Fenugreek vs domperidone


I tried to finish the whole bottle of Fenugreek during confinement. However, it does not work at all. Milk supply didn't increase at all. I have not tried domperidone.
 
Domperidone is more effective.

For me with the week you can see huge increase in BM, but this also depends on other factors like:
- your stress level
- your fluid intake
- your nutrition/food intake.

If all is good, then domperidone will see better success than fenugreek. Best is to get a LC to help you with dosage.
 
JTS: For my #1, I was very stressed about level of BM. Always pumped into a bottle to see how much I can get, took fenugreek, and some other supplements... didn't see anything significant.

For #2, I was on total breastfeed. Didn't pump and don't care how much so long as baby is happy. Just continue to feed. Always drink a big cup of milo or a bowl of soup 30mins before feeding. It seems to help - had enough and summore...
 
frogprincess, i wasn't totally successful for my #1 and can only partial BF. Can I ask if you drank water during confinement? I listened to my mum and only drank red date water and dun dare drink plain water. I alwayz felt it's lack of hydration which caused me my supply. I took both fenugreek and domperidone but not much effect, some more scared passed on to bb so never finished. Waste $$
 
I completely agree with the mummies here who say that you must MUST take enough water, food and rest ( in the first few months, I just ate, fed baby and slept I think!) My doc actually prescribed motilium, and two rounds of that worked wonders for me. I also took fenugreek from GNC - 2 pills 3 times a day, and my milk supply gradually built up. Good luck and hang in there -it's worth it
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My gynae prescribed me domperidone. But now I read about more natural remedies like fenugreek and sacred tea. Things like these were not present 7 years ago when I had no 1.

Same problem now that had to supplement with FM coz no 2 always cry after latching on. So now half latch, pump and give FM. Don't know when can do TBF. Anyone took sacred tea? Effective? Wah I read the testimonials from originsjamumassage like very powerful or is it marketing tactic?
 
I took sacred tea, it seems effective earlier but I believe it is just the fact I drank a lot of fluids. I drank at least 3 litre of fluids every day since I bought sacred tea and got a healthy milk supply.

But like I said, it really depends on the fluids amount you take, the stress level that you are in etc.

BTW, if mummies who are being prescribed domperidone etc and it didn't work for you, then it should be due to your stress. Believe me, for my first child, I planned on TBF but when my supply was so little that I was really disappointed and stressed out. My milk supply was only 120ml for a whole day of pumping. And it was 3 hourly pump, each pump last 1 hour. My highest record was 30ml total during a pump section.

For my 2nd one, due to the fact I reviewed why I failed TBF for my first one, I had prepared myself for the obstacles. Like not eating enough cos the food is not something I like to eat, not being happy in general cos of all the restrictions in confinement etc. I prepared my mother and everyone who believe in confinement that I am going to break confinement. I am going to be HAPPY after the birth of 2nd child instead of being all STRESSED OUT after the birth of my 1st. In the end, it was a huge success. Even without medication, I am able to do TBF 2 weeks after birth. I had bought a small tin of milk powder which I just opened and give to my child whenever I feel tired or stressed out and let my hubby handle the rest. If my child don't suck, I just pump instead.

From my very own experience, I can tell most mummies who failed, it is your stress level. Since you are stressed, you eat less you drink less you also rest less. Don't need to be so bend on TBF like I did with my first and you'll start to relax and succeed instead.
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Like for my 2nd child, I only started taking supplements and medication when he is on a growth spurt and I keep reminding myself that even if my BM is to drop to zero immediately. He is having a much better life than my first who got only 1 bottle of BM per day and only for 1 month.

Mummies, remember that BF is hard work. So try to relax. A child needs a happy caring mummy more than he needs breast milk. This is what my LC told me when I failed for my 1st.

Added: My colleague also said this, Our bodies are all "selfish" in the sense that if your body can't even support your own needs, it will not try to support others' needs (like producing milk for your baby).
 
Grace,

Thank you for your advice. Actually it's my fault, I'm lazy to latch on, coz need to do it every hour. I rather pump out and accumulate the EBM and give one whole shot. If I latch on, even after drinking for half hour, she will still cry. Stress level, I'm more relax for my no 2 compared to no 1 as got maid to help me this time. Maybe never drink a lot of fluids. Ok I will try again.

Wah bfing really not easy. Need a lot of encouragement.
 
I know about "Super stressed out with BF"... and I know what a great big difference that made in successful BF-ing once the stress factor is removed. And before I begin, please let me assure you - a friend of mine only started total breastfeeding when her baby was >4months old. So, for some of you, it's not too late!

First of all, YES - must take enough fluid. If you don't dare to drink plain water, take it in the forms of soup - Do not put salt in - just take it in one big bowl in place of one big glass of water. Or, red date water, milo, horlicks, etc.

Don't think of how to cut corners and shortcuts like feeding formula at night, and expressing, etc. Just do it the simple, old fashioned way. If you have to latch on every hour, after a couple of days, you realise that it becomes 1.5 hrs, 2 hrs, 3hrs, etc. It does improve, and you need to have confidence in your own body.

And being modern singaporean mommies that we are, we want to do 2000 things at the same time. FB, Twitting, blog, forumn blah blah blah... Remove all the distraction for a while. REST, DRINK, FEED.... and then you will realise, it really does get better.

Of course, if you think supply is low you need to check and make sure baby is peeing and pooping ... If you are concerned, you can give some formula after baby nurse for 15mins each side. Also, I maintain that breastfeeding is a mommy's personal choice and she reserves the full rights to either do it, or not. :)
 
Actually for me, fenugreek works quite well. It really depends on the amount of fenugreek you take. The recommended dosage on GNC bottle is not enough. I read that for fenugreek to be effective, it has to be taken for the first few days of the birth of your baby and you shd take at least 3500mg per day. So, for GNC fenugreek, I took 3 tab 3 times a day.

Fenugreek is rather effective in helping to kick start supply but i think after the window period which is like a week after birth of baby, it is not as effective.

For me, when my supply went to zero after 3 weeks cos of blocked ducts, I pumped/latch every 1 and half - 2 hourly. The stimulation creates the demand and thus increases the supply. Rest is also very impt. After I religiously pump/latch every 2 hourly, my supply went up and I was pumping like 1.5liters per day. Of cos I made the decision to exclusive pump after that cos baby doesn;t want to latch anymore. I guess as long as my boy gets my bm, latching or pumping is not an issue anymore. Good luck!
 
I also had problems bfing my 1st one. Took both fenugreek and domperidone but both didn't help. Yes, I was very stressed. Cuz after 2 wks of baby's arrival, she was found to have lost lots of weight even though her birth weight was very good. I was been scolded by in laws for not feeding her well; confinement lady also talked behind my back with my mum that she already told me to feed some FM to baby. I tried to pump & pump and could only get 40ml each time. It didn't help that almost every mummy around me managed to do TBF & kept asking me why i couldn't. Anyway I gave up pumping after baby turned 4mths and just latched her 2 times a day till 7mth old.

I'm currently pregnant with my 2nd one & this time I am going to get ready all kinds of supplements to stand by. But i have told my hubby i will not be so insistent on TBF. I am also getting a helper so hopefully I can be less stressful this time round and succeed.

Wish me luck!
 
Hi flyaway21,

Understand your situation. I was experiencing exactly the same things for my 1st. That's why when I was pregnant with my 2nd one, I told everyone this.

"I am still going to breast feed this coming baby. So let me handle everything myself and stop giving me advice. I will ask for it when I need it.

I don't need you to keep forcing me to eat this and that, sleep everytime. I will sleep when I am tired and eat when I am hungry."

Practically, I am telling them I don't want to do confinement... LOL

I think you feel stressed is also because your family members don't support you breast feed like mine.

Mine always said "You and your brother also never breast feed also grow up already! Why always so bend on breast feeding?! You should be doing what every new mother should be doing in confinement and EAT and REST MORE!!!!"

Since you have experienced with your first try, you should know that the obstacles will still be the same. So better prepare yourself for the same obstacles and learn to relax, once you relax, everything will be fine.

Added: Also I realised from my 1st experience that BreastFeeding is an ART, it is not a science where by you follow instructions thru and thru then you'll succeed. NO it is not this way. Don't need to follow all the rules exactly, just follow your own gut feelings. Like the 15mins per side? I followed straight for my 1st, but for my second, I just latch him on then go off to sleep with him suckling.
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hi all, i also encounter such situation.. MIL keep asking me to eat, and the portion she served is so huge and when i told her not to cook so much, she just keep saying, eat more.. and when baby cries, she will keep asking is it baby hungry, why you don't latch baby.. (my baby is rather impatient and due to low BM supply, baby gets agitated easily and refuse to latch.. so no choice have to supplement with FM)... I did not hire a CL. My MIL asks me everyday what i wanna eat.. its so frustrating and irritating.. until my husband printed a list of food that i am allowed to consume for her, even so, she still disturbs my rest during meal time.. she is even more on-time than my baby's feeding time... i feel like telling her, when i am hungry or when i settled my baby i will eat! She will say food cold already... very late already... etc... so stressful!
 
Dear Linda, Unfortunately, many parents and MIL (and even some CL!!) tend to be a bit too naggy - especially so for the new mothers. Perhaps it was our hormones playing tricks on us, perhaps the word "confinement" itself has a negative hint to the whole thing (sounds like imprisonment!). It is especially difficult for a first time mom - from all that freedom in the world, to being imprisoned!! Then there's that MIL/M/CL that doesn't seem to seize talking! MUST WEAR SHOES! CANNOT TOUCH TAP WATER!! CANNOT EAT THIS CANNOT EAT THAT CANNOT CANNOT CANNOT.... omg! Thankfully there's internet, 3G phones, etc! A good venting point!

As for BF, what you can do is try to latch on 15 mins each side. After that, top up with formula. You musn't skip the latching on because your body needs to be stimulated enough to produce milk. A big cup of warm milo or a bowl of soup 30mins before latching on usually helps to keep your fluid level in check. That being said, BF may be the best, but it is not the only way. Some mommies choose to go with FM. A friend of mine has 3 kids and zero patience to BF - all her kids are growing up fine, and she's such a happy mommy. A happy and calm mommy will have positive effect on the baby, too.

As for MIL, things to eat, etc. Just as it is difficult and frustrating for you to think of what YOU want to eat, it is equally stressful for your MIL to figure out what YOU wanna eat, too! At least she is trying. Some MIL just decide for you, anyway! and those DILs finds it most frustrating as well. When you are bored, you can try to cook something different like pasta, mushroom soup, steak, pizza etc. Get hubby to try, too.

Good luck. And congratulations!!
 
Seriously I appreciate MIL insisting that I eat a lot or asking me what I want to eat. Its heaven when you have someone taking care of your needs. From my last post, my maid ran away 3 days after that post, I've been taking care of my baby and my son for the last 1.5 months before my new maid comes next week. I have stopped latching on and baby is on total bottle feed now. Reason being she had nipple confusion and rejected the bottle, so now I just express milk for her. Also I can get my hubby to feed her with the bottle. I also feed her FM at the same time so that she can get used to the taste and not rely on BM when I decide to stop expressing later on.
 
Thank you Frogprincess!

Java, i think my baby also have nipple & bottle confusion.. she like to latch, but she seems to latch only when she wants to sleep... (taking me for pacifier)...i try to latch her in the morning where i have most amount of BM, and yes, i latch my baby and then supplement with FM when she starts screaming cos no more BM flowing..
 
I got my Fenugreek from iherb. Nature's farm is carrying this brand also but at a much higher price
You may purchase from iherb.com and use the code SEJ320 for further discounts.
Free shipping to Singapore for orders abv $40
 
Hi mummies,
GNC Fenugreek Selling at $17(usual price $29.50), i only ate a few tablets.
expiry date July 2015.

collection at sengkang shell petrol station or mrt.
Interested pls PM me.
 
I did it. I also ate lots of oatmeal. I think the combination of fenugreek and Domperidone had the best effect.
 

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