Breastfeeding/Low Milk Supply

Advertisement

Expert: - 12/14/2005


Question
My son was born 10 weeks early and has been in the
NICU for two weeks now.  I gave birth to him via
C-section and had a terrible time establishing my milk
supply.  Once I finally did begin to produce milk
(within one week), I have simply not been able to keep
up with what he is eating.  I am pumping every three
hours with a hospital grade Medela pump for at least
20-25 minutes each time.  I average about 40cc each
time I pump.  My son is currently taking in that much
milk each time and they are increasing his feeds
regularly.  He is not old enough to eat from a bottle
or breast yet, but I am very fearful that I am not
going to be able to make enough milk for him now or
when he gets home from the hospital.  My doctor gave
me a prescription for Reglan and it made me very tired
and gave me horrible diarrhea.  Do you have any tips
or advice that could help me?  Should I just take the
Reglan and ignore the side effects that it is causing
me?  If so, how long should I take it?  Thank you very
much for your time.

Karla Franklin


Answer
Dear Karla,
        I have just heard from my consultant about drugs and lactation, who told me that although Reglan is sometimes prescribed to increase prolactin levels in the nursing mother, studies have shown mixed results. Probably the short term use is safe, but it may not work as much as some would claim. As you have found, the side effects can be a problem and frequently cause mothers to stop using it.
    I hope that continuing to pump and following some of the other suggestions I sent you will help.

Best regards,

Sally

Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters.  

Breastfeeding

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Sally Wendkos Olds

Expertise

What do you want to know about breastfeeding? I can tell you what`s good for the baby, what`s good for the mother -- and the father, how it`s related to a woman`s sexuality, how working moms can nurse, how to overcome obstacles, and lots more. As the author of THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING and author or coauthor of 8 other books and more than 200 articles about child and adult development, I can offer sound, sensible advice on breastfeeding, child care and family issues.

Experience

I nursed my 3 daughters and am the grandmother of 5 breastfed children. My book THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING (written in consultation with pediatrician Marvin S. Eiger, M.D.) was first published in 1972, and in 1999 came out in an updated 3rd Edition by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books. It is now a classic, with over 2 million copies in print. I am now revising this book for a fourth edition, consulting with pediatrician Laura M. Marks, M.D. This new edition will be published September 2009. I welcome any and all suggestions for the new edition. I coauthored college textbooks A CHILD'S WORLD: INFANCY THROUGH ADOLESCENCE, and HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; both are leading texts in their fields and have been read by 2 million students. I am the coauthor of HELPING YOUR CHILD FIND VALUES TO LIVE BY and RAISING A HYPERACTIVE CHILD, and author of THE WORKING PARENTS' SURVIVAL GUIDE & THE ETERNAL GARDEN: SEASONS OF OUR SEXUALITY. My newest book, A BALCONY IN NEPAL: GLIMPSES OF A HIMALAYAN VILLAGE, published in 2002, tells the story of the way of life in a remote village in Nepal, where all the women breastfeed! My book, SUPER GRANNY: COOL PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, AND OTHER GREAT STUFF TO DO WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS, will be published March 2009. I speak often to professional, parent and general audiences and make many radio and TV appearances.

Credentials I received my B.A. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, where I minored in Psychology, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude.

Other points of interest I have received national awards for my writing, and am a former president of the American Society of Journalists & Authors. I am listed in the World Who's Who of Women, International Authors & Writers Who's Who, and Contemporary Authors, and am a member of several professional and civic organizations. I believe: that all parents are working parents; that parents employed outside the home need special support; that mothers' well-being is crucial to their children's welfare; and that the family is the best institution in the world and the one for which we are least prepared. My thrills come when parents or kids tell me they were helped by my writing or speaking or just understanding. To find out more about me, go to

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.