Hi all, it's been a long time since I've posted but just wanted to share my success story and give you all encouragement...you can do this!
We adopted our DD at 48 hrs old in Feb. She is now 9 mos old and is/has been exclusively breastfed...(no solids at all yet). I did the accel protocol. I attribute the success to following the protocol, co-sleeping, babywearing and REALLY b-feeding on demand (at least 12-15x per 24 hrs) and above all determination!
Thanks again for all the support and advice I gleaned from this site.....and I wish you ALL the best!
WamLLLy,
Mindy

Mindy that is awesome. Thanks for sharing.

Mindy,

Thank You! For giving us all encouragement! And congratulations on your success!!

Any other tips you can give us all would be more than welcome!

Wow that is fantastic! Glad you came and told all the ladies about you success. Come around more with updates.

Mindy, How long were you on the accelerated protocol and which BCPs did you use? Can you tell us how your milk production increased over time? Did it come in fast, slowly build? How much were you finally able to pump?

Well, I used yaz and was on accel protocol for exactly 8 weeks, pumped for 2 weeks before she was born (she surprised us by coming 2 weeks early). I feel like my supply built quite slowly...if you want major details I can look it up for you(day by day details). When she was born I was pumping 4 oz per day(that was after 2 weeks of pumping) and she weighed 5#12oz so I knew I needed about 12-15 oz to feed her so I supplemented with stored b/m with the Lact-aid (piece of advice:somehow try to practice with the lact-aid...don't try it for the 1st time in the middle of the night...have some surgical tape to tape it in place!). I happened to have 3000 oz of stored milk b/c we had been waiting 2.5 years and had 8 failed adoptions....just before this match I had tried to get pg for 8 mos, but before that had been pumping for 1.5 years waiting for the adoption to come through. So we traveled to TX with enough frozen milk to sustain her for 2 weeks, but once she was at the breast my supply really increased. I had to use the lact-aid to supl about 4 oz per day until she was about 4 mos old. (Now she is 9 mos old & weighs 24#s...all b/m!)
I really can't stress enough the on demand b-feeding...I mean if there was any chance she was hungry I latched her on...even if it was for a few moments...remember it's the FREQUENCY more than the duration. Co-sleeping is also a MAJOR benefit so baby can latch on any time , even "in her sleep". Babywearing is good too, to learn who she is...I wore her basically at all times in a peanut shell pouch sling...I thought of it as my 3mos pregnancy with her...I wanted her to know my smell, my voice, my movemnts.
Hopefully that helps! Any other topics/questions I 'd be glad to share with you! Adoption is such an emotional rollercoaster and I just wish you all the best. It really is all worth it...even after 2/5 years...even after 8 fell through...now I have my daughter.
WarmLLLy,
Mindy

PS You asked what my peak pumping was....during the 1.5 years I was pumping I reached a peak of 18 oz per day. One can never rely on the "pumped oz figure" to determine what you're really making though...the pump is never as efficient as a baby. CLEARLY I am making way more than 18 oz a day now, but that was all I was ever able to pump.

Mindy... you sounded like me! I pumped for 2 years.. and by the time Olivia was born I had a Large Stand up freezer packed to the max with my milk. It was a great situation for me. As the max I pumped was 10 ounces a day. And I did the protocol for 5 months. Just don't toss your milk. You can ALWAYS pasturize it if you need to. I used my 2 year old milk and it was just fine. I just made sure it stayed at 0. But as I can see... you don't need to use it .. Your doing so good. I am proud of your sucess

Yah, I really looked into that & tt Lenore....I saved every last drop! I tried to donate to the Ohio milk bank but didn't qualify b/c I hadn't recently given birth! Then the further I looked into it I found out I could use it all...and I still do occassionaly...I couldn't keep up with some recent growth spurts and used some that's 2 yrs old and (I too have kept it SUPER frozen)it smells & tastes just fine!
Thanks for the support & praise, it feels great.
Wamly,
Mindy