I am helping a Mom with a NICU baby. Mom has been pumping with a hospital
grade pump for one month. She called me to say that after the 1st couple of
weeks of pumping her milk supply started to drop. Now she gets only about
1.5 oz per session, 'one breast is only dripping'. She claims she is
pumping 8 times a day and waking to pump at night ie every 3 hours for
about 10 minutes (by when milk has already stopped flowing) around the
clock. She is 19. The baby's isolette has a note on saying 'no formula,
call mom if more breastmilk is needed'. Baby was premie (33 weeks) and is
doing OK but not great (no surgery or anything but bouts of apnea worry the
nurses, Mom is obviously stressed too, might be affecting supply). Mom is
going into hospital 1 or 2 times a day with milk.
Mom started pumping in hospital and took the pump home on discharge. I do
not know if she was religiously pumping around the clock from day 1 but I
do believe she is now. She is not on any meds (except amoxycil, as of last
week) does not smoke, asked me if her 1 cup of coffee a day might be the
cause. She is really trying.
Today I suggested: starting kangaroo care in NICU every time she comes.
Pumping dripping breast more frequently. Increasing pumping to every 2
hours if she can. I am not wildly experienced and for the 1st time I am
suggesting fenugreek as per dr Hale's book. She is already using meditation
and looking at baby's "photo album" when she pumps.
Do any of you have any extra suggestions about increasing her milk supply?
Do US drs/ ever prescribe anything to help with milk supply? Sorry if this
is a dumb question.
Anne Merewood
Nursing Mothers Councilor