if it can, but um...well...something is....

and my nips are killing me, probably cause i'm pumping so much without getting breastmilk out to moisturize them. i'm doing lanolin, but still....YOWSERS....

[egoldber]

I think that fenugreek can get things going down there especially if you're not used to it. :)

I don't know about dom. I've never researched it. It is supposed to really work though.

I would think that leaking is a really good sign. :)

[Tondi G]

I hear ya. I went on antianxiety meds when #2 was 2 weeks old. All the doctors... ped, physchiatrist etc said... no you have to pump and dump the baby will be too sleepy.... then the stress of pumping and dumping and the fact that DS was so young (our BFing relationship wasn't even established etc). He wasn't interrested in going back t the breast after he had the bottle. Then I found out from another mommy I know that she has taken the same meds in pregnancy and throughout BFing all of her kids and has had no trouble at all. I guess it's just the doctors covering their rears. Frustrating none the less!

I hope you are successful with relactating. Like previously said.... any ammount of BM you can give him is better than none! Wish you luck!!!!

~Tondi

[alexsmommy]

I never personally used the domperindone - but I've had several clients with supply issues who have and they had great success. None of them could get the prescription, but they found ways around this. Good luck - I think its great that you keep working at this.
Alaina
Alex Feb '03
and #2 in early summer '07

[randomkid]

Megs:

Just wanted to lend you some support and tell you to keep going. I had an extremely frustrating experience with DD - weak suck, milk protein intolerance, what seemed like low supply since I could never pump very much and I had high blood pressure that I had to go on medication to get under control. After 8 weeks of EPing and feeding DD with a syringe (as well as having to supplement), I just had to quit. DD was just getting strong enough to suck milk out (I'd still let her nurse even if she couldn't suck anything out) when she started vomiting BM. I had just had it and everyone around me wanted me to quit because they were worried about me. I did stop at 8 weeks and regret it to this day. I tried pumping a couple of weeks after I stopped and got about 1/4 ounce. I just figured that I was done at that point. I now wish I had known about this board and had kept trying to reestablish my supply. If you do whatever you can to bring back some of your supply, you'll at least know that you truly tried. I still kick myself for giving up just when things were getting a little better. DD vomiting BM all over me at 1:00am was just the last straw that made me give up.

Good luck and keep doing whatever you feel like you need to do to make BFing successful for you. If you've done all that and just feel it isn't going to happen, then you know you gave it your all.

[spunkybaby]

I pm'd you about the domperidone. Sorry to hear about the bad advice you got. Good luck with the relactation--I am so impressed by all your efforts for PC. He is lucky to have you as a mom! Lots of hugs!

Mom to a spunky preschooler (3/04) and a new spunky Christmas baby (12/06)

[aa2mama]

Kudos to you for trying this!

I don't have personal experience with relactation, but I have this book. Chapter 14, I believe, is on relactation and breastfeeding in special situations. You might take a look through it.

http://tinyurl.com/2rqku9

[sambavi]

Megs, how are things going? Big hugs to you, your baby is so lucky!

I have exclusively pumped for 11 months for my son (just stopped recently), so you can email me any questions you have on making exclusively pumping easier on you. I don't have any experience with re-establishing supply but have heard that it is possible.

[megs4413]

slow going. my thyroid is messed up so we're trying to get on top of that....