Suggestion for Increasing Milk Production

I was recently told by another mom to mix equal parts of cranberry, apple, and orange juice together and drink it for as long as you need to increase the supply. She was told this at the hospital where she delivered by the lactation consultants there and swears it REALLY WORKS. Something with the combination of acids in those juices being mixed is supposed to increase your supply. This girl said she'd never imagined it working so great but I guess it did! I have not had the chance to try it yet since my kids are older now, but I sure will be with my next! Good Luck, let me know if it works!

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Hi D.,
It is great that you are still nursing. I am still nursing my 15 month old and we both love it. I used the supplement, More Milk Plus Capsules made by Motherlove. You can purchase it from Whole Foods and also on-line. Lactation consultants recommend it and it definetely helped me. I would see a significant increase in milk production in 24 hours. Also, eating protein with each meal helps. I would also nurse after naps to help increase my milk production. My 15 month old nurses 4/day and I am 13 weeks pregnant. I also drank Mother's Milk Tea which you can purchase from Whole Foods, also from a website-Vitacost. Great prices. You might be able to get the More Milk Plus Capsules from Vitacost also. Best wishes.

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If you decide to try fenugreek and it does not work or is not strong enough, More Milk Plus in a tincture form works like a charm (it has fenugreek in it). That is what I had to do. Also be sure you are drinking half of your body weight in oz of water. So if you weigh 150lbs, you would need to drink about 75oz of water. When you are dehydrated, you will produce less, I saw this on myself. Kellymom.com is a great website. When you are menstruating, you are also losing iron, boost your iron with protein sources like legumes and red meat if you like it. Make sure to up your vitamin C to about 1000mg since vitamin C helps improve the absorption rate of iron. Or eat an orange after you have eat red meat.

Good luck!

J. W. MPH, ACE-CPT
Wellness Educator/Lifestyle and Wellness Consultant

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Just keep nursing! Drink plenty of water. Eating oatmeal and taking the Fenugreek (500 mg)tablets worked for me.

Remember the supply/demand rule too. Don't stress if YOU think your supply is low, your baby is probably getting what she/he needs -- especially at 7 months.

Keep up the good work and enjoy your baby!

This may sound crazy, but a nurse suggested this to me after I had my daughter. Drink half of a beer, give it an hour, then pump. I had unlimited milk after that! Up until that point I had tried everything with no success. I'm sure the beer helped to relax me enough too so my milk could come in.

Good luck.

there is a natural herb that will help stimulate your milk. I can't remember the name of it but if you go to a store where those things are sold and ask,I am sure the staff can help you. Godd luck...I remember how frustrasting it can be. J.

You have gotten some outstanding advice that I am sure will work. I tend to lose water during my cycle(from my body storing it before). You could try increasing your water intake to 8-10 glasses a day and see if that doesn't help before adding in any additional factors/remedies. I can see a change in milk supply within 24 hours when I maintain this water intake. Also, relaxing makes a huge difference as well.

You've received good suggestions so far. Just a note about the Reglan.....another side effect can be depression, so if you try it and begin to feel depressed, just realize it's the med and stop taking it.
K., IBCLC

Hi, Kellymom.com has great advice about breastfeeding. I have not had a period yet, but one thing I've been doing is pumping any time in the night I wake up and it's been a while. That way, I've got extra milk in the fridge as well as a faster milk production. Also, I read that vitamin C helps with milk production in addition to the other things mentioned already. One suggestion: if you can build your milk supply during the month and even have extra on hand, then you can suppliment with your own milk if you have to.

The best thing I have found to help mil supply is "Lactation Blend" made by Vitanica. It has Fenugreek, blessed thistle and about a dozen or so other herbs. You can find it at a health food store - if you are near Oak Lawn American Health Foods on 95th street carries it. Vitamintrader.com also carries it. You take 1-2 capsule 1-2 times a day. It works quickly. When I took it 4 years ago to help keep up with milk production for twins and started with the max dose and was soooooo engorged within 24 hours. I recommend that you start with a low dose and then build up if you find you need it. It may be that your body just needs a little boost for a few days/month. I'm taking this time around, too. Just one in the AM to boost an afternoon supply drop.

Good luck!

Hi D.,

The herb fenugreek really boosted my milk production. Unfortunately, though, it gave my baby terrible gas, so I had to stop it. (It also makes you smell like maple syrup.) I am going to try either Mother's Milk tea, or the herb milk thistle, next... Good luck. I know how frustrating it is!

when I was nursing my twins I used an organic tea, for nursing mothers. You can get it at any heath food store.

fenugreek it great and natural. Go to the www.kellymom.com site for great info.

1. Ask your doctor about putting you on Reglan. It is a med used to help with your digestive system but the side effect is boosting milk production in lactating women. 2. Go to GNC or a store like that and pick up a bottle of Fenugreek. It is an over the counter pill that is similar to Reglan. When I had this issue my OB and my baby's pediatrician both told me to get this. And then of course just keep pumping! Hope this helps and good luck!

I never had that problem, but I know that when the kids start to eat solid food you milk is going to ajust to how much they eat. Try to nurse more and use less supplement. The more they nurse the more you milk will produce. In the beginning when my daughter was first born she just wanted to sleep and I had to supplement with formula and do weight checks at the doctors. It took 2 weeks before she took off with the nursing and then that is all she wanted to do. I thought I didn't have enough milk because I never felt it. I know this sounds funny but my friend said that her doc told her when she got home from the hospital to have one beer...it helps bring in your milk and stimulate. If you do try it make sure you don't nurse for 2 hours after you finish it. I have read you could have one drink and just wait at least 2 hours before nursing. Also if you have more questions you can go to www.lllusa.org (La Leche League) and search for someone in your area. They help with breastfeeding. A neighbor gave me a phone number for 2 people from here and they were wonderful and answered all my questions. Give them a try too. Hope this helps and good luck.

I had a terrible time with milk supply and my second child. I tried everything, some things worked better than others and by the time my daughter was 8 months I was actually given a prescription by my Dr. because things just weren't working well enough. As fas as what has helped in terms of natural remedies, eating oatmeal is said to help. There are also natural remedies such as blessed thessil (sp) and fenugreek taken at the same time. They also make tea to help increase supply (mothers milk and there is a brand by weleda). All which can be bought at the local health food store. You can drink beer which I don't personally recommend but there is an ingredent in beer that is supposed to help to. You can buy that ingredient at some health food stores but I can't remember the actual ingredient.
Hope this helps.
K.

all the responses are great. I learned that all those things are indeed good. i also learned that one child i feed for 6 months before my milk dried up and 3 months with the other. it won't hurt to try those things. relaxation helps to don't stress.

You already have a ton of great responses. I wish I had emailed out then as my supply always dropped too. I know lots of friends with the same experience. I really loved using Reglan. It was amazing. I had no side effects from that. I also did try the mother's milk. Not really a tea drinker but worth a shot. I honestly would not try it if you don't like maple syrup b/c I gagged like no tomorrow and about threw up from the taste. Sorry probably too much information but something to think about. I know you can smell like maple syrup too with Fenugreek. Shaklee recommended trying alfalfa as she reported it really helped her. I did not see a difference. People always said supply and demand however I don't necessarily agree. I think some people just don't produce as much as others as in my case. Good luck. That is SO frustrating isn't it?