Increasing a dwindling milk supply?

Sarah - posted on 02/19/2009

I don't work so I can't speak directly to your situation but I have 2 excellent links that have lots of info for you.

http://www.drjacknewman.com/

http://www.lllc.ca/

these sites have great info and lllc has a hotline to call as well.

Good luck and don't give up.

Danielle - posted on 02/17/2009

I take fenugreek 3 pills 3 times a day when i notice my supply dropping.  I usually notice results in 1-2 days. I also try to add in an extra pumping session for a few days ina row.  ( i pump at work so she can have bottles of BM at daycare.

Melissa - posted on 02/17/2009

I was glad to see this post!!  I have a 9 month old little girl who is increasing her solids but I'm struggling to keep up with the necessary milk supply to feed her each day at day care.  I get maybe 2 bottles of about 4-5 ounces when I pump at work.  I know a lot of it has to do with her sleeping through the night now and the stress of work probably contributes.  She is really sensitive to the protein in dairy so I'm dairy free - plus she doesn't stomach soy well (and just doesn't want/refuses formula supplementation).  I'd love to try the yeast but I wouldn't be able to eat the dairy to fend off the infection - bummer.

I'll be trying oatmeal and will report how it works for me!  My goal is to breastfeed until she is a year and see from there.  She is a big fan and I enjoy the time with her anyway. :-) 

I'd be curious to hear how the mother's milk tea works for folks?  The baby center website warns that there could be herbs in the tea that could be harmful but they don't give any other detail so I'm not sure what to think about that.

Becky - posted on 02/17/2009

A friend of mine suggested Lactation Cookies:  http://www.recipezaar.com/Oatmeal-Chocol...

I am still taking the fenugreek and am finally seeing some results (but not much).  With the fenugreek, you'll know if you're taking the right amount if you start to smell like maple syurp.  (http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milksuppl...)

Alison - posted on 02/17/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

 

We have a big box of oatmeal packets at home, so I will try to make that my breakfast every morning with a cup of my Mother's Milk tea. 

I've been trying to increase my milk supply lately too, and someone suggested the oatmeal to me...IT WORKS!!!  I was so surprised.  But now when I pump, I've been getting a lot more than I used to!

Jennifer - posted on 02/17/2009

Thank you for all of your suggestions.  The article in the above link is great.

I spoke to a lactation consultant at the hospital where I delivered yesterday and she recommended that I try the More Milk Plus drops.  So, hopefully I can pick those up tonight. 

I believe that I am about to get my period as I had some spotting over the weekend, so that's probably a big reason for my production decrease.  I know that my calcium, levels are low because all of my fingernails are breaking at once.  Again, that article was very helpful in understanding what's going on with me. 

We have a big box of oatmeal packets at home, so I will try to make that my breakfast every morning with a cup of my Mother's Milk tea. 

If all of the above doesn't work, I'll probably try the brewer's yeast....I'm a little scared about the yeast infection though.  I hate those!  I'll have to be sure to eat a lot of yogurt in hopes to offset it. 

Ashley - posted on 02/16/2009

Good luck! Please post results. I know everyone responds differently to different things, but it helps to hear what other people find that really works.

Becky - posted on 02/16/2009

My lactation consultant told me to take Fenugreek.  I have been taking 2 tablets three times a day....It is supposed to work...  It's been two days and I am actually pumping less milk than before (like half as much milk as before).  I was told it may take up to a week for the milk to increase; so, I am going to keep trying for one week and see what happens.

Ashley - posted on 02/16/2009

Great article! Thank you! It helps to be reminded every once in a while the effects that STRESS can have on milk supply. I think that is the number one issue I'm contending with right now. Low milk = fussy baby = stress. It's a terrible cycle! Will be sending husband out for a beer when the LQ store opens tomorrow.

...to forewarn, my lactation consultant recommended that if using yeast tablets, be prepared for a monster of a yeast infection, so have some Monistat on hand!

Shelley - posted on 02/16/2009

I had the same problem. I used Fenugreek tablets, drank 1 cup of fennel tea and ate lots of oatmeal. Within a couple of days my milk came back and I was able to pump more. Good Luck!

Ellen - posted on 02/16/2009

This is the best article I've found, lots of good ideas here:

http://lactinv.com/breastfeeding_qna.php...

Trisha - posted on 02/16/2009

The two recommendations below are my two favorites.  The brewer's yeast made my milk supply HUGE.

Ashley - posted on 02/16/2009

Try oatmeal. It has helped me over the last couple of weeks. I am horribly sick of it, and don't imagine I will ever eat it again once I stop nursing, but it seems to help. My poor daughter smelled of oatmeal for a day or two, also! If that doesn't bother you, I would suggest that one.

Jennifer - posted on 02/16/2009

and it's the brewers yeast in the beer that gets milk production higher

Jennifer - posted on 02/16/2009

brewers yeast at the natural store take 2 pills 4 times a day and in a day or two trust me u will be engorged full of milk the more u pump the more comes out. at first try one hour intervals to increase supply then about 15-30 mintues (both sides together) every 2 to 3 hours, then every 4 hours for 30-45 minutes(all together both sides) what u pump is never what baby takes out of u...remember that