Motilium - how long?

Hi girls, thankyou for thinking of us!

Well we are going along pretty well. Most days we have been having about 500-600mls of formula. So about half of her feeds are of formula. But there are usually about two or three days where my supply seems to be alot more, or she drinks alot less and we only do about 300mls of formula or so, I don't know why, I wish I could figure out what it was so I could do it every day!! I am taking 30mg of motilium a day and dong the oats and aktivite. I am sooo SICK of oats and aktivite for breaky! Some days I have it for lunch just so I can have toast for a change!
Sezjm LOL about putting Nicky in bada nd not realising! I always feed Lil on the lounge, it's just become such a habbit now that I don't even think to put her into bed with me, though she has a bottle during the night not a bf, so it is actually easier for me to feed her on the lounge.

Uh, oh gotta go my princess calls...:)

I hear you Kellie! Sometimes I have porridge for lunch too, just so I can have something different for brekky LOL.

You know, you might not actually be doing anything different when she has less formula. Maybe it's just what your supply, and Lily, would be doing anyway IYKWIM? So don't do your head in over it hun!

*sending lots of BM vibes to everyone*

Thought I should I give an update, especially as it's a positive one!

We weighed Nicholas last week and he'd gained 1.2 kgs in a month! He is turning into a real little porker! And we saw a paed today who thinks that he is getting too much milk, he's sure my supply must have increased! I don't like to get excited about it, but it certainly explains things. So we're going to try cutting back his formula just a little to see how he goes.

So we're cruising along here without too much stress ATM......5 months next week! May it continue on! I hope everyone else is doing well :)

Excellent work Sez!!! We gained 350g in under 2 weeks after having a feeding frenzy / growth spurt for the past 5 days. Today has been better but 2 days ago was hell and I was at the end of my sanity :( Last night my poor (not so) little boobies were hot and heavy again as my milk supply upped to meet the little mans demands and the volume today seems to be choking him so that is a positive - not the choking, the supply :D

I'm still on 40mg motilium and will look at decreasing again when I know this episode has settled and he is back to sleeping longer than 2 hours at a time. And my nipples aren't too bad either and he is having minimal FF (often refusing them - and he spat it out at DH yesterday :D) so all is good!!!

Great work Michelle and Oscar! You're doing a great job hun......I know how it feels to be at the end of one's sanity, I was there two days ago also! Isn't it good to be back in a good head space again?! (Although I'm still trying to catch up on sleep :p)

Sleep???? What's that????? I saw your post and felt your pain!! Different reason but the pain is the same. My head space got restored when Oscar slept for about 3 hours in a row last night. It doesn't sound like much but when you were being woken every 2 hours (or less in the evening) it all helps. I was pleased to se Nicky had a better day today too. Big hugs :hug:

Wow girls congratulations!! :D You're both doing so well!! I'm so glad your little boys are growing so well.
As for us, I think my supply has decreased. Lily is getting very frustated on the breast and pulls and tugs at my nipples. She's gotten to the stage now where she wants to watch tv while she feeds and she can't when she has a bf. (This is the only time I watch tv during the day- it sounds like it's all I do all day, hehehe!!) With the bottle I won't follow her when she turns to watch tv, but I think cause she gets more milk for little effort, she's happy with that. WHen she bf's she gets little milk for lots of effort AND can't see the tv so she's not a happy camper! I don't really know what to do. I think my supply is diminishing again and she's taking alot more formula. My bbs arent overflowing kind of full in the morning anymore. She only suckles for maybe 3 or so mins so she's not sucking enough to help increase the supply. If I insist that she sucks she just gets cranky and ends up screaming. There's no feeds in the day where she's content with my milk only anymore either. I'm nearly out of motilium and I'm tempted to just say 5 months is enough. :(

yay girls!!!!

I have been meaning to post in here since last week and keep forgetting...

My normal GP is away so I had to see another doctor who got me a script for a box of 100. yes 100!!!

It was only $16!! :dance:

She also told me she breastfed twins and took motillium too, and said that to make any "real" difference we should be taking 2 tablets 3 times a day. So 6 tablets in a day.

I took her advice and I have a huge difference! Why didnt they tell me this before?

Kellie, I'm so sorry you feel things aren't working well for you and Lily ATM. I totally hear you on the telly thing.......I've taken to NOT watching it when we're feeding cos he's turned into such a little telly head, and won't feed properly, it's a nightmare! A bottle takes so long, cos he stuffs around trying to see the screen. So, boring as it is, no more telly here during feeds! I sit and kiss him instead :D Do you think she's going through a growth spurt, or has the pulling been going on longer than that? Can you up your dose for a few days to see if that helps? Hun, I so know the feeling of being at your wits end with this, you've done a FABULOUS job to get to 5 months, you're such a good mummy to your girl, she's so lucky to have you! If you feel that the time has come, then it will only be the right decision for you and Lily. It's very hard when they don't seem to be enjoying the feeds anymore. Big, big :hug: hun.

Danni, I should have told you before! I always get a box of 100 which costs anywhere from $15-$23, depending on which pharmacy I get it from. And I take 90mg a day, that's three tablets three times a day! My LC actually told me to take 120mg, but I feel better on the 90mg......and that also means that if one of us gets sick etc, I've got some room to increase my dose for awhile. I'm so glad you've noticed a difference, it's a good feeling hey?

I knew I shoulnd't get excited, I really don't think my supply has increased that much. But regardless, Nicholas is 5 months next week, and there have certainly been times I didn't think we'd get this far. Not long until we hit our target, gosh I hope we can get there!

Sezjm, thanks for your kind words. It's so hard to know what to do. I have tried turning the tv off but then she just watches the blank screen (!!??) I have run out of tablets today and I will see what happens. I'm still unsure of what to do. She might be having a growth spurt she does seem to be taking more formula, but then I think she's also taking less breast milk. When she does feed I love it and she seems to like it too still for about 3mins than that's it, but it's just that she will fluff about so much and I don't know how much of a benefit she's getting from it against the sress and worry I have about it all, IYKWIM? I just don't want to pike out on her.
And yes you should be excited and proud of yourself for getting as far as you have too. It isn't an easy road and would be so much easier to give up. I'm am sure you will make your goal.

Danni, I get 100 too at about $17 a pop (can't remember exactly). I'm glad things are going so well for you and Mason too. And it's great that the other dr was so supportive. My dr isn't very supportive and asks me when I'm going to give up every time I go in for a new script :( .

It IS so hard to know what to do! Nicholas goes through phases too where he will only feed for a few minutes and then cracks it. I'm assuming he just wants his bottle. It is so much easier for him :( What I try sometimes is to stop BFing as soon as he cracks it, give him the bottle, and then put him back on the breast.....sometimes it worsk, sometimes it doesn't, but I figure that it's more BM for him, and it makes sure the breast is drained properly.

The other thing I tell myself when we're having a difficult time is that even if he is only having one quick feed a day (which he doesn't, he has 7-8!) then at least he is getting some BM, which is a good thing! I try not to get disheartened by the fact that he has a bottle after almost every feed now.

I don't know if any of that helps you Kellie. Only you will know when the time has come to stop, if now is not the time and you want some encouragement then let us know! If I'm being unhelpful please tell me :)

oh wow, i cant believe my doc never told me about the BIG box!

He got me a "special authorisation" just for a box of 50!!

Not all pharmacies have boxes of 100, more often than not I get given four boxes of 25, but I always get a script for 100.

This business is so up and down! I've really not been convinced that my supply has increased, but earlier Nicholas had a feed and then only had about 10ml of his bottle, he just wasn't interested. I fed him again two hours later, and he took a bottle happily, but that's the longest he's gone for some time. I'd love to get excited, but we've had two incidnces of breast refusal today, which hasn't happened for weeks, so I'm a bit down about that. I don't mind giving him the bottle, I just want him to be happy to BF! It would seem that if he's really hungry, he can't be bothered with BF, he just wants to go straight to the bottle. I really think I have to resign myself to the fact that this is never going to be an easy road.

Wish us luck girls! We've got another weigh in tomorrow, I'm :pray: it goes well. My normal MCHN is away, so who knows what the replacement will be like. He does seem to be getting bigger though, and everyone comments on it.

Starting to think about solids now, and how that will affect the whole feeding issue. Will probably start in a couple of weeks. I'm really unsure as to what will happen with the whole comp feeding thing? I'm hoping that in the morning I'll just be able to offer him a BF and then brekky, and then have a BF and bottle after his morning sleep. I guess I'll just have to follow his lead. How are you finding it Kellie? Has Lily dropped many milk feeds?

Hope everyone else is going well, and enjoying BFing :D

No not yet Sezjm. She still has the same amount of milk and bf. She's getting fussy on the bb though. I don't know if it's related? She will still have her feed at wake up time and at about 6pm and she won't fuss at these times, but in between she's a wriggle worm and will not feed for more that 3 mins or so. I have tried changing rooms and no tv, but she still fusses. She's only on about 3tbsp of food at the moment and is slowly getting used to it. I'm in no hurry though. Some days she does't want food, other days she's looking for more, we're taking it a day at a time.
Good luck with your weigh in tomorrow :). Lily is now 8.1 kg, according to my scales!! They're not baby scales, but at least I know she's gaining weight.

sez, mason has been on solids for arond 6 or 7 weeks and no dropping feeds yet!

Im really upset with my body and motillium now. I seem to have plateued with 6 tabs a day and still dont have any excess milk. I reckon I have less than before now

whats going on with my stupid body?

and to top it all off...we went to sleep school on the weekend and every single staff member gave me an ear full about how i should not be taking tabs a day, and definitely for no longer than a week :(

Danni, rest assured, my LC said it was okay to take 120mg/day long term, and she's been in the the game for many years! It's so frustrating when your body won't play ball, hey?

Kellie, 8.1kg, that's great! Our babies are so funny, they seem to do the same things LOL! Nicholas feeds fine overnight and first thing, but fusses really badly during the day. He does it with the bottle too, so I don't know what's going on :dunno:

Gotta dash, will pop back in tomorrow or Friday.

Danni - you are doing a great job honey. Don't listen to all those staff members. I was talking to a CHN the other day who said taking Motilium long term was fine and that heaps of people do it for years! I was the first person she'd actually met though that had taken it long term and she actually congratulated me! And yeap I'm still taking it, back down to 3 tabs a day though, have stopped Fenugreek (bottle was finished) and will be stopping Blessed Thistle too in a few days. I think I just need to trust my body a bit more. Milk is there......

Sez - how did you go with the weigh in?

Kellie - Wow 8.1kg is HUGE! Ned only weighed 9.6kg at 1, and that's still on the Mr Average line if you worry about growth charts.

WTG Soph, you've done an excellent job! Glad to hear that you've got a supportive MCHN, it makes such a difference.

Yeah Sez but she's not the CHN at the clinic here, she works for a different mob but is a great support. I'm sure all you ladies can make it to 12 months of BF too - I never thought I'd get here and I so don't want to stop!

Yep I know, she's a big girl. She's always been in the 75-90th percentiles on the charts (not that I take much notice...). She's fat, happy and healthy and that's all that matters to me.

Oh Danni, I hear you on professionals not supporting you. My Dr asks me everytime I go there when I'm going to stop bf'ing. I did almost stop a few weeks ago, but now I just tell her that I am enjoying it, she's enjoying it and when we're not, then we'll give up. Keep your chin up sweety, I know you're having a tough time. Stressing is only going to make it worse. And remember that Mason might be taking more milk too. Maybe it's not that you have less, it's that he's drinking more. Maybe he's teething too?? You're doing a wonderful job.

Sez, have you thought that maybe Nicky is teething? Lily is and that's what is making her so fussy I think. When her two bottom teeth finally poppped out she was alot more settled for a day or so. Now I think her top ones might be coming.

We WILL get there too soph! How exciting :D

Wondering if anyone here can help?? Exclusively expressing for my little boy who has cleft lip. Cannot no matter how hard i try express enough. Did for the 1st 6 weeks, now I'm supp with formula. Tried everything... fenugreek, blessed thistle, water,oats, goats rue, aktavite, pumping all the time.... Anything else I can try!!?? I'm going crazy!!

Hi Jodie,

Talk to your gp/MCHN/a Lactation Consultant about it. There is medication that you can take, but if you can avoid it it is better to. It doesn't always work for everyone. Is there anyway that you could work with an LC to get your bub to suckle (I know it can be very difficult with children with cleft lips/palates)? Bubs are much better at draining the breast than any pumps which would help increase your milk supply.

I put Kane to the breast daily and he tries to suck so hard!! He just cant physically get out any milk. I also hand express after every pump and this has helped a little. Might have to look into meds....

Have you contacted the ABA or a good Lactation Consultant? There are people here who can reccommend someone to you. Honestly medication would be (was!) the very last step I would take. It is really frustrating when you have to rely on taking medication to lactate. My body now really relies on the medication and if I miss even one dose, I have a big drop in supply. I really suggest you try other avenues if you haven't already.

Thanks. I'll look into anything, not sure if there's anything left!!! I'll do anything to keep up the BM for him, esp with op's coming up.... He needs the best!!

Good on you Jodie.....it sounds like you're doing a fabulous job! I also think it's a good idea to see a really good LC. Someone on here, probably Barb, would be able to help you locate one in your area. It does like you might be a candidate for Motilium, but a LC would be the best person to judge that, they will know if you really need it. Just keep pumping in the meantime, and keep taking all your other stuff. Exclusively pumping is very difficult work, so it would be great if you could get your son to the breast at some stage. We have comp fed our DS with formula since birth, and like Kellie, my body really relies on the Motilium, but I can say that I don't think we would still be breastfeeding without it! So it can be really helpful if it's absolutely needed. Good luck, and let us know how you go :)

We had the pudding weighed today....over a kilo again this month woohoo :D! He now weighs 6.7kgs! Saw a different MCHN though as mine is on holidays......don't get me started on her replacement GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR I'm so annoyed! Think I will have to do a seperate post about it :angry: Anyway, I'm so happy with his weight gain, and really hope we can keep going.......

I didn't realise till I started how hard it is! Breast fed all the others for 12 mnths on average and never had one days trouble!! This sure shocked me!! Stickin it out but!!

Good job Jodie....it is hard work. For most of the girls in this thread, we have had one hurdle after the next and motilium was the last step for us. If you can get your bub on the bb it would be better, or even if you don't need the medication and can up your supply in other ways....I don't know all I know is that I hate that my body can't make enough milk for my baby and that I rely so heavily on the tablets. :(

:hug: Kellie, you are doing WONDERFUL job feeding your little girl. She is sooooooooo lucky to have you as a mummy.

Do any of you ladies know if taking motilium interrupts the return of AF? Ned still feeds about 3 times during the day (but not overnight) and I still haven't got AF back (I'm not complaing, just curious!). I was wondering if the motilium might be contributing?

hmm not sure soph!

I have no idea Soph! Maybe post about it in the professional support section......I'd be interested to know too, as I haven't seen AF yet, and we have comp fed since birth!

I've had af since Lil was about 4mths, and it is regular like it usually was before...

Nicholas was weighed yesterday, and he's gained 1kg in the past month YAY! We seems to be on a winning formula (no pun intended!) ATM which is great. I'm so pleased we've managed to go past 6 months, I only hope we can continue. I'm still taking 90mg/day, and will do so as long as I need to. He has about 8 BFs a day and 5-6 bottles, so about 600ml of formula.

I love BFing so much, we had such a lovely feed this morning, it was beautiful :) Even all the hard times are worth it.

Sez - you are doing such a wonderful job :hug: Congratulations :confetti:

Me - we are still feeding almost exclusively (unless I go out and he needs a feed in the mean time). I have weaned to 10mg per day so I think we are doing pretty well. A few more weeks and we will have made the 6 month mark too.

We should be so proud of what we have achieved and what we continue to do :grouphug:

Thanks hun :)

Well done to you Michelle, that's a fantastic achievement, weaning down to 10mg.....you'll be off it in no time! Almost at 6 months too, it's such a good feeling. I would be disappointed if we had to stop now, but I would be happy that we got past my first goal. You've done so well with all your difficulties. Do you think co-sleeping has helped your supply? I definitely think it has in my case. It's funny you know, my milk never really 'came in', it's only for the last month or so that I get leaking and that sort of thing! I'm so glad I stuck it out to know what that's like :cryinglaugh:

hey girls, so good to hear you're all doing so well.

Well I spat the dummy a few weeks ago and stopped taking motillium. I was having a bad day and thought I would stop taking it and if I ran ou of milk, I will just put him on formula.


So I was taking 6 tabs a day, and now im taking none, and Mason is as happy as Larry! So there must be enough milk. Although I dont feel a let down any more, and they feel completely empty....

Amazing hey!

WTG Danni! Sometimes I think about doing that......but I get scared because if there's not enough milk there, N cracks it and refuses the breast for aaaages afterwards. So I figured I'll leave well enough alone and keep taking it. You know, I thought that after 6 months I'd be happy to try dropping my dose. But I'm not, I'm still just as scared that it'll mean the end for us, and I don't want that!

So good on you, just goes to show, sometimes a bit of confidence is all we need :D I'm so glad that Mason is happy! That means you will be too ;)