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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 38 Germany
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 38 Germany |
I just received the news that I will travel in 10-14 days to go bring my little boy home!!! YEAH!! <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" /> The time is finally here. I have been waiting for the green light since October.
I have been pumping since the end of November and I am pumping just barely over 1 oz a day. I am disappointed that it isn't more. I know that everyone is different and any milk is good and the contact alone is worth it, but I am still disappointed. I am taking three capsules three times a day of Domperidone, three capsules of both Fenugreek and Blest Thestle three times a day, I am eating oatmeal throughout the week. I am drinking more water than ever in my life. When I am home, I am pumping every three hours, and unless I am really tired I will get up in the middle of the night and pump. I just don't know of anything else I can do. I am even compressing while I pump to help empty my breasts. I had read somewhere that the baby gets full benefits of breastfeeding with as little as four oz. a day, so that was my goal, but it doesn't look like I'll make that goal. Troy will be just over seven months old when I get him. I don't even know if he'll take to the breast.
So I am so excited to finally be this close to bringing him home. I am on the verge of my dream coming true.
Melissa B.
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 135 Idaho
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 135 Idaho |
Congrats, Melissa! How thrilling! Where will you be going to get him?
Mary in Idaho, mom to 7, including 2 from Korea, and Emily Zion (1�) coming home from Ethiopia in February!
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 38 Germany
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 38 Germany |
I am going to Armenia. (It is down between Turkey, Georgia and Iran.) <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />
Melissa B.
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,785 Idaho
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extra helpful experienced member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,785 Idaho |
Melilssa, Congratulations on being able to go get your little boy. Did you do the protocol at all? Are you going to be using the lact-aid? I breastfed my adoptive daughter from day 3 with a lact-aid. She would nurse without it like at night at about 8 or 9 months old. I think I may have produced about a third of her needs, maybe. At 15 months I did the accelerated protocol for about 42 days and then pumped and nursed Beka. She nurse without the lact-aid and continued to nurse until age 2. Remember with your little guy lots of skin to skin contact. We used to take off shirts at nap time and snuggle together. The lact-aid is great because you can nurse lying on your side with it on. I think you will be surprised as you begin to nurse your baby your brain will trigger the milk making and you will do just fine. Are you involved with La Leche in Germany? We were stationed at Ramstein from 85-88 and there was a great group there at that time. In fact I learned about the possibility of breastfeeding an adoptive baby through their Womanly Art of Breastfeeding book. Not much but it planted a seed that would later make all the difference to me.
Laurie~Craig's wife~Mom to 4 blessings nurtured at the breast CJ(24)Travis(21)Beka~adopted(9)Rab(6)
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 65 MI
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Melissa, congrats on your little boy! Don't get discouraged about your production. I did the accelerated protocol for about 70 days or so and brought our daughter home at 11 weeks old. I was producing nothing when we got her. The first couple of months I nursed her with the Medela SNS and pumped a few times daily as well. I hardly had any increase in my milk supply. In mid-November I switched and started using the Lact-Aid and stopped pumping (I was having trouble with finding time to pump and was resenting the pump). My supply went up so fast when I decided to just concentrate on nursing!! I am pleased to announce that I haven't needed to supplement at all since January 3rd!! Just nursing!! It is totally possible that you can someday not use a supplementer, but I have to agree that nursing is worth it no matter how much milk you produce. Hope this helps!:) Sandra
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 38 Germany
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 38 Germany |
Hi Lalle,
Yes, I did the Excellerated Protocal for 63 days. I bought two supplimental feeders when I bought my PIS from LLL here in Germany. I have been attending the LLL meetings here, in fact the co-leader lives in the other side of my building. That is reassuring, so when I bring Troy home if I am having prolems I can give her a call and she can help me out.
How old was your baby when you started bf? Did she take to the breast or did you have to take steps to get her to breastfeed? I heard from my LLL leader that she knows someone who had to take very small steps to get her adopted daughter to bf. One step was putting the bottle nipple over her own. Gosh, I realy, really hope he will take to it without too much problem. He was breastfed his first 5 weeks before he was put in the orphanage.
Hi Sandra,
Thanks for the encouragement! Just curious, why did you switch from the SNS to the Lact-Aid? Thanks!
Melissa B.
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 65 MI
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Melissa, I switched from the SNS to the Lact-Aid because I was hearing everyone say that it was better for increasing your milk supply. They sure were right!! Sandra
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,785 Idaho
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extra helpful experienced member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,785 Idaho |
Melissa, it was sometime between day 2 and day 3. I didn't want to try in the hospital, the staff was not very adoption friendly. She took to it right away. I fumbled with the lact-aid but it just took some getting use to. I think it is great that your son was breastfed for 5 weeks. I bet he will remember. The first thing I would do is hook up your supplementar take off your blouse and see if you can get him to latch on. If not run the supplement tube through the bottle nipple and hold it against your skin. He will transition to your breast in no time. If you co sleep with him do it without a top on and he will learn to snuggle into your breast. Sometimes when babies are drowsy they will latch with out thinking about it. Even if he just nurses for comfort it is so worth it. <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />
Laurie~Craig's wife~Mom to 4 blessings nurtured at the breast CJ(24)Travis(21)Beka~adopted(9)Rab(6)
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 29 London, UK
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Posts: 29 London, UK |
Massive congratulations Melissa! This is fantastic news and I'm very happy for you! Finally getting your little boy! I wish you the best of luck and hope you will keep us posted of your continuous progress. I am always very interested to hear everyone's news and progress on the protocols.
Reading the posts on here, it seems that your best bet might be to use a Lact-Aid, don't worry too much about not being able to produce much at the moment. I'm sure when Troy arrives you'll be able to produce more for him.
I started on the Regular Protocol recently, this is Day 39 and all is going well. I hope to continue until beginning of May and then start pumping!
Love
Andria
xxxx
Induced lactation and breastfed for 8 months, now doing it a 2nd time for surrobabe due Jan 2008!
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,176
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Many Many congrats! Can't wait to hear the progress when you get him home <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />
Adoptive mommy to 4 , Last 2 adopted nursed. Youngest nursed till she was 5! Raising 2 grandbabies, as infants they were raised on donor breast milk 
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