how to get ur milk supply up?

Brooke - posted on 08/25/2011

milk*

Brooke - posted on 08/25/2011

my dr just put me on motilium, i had a PPH of 2100mL and my like didn't come in, so i was on that then at 8 weeks my milk started to fizzle out again so now im back on it.. its great with in the day you have a full supply again.

Manisha - posted on 08/22/2011

To know baby is feeding okay when breastfeeding is from her wet nappies. Baby should pass poo okay and should have at least 5-6 wet nappies in a day. Initially baby should be on breast for at least 15minutes. Make sure the latch is fine. Your nipples can hurt when the latch is not correct or when baby bites them. Apply the breastmilk on nipples and let them dry. Nipple shield doesn't solve the aching nipple problem. Plus it reduces the flow for baby and your baby may not get satisfied. If you use it in excess baby will get used to hard shield and may create problem latch on without the shield.

Things you should do to increase breastmilk supply.
1. Eat nice hot meals in day. Eat at least 3 properly meal.
2. Drink lots of water.
3. Rest properly.
4. Fenugreek really helps in boosting milk supply. Try the fenugreek tabs 3 trice a day.
5. Stimulate your breast at least 8-10 times a day by expressing or latching the baby on.

Hope this helps.

Angela - posted on 08/22/2011

She needs to make sure to breastfeed as often as possible. She should also try some lactation herbs like Breastea from http://www.breastea.com.

Tamara - posted on 08/18/2011

I was once told to drink plenty of fluids and eat properly. I was also told that I could pump at the same time every night in order to produce more milk. I hope this helps.

Pamela - posted on 08/17/2011

I know this has been awhile since it's posted. I called the lactation specialist in my town and asked the same question she said there are actual vitamins that you can take Fenugreek is one that gets your supply up and also eating oatmeal will helps as well she said. If you have the same problem I did. My baby wouldn't gain weight on my milk there is also a supplement for that and its Marshmallow Root you have to take 9 pills a day but it's worth it if my daughter can still nurse

Mimi - posted on 08/13/2011

Drink, Drink, Drink!

Esther - posted on 07/30/2011

The best way to get your milk supply up is to keep feeding to the baby as much as possible as you body should produce the amount of milk that your baby needs, although this can be difficult if you have sore nipples, I had a similar problem and did use nipple shields for a while the other advice I was given for sore nipples was to rub a little of my breast milk on to the sore nipple and it sounds mad but it did actually work well. Drink plenty of fluid and of course try to get rest when you can. All the best.

Talsmarie - posted on 07/29/2011

Do not use a heating pad, use a towel moistened with hot water to stimulate your milk let down...

Talsmarie - posted on 07/29/2011

I am a firm believer that your milk supply will always be enough for your baby when you are doing the right things... Getting your supply up is all about how you begin with breastfeeding, so do it as often as possible for at least 4 weeks and your body will automatically adjust to your babies needs....hydration is important...I drink about 3L of water a day and Amariah (my daughter) had an alarm clock on my phone that went off every two hours so that I could feed her until i got use to her schedule. Yes it is painful at first, I almost did not make it through the first week, but being apart of a breastfeeding network of mothers and knowing how nutritious and beneficial your milk is for your child will help you through this tough time... remember that any supplement or additives are expressed in your milk so be careful with all those supplements...I would encourage you to consult a lactation specialist in your area... after 3 months i now enjoy the convenience of breastfeeding, no botttles/nipples to boil and dry, no getting up to warm up milk, no smelly diapers and no menstral cycle.....Best Wishes!

P.S. let your nipples air dry before putting them back in your bra, it makes a big difference

Lindsay - posted on 07/29/2011

I can't think of what they are called but at Walgreens they have gel pads specifically for women who are nursing. You keep them in the freezer and they are great for sore/tender nipples. Rotating that with a heating pad on the chest will help to stimulate the milk and help mom feel better too.

Katie - posted on 07/25/2011

I heard oatmeal works and so I eat a bowl of oatmeal every morning and it does work!

Lindsey - posted on 07/24/2011

When I was having trouble with my milk supply the doctor suggested I put baby to the breast as often as possible ... the best way to stimulate your milk supply is from baby sucking so if baby is even on there for 5 extra minutes here and there your body should respond.

Jessica - posted on 07/24/2011

My little girl is almost 2 months old now and she is my first child. I've had issues with my milk supply as well, just getting it properly built up in the begging is hardest thing. My lactation consultant(a nursing mother herself) told me the shield was a very bad idea in the majority of cases. Typically it only getis in the way and puts unneded pressure on your breast as well as causing the infant to have an off latch. A bad latch means more air is getting in and the baby has to work harder to get the same amount of milk. Burning more calories for the same amount of nurishment makes it hard to gain weight.
If supply is what you need to up you'll want to let them nurse as often as they are hungry and give them the time they need. Make sure their mouth is opening wide enough and that their lips are positioned in a "fish" like face with the lips around the nipple. The infant is the best means of increasing supply that we mothers have, since it is made a demand basis. Pumps don't tend to do the job right and can even cause you issues if you use it too often or your pump doesn't work properly. Pumping inbetween feedings just a little bit can help increase supply too, on account of the suply as demanded comes into affect. Moter's milk tea is a safe bet, a natural suplement that helps increase lactation in nursing mothers. I had to get some for myself a couple of weeks ago, baby's on a growth spurt.

Scarlet - posted on 07/18/2011

Just keep the baby at the breast as much as possible...skin to skin contact, whenever possible and consult your local lactation consultants to see if the latch is good or not!!! That's what I did and I am still breastfeeding my 2nd son at nearly 19 mos. old, while the first one only 3 or 4 mos. One must be determined, along with support, like you are giving her!!! Good job, sister!!! : )

Stephanie - posted on 07/13/2011

herbs to up supply should NOT be taken unless there truly is a supply problem. Diaper count is the only thing that matters, not how much she pumps and not baby behavior. Full breasts are essentially bad, that is telling your body to stop making milk, your breasts don't "fill" as they are always producing milk. Milk can get stored when you're not nursing but it's not very much and leads to less production.

Claire - posted on 07/12/2011

Firstly mum needs to drink A LOT of fluid. Hot choc is no good as contains caffiene and this will affect her 'let down' reflex. I used to fill up a 2ltr (lemonade or coke bottle) twice a day with 1/2 squash and 1/2 lemonade and I would drink a whole 2ltr bottle in the night by having a pint everytime I fed my son and I would drink the entire bottle in a night! I found if I didn't drink alot this really affected the quantity of my milk. Also she needs to get enough protein for good quality milk. Baby needs to latch and suckle as often and for as long as poss. I used to feed my son for the first 4-6 weeks nearly every hour / every two hours for at least 30 mins each time. Also feeding on both breasts (after one is empty) will increase supply. If the second breast is not emptied then she should START with that breast at the next feed. Always empty a breast before feeding from the other one. Don't use nipple shields as this will affect babys strength of latch and subsequently baby's ability to suckle. Nipples will undoubtedly get sore and I'd apply lansinoh (its expensive but soooo worth it!) after every feed. Does not need to be removed when baby feeds, just reapply. Also I found that although nipples were sore, after a few sucks the pain went away - it was just painful when my son latched each time. Pain lasted about 6 weeks then went away although it came back every now and then because I got lazy with making sure that he latched properly so just be aware of that. don't worry about expressing until baby is at least 4 weeks unless breasts are painfully engorged. Also get lots of rest. I found that when I woke up from a nap my breasts were nearly full so sleep as much as poss and don't worry about night and day at the mo, plenty of time for that in a few weeks. First let baby find its routine. Also baby will go through growth spurts roughly every 4 weeks and for about 5 days, milk supply will seem low but will soon catch up. I think its easier with first baby becuase you can spare the time but it's hard to spend so much time on one activity when you have another child who needs attention not to mention getting food ready and doing the housework! she may need to draft in reinforcements for a few weeks.

Allison - posted on 07/12/2011

I almost completely dried up when my son was just a few weeks old, I had problems with my appetite, so tell her to make sure she eats plenty, cause she needs the extra calories, and have her buy fenugreek pills and nursing tea, they make all different versions of it, mothers milk is the most popular one, but the fenugreek pills do wonders. Also for sore nipples, lanolin never did much for me, I bought Lansinoh's cooling gel pads and keep 'em in the fridge, their the only thing that got rid of the tenderness for me.

Laressa - posted on 07/11/2011

Yeast. Bread, pizza, beer(in moderation), brewer's yeast supplements. Worked for me and a number of other people i know. I also took my baby to bed with me for my afternoon nap and let him suck for a few hours while i rested. That obviously was after my nipples were not sore anymore!

For sore nipples my best remedy was steeped regular tea bags-cooled of course- as a compress. Followed by lanolin.

Hope this helps. Its no exotic remedy, just old wives remedies passed on by my mom. And the amazing thing is that it worked better for me than any of the more 'medical' remedies.

Ps. Also tell her to drink alot. However drinking too much can hinder ample breast milk since it can become a duretic.

Lucille - posted on 07/11/2011

Hi my name is lucille,
try and relax and drink plenty of fluids.Don't let any thing stress you out. There are creams that you can get from the chemist for her nipples and the shields i know that they will hurt while feeding baby, but if you stick to it they do work. I know this because when i had my first baby i use the shields and they hurt like hell but if you stick with it its worth it. As i said before not to much stress and just relaaxing.I drank hot chocolate after i gave birth to my third baby it did help for me.The more you feed baby, the more your milk will flow. All you can do is keep trying and not give up.I hope this has helped. hope everything goes well with you and your little one.

Kaydee - posted on 07/10/2011

I love milkmaid tea. It has natural herbs to promote milk flow. I buy mine at baby's r us. Drink a cup a day ;)

Kaydee - posted on 07/10/2011

I love milkmaid tea. It has natural herbs to promote milk flow. I buy mine at baby's r us. Drink a cup a day ;)

Rachael - posted on 07/10/2011

The best way to help with milk production at that age is just to let the baby nurse on demand. Breast pumps are not a good gauge, I have been breast feeding for 9 months and was never able to pump more than 2 ounces at a time. It is best to get adjusted to baby and not to the pump as babies are SO much more efficient than a pump. Sometimes a pump can make women feel inadequate. It is best to wait as long as possible to start pumping.

Laurie - posted on 07/10/2011

What kind of pump does she have? I had a double electric one and could get a lot of milk. I assume that she is getting less than an ounce before feeding the baby? At 11 days that is not actually surprising as babies at that age don't eat much more than an ounce or so at a time and a baby's latch is much more efficient than even a good hospital grade electric pump. The pump would give her nipples time to heal - and her milk supply will come in quickly. That said, I had to supplement with both my children for the first month or so until I could get my milk supply up enough to meet their needs as their needs were increasing faster than my milk supply for the first little while. I did eventually get to the point where I was producing upwards of 40 ounces per day by the time my son was five months old. And he was drinking it all and still hungry. I ended up introducing solids at 5 months because he refused to go back to formula after having been off it for three months. It was the taste of the stuff I think.

Heather - posted on 07/10/2011

Have her ask her OB if she has thrush on her nipples? The baby could also have thrush in his mouth and this is why her nipples are hurting. Drinking Hot chocolate or eating anything chocolate CAN make it worse.

Adinah - posted on 07/10/2011

There is a tea that can be found at Target and other stores called Mothers milk. It will get her supply up fast!

Joey - posted on 07/10/2011

Fenugreek and More Milk Plus from Mothers Love both work wonderfully. Also drink lots of water and eat lots of oatmeal.

Tamie - posted on 07/10/2011

i used a supplement called Fenugreek to help with my milk at the begining my son is now nearly 2 and im still feeding him. i know its hard but make sure she has plenty of rest and eats properly and plenty of water and the biggest key is not to stress relax at feeding times enjoy hope this helps

Anita - posted on 07/09/2011

Mum needs to stay well hydrated (water) and be eating regularly too.. its hard to remember to do those things when you have a toddler running around as well! Using a nipple shield never interrupted my supply with my first, but try not to use it for too long. My supply was down with my second.. like I said hard to remember to look after yourself with a toddler running around! Plenty of water and juice and good nutrition. My doctor also recommended Sustagen to help me boost supply and my diet. Where do you live? is this available to you?
Good luck.. it can be difficult adjusting the second time, keep trying!

Ella - posted on 07/09/2011

giving formula between feeds will not help at all, in fact it will be counter-productive as this means the baby will take less milk during the feed, or feed less often and your milk supply will actually decrease as your body thinks the baby needs less. little and often is much more effective. I found Lansinoh cream really helpful with sore nipples and fennel and fenugreek are both supposed to help with supply, a good health store may even have a specially formulated tea or will make one up for you. good luck and keep going, I had a friend with the same problem and a few weeks in it was totally solved

Gabriela - posted on 07/09/2011

I found that staying as well hydrated as possible helps. My 3 month old daughter nurses exclusively and won't drink formula so I need to make sure that my milk supply is up. She could also try supplementing in between feedings with formula (I know what they say, you shouldn't offer a newborn a bottle because they are still learning to latch on) but I found that giving your breasts some down time in between feedings helps to heal sore nipples quicker and gives your breast time to fill up so that when it's time to breastfeed your baby they are fuller (just make sure to drink lots of water!) Also, she should try asking her doctor for a prescription cream to help with the sore nipples, it's very effective. I have 3 children and all have been breastfed. I found that it took at least 12 days before I nursed without feeling pain and irritation. Your skin needs time to heal and toughen up. Sometimes the tense feeling knowing and anticipating the pain of nursing makes your milk supply feel short but just keep at it, practice makes perfect. Keep practicing with your baby to latch as well as possible, nice open mouth so that as much breast tissue makes it into babys mouth that way the breast gets more stimulation and therefore an ample amount of milk for baby. Oh and also, tell her to go shirtless as much as possible so that the skin can breath, moisture buildup makes it worse.
Good luck

Claire - posted on 07/09/2011

She does need to stop with the shield and they have herbs called more milk plus and shatavari that you can buy to increase supply. Also let the baby start to suck as much and long as possible.

Wolfmama - posted on 07/08/2011

I would have her baby checked for tongue tie..that can cause latch issues and subsequent supply issues and cause pain. They can simply clip it and fix it.

Jessica - posted on 07/05/2011

I had problems with supply with my first. I ended up taking Domperidone (on Rx) and that helped a lot. I also nursed Emma all the time...and I mean ALL the time. We co-slept since she wanted to eat every few hours in the night as well. Every time I tried to pump I got less than an oz as well, but I know my baby was getting more than that. Even now, with my second, I don't pump much more than 2 oz but my supply is really good for my baby (2 months old). I don't think pumping is a good indicator of how much a baby gets. Good luck!

Ania - posted on 07/05/2011

11 days growth spurt, maybe thats all there is and pumping output does not mean that she doesn't have enough milk

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 07/05/2011

I would advise her to ditch the shield. The shield should only be used as a last resort because it can cause issues with supply. Baby is not able to get a good enough latch and may not remove the milk as well because the shield is in the way. Go without the shield and nurse as frequently as possible. Pumping is not an indicator of supply so tell her not to worry about the amount she's pumping right now. Watch diaper count. At this point baby should be starting to have 5-6+ wet diapers in 24 hours. For nipple discomfort she can put a cool cloth on her nipples after nursing as well as using lanolin. She should check in with a La Leche League leader (http://www.llli.org to find a local group) or a lactation consultant (there should be one at the hospital where she delivered) to make sure that baby's latch is correct. I don't think hot chocolate will do anything for supply. Drinking water and making sure you get enough food and rest will help.