"Larry McMahan" wrote in message
...
Marie writes:
: In my neverending quest to find *something* that will increase my milk
: supply, I am currently taking: 80mg of domperidone/day, 16 capsules of
: Fenugreek/day and 16 capsules of Blessed Thistle/day. SIGH All this,
and
: I'm still oly making *maybe* 1/2 of what I need for my twin boys. While
I
: can't find anything definitive--I'm not sure I can/should increase my
: Fenugreek or Blessed Thistle (if any of you know what the max dosage
should
: be, please let me know), so I've been trying to find other things I can
add
: to my regime that may help.

: Today I read something that suggested raspberry leaf, fennel, and
brewer's
: yeast may help. Has anyone had any experience with any of these? What
: about Milk Thistle (something else someone recommended)? I'm wondering
: about dosage, and any side-effects/interactions I should be worried
about.

: Any other ideas for increasing supply? The boys *still* haven't latched
on,
: so I'm struggling to increase through pumping alone.

: Actually, that raises another question--even if they don't latch, could
it
: help supply if they just kinda lie there? I'll put them to my breast
and
: they'll mouth it/lick it/fall asleep on it--just not latch DOUBLE SIGH

: TIA

: Marie
: Chris and Alex--born 04/23/03 @ 31 wks gestational.


OK. if they are not latching well, then you must be pumping. What is
your
nursing and pumping schedule. I think you are taking enough herbals, so
that
if you are recieving adequate nursign stimulation you should be producing
adequate milk.

Whenever possible, I pump at least 20 minutes every 2 hours. However, if
the boys and I are alone, and they're needing my attention, I sometimes have
to skip a pump.


How well do they latch, if at all?

Not at all, though we're still trying to teach them.

How long do they nurse?

They don't nurse, but I try and give them at least an hour or so of breast
time each day.

How often/many times a day do you nurse them? Do you pump? Do you feed
them EBM?

They each feed about every two-three hours, I pump as often as possible,
they get all the EBM I can produce (about half to 2/3 of what they need)

Do you use a lact-aid or SNS?

I tried tube feeding--it worked with finger-feeding but took about an hour
for each feeding. When we tried it with the breast, they couldn't get *any*
suction and got nothing from the breast or the tube.

Do you feed by bottle? (If so, get rid of it.)

And how do my babies eat if I do?

How much EBM, and how much formula (if any) do you feed them a day?

Between the two of them, they consume about 600-700ml of EBM a day, and
between 300-400ml of formula.

These are the kinds of questions we need detailed answers to do give you
any
useful help.

Now for some other ralated suggestions to increase your supply.

1. Drink plenty of water. Normally this would mean at least 12 oz (350
ml)
every 2 hours. Keep a sports bottle by your bed at night. With twins,
you
may want to drink more.

Does it have to be water or does fruitjuice, pop, etc. count?

2. Get plenty of rest. Especially with twins! Nap whenever they do.

About once a week, if I'm lucky, they nap at the same time :-}

Don't do housework, errands, or cook. Let Dh do it all, of if you can,
hire help.

We have some help, but not enough.

Spend a much time in bed with the twins as possible. Lot's of skin to
skin
contact, lots of nursing.
3. Nurse as often as possible. Even if it is only comfort nursing.

Is it better to do it together or individually? Right now, I try and use it
as one-on-one time.

These things are just as important as the herbals in increasing supply.

Give us a speedy answer and we will try to offer more help.

Larry