Hi again,
My first post was about using some of our son's money to pay for his summer clothes. Most of the time we actually get these second hand. However, he hasn't grown much from last year and has stained his last year's clothes. So this is the first year items are new.
Back to breast feeding... I currently use half formula, half breast milk for our 6 month old. Is there a way to produce more milk? We could also save more by using pumped milk, but I never seem to have enough of a supply to pump....any suggestions welcome.
You are doing the best you can and that is all you can do. The amount of milk a woman produces varies quite a bit. Some have too much, some have a little. Stress can reduce the amount of milk produced, so try not to worry. My son's mother had an expensive breast pump, but had much better results with a rented one from Isis Maternity in Brookline Center. They have other locations and they are really good:
http://www.isismaternity.com/locations
you can use herbs to help milk production- I forget the brand I used- but I bought it at vitamin cottage and it helped a little bit.
pumping between breast feedings will also encourage your supply. you have to pump for 15 minutes almost every hour, though, and through the night as well to signal your glands to make a bigger volume of milk.
I would recommend you find a local LaLecheLeagueInternational group to meet with. The website is LLLi.org
Drink a ton of water--at least 64oz or half your weight in ounces if you weigh more than 120.
Eat oatmeal everyday.
Take some fenugreek or try Mother's Milk Tea (with honey)--you can find in a lot of grocery stores now.
I've also heard lecithin be recommended in LLL meetings to help milk flow more readily.
Avoid caffeine and antihistamines/allergy medications.
Drink a beer.
Nurse on demand.
Don't use a pacifier.
When you are together SUPPLEMENT with formula...don't REPLACE feedings with formula. Always offer the breast first and then offer a few ounces of formula.
Are you using a good, electric double pump? I know some moms get amazing results using a manual pump or expression, but I believe that they are the exception rather than the rule.
If you are back at work, pump even if you aren't getting anything. I know it can be discouraging, but the stimulation can help your supply. Not every woman is able to get milk with a pump...you shouldn't assume you don't have adequate supply based on what you get with a pump. It is estimated that in the BEST CASE scenario, more women will only be able to pump 60% of what a baby could get.
Spend 24 hours in bed with him. Drink copious amounts of water and get up only to use the rest room. Both of you need as much skin to skin contact as possible, which means as little clothing as you feel comfortable with. Your milk prodcution will go up. You do have to stay in bed, though. Let him nurse as much as he wants (keeping solid foods to an absolute minimum for these 24 hours). Make sure your food is brought to you and don't tend to anything else. Obviously you'll need a support person to make this work, but it DOES work.
I'm a training lactaiton consultant.
I have been told it's a supply and demand, the more it's demanded, the more you will supply. So keep pumping, even if you only get a couple of ounces each time, that adds up. My son is 11 months old and in the early months, I would pump every 3 hours or so, just to build up a supply. I don't know about these personally, but I have heard there are supplements that you can take that help build your supply. I would check with your doctor first of course.
Good luck.
fenugreek.........mothers milk tea....and plenty of water, 8 glasses a day or more.
also though, you have to give your body a chance to adjust its supply based on its demand, this can take weeks.
if you are giving your son half formula ., this means he is being satiated by an outside source, when if what he only has is your milk, your body should step in and pick up the slack naturally.
Along with supplementing a feeding with formula rather than replacing you want to make sure the baby still has to work at getting the formula out of the bottle. IE keeping the bottle level rather than tipped up. Baby will learn fast which they get the most food from fastest and hold out for that.
Pump after feeding. Even if nothing comes out. Keep doing it and you'll start to produce more. You might also want to take fenugreek (find it at whole foods). My LC told me about it to increase milk supply.
