> Hi:  I have permission to post this from a client who had twins at 33 weeks gestation (first pregnancy).  They are now 2 weeks post birth.  She had a lump removed from 1 breast years ago- it became engorged when her milk came in, now can pump only 5 mls from that breast at each pumping session.
She is just now able to pump 80-120 mls from the other breast about 7 ties per day (which gives her 560-650 per day, which is great for 1 breast).  She's wondering about taking galactagogues to increase the supply even more. Also wondering if she needs to pump the breast that is producing so little, in order to keep up (or increase) the supply in the other breast.  Can anyone give us some guidance here?  I seem to remember hearing that stopping pumping on one side will affect the other.  >>



I'm unaware of any valid evidence re: stopping pumping on one breast affecting the other. We currently have a mother of twins in our LLL moms-of-multiples-only group who has one hypoplastic breast -- the other is within normal. In spite of early, regular double pumping for her near-term twins, she was getting similar milk yield volumes as the MOT of premies you describe above. After several weeks of getting very little volume from one breast, she stopped pumping the hypoplastic breast but continued regular pumping of the other with an effective electric rental pump. Over time her babies became more effective at breast. Within 2-3 months both babies were receiving about 75% of their nutrition from the one breast and about 25% from supplement. Now the babies are almost a year and receiving complementary foods as well as continued BF. There is no doubt that if this mom had had a singleton rather than twins she would have been able to produce enough for one on the functional breast.

This mom jokes that although she's a bit lop-sided, she's learned to always hold a baby on the same hip as the hypoplastic breast, so a baby's body covers the obvious difference vis-a-vis the 150% functional lactating breast! BTW, this MOT recently trained and ran a marathon. Needless to say, she's an inspiration for many of the MOT in our group!

Karen

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