How Do I Increase My Milk Supply??!!

Always nurse BEFORE you feed your daughter solids. Drink plenty of water. Some women swear by eating oatmeal.

Make sure you alternate which side she starts nursing on, and that she nurses from both sides each feeding. If she eats from both side and still isn't done, do NOT give her a "chaser" bottle - instead put her back on the first side. If she still seems hungry but is too frustrated to try and get more milk out (because you're near empty) take a little break and offer hear a breast again in another 15 or 30 minutes. Your milk supply will only increase if it is stimulated to do so. Make a habit of offering her the breast every 2 hours or so to bring your supply back up. If you want to use the pump, you'll be most effective if you pump AFTER you feed her, as this will simulate a very hungry baby.

At 6 months old she really shouldn't be eating very much food - certainly not so much that she cuts back on her nursing I think. Maybe just 1 meal per day. You might consider temporarily (for 2 weeks or so) cutting way back on her "food" and just nursing her a ton to get your milk supply back up and then reintroduce the food more slowly and with better timing (after you nurse her).

Herbs don't work immediately, so keep taking the fenugreek - it can't hurt and it may just take a little more time to kick in.

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Few things...

Fenugreek can help. Mother's Tea might also as well.

Drink as much water as you can possible drink and then drink some more!

Having a nursing/pumping marathon for a couple of days.

Maybe hold off on solid foods or cut back a little until your supply increases again.

Check out kellymom for some helpful hints too. Good luck!

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How much are you feeding her in the way of solids? You should start out very slowly, only giving it maybe once a day and just a small amount. And you should always nurse her first before giving solids. The more you give formula, the less she nurses, so the less your body is told to make milk. Even if you feel like you don't have any milk, let her nurse as much as she will. Drink lots of water. Eat oatmeal...as much as you can stand. Does your sweat/urine smell like maple syrup? The fenugreek capsules come in different strengths so even if you are taking a lot of them if they are a low dosage you might not be getting enough. Check how many mg are in your pills and adjust how much you are taking accordingly...it doesn't start to work till you are smelling that maple smell. Check this page for the correct dosage: http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milksupply/fenugreek.html

The more stimulation you get the more milk you will make so the best way is just to nurse nurse nurse as much as she will let you and perhaps pump in between. Often if you take a few days and just lay in bed with lots of skin to skin contact she will want to nurse more and your supply will jump (assuming you are also getting enough water). I would also back off on the solids a little...probably just a little bit (not even a whole small jar) once a day is plenty at this age. Then she will be more hungry and want to nurse more.

Good luck!

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Here are some lists I have compiled from doing my own research. Hope they help you! I would definitely put her to the breast before anything else- before any babyfood, etc. and I would discontinue the formula altogether. Oatmeal was a big, big help for me!

INCREASING SUPPLY:
Fenugreek (or Domperidone) w/Blessed Thistle
Oatmeal (cooked or granola, even oatmeal cookies!)
Water, water, water and more water
Brewer’s Yeast or non-alcoholic beer
Pumping/nursing more- nursing “vacation” bed 2-3 days with infant, feed on demand
Skin-to-skin contact
Mother’s Milk Tea
Get enough protein
Reglan (anti-nausea med)- can cause depression USE WITH EXTREME CAUTION
Avoid bottles and pacifiers
Alfalfa
Iron
Malted milk (they sell powdered form by chocolate syrup in most grocery stores, and it's what's in Whoppers candy too)
Oxytocin nasal spray - ask your OB/GYN about this

Try renting a commercial pump if you feel like you can't pump enough in between nursing sessions. Remember, it's supply and demand. If you keep putting a demand for more milk, your body will supply it. Take a week or at least a weekend to concentrate on nothing but producing milk: nursing and pumping!
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Here are things you will want to avoid-

DECREASING SUPPLY/Weaning:
Parsley
Sage
Peppermint
Decongestants
Antihistamines
Decreasing pumping/nursing
Cabbage leaves topically to breast

Hope this helps!
A. R.
aspiring IBCLC

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J.:

I am sorry that your lactation consultant was not of more assistance.

What type of pump are you using? why do you feel that your milk supply is down? the most effective way to increase your milk is with your daughter's nursing. there are also homeopathic and other herbal things that you can do.

P., RLC, IBCLC
Pres. Lactation Support Group, Inc
www.lactationsupportgroup.com

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Definitely discontinue the formula, that's only going to make it worse. It's all supply and demand. The less you nurse, the less you will make. The Organic Mother's Milk tea also worked. Once they are on solids too, I noticed a decrease in milk but then I seemed to level off into I guess what was her new amount of milk. I think your body just knows what they need and accomodates it. You should alwasy nurse before solids too, that makes a difference. Her main nutrition should still be from breastmilk until the age of one, solids are just a supplement. YOu could even cut back on the solids for a few weeks to boost your supply. FInd your local La Leche League meeting and go! They can be really helpful. THey are only once a month but I really look forward to it. I'm not an expert by any means but have been nursing my daughter for 18 months and am also 19 weeks pregnant and still have enough milk for her demands, so if you need any other advice or help I'd be happy to help you. Have confidence, I think that's the biggest thing that moms have problems with because they are convinced that their milk isn't enough for their babies. Your body knows just what to do for your daughter.

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