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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 101
experienced member
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OP
experienced member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 101 |
I am working with an NICU Lactation Consultant who has experience with preparing to nurse an adopted baby. She provided me with some new information.
They used to tell nursing moms who wanted to increase their milk supply to take galactagogues. It wasn't certain they would help, but they certainly wouldn't hurt. Well, the researchers are finding out they may actually decrease your supply if they are used inappropriately.
Before using them, you should have a prolactin level drawn. If your level is too low, galactagogues might help. However, if your level is in the normal range, taking herbs/medications could increase your prolactin level so that your milk supply actually drops.
Also, I'm not sure if it was here or on mothering.com, but I saw a post stating instant oatmeal is fine to eat for increasing milk supply. My LC said this is not true. If the oatmeal is processed, it takes away the benefits. She said only steel cut oatmeal works. They're not sure how it works, but they think it is from increasing blood supply. Trader Joes sells uncooked and frozen cooked steel cut oats. At our store, the frozen is $1.59 for 2 servings. The raw was $5, though I don't know how many servings it makes. The directions said to cook for 30 minutes.
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,785 Idaho
extra helpful experienced member
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extra helpful experienced member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,785 Idaho |
Is your LC familiar with the Newman Goldfarb protocols? There are a lot of LC's who state they are experienced with helping adoptive mothers nurse but are actually using old methods. I am not saying yours is just be aware that not everyone is informed as to the most recent developments in the adoptive nursing realm. MANY will still tell you that Reglan is what should be used etc... Part of our job as adoptive nursing Mom's is to educate the masses. When I first heard of induced lactation it was 20 years ago when I was nursing my 2nd bio son and was involved in LaLeche league the thought of the day was you would use a lact-aid and just put baby to breast. While that is effective for some it certainly is not the most successful means of bringing in a milk supply. We have much more information now. If you haven't already I would print off the protocol and take your LC a copy. While I would agree instant oatmeal isn't the best it is better than no oatmeal at all.  Steel Cut is the least processed so like any other grain the least processed the better for you.
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: Sep 2007
Posts: 101
experienced member
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OP
experienced member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 101 |
My LC's point was that moms shouldn't just take drugs (or herbs) blindly. They could possibly do themselves more harm than good. This is all the latest info from a conference she went to last week. I see a lot of moms recommending all kinds of products to each other as if it were no big deal. I think it our responsibility to advise mothers to make sure they are not accidentally decreasing there milk supply. This isn't specific to adoptive moms. Actually it probably is more relevant to women nursing a bio baby.
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,785 Idaho
extra helpful experienced member
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extra helpful experienced member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,785 Idaho |
Right, I kind of gathered that. Since Adoptive moms would mostly be lacking in prolactin. I was talking more specifically the women who are doing the protocol to induce lactation for an adopted child. I never took any supplements when I was nursing my biological children, But definitely needed them for my adoptive experience.
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: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,347 Canada
extra helpful experienced member
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extra helpful experienced member
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,347 Canada |
Hi Second,
Thank you for this information. Most of the moms on this forum are inducing lactation and would not have high enough prolactin levels to inhibit the galactogogue response. Also, prolactin levels are not generally ordered for women who are not pregnant or who have not given birth and so very difficult to obtain. It may be relevant for birth moms but our experience at our clinic in Montreal has been that the vast majority of mothers who experience low milk supply and for whom retained placental fragments or other physical causes of low milk supply have been ruled out (Sheehan's, PCOS), do benefit greatly from the use of galactogogues. Your point is well taken that it's important to rule out medical issues, take a proper history, and fix the latch first before running to the pills.
Best, Lenore
Lenore Goldfarb, Ph.D.,CCC,IBCLC
Wife to Rob, Mom to Adam aged 13, and Ethan aged 9, both born via GS and breastfed via Regular Newman-Goldfarb Protocol.
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