Hi love. You know what I recommend? Taking a day off! Don't get up through the night for the all important constant pumping... if you are exhausted, this will NOT help you! Of course we do need to pump through the nights (I'm a twice over exclusive pumping mum) - but not every night, and not when it is doing more harm than good! Have none of the NICU L/Cs told you that? The feeling you have of disappointment and stress will not be helping supply. Think of it this way - so many mums go into NICU and request donor milk because they don't want to pump, or are doing things that make their milk unsafe. You WANT to provide for your babies! So take it easy on yourself honey, and hard as it may be a break from NICU can really help refresh you. Are your twins big enough to nuzzle at the breast? Try pumping right after a cuddle (hormones are best for milk production at this time and pumping before and after a cuddle can help increase supply) and also ask to use an SNS line. It is a bottle that hangs around the neck to feed bubs either expressed milk of formula, but through a tube attached to the nipple so your breasts get stimulated and encouraged to make more milk. These two things will help more than herbal remedies. (And the SNS line can be used for multiples as it has two tubes - I have a Medela and it is great!) Just work on keeping up supply enough to be there for when your babies are home, and don't be too concerned about trying to get their every feed your breastmilk. I know that sounds tough, but once they come home life is just so much easier! xx

Hello there. My twins were born at 34 weeks and so were in the NICU for a little while (8 days and 10 days) and I remember the stress of pumping while they were in the hospital. I agree with ruth86, try and relax a bit and take a bit of time for yourself. I was fortunate to have good milk supply at first but as the babies began to eat more I did struggle to keep up for a little while and found that a supplement called "More Milk Plus" by Motherlove helped a bunch. It has Fenugreek and blessed thistle and definitely boosted my supply. However, rest, eating well and trying to keep stress down is also vital to maintaining a good supply. When the babies come home you will have to make sure you rest enough to take care of them and yourself so don't stress about a pumping schedule...it'll just get tossed out anyway. Best of luck!

The lactation people just stress me out. Every time I see them they ask about my volume and they never ever said to take a night off. They just reiterate that I should never take time off! They told me I could sleep for 4 hours at night instead of 2. I started Fenugreek 4 days ago. It might be helping. I've gotten more today than I have before but it's not nearly enough. I just want to do what is best for my babies but I'm not sure my body will allow me to do that! I feel like I'm letting them down again...first when I delivered them so early and now that I can't feed them.

Hello again. You know, don't let the lactation people or anyone else make you feel bad. It sometimes drives me bonkers how militant people get about stuff...especially breastfeeding. Bottom line is, if you as a parent aren't able to take care of yourself then your babies won't do well. Period. You must take care of yourself to take care of them and plenty of babies have done fine being supplemented with or totally fed by formula.
Now, the fenugreek stuff you take, is it liquid? The supplement I take is liquid and so is absorbed very quickly. I also take nursing tea. Another thing you can do if you like is find a midwife or doula and ask about a goats milk supplement for the baby made from raw goats milk while your supply ramps up. It's not as good as breastmilk but better than formula nutrient wise, and fine for babies of all ages.
I know the feeling of guilt...every time my babies have any issues, reflux, gas pains, whatever...I always think "if I just kept them in longer they wouldn't have this". I think it's natural to feel this way but you have to give yourself a break too and realize that you did what you could and you are now doing the best you can for your babies. You aren't failing them...you are a loving mother who cares so much that she is searching for any way to give them everything, even when it means twisting herself into a pretzel to do it. :-)
*hugs*

MomHopes:

I understand the guilt. I know what you are going through firsthand. I get it.

Please contact me if you would like to talk more, but here is my story:
My boys were born at 24 weeks. Of course, I had the get my breasts to even recognize that it was time because I had a c-section. No placenta crossing. It was a dribble.

I wanted SO BADLY to breast feed my twins, ESPECIALLY since they needed EVERY help, every bloody thing that could assist them to survive. It became my passion, my focus, my grasp to reality. I NEEDED TO PUMP. I HAD to pump. I got so focused that I started pumping IN FRONT of people without even thinking about it. It was like my everything.

I know now that I focused on that so strongly because it was the one "MOM" thing I could do, since I couldn't even HOLD my children.

I would get 2 oz at a time, sometimes less. 2 OUNCES! I am a size 38 DD! So much boob, no milk? I took Fenugreek - 13 pills a day for MONTHS. It DID help, my output increased to maybe 3 ounces. I smelled like maple syrup all the time.

I took Mother's Milk. I drank a beer a night (after pumping, and 3 hours before the next pump) because my Dr said that would help. I made and drank tea designed to promote it. I drank 4 to 5 16 oz bottles of water A DAY to give myself more milk. I read everything. I went to weekly meetings at the hospital with the LC's.

Then I went on Raglin. Raglin can have severe side effects, it can cause depression. It makes you poop all the time. But with it...then I WAS GETTING 5 OUNCES!!! Time to celebrate.

But it was never enough to feed the boys. Both got the first milk, the colustrum. But then Mason went on straight formula. Quinn had a bowel rupture, so needed breast milk, so he got it exclusively...AND LOST WEIGHT. Why? Because my breast milk was only about 18 to 19 calories. So then Quinn would have every 3rd feed was formula...and he would have acid reflux so bad that he would choke and turn blue.

This was 4 months of this. My boys didn't come home until 137 days after birth. And I was so scared when they came home, so overwhelmed at all the medical equipment and alarms. (Mason on oxygen, Quinn on a feeding pump) that my milk turned green and sour.

The head LC called me at home, said she was so proud of me for doing what I could for 4 months, but that it was time to stop. She said my boys had a good start with 4 months, but I needed to take care of myself now.

Honey, I had so much guilt. I punished myself over and over for not being able to breastfeed. The boys never went to breast, they were unable to until it was too late. My husband did everything he could to cheer me on, supporting me on my never-ending pumping, keeping me company in the pumping room at the hospital, telling me time and time again that it wasn't my fault.

You need to make the best decision for yourself. Yes, milk is the best, but formula is NOT the devil. Formula has helped my twins to grow STRONG. Do what you can - pump and store your milk, and supplement when you need to with the formula.

My LC's were incredibly supportive and understanding. They knew what I was going through and they helped me to find new ways.

Write me privately when you need some help - and I know that I can tell you time and time again not to beat yourself up, but you will for a time. Your twins need a healthy, strong, rested Mommy...they need the hugs, the love most of all. Sleep for 6 hours at night, honey. My LC's said that it wouldn't hurt. I pumped every 3 after awhile. Sometimes, it just doesn't work all the way. You didn't fail. You do everything you can, like I did, and you are amazing for doing it.

IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT.

Say that with me.

When I had problems with pumping, I drank the Mother's Milk tea from Traditional Medicinals. I really noticed a difference, although I've also read negative reviews. Don't stop pumping, though! During the night, take 5 hours between pumping, but don't go more than 3 during the day, if you can. You can make it through this!

Good luck!

I have been having the same problem. The LC's at the hospital were relentless about it. They want you to pump pump pump but, I found that not pumping every once in awhile and taking a break helped my milk come in. Relaxing is very important. NICU moms are under alot of stress and when you feel like you are not being a good mother it can really hurt you production. My supply was minimal and I was pumping every 3 hours. I accidentaly slept through the night because I was so tired. I woke up at 5 am with a drenched shirt and bed. I pumped and got almost 6 ounces!!!! From then on I pumped regularly through the day and pumped just before bed and once again at night. Maybe this will help you too. When I started my period last month my supply began drying up and I was perscribed a medication called Domperidone, it helped immensely. Maybe they can do the same for you. Good luck and remember, even if you can't feed them every time, they are still getting something and that is the important thing.