My babies are one month two days. This makes them 38 weeks. I have been pumping the whole time and have been doing well until this last week when I noticed they have had an increase in appetite and my milk has been as much as they are drinking. I have purchased a recommended product called Motherlove, More Milk Plus. Man is that nasty tasting.

So now I feel like I need to supplement with some NeoSure but everyone is saying that I should be able to do this which in turn is making me feel guilty. I am tired in general and pumping this much on top of caring for three babies without any hired help is exhausting. I NEVER thought that I would bottle feed, let alone want to use formula however I am almost feeling like this is the answer for me.

Can anyone shed some light on how they are producing more milk?

My trio are 6 months old. I nurse and then pump after. My babies were born at 30 weeks and so I was able to get a nice back up supply. I stopped producing enough when they were around their original due date. I have been using my back up to supplement. I still have some left. I know that their are things that you can try to take to up your supply like mothers milk and drinking whole milk. I have never tried any of these. I try to drink water all day long and eat like there is no tomorrow. I eat more now then I did when I was pregnant. I have enough milk for a days supply except for about 2 oz. which I get from my back up.

I used the Mother's Milk Tea, fenugreek, and then some combination of herbs (it might have been more milk plus). None of those helped increase my supply. I heard that eating oats helped, but by the time I tried, my supply was too far gone. I also tried Reglan, which I think helped, but again, by the time I did it was worthless - it got me from 5 to 10 ounces a day.

I was pumping since they were born at 30 weeks, and had enough to get them to their due date, though I was supplementing them with 2 bottles a day of high calorie formula per the NICU. Actually nursing them may help increase your supply; I always read that babies are better producers than the pump. I was scared to do it, because I envisioned entire days of just breastfeeding all day long because the girls would be hungry as I worked up my supply. And I only have the two.

Whatever happens, try not to feel guilty. You're caring for 3, you're going to be more tired than moms with a singleton, and being tired can affect the supply. Just do the best that you can, and know that for some women it's just harder.

Amy

Julia, ^Caitlin^ (stillborn due to encephalocele complications) & Gabrielle
30 weeks, 2 days

We're Marching for Babies!

http://www.marchforbabies.org/asmaio

First - there was a very similar question posted here the other day, probably on the main forum, that had a lot of responses.

Second - please try not to feel guilty. Just do the best you can with what you have. My three are 7 months and I pump about 62oz/day. My high was 66oz/day but it's slowly decreasing because as they take fewer naps, my opportunities to pump are also fewer. I now pump only 5 times/day and some days only 4 if the late afternoon nap doesn't go well. I make 2/3 of their needs and supplement the rest with formula. I am in awe of women who can produce all the milk their babies need, but this is the best I can do right now and I'm fine with that.

Here's what advice I can think of. You should also talk to a lactation consultant or LLL leader if you haven't already. They should be able to offer more advice and encouragement. Find someone else if all they do is tell you that you should be able to make all this milk - you have enough on your plate without being sent on guilt trips.

- Pump every chance you get and pump for a couple minutes past when the milk stops coming out. Also use massage and compression periodically during each pumping session to fully empty your ducts.
- Have more than one pump collection kit so you don't always have to wash something before you can just sit down and pump.
- Pump while you bottle feed. I would hold the baby on my lap and wedge the collection bottle (only pumped one side at a time this way) against my leg with a pillow. It's a little awkward, but a timesaver.
- Use a hospital grade pump!
- Make pumping your #1 priority after caring for the babies. When you have time to pump, sit down and do it. Don't wash dishes or vacuum instead, thinking you'll pump afterward, because more often than not, one of those babies will wake up and you won't have pumped at all. (This has been the hardest one for me to learn and I hate chores!)
- Get a hands-free pumping bra or two (for laundry day). I swear it's the only way I get to eat at all. I've also started pumping while I wash all the bottles in the afternoon, which means I'm no longer having to choose between the two when I only have a half hour during that nap.
- Keep some kind of tally of how much you pump each time, when, and your total for the day. It helped me to see that my supply wasn't actually decreasing when I thought it was, which made me feel better. Plus, seeing that "big" number is very encouraging!
- Eat/drink full-fat dairy (ice cream, whole milk), almonds, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, other whole grains. Avoid sage and peppermint. I noticed a difference of seceral oz/day after I started drinking a couple glasses of whole milk each day. After adding a couple handfuls of almonds each day I think my milk is richer.
Source for full-fat dairy recommendation: NICU doctor
Source for other food recommendations: The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk

Mom to GBG born in July 2009 at 30w6d: 3#10oz, 3#12oz, 3#2oz

I have tried it ALL! I pumped starting 3 hours after they were born and took supplements, Reglan, drank more water than a buffalo,mother;s milk plus, ate enough, etc... My milk supply has always been low and I finally had to admit I coudn't keep up. Contrary to popular (and My initial) belief, formula is NOT rat poison. Your baby like millions of other will be fine. YOu are not a bad mom for quitting if that's what you choose to do.Don't listen to everybody else, they aren't walking in your shoes. I wish I could've accepted that sooner, it would've made my life better and me a calmer mom. Listen to your inner voice- you know what is right for you and your babies

try a "pumping bra" it holds pump tight to your boobs....time passes better, you relax better....translates to more milk.