Paula,
No herbs will work to increase milk supply without effective removal of
milk from the breasts.  The mini electric was never meant to be used as
the sole source of breast stimulation.  If you student cannot afford to
rent a hospital grade pump, she should call a rental depot anyway and
inquire about the grant program.  Both Hollister/Ameda and Medela have
these programs whereby rental depots can give a limited number of free
rental months to low income moms.
        If she cannot get a grant pump, perhaps you can teach her how to
manually express milk.  If she can spend significant time at the
hospital, she could use the hospital's pump.  Pumping very frequently
(as much as every hour) can increase milk supply.
        She may wish to discuss taking metoclopramide or domperidone with her
health care provider.  Both of these medications are more effective if
started in the first 6 weeks postpartum, so she needs to hurry if she is
going to try this.  But again, she needs to remove milk if she is going
to stimulate greater production.
--
Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC  New York City  mailto:[log in to unmask]