Hello to all of you who have been following my progress to relactate for 
my son who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease mid-May. To recap, I decided 
to not sit by and let this disease ravish Justin's GI. I looked into the 
possibility of obtaining donor human milk and decided I would be the best 
match for the immunities and antibodies needed to help restore Justin's 
health. I had breastfed Justin exlusively for the first 6 months of his 
life, then continued until he was 2-1/2 years. Unfortunately, Justin has 
always struggled with ear infections, sinus infections and strep throat. 
He had his tonsils removed when he was six and his sinuses scraped and 
irrigated last December. He has taken more antibiotics in his lifetime 
than I can possibly remember. The bloody diarrhea started last year and we 
began looking at what was causing it in March.

I began pumping in May with a Symphony breastpump and got about 4 days 
into it, stopped and began taking Ortho 1/35 and Domperidone to "wake up" 
my breast tissue. This must have been very effective because 2 weeks into 
the regimen I had a serum prolactin level drawn and just today got the 
results that it was 114.2 ng/ml. I stayed on the Ortho 1/35 for another 
week and have continued to take 90 mg. Domperidone along with Fenugreek, 
Fennel, Alfalfa, Nettle, Goat's Rue Blessed Thistle and Shatavari 
(Asparagus Racemosus). I don't take these herbs all at once. I rotate in 
and out of them for a couple weeks at a time, varying what I take. 

I resumed pumping with the Symphony every 3 hours night and day and began 
to obtain at first 2-3ml per pumping, then 3-4, and within a few days up 
to 20-30ml. I don't pump every 3 hours anymore. I decided I would die if I 
kept that up and also continued to work full time! I am getting in 4-6 
pumpings in a 24 hour period and these are not evenly spaced. It just 
depends on my work load for the day. I am up at least once during the 
night to pump. I am averaging 90-120ml per 24 hour period and it has been 
this way for a couple of weeks.

Justin has made peace with drinking my breastmilk "straight." At first, he 
couldn't do it. He would mix it with chocolate soy milk or put sugar in it 
because he said it tasted salty. He tried to drink it straight the first 
time and threw up in the kitchen sink. After that, he just seemed to get 
over it and has an 8 oz glass every couple of days by putting a little 
vanilla extract in it and drinking it with a straw. I have taught him to 
gently swirl the containers I keep it in to restribute the fat 
without "bruising" the milk. He is a good sport. And he does seem to be 
much better than when he started the treatment. However, at this point, I 
don't know how much to attribute to the prednisone and how much to 
attribute to the milk. The rest of his diet is unchanged. He still drinks 
cow's milk and a variety of other foods--some healthy and some not so 
healthy. The diarrhea has stopped for now. 

I am planning on continuing to provide my milk for him as long as I am 
able and up to a year or possibly more, depending on the result. I want to 
provide it well beyond the period of time he is off the prednisone to see 
what kind of continuing anti-inflammatory response he gets from it. At 6 
months, his doctor will draw another Immune study to see where his levels 
are in comparison to his baselines at the beginning of his treatment.

So, that is where we are one month into the pumping and drinking program. 
I am very tired at times but I feel well supported by my family and 
friends and especially my friend and colleague at work. And the support I 
have received from some of you has also been incredible. Thank you! 

If any of you have any additional words of wisdom, suggestions for keeping 
my supply going, etc. I welcome your comments either on Lactnet or 
privately. I am grateful for anything I can learn along the way. I have 
already learned so much!

My thanks and blessings,

Jane Fogdall, RN, IBCLC

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