Hi Moms,
I had surgery Tuesday with a pretty rough recovery phase. Due to my circumstances, I was physically unable to pump but a couple times while in the hospital until Thursday evening. I am nursing as much as possible now and it seems my son is getting a small amount of milk when he does so. I have more than enough milk stored to feed him for the next few weeks while I try and get my supply moving again. I'm just looking for some ideas that I might not be thinking of. I'm going to be in bed for a while - maybe a week or so - I'm pumping when I can and getting zilch, but ok with that since he's getting a little something when he feeds. I'm not taking anything stronger than Ibprophen (is that how you spell it?) while I'm recovering. I have Vicodin but don't like the way it makes me feel and would rather be uncomfortable - my pain is manageable as long as I'm in bed. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks for your input!
Hi All,
Thanks for your responses...things are already picking up. Sometimes you just need to hear from others that it's not a lost cause. I completely feel for women who have wanted to nurse and couldn't as well as those who have been given pressure that nursing is the only way to go when it wasn't right for them....a very eye opening experience!
Hi N.,
First...I hope you feel better soon. While I breastfed I too found the more water I drank the more I produced. Also, the more often you pump the more you produce...if you can.
Good luck.
My friend had a terrible time with her supply and her doctor recommended a herbal supplement called Goats Rue. It worked very well. She was pumping out 8oz AFTER feeding her baby. It is completely safe for baby. Of course talk to your doctor to make sure that there would be no interation if you are on any meds from your surgery.
Iron supplements also help.
Try taking More Milk Plus and Goat's Rue by Motherlove. They can be purchased at Whole Foods (but are pricey). Nursing works better than pumping. If your baby gets fussy nursing because there is less milk, you can try a SNS by Medela. It's basically a container for formula or breastmilk with a long thin tube that you strap to your breast so that you can supplement while you are nursing. These can be purchased through lactation consultants or online. It usually takes awhile for your milk to come back, so keep at it. Good luck!
One thing to watch is the amount of water/liquids you consume. Especially if you are in bed, you may not be getting enough fluids to make more milk (think about 80 oz a day - 40 for the milk production and 40 for your recovery). That and pumping and nursing often (not fun, but does help) should help.
When I was exclusively pumping, I started eating oatmeal for breakfast and it made my milk production go crazy! Its worth a try. Also make sure you are hydrated - I always drank a big glass of water every time I pumped. It isn't amount of water = amount of breastmilk you'll get, but you need to keep your body hydrated in order to keep up with your metabolism and all the extra work your body is doing.
