My 6 month old son has started to eat cereal and baby food. This has thrown off our breastfeeding schedule and my supply has decreased. I do pump, but is not helping much. Does anyone have any ideas on how to increase it. I have heard that eating oatmeal might help. Has anyone else heard that?
I use to eat oatmeal to help... it did help. I'd eat a bowl of instant flavored oatmeal for a snack before bed & made oatmeal cookies to eat with lunch. I was actually suprised that it helped.
When I had my third child, for some reason I couldn't produce as much milk as I did with my first two. My kids' PED suggested an herbal supplement called Fenugreek. I believe you can buy it at most health food stores, you might also be able to get it a GNC. Sometimes it works for moms, sometimes not.
Unfortunately it did not work for me and I had to result to formula feeding. It is a natural hormone to help your body produce more breast milk. Good luck!
What worked for me was not limiting the time I pumped to 15 minutes. I pumped for at least 1/2 hour for as high as I could take it.
I also used More Milk Special Blend (Motherlove) to get things going with my last baby... once the supply was established I stopped and it didn't diminish.
Drink plenty of water. Eat well. Rest as much as possible.
Remember that the more you ask for it, the more you will get... if you don't ask for it (pump, feed baby), your body will learn it doesn't need to make as much.
Good luck! :)
Greetings! I run the Cape Cod Breastfeeding Moms club (62+ members) on Facebook and I field a ton of boobie questions. So here goes:
Remember that your breasts work on supply and demand - the more he nurses, the more you make. Remember too, that you can increase milk production on a day to day basis at this point in his nursing career. So, on the days he nurses almost hourly, you will have enough milk for twins the following day. Or it will lower on another day, because he only nursed once in a while. Make sure when he does nurse that he doesn't just get the foremilk - make sure he gets a good does of fattier hind milk, that should keep him satisfied longer. Draining the breast more completely will also cause it to refill more fully. Does that make sense?
If you had come to me, however, my first question would be: Why do you think your supply has decreased?
Peace-Love-Boobies!
K.
I'm currently nursing a 6 week old baby that is tongue tied. Because of the tongue tie my milk supply has decreased. I saw a pediatrician in Lincoln at Milkworks. Her name is Dr. Leeper. She is a breastfeeding specialist. She has me taking Fenugreek, 4 caps, 3 times daily. She has also recommended Blessed Thistle and Goats Rue. I'm only taking the Fenugreek for now and it's working well. I've noticed when I pump that I'm getting a couple extra ounces several times a day.
I also eat oatmeal everyday. Drinking lots of water too! Letting your baby nurse on demand will work the best though. I'm don't ever watch the clock when breastfeeding. What I've found is that the baby puts himself on a schedule. Life is much easier this way!
I would breast feed first. First thing in morning instead of cereal, followed by baby food. Always start with breast if you don't want your supply to go down.
It sometimes takes 2-7 days of increased demand (pumping or nursing) to see an increase in your supply after a drop - don't lose heart, it will come back. I am exclusively breastfeeding my 7.5 month old because I have a sensitive milk supply. Domperidone is another option after you have tried everything else. I personally would cut down on the feedings - food, at this point is just for sampling, the bulk of his nutrition should be coming from you (at least that's my take). Eating oatmeal is particularly helpful if you tend to be borderline anemic (oatmeal has iron and low iron is connected with a low milk supply).
I don't know about the oatmeal, but I took Mother's Milk supplement a couple times with my son. What I did to keep my supply up when starting solids was I nursed him first. Then about 20 mins later we did the food and whatever he wanted to eat after nursing was up to him. At this point he is just learning to eat, so his nutrition is still coming from your milk. Give it a few days, it will probably even out. Just drink lots of water and keep nursing.
I didn't read all the responses but I've dealt with this. Fenugreek worked for me, I took that allow with Blessed Thistle. Started taking Goat's Rue but then was told that it's better to take that before you start nursing, like the last week of pregnancy. Also there is a liquid you can get called More Milk Plus (pricey) but it works. I used that with my daughter and was able to keep my supply decent and nursed for a year. The other herbs I took for a couple months with my son but don't take them now. He's 6 1/2 months. We started cereal and veggies/fruits too and I just make sure that I nurse him FIRST and then offer him the food. Your breast milk has the BEST nutrition for him anyway. So ALWAYS nurse first and then feed other stuff. I do this in the morning and then also at dinner. I nurse him, wait about 1/2 hour or so and then offer food, then wait an hour or so (depending on what your feeding schedule was before) and then nurse and then it was bedtime. I have also heard that oatmeal is good for milk production and for many other healthy reasons too. and DRINK YOUR WATER!!! :)
one thing to remember is demand determines supply, and a pump will not stimulate the breast the way your baby sucking can. im glad you want to continue breastfeeding!
what you should do is to nurse first. you arent feeding your infant to cure his hunger at this point. that should still be the job of the breastmilk. what you are doing is introducing different tastes, textures and the process of eating solids, not doing it for nutrition or to help him not be hungry. so even if it is "time" to give him a solid, breastfeed first, then give him a little solids. dont have to rush; some moms go a whole year without serving solids. this is perfectly ok! :) just make sure your diet is very healthy. :)
good luck!
I would say you need to start doing shorter feedings more often. He can still have the cereal and baby food, but sit down and breast feed for 5 minutes before he eats. Just make sure you're being stimulated every 3-5 hours. Pumping doesn't work great for most of us, so don't feel bad.
There is an herbal product called More Milk by Motherlove that increases breastmilk naturally. It is an awesome product. that being said, you might be feeding too much solids. I think you are supposed to nurse first then feed solids. At 6 mo. your baby still needs to get most of the nutrients from milk not solids.
