Thanks, Lactnetters all for the very many replies about the mom with
triplets and hardly any milk on day 17 postpartum. All your points are
well taken and welcome.

I spoke with her yesterday and it was agreed to try at least 8 pumpings
during the day and to sleep at night for at least 2 nights to see if she
can get some good rest. Her breasts are moderately large, round and
soft; no strange shape or configuration. The other LC watched her pump
on our pump and said she did so appropriately. Mom states she does use
breast compression and has had Dad give her a shoulder massage before
some pumpings. In regard to her lochia, she states it had started to get
darker towards brown, but now was beginning to get redder. Since so many
of the replies I received suggested retained placental fragment, the
other LC went to speak to the mom's OB. He did look up her chart on the
computer and reviewed it to see if he had missed anything, but came to
the conclusion he hadn't. He is of the opinion that unless she is
saturating "a pad an hour", retained placenta is not the problem. We'll
continue to work on that angle. Mom has to call the office to make an
appointment anyway so we can address it that way, too.

I spoke with Dr. Linda Friedman at Dr. Ruth Lawrence's Lactation
Research Center and she is not at all optimistic since Mom has never
experienced letdown or had engorgement. Mom is not ready to give up, though.

After holding and/or feeding all 3 babies in a row yesterday (and skin
to skin kangaroo with one!) this lovely lady pumped a whole 6cc of milk.
It made me want to cry!

Thank you all again and I'll keep you updated.

Jean Macomber
Jacksonville, Florida

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