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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Domperidone and breastfeeding problems

30 replies

Pixiefish · 17/04/2008 19:44

some of you will know that I have had problems breastfeeding- well, i've blogged it all and it can be found here.

I hope that if anyone is going through what I have been through they can find some reassurance from my blog- it's here

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 17/04/2008 19:58

i must restart the domperidone, i think my supply is dwiddling again. do you find that PF?

Original poster
Pixiefish · 17/04/2008 20:04

i've never managed to come off it SGK- I got down from 9 a day to 7 a day and my supply had dwindled a lot so I had to restart

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ninedragons · 18/04/2008 02:33

I found domperidone ok on its own, but even better in conjunction with a Chinese tea my obstetrician gave me. My supply doubled overnight when I started the tea as well. I'd love to be able to tell you what's in it, but the package is all in Chinese - will see if my husband can tell me tonight, if you're interested. If you have a Chinese medicine practitioner near you, this stuff is the bollocks. It's purple granules that dissolve in hot water.

SallyInYorkshire · 18/04/2008 15:03

Thank you pixiefish!!!!!!!
I am going thru something very similar - just got to the domperidone stage myself!
Have left a comment on your blog with some questions

Original poster
Pixiefish · 18/04/2008 15:35

hi Sally, I'll answer you here.

I gave 30ml twice a day initially. After a breastfeed

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e14mum · 18/04/2008 17:42

Have just started domperidone myself- thank you for this as I've been feeling a bit out on a limb. E

e14mum · 18/04/2008 17:54

And now have just read the blog properly... and can completely relate, except this is my first baby, so I was totally unsure what to expect. I am at the 4 1/2 week point now, just started domperidone on Tuesday and been supplementing dd with ebm and formula using lactation aid/bottle for 1 week now. Dd put on 100g this week!! This is after steady weight loss and marathon feeding for 2 weeks once problem was noticed. Feel I have a better handle on things, but it's all still a bit of a muddle for us at times.

Original poster
Pixiefish · 18/04/2008 17:58

Have you been advised to try Fenugreek and Milk Thistle plus drinking Fennel tea?

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Sanguine · 18/04/2008 20:11

Hi pixiefish

I had a very similar experience of low supply. we're at 4.5 months now and off domperidone, the milk's holding out so far but DS is getting pretty hungry these days. I do have a drawer full of the stuff, just in case!

e14mum · 19/04/2008 15:30

Can I take them with the domperidone? I wasn't sure as some herbal things can affect other drugs... Will send DH out to search later on.

Original poster
Pixiefish · 19/04/2008 20:26

yes e14mum- i was advised by my lactation consultant to take the cocktail i'm taking

i've updated my blog with links if anyone needs them.

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lucysnowe · 21/04/2008 15:20

Oh this is interesting, I am thinking of going the dpd route to improve my supply. Thanks for the link pixie! Can I ask - did you have any trouble getting the domperidone from your GP? And do you have a good resource for fenugreek, milk thistle etc?

ninedragons · 21/04/2008 16:23

In many countries it's over-the-counter. I am not sure about the UK, but check with a pharmacist before you bother to make a GP appointment.

Original poster
Pixiefish · 21/04/2008 21:06

you can buy it but it's £5 for 10 tablets. i take 7 a day so it would be £5 a day.

i have a lactation consultant as a medical bod- so far no problems getting it from gp.

domperidone shouldn't be used without proper advice. you need to do plenty to stimulate your supply before taking it and while taking it.

As for the fenugreek and milk thistle- i get mine from holland and barrett

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lucysnowe · 21/04/2008 21:34

Ta! I don't know if the lc I have been seeing will be that interested so I might try my lovely gp first anyway. What do you need to do to keep up supply - extra pumping etc?

Original poster
Pixiefish · 22/04/2008 07:37

yes. If the lconsultant you have been seeing is a qualified consulatant then she will be interested. If she's only a counsellor then try and get to see a lactation consultant. Lists on my blog of how to get hold of one

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e14mum · 22/04/2008 09:59

the bf counsellor I have been seeing says that b feeding your baby regularly is usually enough stimulation. That advice is mainly for mums on it who are only expressing.
Do people have problems getting d from gps? Mine was great about it.
How long did it take to kick in for you pixiefish?

Original poster
Pixiefish · 22/04/2008 10:08

your counsellor is wrong e14. i have been seeing a breastfeeding consultant- read the papers by Dr Jack Newman- you need the extra stimulation, preferably with a hospital grade pump

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Original poster
Pixiefish · 22/04/2008 10:11

Domperidone must never be used as the first approach to correcting breastfeeding difficulties. Domperidone is not a cure for all things. It must not be used unless all other factors that may result in insufficient milk supply have been dealt with first. (See handout: Protocol to increase breastmilk intake by the baby). What can be done?

  1. Correct the baby's latch so that the baby can obtain as efficiently as possible the milk which the mother has available. Correcting the latch may be all that is necessary to change a situation of "not enough milk" to one of "plenty of milk".
  1. Use breast compression to increase the intake of milk (handout #15, Breast Compression).
  1. Use milk expression after feedings to increase the supply.
  1. Correct sucking problems, stopping the use of artificial nipples (handout #5, Using a Lactation Aid, and #8, Finger Feeding) and other stratagems.

regarding correct use of domp. paper by jack newman

OP posts:
Caz10 · 22/04/2008 10:17

hi! haven't read blog now, off to do so now, but just wanted to say that i got domperidone on prescription from my GP, a massive supply, so v cheap.

Caz10 · 22/04/2008 10:20

ooh can i also ask, was your BFC quite happy for you to use fenugreek on an ongoing basis? i've been using it but have been a bit worried in case dd shouldn't be getting it as much as she is

Mikafan · 22/04/2008 10:22

Do you think my GP would prescribe dom for me when my DD is 11.5 months old and my supply is dwindling? I've been expressing since returning to work when she was 6 months old and have tried all the normal things to increase supply but they aren't working.

Original poster
Pixiefish · 22/04/2008 10:28

Fenugreek is fine long term according to my lactation consultant.

Mikafan- have a read of today's post on my blog- i've given other tips on increasing production

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Original poster
Pixiefish · 22/04/2008 10:30

don't know about your gp sorry- try him. Print off the Jack Newman info and take it in to show him. Lots of GP's haven't heard of Domp for increasing milk

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Mikafan · 22/04/2008 10:48

Thanks Pixiefish, I can't read your blog until I get home as my works network blocker has blocked it I just thought that because of my DD's age they wouldn't be so bothered about my milk output going down. I've tried the herbal remedies before and they didn't do anything for me.

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