Low Milk Supply

Just when I thought I had it all figured out, my milk supply goes wonkers.  Initially, I had way too much milk: Desmond kept sputtering and choking as soon as he latched on, he would pull away before draining the breast, and his poops were green.  We tried block feeding (where I fed him just on one breast per session) and it helped.  For about 3 weeks afterward, our nursing relationship was going beautifully.  However, for the past month or so, Des has been eating every 1.5-2 hours instead of every 3-4 and my milk supply can't keep up.

This is what's been happening: I will start feeding Desmond on the left breast; when the initial let down doesn't occur, he'll pull off and start crying.  I switch him over to the right breast and the same thing would happen on that side.  I would switch him again to the left side but he wouldn't suck long enough to give me another letdown.  So, he would end up crying his guts out and I'd have to resort to feeding him some of my expressed milk that I had frozen.  Guess who started freaking out when the frozen milk ran out?  This lady.

I read online about how to increase milk supply.  There are several ways to do it.  Obviously, your breastmilk production works on the process of supply and demand: the more your baby nurses, the more milk your body produces.  However, I don't think Desmond was nursing long enough to give the signal to my breasts to make more milk.  The trick was to keep him sucking long enough to let my breasts know to make enough milk.  I was worried for Desmond, since he's a little on the skinny side, but my pediatrician said that he's OK and if he's producing 6-8 wet diapers a day, he's getting enough. 

So, in desperation, I contacted my lactation consultant, Julie, who owns A Baby's Choice Lactation here in Salt Lake City.  She recommended I come see her and talk about my problems.  She rented me a hospital-grade breast pump.  Hospital-grade breast pumps are ideal for mothers who have premature babies or mothers who need to pump constantly throughout the day.  The pump is a lot stronger than other electric pumps (I think mine has a piston or something) and does double collection, which means that pumping time is cut in half and more prolactin is released.  However, the pump is about 15 lbs and it's bulky.

The behemoth breastpump.  Sits in the middle of my living room floor because I have nowhere else to put it.

Julie also recommended that I should take fenugreek.  Fenugreek is what's called a galactogogue, a substance to help milk production.  It's also used as an additive for artificial maple syrup and therefore has the (kind of unfortunate...kind of funny) side effect of making your sweat smell like maple syrup.  I haven't noticed it yet, but it's very, very cold out so I haven't been able to sweat.

Since I started the regimen of pumping more in between feedings (never instead of feedings) and taking fennugreek 1 week ago, I've noticed a change already in my milk supply.  I haven't been able to pump enough breastmilk as I would like (one pumping session lasts about 15 minutes and I produce a total of about 2-2.5 oz), but being able to keep Desmond satisfied during a nursing session is so worth it.   

Des patiently waiting for his next meal.