Regaining Milk Supply

Yes breast feeding is best, but my son wasn't breastfed for very long, due to the fact that I had to start taking seizure meds, due to a head injury I had years ago. Anyway, I found a formula that worked for me, and my son has not been sick all the time. Vitamins have helped and eating right has helped too. My daughter was breastfed for a few months and then on formula and she hasn't been that sick either, except for a few sinus infections and colds. If you can breastfeed for a long time, great, it definitely is best for baby, but if you NEED to go to formula, do not stress because in the end, you cannot tell who on the street was breast fed and who was not. suppliments at the local GNC store or the like will have something to help increase milk! Good luck and DO NOT feel bad if you cannot breast feed much longer. E. mom to two children.

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Don't stress Jamie! That in itself can be the culprit. I flew for over 25 years, many of the flight crew members were first time mom's. It amazed me that these moms pumped breast milk and then put it on dry ice, ran from plane to plane, when we switched air crafts,then handed it off to a family member when traveling through our main hub so their baby would have a supply of milk. Often time trips were chosen by them on the basis of how many times our air craft actually went through Pittsburgh's main hub so they could accomplish this. These trips were always the least desired because of the amount of legs in one day. Needless to say, I was in "awe", wondering how on earth new mother's balance both work and family with such ease? Even though it doesn't sound like you have to travel for work, I think you, like many other young women,you have mastered the art of career and motherhood with such devotion and grit that it amazes me. My hat is off to you and the many women out there that are wonderful mothers and seem to balance this with grace. My only suggestion to you is to not stress over being close to having to switch from breast milk to formula. You've given your daughter the antibodies needed, and it is my understanding that to wean her off breast milk, at her age, will be of no consequence. Just know there are women out there that salute you as a woman and mother. I know I do. Have a wonderful time with your daughter, have a great New Year full of love, prosperity and laughter.

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Congratulations on your new baby! I have breastfed two children. The first weaned himself at 14 months and the second is still nursing and will be 2 yo this month.

With my first child, I worked part time and also helped supply milk to my neighbor's son because her supply ebbed and flowed. The trick my lactation consultation gave me was to pump in the morning before my son was awake. I usually got the most after sleep. Also, I found that my son could nurse and still be full after I pumped because he pulled my hind milk which is richest in fat and nutrients. I also nursed my son on one side for five minutes and the other side he would finish and this helped balance my production.

Don't give up! Meet with a lactation consultant often during this trying time. Your child deserves the good things that come from nursing and you deserve support from a professional that can guide you through this. If you find you have to supplement with formula, remember that that doesn't mean you have to give up nursing altogether. You might nurse when at home and give formula during the day.

Good luck and remember that you are already a great mommy!

My supply dropped a few times, and each time I was able to get it back by pumping a ton for 24-48 hours. I pumped or breast fed every 2 hrs for 15 mins...even through the night. This is like cluster feeding & tells your body you need to make more. If you do a combo of feeding & pumping, you should pump after feedings to make sure you empty your breasts each time. I know it sucks, but it worked really well for me. Good luck!

Call the hospital's lactation consultant as soon as you can! When I went back to work after 10 weeks, my milk supply decreased too but I called the L.C. and got quite a few tips. First of all ... drink! Water, milk, 100% juices ... whatever it takes because the 'fluid in' becomes 'fluid out'. Also, I took an herbal supplement called Fenugreek. I bought it at GNC and a health food store but I've since seen it at Walgreen's. It increases milk supply and I could tell a big difference. When you are with your daughter, nurse her as much as you can - because the more you nurse, the more you produce. As your daughter takes more in, your body will respond by producing more. And when she is done nursing, 'empty' yourself on the pump - more for the freezer and it will trick your body into thinking your daughter needs more. And also very important -- try to relax while you're pumping. It was very difficult for me to do so at work. I was able to pump in my own office but sitting at my desk with all my work scattered around was not conducive to relaxation. Bring a onesie from home to smell, look at photos of your daughter or just close your eyes and imagine holding her, and more than anything ... drink your water, milk, juice - always have a bottle handy! Good luck!!

J.,
Please don't give up! It's vital to your baby's health, present and future, that you keep trying. It might be that the stress of going back to work so soon is hindering your supply. Try to relax, breastfeed as often as possible when you're home with her. It would help if you keep to a schedule, and if possible, pump at work during a break. Your breasts need to be stimulated to produce milk. If you're gone for, say, about 5 hours for work (including drive time and breaks) plus time before work to get ready, you are probably not breastfeeding for about 6-7 hours. That's a whole lot of time when you think about it. How many feedings is that? About 2 or 3, right? I hope this is helpful for you. Good luck and God bless!

Try the website www.kellymom.com, hands down the best breastfeeing website out there. It has lots of great articles written by lactation consultants. Also consider co-sleeping so you can nurse a lot at night. Dont give up!

Hi J.,

The best advice I can give is to drink, drink, drink! I had the same problem with my second daughter who is now almost 9 months and still nursing. Back in Aug. I went back to school part time and was working full time and had to pump everyday. The back up supply in the freezer went from over 30 ounces to about 8 and I started freaking out. I was only getting 2-4 ounces each time I pumped when I had been getting 5-8. I started drinking about 2 liters of water a day and noticed a huge difference in my milk supply. Some one suggested a mother's milk tea that is supposed to help lactation but I couldn't stand the taste. Hope this helped. Whatever you decide to do I wish you the best of luck. I know it is not easy especially with your first but just relax and know that you are doing the best you can for your little one and that is the most important thing.
~C.

make sure that you are pumping in regular 2-3 hour intervals and that you are draining both breasts. Also, ask your lactation/pediatrician about milkthistle and fenugreek. I had mastitis and that's what they told me to get to bring my production back up. Good luck!!!

First, breathe and relax. She is the best one to increase your milk supply by suckling. I personally had a horrible time pumping. I would literally have one breast not suckled ALL night, pump as soon as I got up, and would maybe get 4 ounces. Then my baby (and this happened with both - 3 years apart), would latch onto that same breast immediately and get all they wanted. So don't rely on the pump to tell you how much you are making. Is it at all possible to nurse right before work and immediately after, to keep your supply up. And to pump during so that you have some for her while you are at work? If you don't work a really long stretch at a time, that may work. If you do work say 8 hours at once, is it possible to go to her during your lunch break to nurse and "lunch" with her? Good luck and you will be fine. ( :

Oh, a P.S., when your child hits a growth spurt it takes a few days for your milk supply to catch up to the demand. Don't worry, mother nature has had lots of practice and knows what to do. ( :

J.,
Breast feeding is based on supply and demand. The more the baby demands the more supply you will have. If you have have the weekend off I would just nurse her as much as you can. NO BOTTLES! I never had much luck with the pump increasing my supply. I was fortunate enough to work 3-4 hour shifts so my babies never usually had to take bottles. I had one who would not take anything but Mom. Is your job such that you can work 3-4 hours at a time? If it is then try not giving any bottles and just nursing. I am from MO, in MO I attended La Leche League meetings. It is a support group for breastfeeding Moms. I know that it is an international group so I would guess that there would be a local chapter in your area. Good Luck!

try taking a couple of hot showers and just let the water beat down on your chest for 10-15min a couple times a day. this will stimulate the milk and hopefully get you flowing again. goodluck

Hi, I had this same problem when I was nursing my 5th child. I was told to get something called fenugreek. It is an herb and can only be bought at a health store or an herbal store. It works overnight. I would take two pills in the morning, two at lunch, two at dinner, and then two at bed. The next morning I was so full it was a relief to be able to pump. You could also try taking brewers yeast supplements, which will help your supply keep on going. I know this works as I used it several times during the year that I nursed my son. Hope this helps and keep on trying to do the best that you can. J.

J.,
First, relax - if you get stressed it will NOT help your milk supply. Second - if you have to begin supplementing with Formula it will be fine. All three of my kids were supplemented with formula pretty much from the time they came home from the hospital. It is more costly, but in many cases the cost is worth the peace of mind of not stressing about your production.....Try to continue to nurse as long as you can - but if it means your baby gets formula while you are at work and nurses when you are at home - that is okay. Just relax.

T.

Fenugreek worked great for me. You can get it at GNC. And do not stress out if you have to switch to formula. I had to switch to formula at four months due to severe postpartum. Things happen. You should stop when the stress and pressure start to take away from enjoying your little. Your little girl will be just fine. Good luck!!

Hi J.. I think it's admirable that you want to continue to BF your daughter. I had trouble with my milk supply too, so I pumped & tried to nurse when I could, drank LOTs of water, and tried something called Fenugreek. I think you can get it at most drug stores, or the drugs section of most grocery stores. It's a natural supplement that might help, and if you're using a lactation consultant, she may have already suggested this. The only other thing I can say is don't feel too bad if your milk runs out and you have to switch to formula. It's great to try to BF, but she has already gotten a lot of benefit from nursing the first couple of months. Don't beat yourself up - some BFing advocates act like you're a bad parent if you don't continue it for a year or more, but some of us just can't. Best of luck.

I have heard that extra stress can cause a shortage of milk supply. You should find ways to relax and see if this helps with pumping. I also once heard that you should slowly sip on water while pumping and that this will help you relax and be able to pump more milk.

J.,

Do the Fenugreek. I had to when I had my daughter because I wasn't producing enough milk. I didn't have to suppliment her anymore after I started that!!! In fact I had to hold a towel to one breast while she nursed on the other, I had so much milk!!! Good luck!!

E.

Hi J..

I had the same problem and tried an herb called Fenugreek. You can get it at any vitamin store. I recommend trying that before giving up on breastfeeding. It helped me tremendously (still nursing at 8 months!).

Good luck. S.

Try taking Fenugreek. Get a bottle at a GNC or other health foods store and take the max dose on the bottle. Good luck!
-R.

Hang in there. You'll notice ups and downs as you breastfeed, but rest assured she is getting enough. Continue to breastfeed every 2-2 1/2 hours or if you are work and can't pump that frequently, as least pump every 3 hours. Drink plenty of water, EAT & rest. My son is 9 months and I went back to work 3 days a week. I feel like he needs more than I pump at work (I usually get 12-15 ounces when I pump 3 times during the day), but it has worked. I always pump at night before going to bed (assuming she is a good sleeper and can last 4 or so hours from when you go to bed). This will add to the milk you produced at work and when you pump on non-work days it adds to your supply.
Lastly, a great book is The Nursing Mother's Companion--I didn't get it until my first son was a few months old, but I wish I had it in those early weeks.
It will get easier and hopefully you enjoy it. I hang on to nursing because he's not keen on formula taste right now, it's great for him, and it's such a great time to just sit, relax and enjoy a special time with him that doesn't last forever.
Good luck!

Have you begun any new meds at all? I got on a new birth control after my son was born and my milk supply dropped in half! When I called my doc she figured it out right away. Call your doc for tips to regain some supply and keep pumping to get it flowing again. You can always mix 1/2 formula and 1/2 breast milk if you don't have enough but that way she will still get your breast milk. Congrats on your baby! W.

There are teas designed for assisting in milk supply. You might also want to contact a naturopath or herbalist for suggestions on supplements that can help your milk supply. IF you have a local health food store or WHole Foods, they can be very helpful.

Stay clear of all things dehydrating like coffee, decongestants, other cold medications.

Drink TONS of water. A good guide for the amount of water you should have: Take the #of pounds you weigh (say 140) divide in half - 70 - Drink AT LEAST 70 ounces of water a day to really give your body a fighting chance.

Let your baby suckle all the time. That will be the best stimulant! YOU CAN DO IT!!!

P

you have gotten some great advice! I second the growth spurt possibility, too - hang in there! I just wanted to respond with a great recipe for lactation boost cookies - yes, cookies! So give a close friend or your husband the recipe and have them make you up a batch. They are delicious and I found they did give me a little boost when I needed it (I nursed my first for 18 months, plan to nurse the next one the same).

Lactation Boost Cookies

Ingredients :

* 1 cup butter or marg
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons water
* 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups oats, thick cut if you can get them
* 1 cup or more chocolate chips
* 2 tablespoons of brewers yeast** (be generous)

**I found this in the supplements section of whole foods - it was not with the regular baking yeast! if you can't find it, it's probably ok to leave it out.

Directions:

Preheat oven at 375 degrees F. Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes. Cream (beat well) margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well. Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to the margarine mix. Beat until blended. Sift together dry ingredients, except oats and chips. Add to margarine mixture. Stir in oats then chips. Scoop or drop onto baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment or silpat. The dough is a little crumbly, so it helps to use a scoop.

Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies.

Serves: 6 dozen cookies

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Hi. I had the same problem with my milk supply dwindling. It can be very stressful and that can also interfere with production. I pumped every two to three hours. Fortunately I was able to pump at work for 15-20 minutes without feeling rushed. I also fed every two to three hours. It's exhausting! I had to supplement with formula. After much trial and error and wasted breast milk.. I finally figured out what worked for us. I mixed Similac Advanced (premixed) with my breast milk JUST BEFORE feeding my little guy. Everything else soured my milk. This allowed me to still get breast milk to my baby and make sure he was getting enough to eat. Also, it helped me to relax enough to get a little ahead on the pumping. I never got back to normal, but it was suitable enough for us. I did this until he was a little over 10 months old. He is completely off of formula, drinking milk now, and is only breast feeding once in the early morning. And the occasional comfort nurse. He is a couple of weeks past his 1st birthday. I have a friend who had to take medication to keep up with her milk... this may be something you might want to look into. Also, you may want to try having a small amount of dark beer right as you begin to nurse or pump. This is known to increase milk production. There is also a tea that helps in this department.. and I cannot for the life of me remember what it is. I'm pregnant again and have little brain to speak of right this minute..lol. Anyway, I'm not sure what your belief system is but, ultimately, you should do what feels right for you and your baby. Good luck with whatever you choose.

1) Drink more fluids, especially water.
2) Eat healthy foods! Lots of veggies, fruits, and proteins.
2) DO NOT STRESS! Honestly, the stress of returning to work and worrying about the baby and now on top add the stress of maybe not having enough milk.. Stress will keep you from producing as you should. In fact, it is the most common reason for lactating problems.

There are biological reasons for it. I won't bore you with them (unless you ask!).

Try to meditate, clear your mind for 5 minutes before you try to pump or feed. Visualize feeding the baby, feel the tremendous love and joy and pride you have for her. Say to yourself, "I have all I need to meet my daughter's needs." over and over. SMILE.. and then pump.

AND.. remember, if you have to switch her to formula, she won't starve, and she won't be nutritionally deficient! Millions of children have been raised on formula alone. She had your milk, exactly what she needed, for the first nine weeks.

Peace!

I went through the same thing and by 9 weeks my milk was mostly gone too. It started going away around 6-7 weeks and I know it was because I did not diligently pump every 2 hours. I would skip every now and then and it wasn't long before my body stopped producing. I had a great hospital pump too and kept trying to get it back but couldn't. At about 9 weeks old I had to go to formula. I felt so bad and guilty. I wanted to breastfed as long as possible. My son is 2 now and great and healthy. I am 7 mo. pregnant and will try again and know that I have to be strict about getting milk every 2 hours. Good luck

Hi J.
You may need to contact a lactation consultant. You can call the hospital where you delivered and there should be an LC in the nursery area. Sometimes they will bring you in and help you or give you tips over the phone. They are the experts with breastfeeding. It sounds like you're doing the right things to try and keep your supply up. Certainly the hospital grade pump will help. As far as how long you think you will nurse, well, that's a question only you can answer. Sometimes the stress of having a newborn and having to go back to work after two months can take a toll on you and this will definitely affect your supply. Make sure you are drinking GOBS of water and keep hydrated. If your work is stressful, find ways to try and reduce that stress. Good luck to you. It is very challenging to try and pump and work at the same time...and be a new mom. You're doing a great job so far. If you have to use formula, it is still good nutrition for your child. I know the feeling of have to feel like formula may be an option. I felt like I was failing to provide for my baby. But you still are providing for your baby. This is easier said than done, though. Talk with your husband as well and keep expressing your feelings. Feel free to contact me if you need another ear to listen :)

PJ