Increasing milk supply and pump and dump questions

[Widget123]

I have no knowledge of the drug you are taking and how to modify milk use with it. I would talk to an expert like a doctor about that.

To build up supply keep pumping for longer per session, decrease time between pumps, add in a new session to try to get back to every 3 hours until you reestablish supply, consider taking fenugreek or other herbs temporarily, make sure you are eating and drinking enough, etc,

[meladorie]

May 3, 2015 12:06:58 GMT -5 alleycat39 said:

Hi ladies. I am new to this board and hope you ladies have some advice. I've been EPing since my little girl started off in the NICU. I was doing well for the first 2 weeks, getting approximately 60-90mLs (total) per pumping. Then the post partum depression and anxiety set in and pumping went by the wayside as I wasn't doing well emotionally and often times had to "pump and dump" due to taking Ativan.

I have 2 questions:
1) Since I have not kept up with religiously pumping every 3 hrs, I have noticed my supply has gone down. Is there a way to increase it back up so that I can perhaps continue to EP?
2) When taking Ativan (.25mg), how long do you wait before actually pumping and using that breast milk for a feeding?

Thanks ladies!

If you find out an answer about Ativan, please share. I've asked all my doctors and LCs and they all have no idea.

[raechay]

You may want to weigh your mental health against the decision to continue providing breast milk if you plan to keep taking Ativan. Benzodiazepines are habit forming and also work as respiratory depressants, not something you want to play around with during high-risk SIDS months. As a nurse I would strongly caution you there.
Alternately, I would urge you to seek a safer medication that you can take daily in order to help with anxiety/depression, one that is safer to breastfeed with. I believe Prozac is an option here.

Eta: as far as increasing supply, above suggestions are great. I might add you can try to power pump: pump for ten minutes on, ten minutes off for one hour a day. They've also proven that as much skin to skin contact as possible will help increase milk supply.