Very low milk supply, taking domperidone

[inGodstime]

My LO & I started out breastfeeding wonderfully, until 3 days in he started not having wet/dirty diapers. We had to start supplementing until my milk (finally) came in @ 2 weeks PP. I really had to work to bring my milk in with frequent nursing, pumping, fenugreek,brewer's yeast, mother's milk tea, oatmeal, etc. Ever since my milk came in my supply has been soooo low. The most I've ever expressed while pumping is 3 oz, average 1 oz. Around 1.5 months my supply dropped even lower, LO didn't want to take the breast at all & I could barely cover the bottom of the bottle when I pumped. I started taking domperidone per recommendation of my LC. It has helped me get about an oz per pump session & LO will feed on the breast now, but we still obviously have to supplement with formula & donor milk. I don't understand why my supply is so low. I drink water all day long, eat well, nurse & pump often, etc.

*LO is 3.5 months now. I had a very difficult labor/delivery with preeclampsia & a week hospital stay. I had a 27 hr labor that ended in C-section. My LC & midwife both said maybe my supply issues were related to my labor/delivery.

What do you think? Also, anyone have to supplement & still able to maintain a long-term breastfeeding relationship? I want LO to have mommy's milk as long as possible, I am just worried he will start refusing the breast when he gets a little older. Any advice for things I tried that I haven't done to increase my supply?

 

[DittyByrd]

Skin to skin contact. Side-lying position for nursing helps you relax more. Pump, pump, pump.

And, I sure hope your LC told you this, but what you pump is not equivalent to what he gets when he nurses. Baby is so much better at getting milk than the pump is. The only way to know how much he gets when he nurses is to weigh him before and after a feed with a finely calibrated scale.

Best wishes.

 

[inGodstime]

Thanks for the reply, we loooove skin to skin & side lying to feed. I have tried all of your suggestions to no avail... Last time I saw my LC he ate 1.8 oz from the breast but its still not enough for him as he eats 5 to 7 oz per feed. Any ideas as to what might be the issue? Thank you for your kind suggestions.

 

[DittyByrd]

Has he been checked for things that can cause latch issues like tongue-tie and lip-tie? These can effect the way he latches which can result in a poor milk supply? It's a lot easier to drink from a bottle than it is to nurse from the breast so those little ones tend to prefer the bottle because the physical limitation makes it impossible to nurse properly.

Beyond that, I've got nothing.

 

[Care76]

We were similar to you in that I had lots of intervention to get pregnant and then in the delivery. We were told that could effect my milk supply as well, but it turned out my little ones tongue tie was never properly released the first time. Between finally having his tongue released and having my Dom upped to 4 x 10mg 4 times a day I now have a decent supply.

This may not be your issue, but it can be very difficult in getting a proper tongue tire diagnosis since most doctors don't understand it enough these days.

 

[Jendra]

I'll tell you what I did. I had a C section, baby lost 12% body weight, supplemented with formula till milk came in, then got an infection and was separated from LO for two days. My supply tanked.

So! Domperidone yes, fenugreek yes, pumping yes. But one extra thing was a long thin tube I got from my midwife. I needed help to feed when I used this method, but it helped.

The end of the tube goes in the bottle of formula. It's a little weighted so it stays in there. My aunt held it for me while I nursed. You suck the tube to bring the fluid to the other end of it. Then you put that end of the tube in LO's mouth so he gets a taste. Then you put your breast in and slide the tube in there as well.

The result is baby gets fed formula while also re-learning to enjoy your breast and sucks on the nipple, creating demand to your body to produce more.

I never got back to EBF, but I increased my supply from nearly nothing to about 2-3 full breastfeeds per day.

 

[TheNewMrs]

Yes I was on Domp, Fenugreek, Fennel Tea, Oats and lots of milk making supplements.

A month after I re lactated I weaned off them all. They only "boost" your supply. You body works on supply and demand. While it may need help to boost the milk making factory, once your body is making that amount of milk, and baby is removing that amount from the breast, your body should continue to make the same amount of milk.