Help for a friend

[Mischief]

I have a girlfriend who is exclusively expressing....100%....her son has a cleft palate and can not BF. She is really stressed and her supply is drying up. The Dr has given her some drops, but as yet they arent seeming to make a difference.

She's boosted her expressing, but the problem is she is a carer as well, so she doesnt get much time.

Can anyone recommend some things she can do? I thought to suggest Fenugreek? Anything else?

The CHN thought my supply is still good because I am doing some BF and it probably helps....."A" cant do that at all...

[the_queen]

:hugs: to your friend. She's doing a marvellous thing by giving him the best possible start in life.

And :hugs: to you, for being a good friend to her!!


Has she tried the ABA? She miight just need a different kind of expresser, maybe a double one?

[Goosie22]

Hi Mischief,

One other thing she could try is Motilium/Domperidone from the GP and pump at least 10 times a day with one being at night. The kellysmom site has information on that if shes interested to print off to show her GP.

G:)

[Jo_Jo]

yep that will happen without the stimulation of bubby sucking the nipple, i was drying up as well when i was expressing as bubby was small and would not latch on......this might sound weird but i would let hubby have a go, just to stimulate them worked like a charm till bubby finally latched on.


goodluck to you and your friend.....:o

cheers...jo

[Mischief]

LOL Jo

You cracked me up. :) I can just imagine the gleeful look on my friends hubbys face if I told him that! :D

On a serious note though....it isnt a bad idea! I will suggest it anyway!

[Jo_Jo]

yep yep yep!! he was very happy...lol he would say a bit of breast milk never hurt anyone, i know some guys would be turned off helping but to rod well it was his duty...lol


hope all go,s well!!:wave:

cheers...jo:rolleyes:

[ChubStar]

Hi Kat

Good on your friend for expressing for her baby. I solely expressed for 5 months for the same reason with DS. I bought a Medela double pump and did both bbs at the same time. I had a lactation consultant who helped to show me techniques and so forth. She also suggested expressing for 10 minutes to stimulate and then doing it again about 20 minutes later to help boost supply.

I needed to express for 20-40minutes 8-10 times per day. I stopped because my supply was drying up. When I was stressed or tired I could never express as much as normal.

There are cleft palate groups who have done similar things. Try www.cleftpals.org it is Qld based but they should have contact names and numbers for people in your friend's area.

Jac

[Natsmummy]

Hi Mischief,

One other thing she could try is Motilium/Domperidone from the GP and pump at least 10 times a day with one being at night. The kellysmom site has information on that if shes interested to print off to show her GP.

G:)

I was prescribed Motilium to increase my supply. It made me feel pretty dreadful - stomach cramps and the sweats, but it definately worked.

[Mischief]

Thank you everyone for your help.

A is expressing at least 8 times a day now when she can....and I gave her the lactation boosting cookies recipie well. She said her supply is comming up a bit and she's freezing as much as possible.

Her son is having 2 feeds of EBM a day and 3 of Formula....but the most important thing is that she has enough milk to feed him for a couple of weeks after his opperation. :)

Thank you all again!