How Do I Increase My Breastmilk Production?

Wow, I would expect an OB to tell you to nurse every 3 hours but a lactation consultant?! Don't beat yourself up. You were given bad info from people who should know better. Babies, especially newborns need to nurse more frequently than that, sometimes every hour, especially if they are going through a growth spurt. Feed your daughter EVERY TIME THAT SHE CRIES. If she is not hungry she won't nurse and you will begin to distinguish hunger cries versus other kinds of cries like being tired. Don't look at the clock, look at her, don't wait for her to cry, if she roots or make sucking sounds, offer the breast. Carry her in a sling and have your breasts easily available to her. Also, the age old method for increasing supply is sleeping close to your baby. If you co-sleep she will nurse more often at night AND increase your supply at the same time. Don't worry about her sleeping through the night or by herself. At this age babies need skin to skin contact and breast milk.

2 moms found this helpful

Hi D.. I am a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor and hope what I suggest will help.

First, I think you were given some bad advice. Babies cannot and will not thrive on nursing only every 3 hours. By the same token, you will never make enough milk by nursing every three hours. My best advice for this situation is to demand feed giving unrestricted access to the breast. This may mean baby nurses every hour sometimes. It may mean she just wants to pacify on you, or comfort nurse. These things are all essential to maintaining a sufficient supply. Scheduled feeding for a breastfed baby will not ensure a good supply.

Many Moms here are suggesting you pump to increase supply. I advise against that. A double electric hospital grade pump is only (at best) 50% effective at emptying the breast. When you're talking about sending signals to your body to increase production, the breast needs to be emptied. Pumping will not do that. You need to get your baby to breast as much as possible. Only the baby is 100% effective at emptying the breast. Spend a few days in bed with her. Settle in topless and allow her as much access to the breast as possible, even if she's just dream feeding. Wear her close in a sling or wrap when not nursing. Just having skin to skin contact has been shown to increase supply. If she is sleeping in a stretch longer than 2 hours, then I would pump in between to keep some stimulation going, so that you still have milk available when she wakes. You can top her off with formula 1-2 oz. at a time if she needs it, but do this last. Always offer the breast first and keep her suckling as much as you can. Say she eats at 2pm and nurses for 30 mins. Then say at 3:00 she is fussy and wants to eat again. Nurse her again, even if its only been 30 mins since she finished eating, THEN use formula. Even if you feel like your breasts are empty, they are never truly empty. She will get some milk and in turn stimulate you to up production. Then you can top her off as needed, little bits at a time so she needs to eat again soon, so you can nurse again! Its hard work, building a supply, but you can do it and it takes just a few days. This can be done but you have to be diligent and give as much stimulation to your breasts as possible, and then more. You also have to remember that baby will go through growth spurts where she will want to nurse like crazy. This doesnt mean you arent making enough, just keep nursing. Its how she signals to your body she needs more. Its normal and only lasts a few days at most. It happens at 7-10 days, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months.

In the meantime (and I know you have mentioned already doing some of these things), but here is a list of things that help.
Oatmeal
Brewer's yeast: sprinkle it in your oatmeal, eggs, sauces, soups etc... and don't worry, the whole family can eat it and not lactate!
Fenugreek
Blessed Thistle
Mother's milk tea: You have to really drink a lot to see a huge difference, but combined with other methods, it will help
More Milk or More Milk Plus by Motherlove Herbal Company: This comes in tincture and capsule form and contains fenugreek, blessed thistle, nettle and fennel. All of these combined help with milk production.
Goat's Rue: this is used in women who have PCOS, low supply due to underdeveloped mammary tissue, adoptive mothers, etc... sot his is good stuff. It can make an adoptive Mom lactate! (used in conjunction with other herbs and medicines) More Milk Special Blend has all of the things listed above plus goat's rue.
Reglan (by prescription): this has had some nasty side effects for some women, but some women have had great success without the side effects.
Domperidone: (by prescription) Many doc's wont give a script for this because you can only get it overseas. But I do know a few women who got a script and had it filled.

Here is a list of Motherlove products (No, I don't sell them or work for the company. I have used their products and recommend them often to nursing Moms who have had much success with them.)
http://www.motherlove.com/products_extracts.php

Here are a few articles about low supply:
http://www.motherlove.com/faq_lowbreastmilk.php
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html
http://www.lowmilksupply.org/
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/b-protocol_increase_bmilk_...
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/decrease-formula.html

If you need any further help, please private message me. And if all else fails, I recommend seeing an IBCLC. Good luck D.! I know you can do this!

2 moms found this helpful

If you supplement with formula you will usually have supply issues. You have to nurse exclusively on demand (which means whenever the baby wants to nurse and not every 3 hours). There's a great breastfeeding support group on yahoo. Go to yahoo groups and join and there are many very experienced bf moms who will help you. I am experienced, nursed 2 babies past 1 year, but never had any supply issues. Good luck. You can do it!

1 mom found this helpful

I know, it can be very frustrating, I had the same problem. Ok, first off, you need to BF more often. Every 1-2 hours is good as long as the baby attaches you are good to go. Even if no milk comes out, the stimulation will help your production. I also used Blessed Thistle and it worked really well for me. Some women also pump to stimulate but pumping did not work for me. If your baby is still hungry after her BF meals, then you can offer her some bottle but not till after the BF. Do not feel guilty about doing this. Your boobs do not know if you "cheated" on them! Stick with it, it is soooo worth it. Please don't stress and gets lots of sleep and drink lots of water.

1 mom found this helpful

Just continue to breastfeed her as often as possible and if she still seems hungry after finishing, give her a bottle of formula. This way even if your production never increases, you are still giving her some milk and it's some nice bonding time too.
I think every 2 hours or on demand might be better than every 3 hours though. I'm surprised the lactation consultant and doctor told you every 3 hours. Newborns need to be breastfed at the very least every 2 hours and often every hour during growth spurts. My son was on me practically all day long in the beginning. He still breastfed about every 2 hours during the day until he was almost 4 months old. And if he seemed hungry, I fed him, no matter how short the time in between feedings. I think it helped fill him up so he slept longer at night.
You also need some healthy fats in your diet- it should not be so strict. You need 500 extra calories per day to produce enough milk. Of course, eat your veggies and get enough protein, but you need the fats and the carbs and calcium-rich foods to keep you healthy. If you don't eat enough, all the nutrients in your body will go toward the milk and there will be nothing left to keep your own strength up, which will wear you out and decrease production.
And I would not pump as people are suggesting, since the baby is able to stimulate your breasts to produce milk much better than a pump would. Better to just put your daughter on your breast.
One last suggestion is if you are open to it, you might try sleeping with her at night and letting her breastfeed as often as she wants at night. You make the most milk at night and if you are not breastfeeding at night, it sends the signal to your body to not produce as much.
Good luck and try not to worry so much. I think you have done just about all you can. You should be proud of yourself for working so hard to give your daughter the best. Don't beat yourself up about it- sometimes these things happen. The more you stress about it, the less you will be able to just enjoy your daughter. You are doing everything you can and you obviously love your daughter very much. The small amount that you are able to give her is still beneficial and she will be healthier in the long run because of your hard work. Having to supplement is not the end of the world.
Also, two good sources of information on breastfeeding are:
http://www.kellymom.com and The Breastfeeding Book by Dr. Sears. Get this book- it is so helpful!!!

1 mom found this helpful

Keeping milk production up can be a challenge. I have found that increasing my calories to even more than when I was pregnant really helped. Your nutrition is so important. I also had a sore breast for several weeks and found that pumping my milk helped to increase production. Also a friend of mine told me to drink a little beer, and that helped her.Mostly...relax if you can. The more stressed out you become, the harder it seems to produce. Enjoy every minute of your feeding sessions and just let her nurse as long as you can stand it and milk will come.

Hi,

sorry I can not read all responses. I see you have one from a lactation consultant, but as a mom, I second what was said. I was struggling and talked to a lactation consultant. In brief, she said, "just be a breast for a few days". Nurse as often as baby wants it. 3 hours means you are holding out, that's what I was doing. My supply went way up in a few days. No pump can send the signals your body needs.

All the best,
C.

Hi D.,
From my experience of breastfeeding 2 with minimal milk production, and thousands of years of chinese practice, I hate to say it but it's your diet. You're actually eating all the opposite "ingredients" of breast milk. Tea is a diuretic which makes you loose water needed for milk. Human breast milk has twice the fat of cow's milk and you need good fat in your diet which you're cutting back on. I lived on homemade chicken stew (whole chicken if possible since the bones have lots of natural calcium) for over a month until my milk production was up to par. The protein, fat and broth (drink lots of this rather than tea and water) from chicken really helps in milk production. Both my kids lost about half a pound from the hospital home weight before gaining. You should see a difference within a week or two. Good luck.

After each feeding, try pumping for 20 minutes. It should help stimulate your body to make more. Bottle feed your daughter any milk that is expressed. Best of luck,

Lots & Lotz of water, more than you can stand. Absolutely key. Also, they say beer really helps. I'm not a drinker of any sorts and was uncomfortable with that so I drank Malta instead (a concentrated Malt drink that can be found in a Latin aisle of most supermarkets).

Also, is there any way you can rent or borrow (or buy?) a breast pump? Don't bother with the manual. The top of the line Medella (retail) is best or the hospital one to be rented. You increase your flow by pumping AFTER you breastfeed her. As long as it takes to be completely dry, then 5 minutes past that. After 24 hours of doing this, you'll see a different. And most certainly after a few days. Obviously bottle and freeze or feed her any milk you get from it. But seriously, it works. I went through SO much to breastfeed my baby and learned quite a bit. Best of wishes, N.

Hello,
I'm no expert at all but I'm breastfeeding my now 9 month old. When my supply was low I would feed him and then pump 10 min or so after. I was going crazy trying to pump in between feeding him regular hours. I also made sure to pump before I went to bed. That helped a little. My doctor just told me nothing makes your milk come in better then your baby. Something about the natural sucking from them. If he seemed hungry I tried feeding him every 2 1/2 hrs and also alternated breasts a lot during feeding. For some reason switching back and forth brought more milk. I haven't pumped in a while and don't know how much I'm producing but he is gaining wait and seems to have enough. Just wanted to share what I was told. I know my sister tried everything and she did eventually have to stop. The stress became too much. Good Luck!

It sounds like you are doing everything right. Honestly some women just don't have enough, I have seen a few women who try everything and never get any. This is probably stressing you out and stress is the #1 factor in decreased supply (when everything else is going right. So try to relax, get *me time* have your husband massage you, take a long bath, etc... OK I recommend feugreek and blessed thistle -- 3 capsules of each 3 times a day. Call your OB/GYN and ask for the prescriptions Reglan, this is for gastric reflux but it was found to increase the prolactin levels and thus increase milk supply. The teas are fine, but the capsules have a much higher concentration so I would focus on those -- with the fenugreek you will know it is working when you smell like maple syrup, if you don't it is not working. Also I do recommend a *power pump* for 2 days -- pump -- with a hospital grade electric pump as much as you can, feed your baby, then pump. The more stimulation, the more production, this should help to build your supply up. You can go to medela.com and find a rental agency near you. Email me if you have any questions about this -- ____@____.com

Good luck, keep trying and stay positive!!

It sounds like you are doing everything right--just maybe not enough! I had the same problem and had to supplement my son's nursing with formula when he was three weeks old and still had not regained his birthweight. So I know the urgency you feel.
At his 6 week growth spurt i started feeding him every 2 hours, and pumping in between. Yes I think I was topless and nursing for about 8 weeks straight. The increased activity got me going. I never made a huge excess, my breasts are small (A cup) so there is not alot of extra storage room--don't believe that old wives tale about a woman can make a ton of milk regardless of breast size, I simply didn't have room to store extra! But I did make enough to meet my son's needs and he eventually stopped the bottle feedings.
I hear Dark beer (guinness) helps too because of the yeast
Good luck

Hi D. - congrats on the baby. Try Mother's Milk tea by Traditional Medicinals and raspberry leaf teas. And, as others suggested - keep pumping. Best regards.

My sister swears b "mothers Milk" it is a tea she drinks. She has nursed 7 babies. She gets it at the health food store. I know one more tea to try but it jusy might work. A.

Why put yourself thru this. If she is thriving on
formula continue that. Do you really want your baby
to be hungry and crying when it does not have to be?

Hi D.,
I have nursed all 4 of my children exclusively..(including twins) and at 3 months, I don't think any of them would go longer than 2 hours w/o feeding. My 6 month old daughter still has times where she wants to nurse every hour and others when she can wait 3-4. Some days it feels like that is all you are doing, but I think that is the key with breastfeeding successfully. I have never watched the clock when nursing. As adults, we don't time ourselves when deciding when we last ate and when we are due to eat again:) Keep well hydrated and I would just let her nurse whenever she wants..that should help with increasing milk production. Good luck to you!
H.

The lactation specialist told me there is a supplement you can take that will help you increase milk production. I believe it is all natural. Good Luck! A.

I had a low supply with my second child for a while. I did the Fenugreek pills religiously and increased my water intake five fold! It took about two or three weeks before there was a difference in my supply. It wasn't dramatic but with the changes I stuck to and time I was able to nurse my son till he was two years old.
When I say I increased my water I was drinking a 24oz glass almost every 40 minutes. I woke up in the middle of the night to drink water and I always drank a full 24oz immediately after I nursed.
It was dificult at times because you do get bloated and you have to use the bathroom alot more but I was able to keep my supply.
I would also stick to one herbal remedy. Try the pills and keep the dosage on a schedule that way you know for sure the amount your taking. Taking too much Fenugreek for a prolonged period can cause hypreglycemia.
Even after all this, my let-downs were not that strong but it was more than sufficient to sustain my son till two.
Stick to the increased water...it may be the only thing that will increase your supply.
One other thing, it seems you are not nursing enough. Breastfed babies need to be nursed on demand and depending on the child, that may be every hour or less.
You may find a huge difference in your supply if you nurse every hour. Breast milk digest alot faster than formula so breastfed babies get hungry faster.

hi there:

you seem to have it all down. with my second baby we had to supplement but i still continue to nurse. unlike the first my production dropped. but i just keep nursing and tryng to pump, even if it is a little bit.

my advice is continue to nurse and try pumping. even if a drop comes, consider it a victory. the more stress we place on ourselves the harder it is on us. don't give up. even if you do not get 2 ounces, every drop counts. keep on with your healthy regiment, try and to de stress because it sure helps the milk production, and get some rest.

sure, i would like to get my full load back as with baby #1, but dealing with that only brings stress, etc. so i give thanks for the little bit that is there.

you are a loving mom and doing everything right. the most important thing is knwowing that your baby is full. baby has a great appetite and as long as she is content and full, all is well. bless every drop that comes, it may not be a tank full but it is something.

you're doing great.

You sound frustrated and tensed.First i would like to tell you to stay calm sit down and start thinking about your baby before you start breast feeding. You should be rested for increase in milk production. I always had increase in milk production when i was happy,and deeply rested (3 AM feeds :i felt my T-shirt soaking from the 2nd breast while i fed my baby ).
I pumped once or twice a day ,ate oatmeal and consumed 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds with water every night(fenugreek seeds available in any indian store).I would definetely say do what makes you happy. I use to smell my baby ,listen to music & drink a lot of water.
This worked for me and really hope it does for you .

About me: I am a married 30 year old second-time mom of 2 beautiful girls, 5yr old and a 12 month old baby girl.

Have you tried La Leche League google it you can find a support group near you that is your best bet they will help you try it soon. I think it's La Leache League.org They are wonderful

Try Domperidone. You can get it overseas and it's much cheaper, or from Canada online.

You have to breastfeed more often. Or pump if you have too. It's a supply-demand concept, the more you pump the more milk you'll have. But make sure you're hydrated and drink lots lots of water, that's key, which sounds like you're doing it. it could be that some women just don't have enough milk. I didn't no matter what I did, and always had to supplement with formula because the baby was always hungry after breastfeeding, even though the nurses would always tell me that she'd be fine with what she got from the breast. I remember once I decided to give her formula after a feeding, she gobbled down the whole 2-ounce bottle and went straight to sleep. Just do your best, and supplement if you have to. It's ok to do that.

Hi D.,

Usually it is a supply/demand thing. Increase nursing & the milk will increase. But it sounds like there may be other concerns. Check with your local La Leche League. Check with the lactation consultant to see if her latch is really right. You may want to pump a little to see if you can get more milk. You can usually rent electric pumps. Rest & relax. Don't wait 3hrs in between nursings. with a newborn you really just nurse whenever they are awake. Nurse on demand any time your daughter cries, offer the breast. Best of luck. It is worth it in the end even if it seems tough now.

Hi! The best way to increase breastmilk production is to pump in between your feedings. So; nurse, then pump 90 min. later, nurse 90 minutes later, pump 90 min later...etc. The key to this is having a GOOD BREAST PUMP! Medela Pump In Style (chuckle..stylish breast pump:))

www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/breast-pumps/352/p...

is the pump that I used for my two. I had friends who used regular grade pumps and ALL OF THEM had poor results. Unless you invest in a pump of this quality you will not get the results you want. Pretty soon not only will you have increased milk production, but every two times you pump you will have three hours of freedom in the freezer!! Great for date night or when you have to be away from your little one and still want her to have breastmilk.

You can also look on craigslist and other sites for a used pump, just be sure to buy new bottles and tubes.

I would also suggest that you use the pump to see how much milk you are actually currently producing. Perhaps she is latching on well, but just not sucking hard enough to get your production up and running. Keep up the good work!

D.,

I am so sorry you are having such a difficult time, but congratulation for not giving up, and looking for help. You're doing everything right. What I do not know is do you have any help at home. Meaning is your husband home the majority of the night/Day?

This is my recommendation. Feed the baby as you have been (nursing as long as you can until you are empty) Then I would pump for at least another 10-15 min on each side. I recommend and personally love the Madelia double electric pump. Instead of spending 30 min you can do both sides at the same time, and it mimics the baby the best. Keep doing this and in about a week wow you will be freezing milk.

I sure hope this helps and works for you. I know this pump is expensive ($300.00) however, it is worth it. Think of the expense you will save once you get your milk up so formula is not needed anymore.

Good Luck
K.

D., I know exactly where you're coming from. I have been told that it will increase if you keeep breastfeeding and the more theyeat, the more the milk will come in and it didn't do anything. I will lots and lots of water and with my third son I learned about Fenugreek nd it help me a few extra month and then it did nothing. I have learned over time that peanuts and peantu butter (I used roasted peanuts and Teddy Bear peanut butter which are healthyier and I have allergiest o regular nuts and other junky peanut butters and they have toooo much sugar) and garlic will help increase breastmilk. Also, I learned that parsley will reduce the breastmilk and the question I had and need to check out is, is it dried or cooked parsley or does it matter and parsely will reduce it any how you take it? I am in checking that out. Also, I am interesting in knowing what other natural things to do keep the breastmilk flowing longer...if you know, I am interested in knowing too. Make sure they get the heavier part of the milk which is not in the beginning. My boys were hungrier more often because the beginning of breastmilk is not heavy and my third son would throw that up because they are sooooo sweet the taste some babies cannot handle that and their poor stomach can't handle that either. If you have any more questions or want to "chat" let me know and I will get back to you as soon as it's convenient for me which I have been doing bascally almost everyday answering people's questions or responding to e-mails.

D.,
If she cries, give her your breast. Drink water while you are doing so. The more you give her your breast, the more she will get. Don't go by age, don't go by schedule. Don't go by anything other than her cries.

You might be worn out by the end of the day, and you might not.

If you wait in between nursings for your breasts to 'fill up' - you are working counterpoint to having them produce more milk for your baby.

http://breastfeedingonline.com/newman.shtml

Give her all she wants - and she MAY want cuddle time and close time and just have a need to suck.

Do all you are doing to increase your production - it sounds good and will work IN CONJUNCTION with feeding your baby more often.

Don't give her formula - IF YOU CAN AVOID IT. I understand there comes a point where you need to rest, too.

The only other additional advice I can give is to space out your prenatal vitamins, so you aren't taking 4 tablets at once (or whatever the dosage is), but rather 1 tablet every 4 hours instead. Your body can only process so much before it gives up and lets the waste process take the rest.

Good luck, congratulations, and I hope you can continue nursing!

M.

The only thing that has ever worked for me is to have a protein drink once or twice a day. Within a day or two I can tell the difference.

Hi D. J, I'm a mom of two girls almost 3yrs and 9months my names J. and I'm also 32. I have breast feed both and you are doing everything right but you might want to nurse every hour and half to two hours or when ever she seems a little bit hungry. Also try to us a breast pump if you need to. Its hard to relax with two little ones but feeling stress can effect milk production. You said you drink a lot of water and thats a big part of producing your milk. Also after 3 or 4 months of age you can start solid foods which can help too. Good luck and God Bless.

first off, good job on trying! Second, stop worrying!! If your baby is still hungry after breastfeeding, don't be afraid to suplement. Your baby is still getting all the good stuff from breastmilk, but if she needs a litle extra to fill up and you have to give her formula that's OK. It happens to lots of moms and babies. Your body may adjust to the demand and you may be able to stop supplementing in a few weeks. But even if you have to continue supplementing, don't be discouraged! However little amount of milk your daughter gets from you it's still great!!
Having said that, what worked for me and increased my breastmilk supply (without fail every time) was drinking beer. I know you've been told no drinking at all while you are breastfeeding, but one or two beers will cause no harm, but on the other hand will help fill you up with milk. I went through a period when I thought my supply was low, and I would have a beer in the evening (after feeding my daughter), by the next feeding there would be lots of milk and enough time would have elapsed that whatever little amount of alcohol entered the system was metabolized.
My daughter is almost a year now, and I still breastfeed twice a day, first thing in the morning and when i get home at night.
Hope this helps. If nothing else, drinking a beer will make you relax a little and allow to think about what a wonderful mother you are :)

good luck!

D. - try pumping in between feedings. I used the Avent hand held pump. it may take a week or two but your milk supply will increase. i used to feed my son every 2-3 hours and about an hour after nursing, i would pump each breast. put warm compresses on your breasts before you nurse and before you pump. the warmth brings the milk in.

I have a great book i just put for sale on craigs list. its called "the womanly art of breastfeeding" La Leche League International and it is good..im asking $7 if you are interested.
good luck! D

Sorry to hear about your situation. That can be very frustrating! I don't know where you live, but where I am in Buffalo, NY, there is a place called the Care Connection. They are extremely wonderful in helping breastfeeding Moms! For me, they recommended a product called fenugreek. It can be taken with tea or a capsule. They also had a tea called Mother's Milk. I never took it, but I heard it works. Have you tried using a breast pump? I know you can rent them or buy them at lactation centers. Medela is a good one to try. Contact the hospital where you gave birth or your daughter's pediatrician. A lot of times thet have lactation nurses on staff. Good luck!

I don't know if this will help, but when I had my son the nurses told me (at the hospital) to let the shower (warm water) fall on my breasts if I wanted to nurse. Unfortunately, my son did not latch on and I had to give him formula. I don't know if this will help since I did this the day after giving birth to my son, but hopefully it will help. Good luck.

Have you tried domperidone? You can get a prescription from a doctor and Canadian pharmacies fulfill the order. Or order it from a New Zealand pharmacy. It is illegal here in the US. There are no side effects. You can pump. One woman I know pumped on one breast while breastfeeding on the other.

I am still breastfeeding and my baby is almost 7 months old. He is on solids. He eats how he brestfeeds and you never if he is hungry or not.

Good Luck!