Induced lactation anyone?

[Shellster52]

I have a 4 year old and a one week old. With my first I was devastated and cried when the hospital refused to help me with painful attachment issues and sent me to emergency where the solution was to admit my son and put him on formula. My milk was just starting to come in. I was producing about 15-+20ml per pumping and it never increased from that point on despite trying EVERYTHING. This time, I was blissfully breastfeeding but thought I would see a lactation consultant on way home from hospital just to reassure I was doing it right after first experience. She told me

• My son is not sucking hard enough
• His suck is not going to stimulate my supply
• I need to feed him then hand express into a syringe and finger feed my son
• Once my milk comes in hopefully he will be more keen and suck harder.

I told myself not to stress but I couldn't help it. This was so important to me and this is my last child and chance to have a b/f relationship. The result was that this time my milk stopped producing from day two. So this time I am stuck with just a few drops of milk.

I have just been reading about induced lactation and would really like to give it a try just because I'd like to try everything. Would love to chat with others who have ever tried it or know anything about it.

I haven't got any experience but didn't want you to go unanswered. Have you spoken to a BFC on one of the helplines about this and how you are feeling?

I'm a bit confused op. So you were feeding your newborn and the lc said these things randomly? Are you bf now? Has your baby been weighed? Are you still in the care of your mw? Sorry for all the questions but the advice seems odd to me.

My milk took about a week to come in.

I'm confused- your baby is only a week old and your milk stopped on day 2? Milk doesn't normally come in until day 3 or 4 so I'm not sure what you mean by this.

What does your midwife say? Is the baby weeing and pooing? Is his weight loss normal?

PS the amount of milk you can express does not necessarily reflect the amount you produce - I can only express small amounts but have successfully fattened up two babies

How old is your baby? You milk is unlikely to have come in by day two- you just get a drop or two. If you had supply issuesast time you might this time (I did) so feeding then expressing after each feed at the start is not a bad idea to increase your supply. You can also get a prescription for domperidone in some cases which can help improve supply. You will probably be able to resolve this though- as long as your baby is young. There are loads of people on here with great advice- don't worry. How old is the baby? Was is a c section or traumatic labour? Did you lose lots of blood or have a high bp? All of these thjngs can delay your milk coming in.

Sorry- I see one week old- my milk came in around then (bad not in ten full crazy way it does for most people). Expressing after each feed can help signal to your body to make more. I used to get hardly any at first- and that is normal. It will increase if you keep expressing. Ask your gp or breastfeeding consulant about domperidone, but you are probably a bit too soon tk get it, they like you to express after each feed for a while first. Feed every three hours at a minimum, especially during the night ( 12-5 or so I think it is, when your hormones are at their highest levels). Lots of skin to skin and check your latch is good, use YouTube for helpful videos for this if you are stuck. Keep up your fluids and eat. And try to get sleep in between feeds where possibke. Though the advice is to feed every three hours I used to leave a longer gap between my 5am feed and the next one as otherwise you may find you get no chunk of sleep at all, which is counter productive. Fenugreek (capsules from health food store), oats and breastfeeding tea are also meant to help, though I have no idea if they do, but it made me feel better.

Most of all be kind to yourself. Formula isn't poison so you can top your baby up after a feed if he needs it. And if you can't bf then it isn't the end of the world so don't make yourself I'll over it (though I did, so easier said than done really)

Becoming a touch evangelical about this, but has baby been checked for tongue tie? Makes a huge difference to feeding.