Pumping Exclusively

First of all, you should feel proud that you are working so hard to provide breastmilk for your little ones. I think that all the suggestions are great so far and I certainly hope that they work for you. I gave up pumping completely after 4 months and gratefully embraced formula. My girls were born at 32 weeks and while their little bodies began to catch up, my milk supply didn't. I tried all the suggestions, read many books, consulted with my doc and their pediatrician, tried a prescription suppliment - all to no avail. My body just didn't work the way I wanted it to. My girls (and I thrived) after I stopped feeling guilty and made the right choice for us. They gained weight quickly on formula and didn't have their first illness until they were almost 2.

I sincerely hope that pumping works out for you. But if it doesn't, please take comfort in knowing that you have many, many other things to offer your children over the years. This isn't a deal-breaker even though I know it feels like it. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I know a lot of women use an herbal supplement (found at any health food store) call Fenugreek (don't know if I spelled that right). I think it comes in tablets. There is also a tea and another herb I can't recall the name of off hand. My suggestion would be to either go to a health food store and ask them what they have (they're usually pretty knowledgeable). I don't know what chains are national, but I know Fruitful Yield and Whole Foods carry these products. I also have a compounding pharmacist that is extremely knowledgeable about herbal and natural supplements, so that is certainly worth investigating. Also, you might call the lactation consultants at your local hospital. They were helpful when I had issues, and they were actually the ones that originally recommended the herbal supplements. I wish you luck - I know it can be frustrating, but the last thing you should do is stress - that will make your milk supply even lower. I know - easier said than done with multiples!!

First, congratulations on the birth of your twins! It can be overwhelming at times, but nothing in the world is better than being a mom, you are truly fortunate! As for building your milk supply, I'm sure you heard the saying "supply & demand", so as long as you keep pumping, you should keep producing. The best way to increase your supply when you pump is to make sure you aren't distracted when you pump. No TV, no phone, etc. Your hormones do not respond to the plastic suction cup of the pump, they respond to your love for your babies. So close your eyes and think of your beautiful babies. Or watch them while they sleep and think about how much you love them. You can even keep a photo album with you when you pump (great for moms at work!) and look at it while you pump. The trick is to get your hormones to respond. Don't stress over bills to pay or think about what you are gonna have for lunch. You can also go to your local health food store and pick up some "Mother's Milk" tea. This is known to help increase supply. Best wishes to you and your family!

make sure you are drinking lots & lots of water!
but if you go to a health food store you can buy Fenugreek-
it doesn't hurt your breastmilk and will increase your supply!
I used it & I know many moms who used it!
keep pumping but do it more often-
your body should react by making more milk!
breastfeding is a supply & demand kind of thing!
You may have to take more Fenugreek than the bottle says-
I did, and it was amazing the difference!
Good luck & keep up the great work!

I was in the same situation with my twins...have you contiunued to try to get them to latch? I pumped for 6 weeks also until my boys were able to latch on. I had almost given up but it just took them longer to get the hang of it. That is my best suggestion...I was trying to put them both to the breast then bottle feeding breastmilk and then pumping so I understand that it can be a very frustrating scenario for all involved but you never know...they might latch on like mine did :) I wish you the best of luck

Lorelei

Hi. I breastfed my twins for a year, and I had to pump for several months before they were able to latch on (I don't remember when they finally latched). The point is that I pumped for months, and I think I could've fed 4 kids with all of that milk (we had to buy an extra freezer). The 2 things that I know which helped me was that I pumped regularly every day (I had a schedule) and night, and I rested when I could. I read that your milk supply could be compromised if you're not getting enough rest and EVERYONE told me to sleep when my babies slept, and I did. I didn't worry about the house, laundry or meals (I had the luxury of family help), and I concentrated on feeding the babies (by bottle), pumping and resting. I know I was still sleep deprived, but I think it helped making an effort to rest as much as I could. I wish you the best.

I have two sets of twins, girl twins (now 12) and boy twins (now 11) , which I nursed til they were 6 months old. At first, I didn't have enough supply to keep them content, so I supplemented. Later, when I returned to work, I began to pump, and within days, lost a lot of the supply that I had when nursing. It just wasn't as effective. The milk that your body produces is PURELY supply and demand. The only way to produce more is to have those babies request more at the breast. I would suggest that you switch to exclusively nursing and avoid the pump. It's close, but it's not the real thing.