| Author | |
Chris V
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2009
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1598
|
| Posted: Aug 22 2012 at 5:11pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I cannot believe(!) how much my milk supply has dropped since giving the twins solid food. Holy moly.
With my three older girls, I never really introduced solids until around 9 months-ish - there was never a need, really. And even at that it was mostly for fun. My breastmilk has always been enough for the long haul.
About two months ago I started giving the babies some bananas. They loved it, thrived off of it, and what's more - actually *needed* it. I was producing about 8 ounces every 3 to 4 hours. Once they got to be about 6 months old, that was no longer enough for them. (I still pump between feedings) ... here's a fun fact for you, by my own estimation I have pumped breastmilk 1,275 times since they were born on Dec. 15th. Yes, OMGosh is right. 
They needed to be fed between 6 and 8 ounces at each meal; my poor breasts. There's just no way my body could produce this much every 3 hours (I drink Mother's Milk Tea, and am still taking a Fenu Greek supplement - still!). I think my body is just plum-tired.
So, they are 8.5 months old now (I know! where has the time gone?) and are really, really good eaters (both solids and milk). But my supply has taken a nose dive, and I fear that it is irreversible. How can I possibly increase my supply when I'm already pumping inbetween EVERY meal (and I stay up until midnight, regardless, just to get one more pump in because the babies are sleeping so much better at night and don't nurse as much). I'm drinking the tea, taking supplements, adequate calories, water, etc. So if this isn't possible, what's next? I've never been in this situation. ... surely not diary milk? It's too soon. Possibly goats milk?
Now, I'm not giving up, to be sure! I'll keep doing exactly what I'm doing. But my milk will eventually not be enough for them - and then what?
__________________
Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11) 
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Aug 22 2012 at 5:20pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
OK, I'm not sure what beyond what you're doing would help. hmmm oh wait.. I do know one thing you're not specifically taking that helps.. Alfalfa.
As far as what to give them.. when my 2nd to last wasn't getting enough while I was pregnant I gave him yogurt. It's one food recommended for use well before milk (about 9 months vs 12+) and he did great on that.
Goat's milk is way better than cow's milk for giving to those less than a year old.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Chris V
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2009
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1598
|
| Posted: Aug 22 2012 at 5:33pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Ah, so glad you mentioned yogurt! After bananas came yogurt; so they've had yogurt regularly now for about a month already. (they each eat between 4 and 6 ounces of yogurt every day, in addition to a banana each, and some sweet potato).
I think my local community has a food co-op that sells goat's milk. Thoughts on raw versus pasteurized for the twins?
__________________
Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Chris V
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2009
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1598
|
| Posted: Aug 22 2012 at 5:43pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh, I meant to add - I had forgotten about alfalfa, thank you!
__________________
Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Aug 22 2012 at 5:45pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I think with little ones like that that I'd want to err on the side of them not getting harmful bacteria and ending up immediately sick rather than any benefits that you'd get from the raw milk.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Chris V
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2009
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1598
|
| Posted: Aug 22 2012 at 6:49pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
.... bummer. I cannot take alfalfa while on the SCD, it has starch. 
__________________
Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Aug 22 2012 at 7:04pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
frustrating..
oh say.. when did you start the SCD in relation to the lowered supply? could it be your body dealing with that change and it'll improve on it's own as your adjust to the diet?
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: Aug 22 2012 at 7:05pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Chris V wrote:
| .... bummer. I cannot take alfalfa while on the SCD, it has starch. |
|
|
Do you think it is being on the SCD that has affected your supply? You need carbs to make milk--do you think you are getting enough? It is harder to eat carbs when they have to be in vegetable form and not hve starch.I find that many times, dietitians supporting gut healing protocol simply don't have a lot of experience translating that to nursing mothers.
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Chris V
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2009
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1598
|
| Posted: Aug 22 2012 at 7:27pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Sure. It sure could be the SCD. I've been particularly careful about it (or so I thought). I do get carbs everyday (but not near what I was eating, to be sure).
I've been on the diet now for about 2 solid weeks. I noticed the decline (albeit a very slow decline) prior to starting, but felt secure that my dietary supplements and pumping vs. nursing routine would keep it steady. I know I'm getting enough calories and fats - but perhaps the carbs play a much larger role than I understood? ... hm.
__________________
Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
momtomany
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 505
|
| Posted: Aug 23 2012 at 4:02pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I was going to recommend oatmeal, another help for milk production, but I forgot about your SCD diet. I wouldn't be surprised if the diet is playing a big role in your drop in supply. Over the years of being a La Leche League leader, I've seen a lot of different diets, and quite a few of them seem to affect milk supply unfortunately.
Are you taking any seasonal allergy meds? Those can have a drying up effect.
__________________
Mary Ann in PA
wife to MIchael, mom to Elizabeth, Becca, Tim, Peter, Andrew, Sarah, Matthew, John, Leah and Joseph
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Betsy
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 02 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1962
|
| Posted: Aug 23 2012 at 4:39pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
No Advice Chris, but I am offering up prayers to Our Lady of Leche!  
__________________
ImmaculataDesigns.com
When handcrafting my work, I always pray that it will raise your heart to all that is true, modest, just, holy, lovely and good fame!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
3ringcircus
Forum Pro
Joined: Dec 15 2011
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 420
|
| Posted: Aug 23 2012 at 5:13pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I was going to suggest steel-cut oats as well, but I guess that doesn't work for you. How about sleep? Are you rested enough?
I also used full-fat yogurt & milk kefir for LOs under a year.
You could do a "dream feed", which involves taking a sleeping baby and nursing while he/she is drowsy (after their bed time, and closer to yours). As long as the sleep pattern is stable, they tend not to wake up fully. That might stimulate more production than the pump. I know that when S got more busy he dramatically shortened his feeding sessions, and I did the dream feeds to protect my supply and get him to take in enough calories.
Sorry, I forgot to ask if you nurse, or pump only. If you pump, only, then you may have more success going to bed earlier and adding the pumping session to the early AM. That's when the production is best, and you could stimulate a boost in production over a few days.
__________________
Christine
Mom to my circus of boys: G-1/06, D-1/04, S-4/10
Started HS in Fall'12
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Aingeal
Forum Rookie
Joined: April 17 2012
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 62
|
| Posted: Aug 23 2012 at 6:04pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi there-
I have never had twins, but I've done a LOT of nursing, so maybe I can offer a few ideas....
First, sleep came to mind. Your sleep, not theirs:) Are you rested enough, if you are up till after midnight to pump? Get thee to bed, Mama!
Also, the tea. How much Mother's Milk are you drinking? When I used it to bump supply, I had to drink several cups per day (like, 4), and I did the full, 10-minute steep time. Maybe that might help?
Finally, I am wondering about the pumping itself. Do you NEED to pump, like to go to work, or be away from the babies? If not, I would consider going back to straight nursing. Babies are always better milk producers than pumps. Also, how frequently do they nurse during the day/night? Every 3-4 hours would be normal, and maybe once at night too.
I hope some of that might help! Sticking with nursing is hard when it seems like it's not working, but I've found that if you tweak some things here and there, it can be done!
Angela
__________________
In Christ,
Angela
Wife to DH of 9 years and Mama to DD (7) and DS (5)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Chris V
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2009
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1598
|
| Posted: Aug 23 2012 at 6:34pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Sleep? No, I don't get very much sleep. At.All.
My typical night: to bed between 12 am and 1 am. Up at various times (depending on the babies) - they are both teething right now and it is killing my husband and I. We are up every hour between 1 am and 7 am. I used to get up no later than 6 am to get the household going, get myself ready for the day, but lately I'm just too wiped out. So I try to stay in bed until the babies wake up. Then I nurse them. Then I pump shortly there after. And so the day begins.
I nurse/pump every three hours with about an hour separation between the nursing and pumping. The nursing sessions are becoming shortly with the introduction of solid foods, but I still nurse either before or after each solid food feeding. Without the solids, it would not be enough for them - to satisfy them. At the peak of my milk supply I was producing about 10 ounces every 3 to 4 hours (5 oz. in each breast) and that STILL wasn't enough to satisfy them.
I drink Mother's Milk tea all day long. I always have a cup in my hand (with the tea bag still in it).
I think I might try getting to bed earlier (skipping the midnight pump) and get up when my husband gets up for work, go pump, then go back to bed (if the babies cooperate). My other three girls are really good to me in the morning  they know just to go grab some books, draw at the table, or watch a cartoon for the first morning hours if I'm still in bed.
Thanks so much for all the support, I really don't want to let my breastmilk go! ... though I cannot believe how challenging it is to nurse twins, and honestly, am really proud of myself for coming this far without having to supplement with formula at all. There were days where I was so sore and tired and all I could think was how it would be so easy to quit - and understood why so many do. Some days it feels like *all* I do is feed them, that's it (and the others are lucky that I get a chance to feed them too!).
__________________
Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Aingeal
Forum Rookie
Joined: April 17 2012
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 62
|
| Posted: Aug 23 2012 at 6:40pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi Chris-
Oh my goodness. Yes, you are tired. Definitely to bed earlier, I'd say. Also, are the babies interested in nursing during the day? If they don't seem to be, that may be part of their waking at night. Night milk is more caloric, and they might just be filling themselves up then, if you nurse them when they wake.
So, do you need to keep pumping, or could you just let them lead the milk supply?
You are awesome for nursing twins! Wow!
Angela
__________________
In Christ,
Angela
Wife to DH of 9 years and Mama to DD (7) and DS (5)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Chris V
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2009
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1598
|
| Posted: Sept 07 2012 at 12:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Having some measured success now using homeopathic Pulsatilla 200C. My right breast is now producing nearly twice that of my left - a bit odd, but I'll take whatever my body gives. The hope is, of course, that my left side catches up.
Just wanted to give a happy-ending picture here, but wouldn't recommend that you just go out and buy Pulsatilla 200C if you're having similar supply issues. I work closely with my Classical Homeopath and she recommends remedies based on my entire constitutional picture - my whole being. However, it is a good direction to look into and has been successfully used by others, so this particular remedy does have a success history for low milk supply. Could help someone in the future, who might be looking up threads in the archives, so I thought I'd mention it
__________________
Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Our Lady of Good Remedy and Care
Topic: Milk Supply
