Low Milk Supply after 2 months of BF

Bianca - posted on 07/26/2010

look up breastfeeding website, says if supply low feed every 2 hours to increase your supply, the more you feed and draw out the more you will produce!

Amanda - posted on 07/21/2010

Just another thought... Is there a hospital or clinic near you that has a breastfeeding clinic? I have found this to be the most helpful. Everyone's bodies and babies are different so what works for one person doesn't always work for another. They have had great advice for me and have always been able to personalize it to my needs. It has been the greatest resource I have had. You should call around (especially the hospitals) and see what you can find. Mine also does weight checks which makes it kind of fun to see how my baby is growing from week to week and we are able to spot problems a lot faster then waiting for the dr's appointment that way. Mine also sends a report to the dr or will call him if there are any problems. It might be worth checking in to.

Amanda - posted on 07/21/2010

I have had a hard time increasing my milk supply and my baby also uses formula. I only give him formula once he has eaten and I have emptied both sides and only if he still is acting hungry. I use the Madela hands free electric pump which is great. I also had to start off using the shield. I go to a breastfeeding clinic at least a few times a weak and they told me to take a supplement called Brewer's Yeast that has really seemed to help. Also it is very important to stay hydrated. Drink lots & lots of water. They have told me to keep supplementing for now as long as I am completely emptied before I go to the formula. They didn't want me to cut that out since he was still being hungry. Hope this helps.

Kimberli - posted on 07/20/2010

You can also drink mothers milk tea, take fenugreek (a medditerranian herb) to increase your supply. I would also reccomend a SNS starter instead of the bottle. As a mom who has never been able to produce enough (on my 4th child now) I understand where you are coming from. The SNS starter has a tube attached to it that you place alongside the nipple and that gives your baby formula while continueing to add to your supply. Reduce the amount of formula slowly(say by a half ounce each week) while monitoring his weight to ensure he's getting enough til he's completely off formula. Good luck! If you have any questions about the SNS just let me know. I"ve used it with two infants and it made a big difference.

Shan - posted on 07/15/2010

I agree with Kim. Relax and feed as much as possible. Do you sleep on your stomach and are you wearing a proper fitting bra? Laying on you stomach and wearing an ill fitting bra can both decrease milk supply. How was your milk, when it first came in? Also have you tried putting a warm towel or water on your breast at feeding time? Please dont be offended, but if you drink on occasion this can also decrease milk.

Kim - posted on 07/14/2010

No worries :D BF can be so much harder than expected. You'll get through it and do a great job. Relax and enjoy it while you can.

Sharette - posted on 07/13/2010

thanks for the advice Kim, i appreciate it.

Kim - posted on 07/13/2010

If you can, I would stop giving him the formula- that can actually decrease your supply. Your body will produce what your son can eat- it will decrease and increase based on his demand. Supplementing with formula can interrupt this.



What you can pump isn't going to be what your son can draw from the breast. (I can only pump about 4oz at a time, but know that my daughter eats much more than that- shes a porker). Try to have you son at your breast as much as possible. And when you do pump, have a picture of your son with you. And better yet, if you have a way to record sounds- record his hungry cry- that will really help with your let down so you can pump more. Instead of thinking about how much milk you can pump out (that can stress you and and make it harder to pump), think about you little one at your breast- that should help to relax you more. Also try to pump around the normal times he would eat when you are away from him. And if you are doing extra pumping sessions try to do them at the same time every day so you're body knows when to produce the milk for.



Sorry I'm so long winded here. Good luck and I hope it works out for you and the wee man!