Hi Lenore - 03/29/11 10:16 PM
I was sent here by my local LL leader. I want to say I was very touched by your story to tears. My first baby was born premature at 32 weeks from the very thing your surro mommy experienced. It was a complete placenta previa. We nearly both died. I had massive bleeding from a placental abruption. I was not able to nurse her. I had dried up within a few days.
I was sure with my second baby I would be able to breast feed. Alexa Renee was born at 37 weeks via cesarian. I had to get a repeat cesarian because I have a bleeding disorder and I had a vertical emergency cesarian with my first baby Cally...so they didn't want me to go into labor. Everything went great but my milk supply took about 6 days to come in. My baby became very jaundiced and was too sick to nurse. I could not let down to a pump to save my supply. I gave up and accepted failure because I kept reverting to my previous failure.
My baby is now 10 weeks old. She's had "colic" from the start. I've been giving her donated breast milk. It had gotten to the point where she refused to eat again. If this hadn't happened to my first baby, I wouldn't have noticed the signs of severe reflux. She could not handle the strong flow of a baby's bottle. My poor baby was in pain. I could not believe I was going through this again with gerd. My preemie was hospitalized for a week because her reflux was so bad it made her turn blue and lifeless in my arms during feedings. The only thing that worked for her was goat milk (a natural antacid-encouraged by my chiropractor who adopted 3 children and relactated for all of them). So Alexa is on goat milk and doing well. I intended this to be short term. She's been on the goat milk for almost two days now.
With an awesome support system at church...one of my friends who is donating for Alexa. She was willing to try to nurse her today. The first feeding Alexa was a little fussy but it worked out. The second feeding she did great! My friend went to feed her own baby and Alexa left her drained lol!
So anyway, for the sake of my baby's health, I want to try to relactate. There's still some milk in there...I have not dried up yet. There is only drops but Alexa seems to be willing to nurse! I called my dr today and left a message and I will ask to get the domperiodome. Do you recommend the same dosage for a mom who is 10.5 weeks post partum? (20mg 4x day?) I think my doctor will perscribe it...and there is a compounding pharmacy near us that is willing. I will do whatever it takes. Before I felt it was for me, so I accepted failure. I do not want her to go through the pain my first preemie went through with reflux. To read your story gives me hope.
There's two things that make my life miserable: pumping and the SNS. I tried this with Alexa and it really sucked. I don't let down to a pump at all, and I hated the SNS. The SNS may be different since she eats better now, so I may give that another shot, although I'd like to not have to. But I saw that you didn't so that's encouraging!
I need to do this for my baby. I need to take her out of pain. Goat milk is not a good long term food (it caused constipation and dehydration in Cally). She does not experience reflux with actual nursing. She's a small eater - only drinks 1-2oz per feeding because she always had pain from the bottle. I think her small intake may be helpful?
I am letting her nurse as often as possible and before every feeding. I am on the search for wet nurses to get Alexa used to breastfeeding. Hope to hear from you soon.
Kara
I was sure with my second baby I would be able to breast feed. Alexa Renee was born at 37 weeks via cesarian. I had to get a repeat cesarian because I have a bleeding disorder and I had a vertical emergency cesarian with my first baby Cally...so they didn't want me to go into labor. Everything went great but my milk supply took about 6 days to come in. My baby became very jaundiced and was too sick to nurse. I could not let down to a pump to save my supply. I gave up and accepted failure because I kept reverting to my previous failure.
My baby is now 10 weeks old. She's had "colic" from the start. I've been giving her donated breast milk. It had gotten to the point where she refused to eat again. If this hadn't happened to my first baby, I wouldn't have noticed the signs of severe reflux. She could not handle the strong flow of a baby's bottle. My poor baby was in pain. I could not believe I was going through this again with gerd. My preemie was hospitalized for a week because her reflux was so bad it made her turn blue and lifeless in my arms during feedings. The only thing that worked for her was goat milk (a natural antacid-encouraged by my chiropractor who adopted 3 children and relactated for all of them). So Alexa is on goat milk and doing well. I intended this to be short term. She's been on the goat milk for almost two days now.
With an awesome support system at church...one of my friends who is donating for Alexa. She was willing to try to nurse her today. The first feeding Alexa was a little fussy but it worked out. The second feeding she did great! My friend went to feed her own baby and Alexa left her drained lol!
So anyway, for the sake of my baby's health, I want to try to relactate. There's still some milk in there...I have not dried up yet. There is only drops but Alexa seems to be willing to nurse! I called my dr today and left a message and I will ask to get the domperiodome. Do you recommend the same dosage for a mom who is 10.5 weeks post partum? (20mg 4x day?) I think my doctor will perscribe it...and there is a compounding pharmacy near us that is willing. I will do whatever it takes. Before I felt it was for me, so I accepted failure. I do not want her to go through the pain my first preemie went through with reflux. To read your story gives me hope.
There's two things that make my life miserable: pumping and the SNS. I tried this with Alexa and it really sucked. I don't let down to a pump at all, and I hated the SNS. The SNS may be different since she eats better now, so I may give that another shot, although I'd like to not have to. But I saw that you didn't so that's encouraging!
I need to do this for my baby. I need to take her out of pain. Goat milk is not a good long term food (it caused constipation and dehydration in Cally). She does not experience reflux with actual nursing. She's a small eater - only drinks 1-2oz per feeding because she always had pain from the bottle. I think her small intake may be helpful?
I am letting her nurse as often as possible and before every feeding. I am on the search for wet nurses to get Alexa used to breastfeeding. Hope to hear from you soon.
Kara