Milk supply

Jordan - posted on 09/27/2010

Finugreek, Domperidone, Fatty Foods, LOTS of water, breastfeed every two hours and pump in between, and make sure your baby is latching correctly. If he does not have the areola as well as the nipple with his nose as close to your breast as possible and spine straight while supported he cannot get his best suckle which will produce more milk.

Jennifer - posted on 09/27/2010

kayla, as long as you are not getting too full, or going more than 6 hours without pumping, you should be able to make up for missed pumping sessions at any time throughout the day...long term, this might not be the best, though.

Kayla - posted on 09/27/2010

i too have issues with milk supply, my daughter is almost 4 months and i had to return to work after 7 weeks. im not given the opportunity to pump on a regular basis while at work so i am having to try to double time it at home. is there anything that may help me get my supply up. i dont want to supplement if i dont have too...

Jennifer - posted on 09/27/2010

laura is right, you WANT her to use you as a pacifier. in the beginning, this is what helps to make sure that there is enough milk. once your milk has regulated (usually 6-12 weeks postpartum), its up to you whether you want to continue with letting her use you as a pacifier because as she gets older she will figure out a way to suck without getting milk anyway. in the early weeks though, it is very important to put her to breast whenever she wants it...doing this ensures that your milk supply is perfectly tailored to how much she needs.

keep up with the pumping if you want to build a freezer stash (never hurts to have for emergencies, or if you are planning on returning to work, or want to donate)

Carmen - posted on 09/27/2010

i drink lots of water take my prenatal vitamins and eat oatmeal=)

Jennifer - posted on 09/27/2010

Going along with this topic, I have a question as a nursing mom of a 10 month old.
My son is very distracted all day and often won't nurse unless its an aid to fall asleep, whether it be naptime, night time, or the middle of the night. My question is, How do I make sure he gets enough nutrients from my milk if he's not nursing much and how do I not lose my supply?
I pump 2-3 times a day so that I have some on hand to give throughout the day and at feedings, but I'm getting less and less when I pump. :(

Celeste - posted on 09/02/2010

Just wanted to chime in and agree with the others! Completely normal for babies to want to nurse very often.

Laura Zoey - posted on 09/02/2010

if you let the baby nurse anytime she wants or needs it your supply will be perfect.

Let her use you instead of a pacifier, naturally of course babies wouldnt have pacifiers so its perfectly natural for you to be babys food and comfort. This ensures there is always enough milk.

Pacifiers are obviously substitute nipples, why use a substitute in place of the real thing? I know no one says this but really doesnt it make sence? The pacifier is shaped like a nipple cuz a nipple is what they should suck on when they fuss or cry or are sleepy. The plastic version is just if you arent there or cant nurse right then. But if possible, let her use the natural 'pacifier' which is you!

Dont put her on a schedule, anytime it seems like nursing would help just do it. Most cultures dont even question when to nurse, if baby cries, it gets nursed. simple as that! So just nurse anytime she wants or needs and you will have perfect amoutn of milk for her. Trust your body, It created this child, its not going to fail to feed her now. :)

Rebecca - posted on 09/02/2010

Thank you for your input, see I wasn't sure about feeding her every hour or so because they gave me conflicting advice at the hospital they said to feed her on demand but not to feed her every hour because she could just be using the breast as a pacifier, but I found trying to wait an hour or two between feedings she was really hard to feed. I wasn't pumping very often because frankly I didn't enjoy it so I've been trying to feed at the breast as much as possible and only letting her have the pumped milk when I am not there to feed her. Thanks again for your input you both have cleared things up for me

Sarah - posted on 09/01/2010

Sara D. is right on target. Nurse on demand and you should be in great shape. Please note - there is a myth out there that what you can pump is equal to what you are making and what baby is getting out of you. NOT TRUE. Babies are way more efficient at extracting milk, and some women have trouble pumping even when they are making plenty for their child.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 09/01/2010

The best way to maintain a good milk supply is to nurse on demand. How old is your baby? It's completely normal for newborns, young babies and babies going through growth spurts to want to nurse frequently. Whenever baby starts to chew/suck on his/her hand, root, squirm, or fuss then nurse. When my daughter was very young she would nurse every 1-2 hours. Make sure that baby thoroughly empties the first breast before offering the second. When you nurse again start with the side you left off with (previously the second side). The more often your breasts are emptied the more milk your body will make (which is why nursing on demand is best).