I'm 14 weeks pregnant and nursing an almost 8 month old. My milk supply is incredibly low. Any suggestions?

Amanda - posted on 01/29/2009

I was like Elizabeth, I would eat as many cookies as I made, lol, any reason to eat cookies!

Elizabeth - posted on 01/29/2009

When I'm trying to boost supply, I usually eat close to a dozen cookies a day.  I'm doing it for my kid :) 

If I don't have time to make cookies, I eat granola bars (if whole oats are the first ingredient on the list). 

Good luck!!!

Candace - posted on 01/29/2009

How many cookies should I eat. I'm a huge cookie fan and could eat an entire batch!!

Amanda - posted on 01/29/2009

Even if she isn't nursing for very long, she is still stimulating your milk supply just by latching on. I have been only nursing once or twice a day with my 3 1/2 yr old daughter for a year now. There isn't much milk there anymore, but it is there when she wants it.

With my son I got pregnant when he was 9 months old and my milk supply pretty much cratered. He would only nurse at night as well because there just wasn't much there for him. I continued to just let him nurse whenever he wanted and didn't push it if he didn't want to. In the last couple months of the pregnancy my milk supply came back in and he started nursing more frequently and went on to continue nursing until right before his 3rd birthday.

Just hang in there and relax, you are doing an awesome job mama!

Candace - posted on 01/29/2009

Thanks so much. I will head to the grocery store tonight. Is there a way to get my daughter to nurse during the day? She refuses because she doesn't get much. She would rather drink from a bottle. I try to feed her in her room where it's quiet but she will still find other things to do instead of nurse. SHe will, however, nurse at night. I nurse her every chance I get at night.

Amanda - posted on 01/29/2009

also, remember that pumping is not as effective as your child nursing and doesn't get as much milk as they would. Another thing you can try is called power pumping. It is time consuming but it helped me out when I went back to work and couldn't pump well.

Pump for 5 minutes then rest for 10, repeat this cycle for an hour, 3-4 time/day. Make sure you are keeping yourself hydrated, but don't over-hydrate yourself. Eat as healthy as possible and try not to stress too much, as stress can definately hinder your milk supply.

Amanda - posted on 01/29/2009

I could never eat enough oatmeal to help my lactation so I started making and eating these cookies (got the receipe from the LLL mother to mother forums and they are super yummy)

Here's a recipe I wanted to share with everyone. I know a lot of mamas who SWEAR you can feel yourself lactating!

Housepoet's Famous Lactation Boosting Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip & Flaxseed cookies (created by Noel Pickett noel@clubmuse.com)
Ingredients :

* 1 cup butter or marg
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons water
* 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal*
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups oats, thick cut if you can get them
* 1 cup or more chocolate chips
* 2 tablespoons of brewers yeast* (be generous)

Directions:

Preheat oven at 375 degrees F. Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes. Cream (beat well) margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well. Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to the margarine mix. Beat until blended. Sift together dry ingredients, except oats and chips. Add to margarine mixture. Stir in oats then chips. Scoop or drop onto baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment or silpat. The dough is a little crumbly, so it helps to use a scoop.

Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies.

Serves: 6 dozen cookies

Preparation time: 15 minutes

*can be found at any local health food store.