Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply At what point should we admit defeat?

It has been 3 weeks since I started pumping and I have now increased to 5ml (total) over the 3 pumping sessions I managed to sneak in. My daughter has been nursing for 5 days now, so presumably she is picking up some of that slack.

At what point is it apparent that I am just not going to be able to produce enough milk to make this worthwhile? Sure, I have increased from drops to 5ml, but at this pace she'll be in college before I get to an ounce or more. She (we?) also seems to have problems with the Lact-Aid and the SNS (we have tried both), and takes more milk from a bottle when that is offered.

I don't want to give up yet, but in my heart of hearts I really wonder if it is even possible to be successful.

Only you can say when it is time. Do you hear her swallowing when you nurse so you know she is getting some from you?

I will say that any baby will take more milk from a bottle. It is easier to use.

Jennifer

It's also likely that the baby is over-feeding when being offered the bottle. This doesn't mean that the baby is not getting enough from the SNS. Babies will suck when anything hard is placed in their mouth (like a bottle nipple). Traditional bottle feeding positions mean that the baby has to swallow to avoid choking on the milk so they take more than they need. It is now recommended to sit the baby upright in your lap with the hole in the bottle nipple barely covered with milk (it is actually okay if the baby takes a little air when feeding. This doesn't make them gassy.) Check out this video that is pretty close to how we would show you to do it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH4T70OSzGs

This facthsheet is also pretty good: http://www.peelregion.ca/health/family-health/breastfeeding/pdf/paced-bottle-feeding.pdf

Hope that helps some.

I would say three weeks is way to short of time. I have read on here 2 months is the average time to get to a few ounces. Any amount of breast milk is so worth while!! Do not think of stopping until you give yourself a realistic time frame. It is hard and time consuming but very worth it.

Mollysmom,
How are you doing? Thinking about how you are. Hope your supply has picked up.

I am holding my daughter as she sleeps. She much prefers nursing to bottles or i would have given up already. Supply is still pretty much nonexistent despite having pumped/nursed for more than a month. I spoke with a lactation consultant and she suggested adding metformin because I have pcos. She said she had a client who was able to achieve a full supply on it. I just ordered another 2 months of Dom and more lact aid parts so we'll see how the next 2 months go.

I am so happy to here she loves nursing!!
This, beyond milk, is the the most important element to breastfeeding.....The bonding!
Tender thoughts your way,