How to increase more milk supply?

Elizabeth - posted on 08/01/2010

MORE FLUIDS IS A MYTH! PUMP FREQUENTLY! this does take some time to see. BEER IS A MYTH! Call a lactation consultant.

Elizabeth - posted on 08/01/2010

Yoga does help. Visualization helps too. What you do is when you go to pump you look at a picture or video of your LO beforehand and visualize your LO nursing. Take many strong deep breaths and visualize your milk coming down. If you job is especially stressful try to do this exercise a couple minutes before you go pump. The most important thing about increasing your supply is to pump often. I know this is different from what everyone will tell you but if you pump for 10 minutes every 2 hours you will get more milk than if you pump for 30 every 4 hours because when you wait the hormones that regulate your milk production fluctuate a lot. When you keep those hormones even you make more milk and it is easier to pump. If this sounds completely bogus call your local lactation consultant at your hospital. They will tell you the same.

K. Necol - posted on 08/01/2010

FENUGREEK! My son was 7lbs, 12 oz at birth and dropped to 7lbs in 2 weeks. That was after the doc had me supplement w/formula one feeding a day. When she said to go every other feeding at 3 weeks, thats when i started fenugreek and my supply went over the top with in a week. I took 2 pills 3 x's a day and started leaking. You have to keep taking it as long as you need to keep your supply up. i stopped when he hit birthweight and my supply dropped again. Went back to it and he was fine. He's 4 mos now and 13 lbs at 25 inches long.

Sloane - posted on 07/31/2010

Michelle, both my Midwife and Lactation Consultant recommended Fenugreek and later on, Domperidome (perscription from your Dr.). Although depending on where you live, I'm not sure if the latter can be perscribed. The Fenugreek worked great but you have to take a lot in order to notice a change. Also you end up smelling like a cross between curry and maple syrup LOL. It's a catch 22...you need to be relaxed in order to realize significant let downs,and so if you're stressed you won't get nearly the supply you're hoping for and then you become more stressed about not having enough milk...I look back now (I just finished BF about 1 month ago) and it was the hardest thing I had to do...more so I think than giving birth!! But so worth it in the end. Try warm compresses prior to bf, take deep breaths, nurse in a dark room if you can...all of these things work. If you're pumping, pump after you feed. This tricks your breasts into thinking you're having an extra long feed and will ultimately adjust your supply accordingly. Stick with it...it gets better and soon enough you'll be producing enough for 2 babies!!!

Carole - posted on 07/31/2010

I was put on the Fenugreek, also. It really helped.

KENYA - posted on 07/31/2010

PLENTY REST. BALANCED DIET PLENTY FLUID,REGULAR VITAMIN REGIMEN, CAUTION HERBS , NICE HOT SHOWER AGAINST YOUR BREAST HELPED ME

Tanya - posted on 07/30/2010

Drinking one beer a day is supposed to help...low alcohol...maybe the near beer.

Vivien - posted on 07/30/2010

fenugreek worked for me

Nichole - posted on 07/30/2010

Make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids (water especially). This will help with keeping you hydrated. Also, you might be experience reduced milk due to stress and being tired. You need to get plenty of sleep. Rest when the baby sleeps. (I know, easier said than done). Also, when pumping or breastfeading put on some relaxing music and sit in a relaxing position. Put your head back and relax. This will allow more milk to flow into your breasts. Good luck!

Julie - posted on 07/30/2010

back in the old days... the midwives would have nursing moms drink a beer day to keep milk supply up...

pleanty of fliuds. lots of rest..no caffine.. sexual arrousal can also mess with your milk supply

Christine - posted on 07/29/2010

Michelle - My lactation consultant put me on two herbs: Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle. With the lots of fluids and resting it got my supply right back up where it needed to be! If that doesn't work, my OB was going to put me on Reglan, so call your MD if things don't get better :)

Good luck!

Robin - posted on 07/29/2010

I'm in the same boat as you... can only pump about half of what my baby needs at daycare, no matter how much I drink, rest, pump, etc. This is what formula is for! Having gone through the same thing four times before (baby #5 is three+ months), I've found that supplementing with formula has had no noticeable effect on my babies, and didn't interfere with our nursing at home (they all breast-fed for almost a year). Formula did, however, give me one less thing to agonize about, and I personally trust the safety of formula a heck of alot more than a supplement. Good luck!!

Rochelle - posted on 07/29/2010

try moringa-based products. moringa oleifera is known in a lot of countries to help in milk production, among other things.

you may check some moringa-based products here: http://firstvitaplusph.webs.com

Ann - posted on 07/28/2010

I don't remember the name of the drug, but it works if you take it regularly. It is a drug that you actually take for the side affect of making more milk. The real reason the drug is in effect is for some gastro reflux stuff. Ask your doctor, it helped me.

Goldie - posted on 07/28/2010

The first 3 are very true - be careful on the pumping though, I had enough milk to feed three babies due to over pumping! I didn't think it was working for the first couple of days, but it takes a couple of days to see results.

Lenka - posted on 07/28/2010

I have no idea if it helps or not, but someone recommended oats and brewer's yeast as ways to boost supply. Other sugestion here are perhaps more sensible though.

Alice - posted on 07/26/2010

Dyna has one big one... more fluids! Another thing is you can increase your dairy (too much too fast can cause constipation, though, so increase slowly). Cathie's got another really important one too... REST! Our bodies use rest time to rejuvinate; works with milk too... when we are rested, our bodies build up our supply quicker (ever notice how after a nice nap/deep sleep you are almost begging the baby to wake or grabbing the pump and thanking God that you can relieve the pressure quickly? lol!)
Another way is to pump extra. Like after pumping, when you think you are "empty," pump just a little more, you won't get much milk (usually none), but your body thinks the pump is baby and thinks baby isn't getting enough, so it makes more.
hope this helps!

Cathie - posted on 07/26/2010

Drink more fluids, don't forget to eat and make sure you rest. Your most important job at the moment is being healthy and well to feed your baby. The housework can wait while you have a nap.

Dyna - posted on 07/25/2010

drink lots of fluids throughout the day! the more fluid you drink the more milk you will produce! drink even if you are not thirsty. i don't know about yoga tho.