Is there anything I can do to jump start my breastmilk production. It has been rapidly decreasing.

Ola - posted on 01/11/2010

HI,

I have been there before and what i did is that i increased the times that my baby sucks my breasts even if she is not hungry. More over, u should make sure that ur baby takes both breasts per feed. Drink lots of liquids especially water and milk,
We have something in the Middle East called Halawa, its made of sesami so try this too....

User - posted on 01/11/2010

Hi Sara!!! Have lots of cumin seeds.... wtever u eat mix cumin seeds wid it n eat...... u wl surely notice d change.....

Toccara - posted on 01/11/2010

Drink plenty of water. Things with plenty of potassium and PROTEIN seemed to help me. When you're down nursing follow up by pumping. When it seemed that wasnt workin I went to Fenugreek! its an herb you can get from Kroger, Wal-mart, or a vitamin store.

Kris - posted on 01/10/2010

I had the same problem. Pump, pump, and pump more. I pumped right after feeding my son with wichever side he did not use. I stayed connected to the pump until I had 2 ounces from one side. After about 2 weeks I was back to normal. Don't give up. If you still need help find a lactatiion consultant.

Jaimee - posted on 01/10/2010

hi - i don't have anything to help on how to encourage, but i do have something to add. when i had my son (who is now 6 months old), i had a massive episiotomy, that went right the way into the deep tissue. the stitches ended up getting ridiculously infected, i was hospitalised, on a million different antibiotics and penicillin, but nothing seemed to help. the main reason that we found out that the infection had spread from the open wound area to my blood etc, was because my milk supply gradually dried up - within two weeks i went from being near constantly engorged to back to my normal, prepregnancy bosoms. the doctor did say that when milk starts to dry while the baby is still feeding (at this stage, he was 6 weeks old, so it was near constant feeding), there is often an underlying problem with the mothers health, where her body shuts down anything extracurricular to focus on fixing the problem.

so if the problems not being fixed, perhaps have a trip to the doctors to have yourself checked out just to rule out any underlying problems.

Jamira - posted on 01/10/2010

Take you vitamins & pump alot. you can also give your baby the breast more.

Claire - posted on 01/10/2010

I had the same problem, I tried Brewers yeast. Talk about gross, but it's for baby right. I mixed it with Grape juice. The only thing that tasted even remotely okay. It worked as far as making my milk heavier. Than I tried the Feenugreek pills....that helped a little with supply. I was also told to drink a beer a day. It seemed to work when I did the brewers yeast with the fenugreek.....but not as much as it should have, needless to say I am now formula feeding. I hope some of this helps. Remember to take your vitamins and drink a lot of water as well. I was told 8 oz glass everytime I fed the baby. Good luck!

Victoria - posted on 01/09/2010

I had the same problem and my friend recommended that I use a tea called Mother's Milk Tea. It really worked (double time) and I only used it for a couple days and I never had a problem breastfeeding again. I got it from a GNC store, but you can probably find it at any supplement store or online.

Tonya - posted on 01/09/2010

If you exhaust all of the "natural" ways to increase milk production and nothing helped, talk to your doctor about getting on a Regalin taper. In some women, this helps with mik production

Jennifer - posted on 01/09/2010

talk to you doc or a lactation consultant she told me to try fenugeek three times a day some herbal pill you can get at the health store. I had the same problem and i waited to long to talk to my doc and my son had to go on formula supplements for a good wile and then i had to build my supply back up i would nurse him as often as he wanted then i would pump for tem min every hour i know it dose take al ought of time fut is only for a few days un tell your supply is better you want your baby to be strong enough to nurse. my son also had to go to speech therapy for a wile b/c he couldn't suck good enough that was his problem. good luck it dose get better my son is 5 months old now and he is now just nursing.

Brittany - posted on 01/08/2010

I was told that a breast pump only gets the the milk that has come down. Also if you actually dry up because it does happen the lactation consultant told me there is a prescription the doctor can give you to jump start the milk. Good luck

Melissa - posted on 01/08/2010

i'm not sure if anyone has added this but i've heard if you drink a beer that supposed to work! also - nursing support tea (they sell this at whole foods). there's also a medication (domperidone - i might have the spelling wrong) that your doctor might prescribe.

Kimberly - posted on 01/08/2010

Dark beer,fenugreek,drinking lots of water,and make sure you are getting enough rest. And pumping every couple of hours,even if baby isn't eating at the time. The more you pump,the more your body knows it needs to make more.

If you still are having difficulty,I'd talk to a lactation consultant. They can be very helpful.

Waverly - posted on 01/08/2010

I have heard that drinking one beer a day really increases your milk production..... I have never tried this but apparently it works!!!

Courtney - posted on 01/08/2010

i had problems producing enough milk so the lactation consultant told me to try fenagreak, its an herbal supplement. you might try that. otherwise there is always bottle feeding.

Charity - posted on 01/08/2010

Alisha, You can take natural herbs feengreek, get a precription for dopreadome, you can try and pump after the baby has finished feeding, stimulate the breast with warm water, use your hand through massage, thinking positive thoughts to help increase milk let down, milk tea, drink plenty of fuilds..etc...

Alicia - posted on 01/08/2010

I went through this for about 10 weeks and finally i had to put my youngest on formula cuz she hadn't gained even an ounce in 4 weeks. What i was told to do by a lactation counselor was nurse ever 15-20 minutes for about 48-72 hours straight... you pretty much have to give up 2-3 days just to feed. It actually worked on me for about a week then all of a sudden i wake up and was dry so i was also told to drink a beer and the yeast helps. I woke up and was SOKED!!! It worked great but once again a couple days later i started drying up again... PUMPING IS NOT THE SAME AS A BABY SUCKING!!!!! it doesn't have the suction as a baby. You can pump in between but don't just pump whatever you do cuz you will eventually lose your milk... And one more thing, no matter how good of a pump you have or how often or long you pump, you can't pump as much as a baby eats due to the suction.. I hope this helps!!!

Marissa - posted on 01/08/2010

I never got more than 2oz total when pumping...but that says nothing about how much baby is getting...Oatmeal and nursing often worked for me when his appetite increased...ntm it's nice now that he's 2 1/2 I never had to worry about weening from a pacifier cuz I was his pacifier... Good luck and don't give up, and be calm and patient...your body and baby will pick up on the stress if ur stressing out.

Jennufer - posted on 01/08/2010

i was told to nurse my daughter every 3 hrs and thats how mine got going.

Darylann - posted on 01/08/2010

You should ask your Dr. and/or call the hospital where you gave birth and ask to speak with a Lactation Consultant. They will be able to tell you what you need to know to fix this problem, that way you can either start producing enough milk or know that you need to supplement for your baby to have all the nutrition he needs!

Jess - posted on 01/07/2010

there is a tea called mothers milk tea, and its all natural it worked wonders for me as well as pumping at least 5 mins AFTER your milk flow has stopped! hope it helps!

Angell - posted on 01/07/2010

I say keep breastfeeding as much as possible and don't give up. Amber Cook there has very good advice.

Marisa - posted on 01/07/2010

When you are pumping milk, continue to pump each breast for at least 10 min after you have stopped producing milk. It will tell your body that more is needed for the next feeding and will help produce more quickly.

Yolanda - posted on 01/07/2010

These ladies are absolutely right massage the breasts, eat oatmeal,and drink lots of water and milk, pump and let baby suckle ad much as possible, and make sure you are rested. when my son jordin was born he was 2 months premature and all my body wanted to do was make milk so i didn't have much of a problem, i told the nurse i came from a good milk cow. Plus breast milk is so much better for the baby i wouldn't stop breastfeeding if i had any left in me.

Amber - posted on 01/07/2010

drink a bunch of water and pump every couple of houirs till it picks back up. i went throught the same thing

Carrie - posted on 01/07/2010

your body produces the amount you take out, so don't decrease it . pump as often as he needs food , if you dont your milk will go down. there is a herb and a medication you can take to help if need be , but pump or breastfeed often.

Candice - posted on 01/07/2010

Drink tons of water! Eating more can also help.

Michelle - posted on 01/07/2010

My milk supply dropped when I started watching what I ate for losing baby weight. I had to have something a little fatty to get it back up. I would have a couple of spoonfuls of peanut butter at night for the protein also. In the beginning it's normal to only produce an ounce or so. If you are supplementing with the bottle it can make the baby cry more because they have to suck less hard on bottles. Then they don't want to try so hard on the breast. Keep trying. Don't give up. I commend you for breast feeding. It is truly the best gift for your baby. It's not always easy. the other suggestions are great. Let the baby suckle longer, pump afterward, & keep the calories healthy. You probably need an extra few hundred than normal to keep production up. Not forever, but until your body gets in sync. Talk to your doctor, WIC, or look online for other suggestions too. Good luck.

Lacy - posted on 01/07/2010

go to your local heath food store or a vitamin cottage or somewhere of that nature and find yourself some fenugreek!!!!!! They have it in liquid drops to put in tea and things or pills (TAKE THE PILLS!!!!!!! THE LIQUID IS TERRIBLE!!!). A few of those a day and you will feel like 'Ol Bessy the milk cow! Trust me! When it starts to settle into your system you will know because you will smell EXACTLY like maple syrup!!!!! Even when you sweat it wont be BO, it will be maple syrup LOL!!

Jennifer - posted on 01/07/2010

go to sun harvest, or a health food store, get fenugreek tablets and take them as directed...i used them with my last baby because my milk slowed down drastically. they have a tea called mothers milk that stimulates also, and get a hand pump from wic or ask your pedi where you could find a hand pump and just pump for 20 minutes after every feeding and then save that milk...but do it every 2-3 hours and still feed your baby on his regular schedule. but the fenugreek works well, google it and see if you would like it first..oh yeah it makes you smell like maple syrup, even when you change his diapers he will smell like maple syrup...my husband and the baby loved the smell of me..lol...good luck Alisha.

Saima - posted on 01/07/2010

the info provided by other mothers above , i think is more than sufficient. but one thing non has mentioned is that ur baby cud also have a latching on problem!
i had a sitiuation wee i used to bf my daughter for 45 minutes to toone and half hour... yeah thats tooo long... and right after 15-20 min she used to ask for feed and used to dring 2-3oz formula!!!.... i used to be lleft astounshed and frustrated.
when i went to take some lactation consultation i was told that theres a latching on prob.
The milk supply in the breast is in the ducts which is a 'little behind' the nipple. now what i used to do is to strech the nipple forward and offer it to the baby.. leaving the ducts behind..... resulting into more of effort for the baby to exert, very less milk going to the baby, and lesser stimulation of the ducts to encorage milk supply... therefore... loosing on milk poduction...
So take care of this sister.. if u have the same prob...
Use you fore finger and middle finger to puch the nipple behind so that the ducts ae moved forward and then offer it to your little one...:)

Cherrish - posted on 01/06/2010

Brewers Yeast. You can get it in pill form, or powder. Trust me...go with the PILL! You can get it from any health store like GNC. I had the same problem with my daughter and the Midwife told me to add that to the food and water that I was already doing. I did EVERYTHING from the resting, drinking more water, nursing on demand.....and My milk supply just wouldn't increase. I took the brewers yeast and "filled up". ;) good luck! Great advice ladies!

Christina - posted on 01/06/2010

First off, it will get easier! regardless of the solution you find. I also had trouble pumping enough when I went back to school. Hydration is a huge factor - I have to force myself to drink the recommended 64oz of water PLUS another 32 or so (that's my rough estimation of how much milk my baby takes per day). I do like the nursing teas (didn't know about the oatmeal) but accidentally discovered the best way to produce more - I took a hot shower one evening and pumped more than I ever had before between feedings. If I know I need to produce as much as possible, that is my best way, hands down. You probably already know this, but the body tends to produce more in the morning (after a night of rest) and less in the evening. So sleep is also a factor in producing. A few times I have deliberately gotten myself up very early, an hour or so before my baby usually wakes, and pumped extra then too. Best of luck!

Chelsey - posted on 01/06/2010

When I was breast feeding my daughter, my mother always told me that I should be able to down a bottle of water while feeding. Also to alternate between breasts, I know some women only do one side and do the other side later. I was told that you need to be sure to do both at every feeding. Try not to stress about anything, stress causes the milk to dry up as well. All I can say is drink, drink and drink more. By the way, don't fret to much most moms don't even try, hey and no one ever said raising children was easy right? Best of luck, I lasted 6 months and hope to go longer with the next baby. Later you will probably be giving me tips, lol.

Jennifer - posted on 01/06/2010

Fenugreek, from the healthfood store, whatever you do don't let the doc give you Reglan! it will help with production but it makes you too pooped to do anything. I had the exact same problem. Water, mothers milk tea, fenugreek, lots of rest- your body needs it to make the milk, and more breast less pumping. Remember that you are a great mom no matter how you have to feed him.

Melissa - posted on 01/06/2010

Keep drinking lots of fluids and if that doesnt work there are drugs that you can take to bring on milk .

Jennifer - posted on 01/06/2010

There are lots of good comments here. I don't know how old your baby is, but just try to relax. Go by how many wet and dirty diapers your baby has. If you are concerned, they are your best indicator. Above all, when you are nursing don't multitask. Just focus on baby and how much you love them. If you are in the first couple weeks, I'd stop the pumping and just let your body get a rhythm with your babies needs. Focus on building a supply later. Also, if you have any worries about your technique, or if something just doesn't feel right, don't be afraid to ask for help. The check your delivering hospital for breast feeding support as well as your local le leche league ( I know I am spelling that wrong). Trust your baby, trust your body, check diapers, and drink lots of water! Kudos to you for giving breast feeding a chance.

Verity - posted on 01/06/2010

all the things that the other mums are all worth trying but none of them worked for me and i was desprate to keep feeding noah so i asked my doctor , there is a drug called domparadone it is used to keep a babys milk down after feeding but if breast feeding women have the tablet it keeps your milk on i was down to 1/2 an ounce like you then through taking it was getting 120ml out every 3 hours ! please try every thing else first but if all else fails ask for it .x hope this helps .x

Melanie - posted on 01/06/2010

Reglan (or Metoclopramide) is a prescription that works immediately! it is also a very mild sedative so it can make your baby sleep better through the night too, but it is not suggested to take long-term because of this as well. it can also make you a bit sleepy. this didn't happen to me or my son and i took it for over a month, but just fyi.

Alisha - posted on 01/06/2010

Drink lots of water and pump or nurse every hour or two for awhile. It will produce more the more you take out. Pump for a good ten minutes even if nothing's coming out because then it will send signals to your body to make more milk!

Stacie - posted on 01/06/2010

Pumping does not have the same effect as the child actually suckling the breast. I had the same problem and I was told to instead of pumping put the child on the breast at least for 10 to 15 minutes or more each breast at least every two hours. The more the child is on the breast the more of a demand the body has for milk therefore the body should up its production. Also, a breastfed baby doesn't drink as much as a formula fed baby so when you pump you won't get alot. There are more nutrients in breastmilk that will fill the baby up faster.

Julie - posted on 01/06/2010

How old is your son? Does he cry everytime you nurse? In the beginning my son would latch on, suck a little, then cry too. But it was only at the end of the day - which is actually cuz he was cluster feeding, not because my milk supply was gone.

Please remember that even though you can't pump, it does NOT mean your milk supply is dried up! Pumping stopped working for me when I went back to work when my son was 6 wks old, but I am still able to nurse even now and he is 9mths old. I just can't get anything when I pump.

I do take fenugreek to help keep up my supply though. I've known some mothers take it with every meal, like 3-4 capsules in the beginning, to boot their supply. I currently only take 3 capules once a day, and that helps. Also milk thistle helps too - you can get this in a pill or tea form. And my pediatrician also said to get the right amount of salt, which is needed for milk production too.

Rebecca - posted on 01/06/2010

my doctor prescibed domperidone (i think thats how its spelt) for me, and that worked wonders, and there is a natural health food that also is ment to help, im not sure what the name of it is, but maybe you could try your health food shop? i also got told to express after each feed, 5 minutes on one, then 5 on the other, then go back and do 5 again on each, this is because you have 2 lots of letdown, so you will quite often get some more the 2nd time. Even if you arent getting milk you should still try and express as this helps stimulate the breast. But your breasts are constatly replenishing themselves, so baby should alsways have milk there (well thats what i was told).
Hope that helps.

Brenda - posted on 01/05/2010

WATER WATER WATER!!!!!! Always drink water...Also make sure that you are allowing the child to nurse frequently so that you can maintain your supply!!

Kelly - posted on 01/05/2010

I know I had the same problem..I called a Le Leeche Lady

Silence - posted on 01/05/2010

the mothers milk tea helped me alot and drinkin alot of water and makin sure you eat right

Kimberly - posted on 01/05/2010

when i had my first kid she was a premiee so i had to pump only my milk started to dry up quick the nurse in the NICU told me to drink 1 beer a day the yeast in the beer helps make more milk it worked for me it was hard to do because i hate beer but it did work

Natasha - posted on 01/05/2010

Like she said nurse often to keep it flowing, If you have a breast pump 15 min each side after every feeding until milk is coming more. Hot showers also help stimulate the milk or hot towels, also massaging the breast to also helps produce milk flow.

Hope this some what helps.
Good luck!

Sonya - posted on 01/05/2010

How nice to have so much support! With my children I feed them every 1-2 hours for 20 min and then when they were done I pumped 15 to 20 min after everytime and built up my milk supply...you also need a pump that works well with you! Some really don't work well! Just keep trying! Some is always better than none! Good Luck !

Keshia - posted on 01/04/2010

pump every 1-2 hours, take fenu greek, keep up your calories, and drink a ton of water!!! most of all RELAX! hang in there!!