Lactnetters,

I am working with a mother with baby 3 mos old who has had supply problems
since the beginning.  She has tried all of the usual recommendations for
increasing her milk supply and has increased some, but not enough.  She
began supplementing with tube system early on as the baby was losing weight.
After adverse reactions to milk-based abm she switched to soy.  He is having
fewer reactions and is growing. Probably half of his intake is breastmilk.
She continues pumping but her supply seems plataued.  She is quite nutrition
conscious and is devastated that she can't provide enough milk for her baby.

She is afraid to use the drugs that have increased milk production in some
mothers.  I haven't told her yet of the cautions against soy.  She knows
that it isn't good, but doesn't know of all of the presumed risks. Would her
breastmilk fill in the deficiencies in the abm?  Would concern about
phytoestrogens be greater than risk of the commonly used drug?  Should I
tell her of the above health risks? Would one of the non-milk substances be
better?

HELP!

Pat Gima, IBCLC