Breast Feeding Question

Are you under any stress? Are you drinking plenty of water everyday? Also, you can take Blessed Thistle and Fenugreek to increase your supply. They are supplements from GNC. You take 3-4 of each 3xs a day (18-24 tablets a day). Kellymom.com is another great website for info on breastfeeding. Hope this helps. C.

As the baby gets older (after the first 4-8 weeks), the body makes just enough milk for your baby so your baby is getting what he needs...not to wory about that (what you pump is NEVER the amount your baby is getting). If you need to pump too, then you have to have specific times during the day when you pump...everyday. Your body will learn to make milk during these times.

HTH!.

S. Mills
Touched By An Angel,
Childbirth Services, Inc

Hi Steph H.,

First of all, you need to make sure that you are getting an adequate amount of fluids in your diet. Secondly, you should make sure that you are eating a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of calcium-rich foods, protein, complex carbs, fruits, and vegetables. Cinnamon is also reputed to increase milk production. Personally, eating a lot of beans and legumes (especially lentils) helped me.

There are a variety of web sites and books out there that can tell you more about what to eat to increase your milk production, but hopefully this has been a good start. Good luck!

C. Y.

I nursed all 3 of my children for 1.5-2 years each. It's all about supply and demand and drinking enough fluids.

My milk supply would certainly go up or down if I forgot to drink enough fluid. Or, when I was really stressed, it was difficult to relax during pumping. Drinking water or a warm beverage seemed to help with the relaxation. Also, after being home on the weekend and nursing every couple hours my milk supply would increase leaving me engorged on Monday (back to work meant pumping 2x/day).

Be careful with the pumping. If you pump more regular than the baby eats, your body will make more milk and if you get engorged - you could risk getting infected milk ducts (mastitis). I have had that more times than I can count. Very painful with immediate flu-like symptoms... usually requiring antiobiotics to clear-up.

Also, have heard that medications (everything from antibiotics to birth control pills) can affect milk supply.

Don't give up. Call your OB or midwife for advice. Also, there are lactation consultant #'s that you can get from your birthing hospital (they'll talk to you on the phone for free/even stop by if you like).

I went through a very difficult time w/ my daughter when she was 4 months old b/c I had knee surgery and the general anesthesia cut off my milk supply. I tried all three supplements mentioned by the other moms but also the biggest key to my milk supply returning was.....are you ready for this one.....drink a beer. You drink a beer at least an hour before you nurse so the alcohol has left your system but your milk supply will increase within a day or two. The key is also....don't stress out! You have to be very relaxed at all times....it's very frustrating but you can do it.

D. - I took Fenugreek Seed and I swear by it!! You get it from the Health Food Store- comes in capsules and I would take it I think 3 times a day and after like 3 days - I would have sooo much milk it would squirt him in his face when I would try to nurse my son! Also - one glass of wine would do it too - and I only did that once every blue moon - once my daughter was older tho. HTH - A.

Hmm, I know in the beginning, when I first had my daughter, my milk supply was very low, come to think of it, it was all the time, but my daughter just eats more frequently. I know some things effect how much you produce. Some things you may want to try, increasing your caloric intake slightly. If your diet is really low in fat, you may want to add some healthy fats to it. Also, it sounds like your already doing it, but one thing I tried that really worked, was called "marathon feeding" and it's just that. In the beginning, I would sit down with her every hour and feed her, just to get the supply going and make more. I hope it helps, and stick with it, I went through the same problems and everything worked out for the best. Good Luck!

another supplement is brewers yeast and alfalfa to increase your milk.

Deb

How are his diapers? Is he still wetting a lot and having a stool at least once a day? This is the only good indicator of how much milk you have. Like the ladies have said, if you are under stress, not drinking enough water, or even if his demand is up this will cause a bit less in pumping supply.

It is very rare that a mom doesn't have "enough" milk. So just keep nursing and make sure you are eating right and staying well nourished. And if you get worried...just remember if the baby is still wetting plenty of diapers and stooling normal you're doing just fine!
Take care,
N. White
CD(DONA)

D.- I am not sure if this will help or not, but, I got told to get some Blessed Thistle from a health food store or from GNC. It is supposed to help with your milk supply from what I was told. I am going to try it myself to get back to breast feeding. Also drink water everytime you breastfeed and eat three good meals a day with some snacks in between. I hope that this helps. Also a friend of mine drinks mothers milk tea. and takes a supplement called ferra greek or something like that. I hope that I was able to help you in some way. Good luck.

Hi! I have heard from several friends that the Mother's Milk Tea is very helpful. You can get it at the health food stores or some of the regular grocery stores have health food sections. Don't give up and good luck!

Are you 100% pumping? The pump does not stimulate like the baby does. So you may need to nurse more and pump a little less. 8-10 oz 4x a day is a lot of milk for a 2 mo old. Maybe you could only pump that because you were engorged. My 10 week old son takes around 24 oz/day.

HI. let me see if this will help.
First off are you drinking enough water. dehydration can cause lack of supply. Also, are you eating well. it takes 500 extra calories a day more then when you were pregnant to support breastfeeding for one infant. If you are doing all that, then here's what i suggest doing.
First off, when you are at home and not at work, nurse. NO pump on the market is gonna get that milk out better than a nursing baby. Also, what type of pump do you have? i would suggest renting a hospital grade pump. those are much better tahn any you will buy on the market. Medelas are wonderful pumps.
Foods to eat to boost your supply is oatmeal.
Herbs. Fuengeek. take 4 pills to start with until you start to smell like maple syrup. Also, there is a mother's tea you can drink as well, that will help boost your supply.

I was sadly only able to bfed for 2 wks. Due to horrid lack of supply issues i was unable to satisfy my son, and he was latched onto my breast every 30min for 2 hrs + a session. These are the things i learned after i had to stop bfing my son. and things i'd wished i known about prior.
hth
B.

ETA I see some one mentioned beer. OK what is in the beer that increase lactation is called brewers yeast. you can buy this at GNC and not have to have the effects of the alcohol if you would prefer.

I had a similar problem it was b/c I wasn't eating enough. I had to eat something every 2 hours (like your son in the middle of the night!) in order to keep up any sort of milk supply for my son. Hopefully, its as simple as that for you!
-M. in Tampa

Are you drinking enough water...Your milk supply can diminish if you are at all dehydrated....Think of all the fluid you are expressing while nursing...espically nursing all night..you need to replenish those fluids...Drink a full glass before you sit down to nurse. Fill the glass up again and drink it while your nursing....Good luck to you...