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How in the world do I induce lacation? How do I get started?
So you want to induce and feel that full ache feeling that comes along with it, but how do you do it?
There are different ways that have made inducing easier in my experience. It starts with knowing different methods of inducing (either by hand, pump and/or suckling).
If you are willing, you can also use natural remedies or medication to help you increase your milk supply, which I will discuss later in this post.
However, I would like to mention a medication that greatly facilitates the induction process. Dom or Domperidone is a medication prescription that helps breastmilk supply. It increases prolactin in the body and thus helps you create more milk. The medication does not guarantee milk production. Its main purpose is to increase the prolactin levels in your body, which imitates pregnancy. Merely relying on the medication will not result in the production of milk. Therefore, I recommend using the Marmet Technique and “Power Pumping” technique, but some have also found using a tens unit helps as well.
The Marmet Technique is a manual inducing method. In other words you use your hands to simulate the nipple being sucked on. This method is great if you are without a pump or need to stimulate your breasts because they are tingly or achy.
Power Pumping. It’s just what it sounds like, having a device pump your breasts as if it were trying to get milk from them. This method stimulates your breasts into thinking that there is a need to create milk and does eventually.
A lot of people ask me how long should I pump for? How often?
Here is a quick breakdown for those of you who are interested.
1. 20 minutes of pumping / 10 minutes resting or no pumping
2. 10 minutes of pumping / 10 minutes resting or no pumping
3. 10 minutes of pumping / power pumping session completed.In my experience all of my partners have used a Tens Unit, but it’s hard to tell whether it works as it does not extract any milk. However, I imagine it helps stimulate the breasts and thus increase supply, but I do not know exactly.
Proper latching and practicing how to latch.
I wrote a separate post on how I go about latching and helping induce women. So I won’t go into great detail here.
However, a latch is simply an airtight seal around the areola where the suckler brings the nipple into their mouth and uses their tongue to extract the milk from the areola to the nipple. Please do not use your teeth! It can be quite painful for the female and I promise you won’t be invited back.
Breast Pump Settings
Breast pumps are made for getting the breast milk out of your breasts (obviously). However, a common misconception about breast pumping when inducing is that you have to make your breasts hurt. That’s not the case.
In fact there are 1–3 settings on most breast pumps.
The first is to simulate let down. In other words, it helps the milk flow at the very beginning of the nursing session.
The second setting is to extract more milk when the flow is starting to slow down. It is a slower pump that has a stronger suction to help keep the milk flowing.
The Third (not all pumps have this last one) is to get the last of the milk out. It creates a slower pump that is even stronger suction that gets the ‘stubborn’ milk out.
Supplements for inducing lactation:
Goats rue
Fenugreek
Lecithin
Shatavari
Blessed Thistle
Moringa
Fennel
Milk ThistleFor more information on supplements for inducing lactation.
Medications
Dom or DomperidoneWhat you should know about dom before taking it
Where can I buy Domperidone without a prescription?
aipctshop.com
inhousepharmacy.vuOther links that might be useful:
How to get Started with re-lactation
2 month’s into inducing and what I’ve experienced and learned -
2 Replies
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Super helpful! Thank you
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Thanks. I am so glad it helped. If you have anything to add from your own experience I would.love to chat and add to the post.
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