Friend Try to Breast Feed but Doesn't Produce Much Milk.

I guess I would have to ask her why she thinks she's not producing enough milk. Is it because she can't pump much. Pumping is rarely an accurate indicator of how much milk a person is producing. Does the baby seem fussy? That too may have nothing to do with supply. Also, stress (as in stressing about how much you produce) doesn't help and creates a self defeating cycle in my experience.

I was an older mom too who had problems with milk production. I don't know if it was age related or not. I know the best advice I got was from my local La Leche League group and a good lactation consultant. I would suggest your friend contact her local LLL. Meetings are free and open to any nursing mom. Also, LLL leaders are wonderful in pointing a person towards the right resources, etc.

Here are some good links to pass on to her:

http://www.kellymom.com/newman/04enough_milk.html
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/11some_bf_myths.html

Good luck! I know breast feeding was very difficult for me, but it was one of the best parenting decisions I made. It's worth it to keep trying if that's what you want to do.

I had the same issue. I still don't produce what I would consider enough for the whole day, so I do supplement with formula fed through the Dr. Brown's larger bottles for breastfed babies.

The suggestion that I got was to only feed off one breast at a time allowing the other breast a longer length of time to fill up. This did increase my milk supply and I now get quite full. I just have an extremely hungry baby girl who at 4.5 months feeds every 2 hours.

So I feed Elizabeth the breast until she empties it and then I give her a bottle of formula. The next time, she gets the other breast. I always give the breast before the bottle. It also helps to start the lactation process manually before the baby starts sucking. That way the baby doesn't get frustration if let down is slow.

I hope this helps. :)

R.,
I went through the same thing with my son and that was almost 7 years ago. He didn't gain back to birth weight at 2 week apt., I had to go back the next week and he had finally gained. Stress will limit production and not drinking enought water. I would set a glass of water on table beside me and drink while I was nursing. My little guy ate more often than most, but I never had to give any formula. If he is growing, pooping and peeing I think he is getting what he needs. I also know that when I started ovulating agin my production dropped too.
I wish your friend all the best. Tell her not to give up.
L.

Have your friend speak with her OB.. mine Rx Regalin (sp?) the reflux med.. It worked wonders for a while and I and my little one didnt suffer from reflux while I took it!

Hello R.,
Your friend has a treasure in you that you are searching for a solution to her breastfeeding issue. She needs to stay away from any peppermint as it is a drying herb. She can take Fenugreek capsules and/or marshmellow root and drink plenty of fluids. If she is is supplementing with formula, she should offer the breast at every feeding. There are many opinions about offering the breast first or last. Some say if the baby is very hungry and crying, get his blood sugar up first with a bottle, then offer the breast before he is full. If he isn't crying to feed, offer the breast first, then give him nutrition. She can also use a breast pump to stimulate her breasts but it isn't the same as a baby nursing. Another suggestion is to make an appointment with The Lactation Connection or the Lactation Center at Methodist hospital. I've heard both places are wonderful. Tell her to get help quickly and not to give up unless the lactation ladies tell her it is the best thing. There are some women that can not breastfeed... that is where the rest of us just love them through it!
Best to you! S.

Drink lots and lots of water. If she is supplementing with formula. Stop. Milk is a supply and demand thing and the more she breastfeeds, the more milk she will make. Get the baby on a very good schedul. (Babywise books help with that) and that will make her milk supply very reliable. Just keep encouraging her not to stop. Breastfeeding is wonderful (as you know)and if at all possible she needs to just keep on trying. Is she on birth control? if so, that could be the problem. She needs to be taking prenatal vitamins still and drinking a half gallon of water a day. that will help TREMENDOUSLY!
Hope this helps!

R.:
Let me first say congrats to you for being such a support and congrats to your friend on her new arrival!

As a breastfeeding mother twice now, I can honestly say I have been in both your situation and hers! With my first, I produced plenty of milk-no probs. My second was much more of a grazer and caused milk supply probs. Here is what I learned to hopefully help your friend:

Also, how old is the baby-you friend may be worrying too early-it can take up to 6-8 weeks or so to get a good, constant milk supply-up to that point it is building but your baby is getting plenty, don't worry.

1) Call the Harris Methodist Hospital Help Line (look it up-they have several and any will get you there-they even ave a 1-800 number) and ask for the breastfeeding resource center. The lactation consultants there will talk to you free over the phone and help out how they can. They are great! They may have to take a phone number and call back, but it is free. If you/she feel more needy, you can make a face-to-face appointment but it costs like a doctor's visit.

2) pump for 10 or 15 minutes prior to feeding to get more breast stimulation and therefore produce more milk, OR feed from one breast while pumping from the other and then swith. Milk is a supply-demand thing and if there is more of a demand, it will work it's way up to more of a supply!

3) Nurse or pump every 2-3 hours or as often as possible. Mouth to breast stimulates better, but pumping is better than no stimulation-Don't worry about how much milk you get, just aim for the extra stimulation-it will up the supply

4) Make sure she is drinking plenty of water/fuild and eating enough calories. THis is a requirement for milk production.

5) Eat healthy fats (olives, avacodos, Omega-3s, etc) and make sure she continues her prenatal vitimins to maintain the nutrition required to make breastmilk and for it to contain the best for the baby!

6) Make sure she is taking the right herbs-ask the lactation consultant or visit her local healthfood store and ask the supplement manager!

7) DO NOT suppliment with formula-it will only deminish your milk supply. YOu think your baby needs it, but really he/she doesn't and it just really reaks havoc on mama's milk supply! (Formula takes longer to digest, so the demand is not there as often to help the supply). AT MINIMUM, wait until AT LEAST 2-3 mos. of age to suppliment formula, but American Pediatrics suggests a min. of 6 mos. of age!

8) Tell her no matter what, her baby won't starve! Just monitor weight gain and relax! She will be fine! Stress can make supply go down, so just relax! She could try spending a day or two just being in bed/lounging with the baby and nursing often-having the baby constantly around you with skin-to-skin contact is supposed to do wonders for your production (I don't know first-hand because I had EASY births and felt totally rejouvinated and better after childbirth than while preg. so I was way too much of a busy-body after giving birth to have ever succeeded at doing this one).

9) Make sure she has a good pump-I suggest either Medela or (even better) a rented hospital grade one.

10) Try different latching styles/positions-using differnt ones targets different milk ducts to better drain different ones than in other positions, thus helping with the supply/demand issue again.

11) JUst remember that ANY breastmilk is better than none! Just by trying, she is succeeding!!!!

Hope this helps!
T.

Is she pumping after she breastfeeds? This could help increase supply. Is she drinking mother's milk tea and taking Fenugreek. If she cant supply enough she can supplement. There are ways to supplement without giving a bottle. It is ok to supplement, especially if it is the difference between quiting all together or not. Her baby will get the immune stuff it needs even if it only feeds 4-5 times a day. There is this idea that you have to do all breastfeeding or all bottle feeding, but I feel you can successfully do both and do the right thing for your baby. I had to give my son 4 bottles a day of milk with added calories because he was a premie. It worked fine. I breastfed him for a year and he is very health now, especially for a premature infant. You do what you have to do and what you can live with. Tell her I said to keep trying and don't give up, it will work out.

She could contact her OB/GYN's office and ask for a name of someone who could help her....

J.

R.,

I went through the same thing your friend is now going through. I, too, felt like a failure when I couldn't produce enough milk. I don't know if she wants to try but I was told that eating oatmeal cereal would help with milk production and it worked for me. I could feel the difference of how much milk I produced between days that I ate oatmeal and those that I didn't.

I also recommend getting a lactation consultant to do a home visit. This way your friend is in her own environment when she is being taught proper procedure. The lactation consultant I contacted was very generous with her time both during the meeting and afterward. It gave me a lot of peace knowing that I was using as many resources as possible. Let me know if you need a reference. Your friend can also call the hospital she used to be referred to a lactation consultant in her area.

There are a number of other things I tried to get my milk production going. It took a while but I finally got it going.
Feel free to contact me at ____@____.com if you would like to discuss this further. I know this is a hard time for your friend.

Hi R.! I had the same problem. You are a great friend, she will need alot of support because it is so frustrating and upsetting when there just isn't enough coming out. Especially combined with the baby blues most get right after having a baby. There is a medication she can get from her OB/GYN. I can not thing of what the name is,but it is harmless & is usually used in babies that have reflux. The mom takes it & I do not think it is secreted in the milk, if it is it will not harm the baby at all.It may help with any reflux the baby may have. Have her talk to her OB or the pediatrician.

TK

R.,

I know exactly how your friend feels. I had the same problem. My baby wanted more than I could produce and we had to supplement formula. Please tell your friend that she is not alone and she is not a failure if she can't breastfeed. There is a hotline at the hospital that she can call and they can help her. I ended up not being able to breastfed and my little one is doing great. But I completely understand what she is going through. I hope things get better for her and I know they will.

It is difficult to tell if she if producing too litle. If the baby suckles, swallows and grows, then all is well.
However, if she would like to produce more milk, encourageher to drink plenty of fluids. Lots of water. Dehydration is the quickest way to reduce production.
M.

I had the same problem when I had my twins...I think it had to do with a lot of things...they were 5 wks early, so my body wasn't "ready" yet...there was a lot of stress in my life at the time...they were in the NICU so I was pumping; you don't get the maternal "let down" when you feel like a milk cow hooked up to the pump, etc. My ob/gyn put me on Reglan... it helps post natal women produce milk...it definately spiked the quantity I was getting, but production slowed once I had finished my dose :( It may help her better, though... and I know the feeling of being a failure. With my daughter I had no problems... so much milk!! And with the twins, I was hoping to save all that money on formula. It didn't happen and we had to get past it. I gave it a valiant effort, but things never work out the way they are planned. Assure her the little bit her child has gotten from her is far better than none at all and just be supportive until she can move past it. Good luck :)

Tell her to talk to her OB/GYN mine told me she could perscribe me a drug to help me with my milk. She told me a little too late I had already given up. But my son is pretty healthy anyway, I had to come to terms with not being able to breastfeed him I felt like a falure too, but sometimes your body just can't do something. You have to get over things not going like you thought they would and move on. The formula that is out now with all the DHR and DHA and the baby food that has it in it too her baby will be fine. My son recieved plenty of colastrum and thats the good stuff thats what gives them the antibodies to fight infection. Hope this helps your friend.

I didn't produce any milk at all, but I didn't feel like a failure, I just accepted it and started formula feeding. It's not her fault and there's nothing wrong with it.

My OB/GYN was able to prescribe someting to help increase my supply. I had the same problem with not producing enough. I had a double breast infection 2 weeks after having my son. I had to pump and dump for a week until I was better; but after that point, I was barely producing enough for each feeding. The medication helped alot. I can't remember the name of it, sorry.

I have breast-fed both of mine and I can just say that it works on supply and demand. It should take about 3 to 5 days of nursing just about non-stop (even if the baby is only using her for a pacifier). I would love to talk to her if she's interested. She can email me at ____@____.com

Hi I am a SAHM of 3 (11,9,and 3)and I breastfed all of mine for atleast a 1yr if you can do that great if not anything helps. Let your friend know that she should drink plenty of water throughout the day that helps. I think she should call her local hospital ask for the maternity ward and ask to speak to a lactating consultant (even if she didn't deliver there)they are very helpful. I found that when my child would feed from one side of the breast I would pump (electric by playtex)the other side. This works real well but not easy to do. Make sure if you are going to do this you have remote and phone next to you so you dont have to interrupt the feeding.The more the baby suckle from the nipple the more milk will be produced. While feeding from one side and pumping the other your body will produce the sufficient amount of milk needed to keep you going for as long as needed. This could take a couple of days to work but dont be discouraged it will happen. When you pump the other side at first you will not get a lot so you probaly will have to pump and dump but it will come also try a warm wash cloth on the breast you pump while pumping.I really hope this helps dont get discouraged. I would also ask about how safe the herbal supplements are right now with breastfeeding sometimes the alter your own chemicals in your body.P.S lets face it our body still doesnt belong to us after the babies out because everything we put in our mouths affects the milk that goes in to our baby. Make sure they dont effect the milk.

Sometimes drinking a lot more water can help.

Our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made by our amazing Creator,first of all!Eventhough is tough you just have to keep on nursing and let that baby suck even if its just to sooth like a pcifier, once her body notices that it needs to make more milk it will. One thing that I thought was really neat is a tea that is called "mother's milk" and you can find it at most helath stores. it taste good warms you up and helps your milk all at the same time! Tell her not to give up it just takes time. Use the example in your children of the health stuff. That is one thing you can never change after the fact. Breastfedd babies will always behealhier. I read just the other day if can help prevent diabeties and obesity ater in lifefor them also. Who wouldnt prevent their child from ing having that if they could!:)

Has your friend talked to a lactation consultant? Trinity Mother Frances in Tyler has several wonderful lactation consultants. They can help her. She can go in and they will observe (yes it sounds weird) but they can help any mistakes that are being made.... Also, tell her to try feeding the baby more often. The more you feed the more your milk supply is suppose to get because the more you empty the breast the more it has to refill. I know they tell you you can drink Mothers Milk tea or take fenugreek to increase milk supply. It helps a little and I used it when he started needing a little more to eat. She may have to supplement a little formula, but the important thing is that the baby get at least a little breast milk and is healthy. I hope this helps but I would tell her to contact a lactation consultant, if you need a number just let me know and ill get it to you.... Tell her to hang in there

Congratulations to your friend. She has a good friend in you, trying to support her efforts.

She should be going to a good lactation consultant. I went to a pediatrician in Waco who is also a lactation consultant. let me know if she wants the number. is she pumping? how does she know her milk is low? is baby not gaining?

I got a Rx for Domperidone, which the compounding pharmacy in town will make. it doubled my supply within a few days, and I used it for several months-can't remember exactly how many (a year?) Eventually I started getting headaches and weaned at 16 months- but would never have gone that long without the med.

I tried fenugreek, more milk supplement, mother's milk tea, warm compresses- they can all help and are worth a try. just didn't help me.

Diet can help- she shouldn't be trying to lose weight. lots of water, protein, green leafies, healthy fats, and some oatmeal every day.

the LLL leader in Waco is really, really nice. Very helpful, and I know she would be happy to talk with her on the phone and try to help.

Good luck. Your friend should be proud of herself!

I don't know if this is the supplement that your friend is already taking, but my sister used Fenugreek to help with her milk supply. It can be bought at a healthfood store. This was recommended to her by a lactation consultant. Also, I know she feels the baby is not getting enough, but try not to supplement with formula too much because the more the baby nurses, the more milk will be produced. That means that the baby may need to nurse very often for a while until the milk supply can catch up to her needs. If she does use formula to supplement, then it is a good idea to use a breast pump (preferrably an electric, medical grade one) in between some feedings to help stimulate her milk supply. Hope that helps a little.

Fenugreek. She can get it at the health food stores. My twins were in the hospital for three months due premature birth at 25 weeks. I was pumping and depositing my milk in the hospital milk bank for my twins to get. There was a time my production started slowing down and the milk bank specialist told me about Fenugreek. It works!

Your friend is lucky to have good support like you. Please talk to her about seeing a lactation consultant. You can even find one to visit her at her home. It can be numerous factors affecting her milk supply. She won't know unless she's totally educated and familiar with every aspect of breastfeeding. It can be how the baby is latching on, the baby's positioning affecting the feeding, the consistency of the feedings or pumping, the feeding schedule, mom's diet, when she delivered, how long on each breast during feeding/pumping, if she breastfeeds or pumps first or second, etc, etc. Sometimes, it may not be so easy to just take a pill for increasing milk supply and that's it. I'm not opposing some natural supplements but it may take more than that for some people. It is more complicated than it looks. Hope this'll help a little.

Hi R.,
Please tell your friend that she is not alone. I had the very same problem. I went to a lacation consultant and she watched me breast feed my son and evaluated it. Sometimes it can be b/c the little one isn't latching correctly or just poor milk production (my problem). Tell her not to stress about it, that actually makes it harder for your body to produce milk. Make sure she is eating enough food. I can't remember how many calories she needs, but it's more than normal. Also pumping can help stimulate her milk. I breast fed my son on each boob for 5 minutes, did that twice and then pumped for 15 - 20 minutes, every three hours. It was exhausting, getting up every three hours to do this....but I was determined...and exhausted.
I have heard some women are told to have a beer every night before they go to sleep. I believe this is to relax you and that will help production. The beer will filter through your body and not get in your milk.
I wish her luck - just tell her to be patient and not stress too much.

Hope that helps!
S.