Premier born at 30wks, how do I encourage milk supply for expressing?

[ImissMiniPop]

My baby was born via emergency c section on monday, a very traumatic experience, he is in NICU atm, I hand expressed as much colostrum as I could, and have been using a hospital pump at hospital & manual pump/hand at home. But after an hours expressing I am still not producing enough milk.

I am expressing every 3 hours ago for an hour, and getting enough 25mls :(

all advice very much appreciated as it's breaking my heart knowing he's being topped up with formula when he's so teeny tiny. Hope

Poor you. I am sure it will get easier.

Do you have any photos of him you can look at, or can you express at the bedside. I found when expressing when DD was a newborn ill in hospital that being able to look at her helped a lot. Anything that will stimulate maternal feelings eg little clothes, a blanket of his should help if you can't be with him.

I know it is easy to say, but try to relax. I mean literally when you are expressing make sure you are taking slow calm breaths. I even sort of visualised the milk coming out and I think that helped.

Also ask the hospital to lend you an electric pump to use at home.

Have you been given advice about how long to express for? That seems like a long and tiring time, maybe shorter times very slightly more frequently would help? But I'm not an expert so check with someone else.

It is still early days and your supply can/will build up.

Hi. My DS was born at 30 weeks just 3.5 weeks ago. It will take a few days for your milk to properly come in (for some people it can take about a week) - so you might not have your full supply in yet. If you can double pump (both breasts at the same time) that will help. Drinks LOTS of water and make sure you're eating properly (easier said than done when your child is in NICU, I know).

And, like falling says, try and relax - breathing, and make sure your shoulders are relaxed. I started off getting similar amounts to you, now I express about 250mls per time. You should be expressing once in the night too (I do 11:30/midnight, then 4am, then 8am, then every three hours during the day). Try and continue expressing for 3-5 mins each side once the last drop of milk has come out - this encourages each breast to produce more. The nurses in my NICU told me to express for 20 mins on each side, but I found advice online that said to keep going until each breast is totally drained, that way it stimulates it to produce more milk. If you leave some milk in each breast it 'thinks' that it doesn't need so much next time.

I started a thread about a week ago which you might find useful, here. The Kellymom.com website (especially this page here) has some good advice for expressing for a premature baby.

Hope this helps. It's not easy but keep going .

Hi, my ds was born at 35 weeks, emergency section, admission to nicu, i was having no success to start with but within a couple of weeks I was getting 200mls plus, you will get there, the things that helped me most were having some skin to skin, ask, even if there are loads of tubes etc if baby is stable enough it can be done, also they gave me one of his sheets when they changed the incubator, when I was expressing I would smell it, shut my eyes and imagine he was with me! Sounds stupid but it really helped. He had to have formula too but he needed the food, any bits of milk will help and before you know it it'll be all your milk

kellymom website has a lot of good info on expressing. if you haven't already ask to the infant feeding co-coordinator at your hospital. They should be help. Also as you have a premie you can ask that they give doner breastmilk. It may nother always be availed, but if it is its far better for early babies then formula if you currently aren't producing enough.

Domperidone can be prescribed by your GP if you're struggling - ask your unit if they have an advice sheet, as a lot of GP's have limited experience in this area.

The Bliss website/messageboards are very helpful too - they have leaflets which you can download too.

I found double-pumping worked too - had a home version of hospital-grade electric pump.

I had EMCS @ 29 weeks & found it took a good week or so for milk to come in properly. Apparently the overnight express is the most crucial in terms of supply. And also, your little one will be taking only tiny amounts, so your amounts will meet his/her needs for now.

Sometimes, despite doing all you can, supply remains inadequate. Don't beat yourself up about this. At 30ish weeks your body sometimes isn't ready & able to make milk.

With a baby in NICU you're having a hard enough time, so don't beat yourself up xxx

Ps give up after 20 mins expressing - your body won't respond to any more.

And an electric pump does make a huge difference.

thanks for all the info, it's really helpful. When I was discharged from hospital the midwives made sure all those taking babies home were fully briefed about feeding, but didn't give me any information about what I'd need to do.

At the moment I still feel so traumatised about everything that I can't look at a picture of my little one without crying, so I don't think that will help, but will look into getting an electric pump for home.

Thanks again for all the tips, and the link cheeser how is your little one doing?

He's doing great thanks! Amazingly well for a 29 weaker that weighed 720g! He's 3.5 now, a little small, but a great wee boy.

I was quite traumatised by the NICU experience too. No wonder people's milk supply dries up under that level of stress.

I only expressed 4-hourly & for 20 mins max (double-pumping) . You will find an electric pump makes a huge difference!

How's your wee one doing in NICU? Xx

Thanks lots of cheese, I am going to look into getting an electric pump tomorrow, Glad to hear your little one is doing good, I'm trying to read as many positive stories as possible. our little one is doing ok so far, he's got a few little problems but there are other babies in the NICU who are more poorly. We just need him to put on some weight and concentrate on getting bigger and stronger.

Just remembered it was an Ameda Lactaline I had - they're available on Amazon & cost around £100

The NICU ride is a bit of a rollercoaster, when I look back, I don't know how on earth I got through it. Just take it a day at a time, or an hour if you need to. Hoping your wee one goes from strength to strength xxxx