plz share ideas how to increase milk supply?

Renee - posted on 12/17/2009

Hi Mary, Eat Healthy lots of dairy products if you can. It's basically supply and demand. The more you milk the more milk is produced. But you do need to be eating plenty as without nutrient in your boby your body can not produce. Your milk will not satisfy as much. Good luck :)

Gillian - posted on 12/17/2009

i found to if i wanted to increse my supply,if you have a pump,pump for ten minutes every two hours from each breast as well as drinking loads of water.it will take 48hrs for the supply to cum back to normal so your body realises your babys needs more.remember to pump even if the flow of milk has stopped

Dale - posted on 12/17/2009

Hi Mary, when my daughter was a baby i was feeding her every 2 hours and it was very tiring. I saw a paediatrician and she put me onto Maxalon tablets, maybe you could ask your doctor about them. Good luck !!!!!

Danielle - posted on 12/17/2009

Make sure you drink at least 2 litres of water a day and pump the breast u feed out of to make sure it gets drained completely because then your body knows it needs to be refilled and will make more milk. I wouldnt pump the other breast though cos u might not be able to make enough milk before her next feed if your supply is low.

Lisa - posted on 12/17/2009

i suggest go see your doctor, as a friend of mine, with similar story said she got a tablet to increase the supply,

Renae - posted on 12/17/2009

Quoting tarsha:

Quoting Melissa:

If you get wic(or not) you could ask the health department for a device that they have that would help. It has a hose that you tape by the nipple but you put formula or expressed milk in a container. The baby is still trying to nurse from you but will be getting the milk she needs. That would also help get it flowing again. Hope this helps ya!

this sounds intersting..do u know if its avaliable in australia?

 

Its called a "supplemental feeding line" used to be called a "supply line". Medela make the only ones available in Australia. Call Medela to find out which chemists in your area stock them. The Breast Feeding Association shops sell them if there is one in your state. Breast Feeding Ass however does not recommend them because they say that by supplementing you are not encouraging your own supply to increase. The Breast Feeding Association are the know-alls of everything to do with feeding and supply, give them a call.

Renae - posted on 12/17/2009

You need to drink plenty of water. You should not decrease your calories while breastfeeding (hard when you are sick I know), your body uses about 500 calories (2100 kilojules) every day just making milk. You must eat.

Pump after every feed to make sure both breasts are completely empty. Emptiness stimulates milk production. Pump in between feeds as well. (Your body "refills" within 20-40 minutes so don't worry that you wont have anything for your baby if you pump in between feeds).

The above is factual information. Here is some non-scientific information that some people say works. Eat a handful of almonds every day and take fenugreek (its a herb, get it in capsules from a healthfood shop).

It should only take 3-5 days of eating/drinking well and extra pumping for your supply to increase to match your babies needs. If your supply remains well have a talk to your doctor.

You also have the option of medication (drug called domperidone) which is usually given temporarily for up to 4 weeks to boost your supply while your body recovers from sickness or whatever the reason was that it reduced.

Nikki - posted on 12/17/2009

Lots of good ideas here, I went through this as well and its hell when you are already tired and trying to recover from sickness, like many of the other ladies said I demand fed and pumped after each feed, good luck I hope it gets better for you

Laura - posted on 12/17/2009

Although you want to drink enough water, don't drink too much, that can cause the milk to thin out too much. What has worked for me in the past when I have been low is a tincture called Goat's rue, you can find it in any health food store, a few drops in your beverage a few times a day and you are good to go.

Maria Jesaben - posted on 12/17/2009

have a sea shell dish....guaranteed to make you produce more milk...and i mean a sea shell dish w/ soup in it...drink lots of it....;p goodluck...

Erica - posted on 12/17/2009

It's a good idea to pump, but avoid the temptation to feed your baby the pumped milk until your milk supply is up again. If you do that, your breasts won't know that they're not producing enough. Drinking alcohol isn't a great idea, but you can drink non-alcoholic beer. For people who've suggested wine and beer, it's not the alcohol that makes the difference, but the calories and possibly the hops. Alcohol, on the other hand, inhibits letdown and can make your baby drink less. Around 3 months babies go through a growth spurt, which means they often spend a day or two just eating and eating and eating. Don't panic, but make the time to keep feeding your little treasure!

Lucy - posted on 12/16/2009

first of all, you would need to get a good nights sleep. If you are too tired, that will affect milk production. I went through this period.
One other tip, cashew nuts are good for milk production, so eat a lot of them. Also drink a lot. Fenkel tea is good (not too sure if it also called that in english).

Maribel - posted on 12/16/2009

Hot showers always worked for me. Lots of water too. Good Luck!

Lozzie - posted on 12/16/2009

this is refered to as feeding through a line, or line feeding, actually quite simple. get in contact with an independent midwife or lactation consultant. i wouldn't recomend line feeding with formula though.

Tarsha - posted on 12/16/2009

Quoting Melissa:

If you get wic(or not) you could ask the health department for a device that they have that would help. It has a hose that you tape by the nipple but you put formula or expressed milk in a container. The baby is still trying to nurse from you but will be getting the milk she needs. That would also help get it flowing again. Hope this helps ya!

this sounds intersting..do u know if its avaliable in australia?

Lozzie - posted on 12/16/2009

some great suggestions, but also try massaging your breasts, this stimulates and opens the milk ducts. and don't watch the clock when it comes to feeding, demand feeding helps keep a much more stable supply of milk going, and keeps bubs happier.

Gin - posted on 12/16/2009

my mom's a midwife. she told me to eat oatmeal. works like a charm for me. good luck!

Mackenzie - posted on 12/16/2009

pump after he eats. your milk is on a supply and demand type thingy. so like i dont know how you feed but i would feed for 15 minutes on one breast and switch for 10 on the other, then after he ate i would pump the rest from the second breast then pump again on the first breast and it would make more milk come because the pumping would send signals to make more milk

Melissa - posted on 12/16/2009

If you get wic(or not) you could ask the health department for a device that they have that would help. It has a hose that you tape by the nipple but you put formula or expressed milk in a container. The baby is still trying to nurse from you but will be getting the milk she needs. That would also help get it flowing again. Hope this helps ya!

Brooke - posted on 12/16/2009

remember it can take up to a week of xtra attention on you milk b4 you start making more...nurse and pump every 3 hrs and you'll get there...DONT STRESS THO!!! That stops your body from making it! You need to relax and focus each time you are nursing or pumping!! You'll get there...good luck!

Michelle - posted on 12/16/2009

My aunty swore by a glass of guiness each day, it increases your apetite, and it is good for your milk, loaded with goodness apparently.

Alex - posted on 12/16/2009

This worked for me... if you have a pump, pump 2-3 times for a few days but do not use the milk you pump( i just froze it for later) still allow your daughter to nurse ( I pumped on one side and nursed on the other) in a few days you should wake up with engorged Brest. at first I only got 2oz or less sometimes so I tried drinking more water and a few days later I was getting 4-6oz at a time. Hope it works for you hang in there

Cristina - posted on 12/16/2009

oatmeal, worked wonders for me, I used to mix it up into my milk in the morning if you don't like the texture use a colander after it boils, I sweetened it a bit and used a bit of the zest of a lime for a yummy taste, hope it helps.

Kyoko - posted on 12/16/2009

When I was trying to increase my milk supply, I worked with a lactation consultant. this is what she suggested..... nurse/pump more. Not just 1 extra feeding, but more like 3-4 extra feedings for a few days. Pump 5-10 min after each feeding. Also, fenugreek. taking 3 capsules 3 times a day until your milk supply increases.
Good luck!

Rebecca - posted on 12/16/2009

pump pump pump! everytime she is done eating pump for about 5 minutes. even if you dont get much ro anything at all. This will signal your body that you need mroe production. I completly dried up after 3 weeks and so regret not being able tog et any of it back so for you to be able to still get some is a good sign. You can also get a perscription from the Dr. A friend of mine had to use it and said it helped some.

Good luck!

GinaMarie - posted on 12/16/2009

drink a glass of wine pump after feedings the wine is fine for the baby ... dont get drunk just a glass at night eat well drink plenty of fluid, the more she feeds the more your breast will produce more u pump the more u get go bra less will draw the milk too.. good luck

Valerie - posted on 12/16/2009

nursing and drinking plenty of fluids will bring that supply back up, mothers tea from a coop, and drs have aprescription if all else fails...keep the faith and determination and you will succeed! if you sswitch between you and a bottle, don't for a while as babies suck harder and increase that milk supply if it is just the breast! all the best

Vanessa - posted on 12/16/2009

fenugreek and milk thistle you can get this at a natural food store.

Tara - posted on 12/16/2009

Drinking a lot of milk and water (though not more than 80 oz a day because drinking too much can decrease production). I also have found that taking fenugreek seed capsules (3 caps 2 times a day) helps me.

Shannon - posted on 12/16/2009

there is a couple of prescription medications that really helped me when pumping just didnt seem to cut - motilium and Maxalon - both are used as anti nausea medication and have a side effect of producing more breast milk. Both harmless to you and baby - when tired and frustrated and the last thing you want is to anything attached to you ONE MORE TIME!!!!!!! it really helped me, I also co-fed both my babies with fromula at night time to give me a little break and allows you to know that baby is going to sllep full and content. Enjoy it and relax - stress will decrease milk production every time!!

Amanda - posted on 12/16/2009

try feeding more often instead of every 2 hours try every hour for a few days

Anne - posted on 12/16/2009

Hey Mary...drink more...pump even more...pump every 2hrs for 5-10 min each breast regardless what comes out just switch n be consistent...mixed with a lil confidence :-)
Hope it helps!
~Anne

Mikerra - posted on 12/16/2009

Try getting a breast pump and try to pump the milk as often as you can. It will increase your production of milk b/c your brain will tell your body it needs to make more.

Valerie - posted on 12/16/2009

There are some different views when it comes to pumping in order to increase milk, try consulting a lactation consultant. What worked for me was lot's of water, relaxation, and nipple stimulation by massage. ( when ur focused on milk production its just a job or chore, nothing sexual) Also, Acupuncture has actually helped me go into labor! I bring this up because I believe acupuncture could help with just about everything! And one last weird thing. I got a massage and when the lady put ravensara oil on my chest and massaged me on my chest (i guess I should say neck area, above the breasts) and shoulders I suddenly had a burst of milk come through! That oil is used to clear out congestion in lungs. Lastly I would clear out of your diet any dehydration items like soda, caffeine and sodium.

Aleah - posted on 12/16/2009

i used fenugreek to increase my milk supply and that seemed to help. its a herbal supplement that you get from the pharmacy and its really cheap. avoid peppermint tea and sage cause it can cause your milk to decrease. try pumping for about 5 minutes after each feed so it tricks your body to produce more milk for a few days. their is a prescription drug you can go on aswell if thats an option for you. hope that helps:)

Krista - posted on 12/16/2009

Fenugreek supplements also work well.

Jennifer - posted on 12/16/2009

Drink mother's milk tea (health stores and even some grocery stores sell it). Also pump in between feedings to trick your body in to thinking your baby is going through a growth spurt.

Kelley - posted on 12/16/2009

double pump! garaunteed to work, you could pump the other side while litle on nurses. and if you're having trouble making itthrough the night (the evening seemed to leave me low supply) you could even give a few ounces of fromula....it won't hurt you or baby, you are still the main source, but that way the baby will be plenty full and you can have a little more rest and recoup time.
Had 5 little ones (nursed them all, and this little trick was a "happy brain saver for me".

Erin - posted on 12/16/2009

Make sure you eat plenty, drink lots of fluids, take care of yourself!!! Also maybe try pumping after your baby feeds so your breasts start thinking I need more...and will increase supply when you need it to, at feeding time! If you feel you are on the downhill you could pump every 2 hrs for a little while and that should get ya going! Might suck when you really get it coming in and drop back to feed times only?