A Prayer for Milk?

So far, I think I've been pretty good at being a new Mom of twins (wonder how long I'll to use the phrase "new Mom." Is there a statute of limitations?).

After working so hard for this, I am completely in love and have a bad case of the "get to's" vs. the "have to's":

I get to change their diapers and make them feel comfortable and dry!
I get to do laundry for them and change them into clean clothes!
I get to prepare bottles for them, feed them and give them nourishment!
I get to guess what's going to make them stop crying!
I get to wrap them up and soothe them to sleep!
I get to massage their tiny, soft feet!
I get to kiss the tops of their heads and soft cheeks!

I remember every millisecond that if my very last IVF failed and they weren't here, I wouldn't get to do any of these things.


I've generally been able to handle two babies crying at the same time and am slowly learning to "talk F&G" and understand what they're trying to tell me. I've learned that F hates having his hands swaddled, dislikes a dirty diaper and wants to eat every 2 - 2.5 hours. G could stay in the same wet and poopy diaper all day, loves to snuggle and would happily snooze for eight hours straight (don't worry - I would never "starve" her or let her sit in a dirty diaper).

Where I am really struggling is in the milk production department. I never thought I would be able to breast feed exclusively, but I also thought that I would at least be able to do a decent job at supplementing their meals.

In addition to me knowing that breast milk is best, I am LOVING the "weight loss effect." So far, I weigh 10 lbs less than when I started my pregnancy (and I still have some swelling, so I expect it to continue for a bit). Don't misunderstand - I still have lots of weight to lose (3 years of infertility treatments had me starting my pregnancy about 50 lbs. overweight, and I would now like to get that weight off me too - once and for all)!

Despite being on Regalan to help increase my milk supply and jumping on the pump several times a day, my milk continues to refuse to come in like it should. Within a 24-hour period, I am averaging right around 100 ml - no where close enough to feed one, let alone two babies.

Yesterday, I started to have my first mini-meltdown. I was on the pump for 30 minutes and produced some ridiculously low amount of milk - like only 5 ml. My husband could tell I was losing it...but there wasn't much he could do. I think only an IVF patient would understand.

A woman's body is "supposed" to be able to produce nourishment for her baby - why can't mine? I feel like my body is broken again and I am close to giving up. It's so frustrating.

I talked to my nurse on Tuesday and she said I needed to pump more often and suggested I nurse the babies. I also called my health care provider's nurse line and the consultant had several additional suggestions:

- Drink 3 glasses of milk a day
- Eat an egg at breakfast
- Take two naps during the day (yeah, right - I'll try, but I don't think she had twins...)
- Drink more water
- Nurse the babies at my breast

She said I should see an increase within 24 hours and, so far, nada.

As they say in the song "Tradition" from Fiddler on the Roof, "...we have traditions
for everything -- how to sleep, how to eat, how to work, how to wear clothes."

So, if any of you know the prayer or any other tricks to bring in my breast milk, please let me know.