milk supply dropping off ?!!

Emily - posted on 01/27/2009

Skin to skin contact is great. Since you have an older one, get a good wrap or sling and learn to nurse in that.

Also, look into a Supplemental Nursing System. It's basically a tube that you tape to your breast and allows your daughter to get your pumped milk while latched onto the breast. This would help provide extra stimulation for your breasts since she would be spending extra time on the breast.

Dana - posted on 01/27/2009

Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle work great!  You can buy them in capsules (which is what I preferred) and take them water a few times a day.  Mother's Milk tea works great too and it tastes fine if you add a little splenda to it!  Good Luck!

Katrina - posted on 01/26/2009

Another thing I haven't yet seen recommended is Fenugreek can help stimulate production. It's an herbal supplement found in health food stores.

Hugs that you find something that helps. Keep up the hard work for giving your little one the best!

Silla - posted on 01/26/2009

I agree with everyone else that drinking LOTS of water will help. SO will always letting her nurse, you never stop making milk, but you produce as much as she will drink.

I found that Mother's Milk tea works good too! I drink it all the time, you can find it at Target or and Organic store...

Tonya - posted on 01/26/2009

Don't use your reserves...the more u nurse, the more milk u make, so nurse more and in a day or two, u will make more...the pump doesn't create the largest supply...real sucking is better. But u can still pump when done nursing to help increase ur supply. You can also take an herbal tea called nettle or they have drops that can help with that. There's also one called goat's rue...I think they're both found at mothersmilk.com, n other places too. Hope this will help u!

Marie - posted on 01/26/2009

Also, I have done some research on this topic, and drinking too much water isn't good at all, drink your daily value but seriously, by drinking tons and tons of water you can actually make your supply drop...... I know I know, it's a little contraversial to what we normally hear but its so true.

Marie - posted on 01/26/2009

Go to your local health food store, I forgot the name of it but there are actually herbal suppliments that can increase your milk supply almost to flowing.....They are not cheap but not really that expensive either, it's worth a try.

Alice - posted on 01/26/2009

Skin to skin contact with baby. 

Warm shower before breastfeeding at night or in A.M.

Drink Drink Drink Drink Drink Drink Drink WATER .  And when you think you can't drink any more because you're drowning....keep drinking!

Jessica - posted on 01/26/2009

You guys are awesome!! Thank you... breastfeeding went pretty well today. She likes the right side a lot more than the left but it is getting much better. THANKS!!!

Courtney - posted on 01/26/2009

Anne is right the slings are wonderful! I have found that the Moby works really well. www.theslingstation.com this web site shows you the many different slings out there. hope this is helpful.

Courtney - posted on 01/26/2009

I understand the older children wanting your attention too! I have a 4 year old, 3 year old and 18 month old. I try when I am nursing to sit where the kids can be close or even sit with me. It is hard sometimes when the older kids just want to play. can you read him a book while you are nursing or cuddling with little sister?? that may keep him occupied long enough for you to get some good feeding time. I hope this helps.

Anne - posted on 01/26/2009

That is what is so great about a sling... the baby will be all snuggly and won't know that you are really taking your 15 mo to the park!

Jessica - posted on 01/26/2009

Thank you. I will try all you're saying but I have a 15 month old who doesn't care if I'm not supposed to be busy or need skin time with his sister :-). But I definitely will try.

Courtney - posted on 01/26/2009

I agree with the post from Kenyon Nahvipour. I have breastfed all four of my babies. I know that the first two of my children nursed really well until I went back to work. the stress of going back to work and leaving my child(s) decreased my milk supply tremdously. I would wake her during the day to feed her every two hours. Remember to that the amount of milk that you pump out is not necessarily the amount of milk that your daughter is getting. The nursing baby stimulates the breast differently then a breast pump. I would encourage you to continue to work at breastfeeding. and most importantly please do not stress, as long as she is growing and is developing she is getting what she needs. keep working at it. You can check with your doctor to see is there is other ways to stimulate your milk flow, however I think the best way is just to let the baby nurse as often as possible. I would not let her go more than 2 hours though.

Anne - posted on 01/26/2009

It is so tough when you are worried about your tiny baby... but you are doing great. Get a sling and keep her close to your skin for as long as possible. Have a nursing holiday. Take fenugreek tea, eat oatmeal, but most of all... go find a breastfeeding group (la leche league is great) and take your little girl. A group of supportive women who have BEEN THERE will help you so much.

Hanmarie - posted on 01/26/2009

Quoting Jessica:

milk supply dropping off ?!!

My baby was in NICU for 2 weeks. Pumping was fine with enough milk for entire unit ;-). I am still working on breastfeeding in the morning when she is not as tired and can stimulate the breast more sufficiently. Maybe she hasn't been doing as well at the breast as I thought because now my milk output has dropped to 1/2 oz or 1 oz on each side instead of 2 or 3 per side. She still eats
3 1/2 oz to 4 oz each feeding. I am running out of my reserves in the fridge and freezer. I am pumping almost nonstop ( literally never put the pump down) to stimulate more milk but no increase yet. HELP!

Hi there!  Have u tried using berry elixer?  Together with lots of water it works wonders!!  Another thing that u can try is fenugreek!!  It is a herb(little seeds)  that you use to make a tea.  Boil it in a litre water for 20 min. and mix with applejuice which is also brilliant for milk production.  I also had a battle with my milk and it worked for me!!  Try and let baby drink more than expressing, because babies stimulation is much better then the pump!!

Good luck!!

Kenyon - posted on 01/26/2009

I've read that ways to increase your milk supply are:

-Lots of skin to skin time with your baby - lay her on your chest to nap, to cuddle, carry her in a sling or wrap while you are up and about, and especially nurse her undressed (covered with a little blanket). This stimulates milk flow and helps awaken sleepy babies.

-Allow your baby to nurse a lot - increase the frequency of feedings. The more time she spends at your breasts, the more milk you will produce. As one lactation consultant told me, it's like she's putting in an order for more milk this time tomorrow. At least one feeding every 2 hours, and wake her up if she sleeps longer than 3 hours so she can nurse.

-Take her to bed with you. According to Dr. Sears, that nap nursing and night nursing are powerful stimulators of milk production, since the milk-producing hormones are best secreted while you are asleep.

-If you are busy, stressed, and preoccupied, your milk supply will drop. Be sure you're not too busy. Also, if you're fretting over measuring ounces and watching a decrease, this will actually decrease your milk supply too. If you can, put away your pump and breastfeed her.

-Get support - La Leche League is everywhere and they were lifesavers for me. Also, many lactation consultants will give advice over the phone or can schedule a time to visit with you.



You are doing the very best thing for your little girl!!! I hope this helps!!