Drying Up

You've had a lot of responses (I didn't have time to read them all), but I used Fenugreek (pill form - I did NOT like the tea). You'll smell maple syrup (my husband couldn't smell it, but I felt like he could, but at least it's not a bad smell), but it helped a lot. Also the more you pump, the more milk you'll produce & the less you pump the less you'll produce. Definitely contact La Leche League. They are 200% helpful. Good Luck to you!!

Hi Tanya,
I went through the same thing with my daughter when she was a few months old. The doctor gave me a RX medicine that worked liked a charm. The true use for it is for an esophagus problem (I think). The only downfall to using this medicine was that it made me extremely tired, so I only used it for about 1 1/2 days, but it increased my milk supply so much that I felt like I was producing as much as I did right after my milk came. I also knew other people who used this medicine and it did not make them feel as tired as I felt. My doctor did not know right away, what medicine I was talking about, but the pharmacist was able to tell him right away and my friends� pediatrician prescribed it for them. I hope this helped you.
A.

Drink Water, Water, Water...hang in there and don't supplement. Pump if you can while she is sleeping.

Hi T.,
You might not like my advice, but here it is: My daughter was born 11 1/2 weeks premature. I pumped and pumped until she could nurse. She had a very difficult time nursing, but I kept trying and crying as I never did have enough milk in. So, my daughter was hungry and I was very depressed. I had a lactation nurse specialist come to the house, you name it adn I tried it. Even Rx drugs. Finally one day in desperation I called the pediatrician. His advise was stop beating myself up and give her good formula that she likes. I cried again for at least a day and a half and then took the advice. Autumn did very well on the formula and she was happier, not hungry and sleeping well. I guess I wanted you to see that it could be worse. Nursing your baby for 3 months is a great accomplishment and you should be proud. Don't beat yourself up!
A. C.

Contact your local breastfeeding hotline. You should be able to go online and find a number. I know there are 800 numbers. Then go in and meet with someone who knows what they are talking about and can help you. Cus I dont. All I know is the more you feed the more you will produce. That the saliva helps you also when she is feeding off of you. Blessings and the best of luck. Thanks so much for breastfeeding and doing your best even when it is hard.

i had the same problem you need to make sure that u have a good pump and have sure she is sucking even if she isn't hungry like every two two and a half hours drink lots of milk. it worked for me. i was only getting a half ounce there for awhile when she was drinking 4 ounces at a time.
K.

Hi T.~ I'm not sure if someone else has already said this or not, since I didn't read the posts, but when you are pumping are you doing both brests at the same time? I didn't know until I had my baby two months ago that I should be doing this. Had I known, it would have prevented a LOT of tears and stress on my part with trying to pump for my now 3 year old. Pumping only one side at a time only empties the breast. A couple of other things that might help; make sure you are getting lots of fluids. I'm not a big fan of plain water, so I drink decaf ice tea, lemonade, etc. I also took fenugreek every day to help my supply, along with Mother's Milk tea and eating oatmeal. Call a lactation consultant or La leche League, they are both great supporters of breastfeeding and can give you support.

Best of luck to you.

I would see if they have a leche league or breast feeding support group in your area and call them asap. Usually you can find one through the hospital or you can do a search. Good luck!-E.

Hi,
I would suggest a visit to Dr. Jack Newman's website (http://drjacknewman.com). It's a very informative site all about breastfeeding. Even has a section on increasing milk supply. Here's a link to the "Not Enough Milk?" page, but I also suggest looking around the site for more information that is helpful to you.

http://www.drjacknewman.com/index.php?option=com_content&...

M.

I would speak with a lactation specialist. Be sure to be drinking plenty of water and I have heard drinking beer helps with breast milk production. I would guess not a six pack a day but one is sufficient. Again, lactation specialist from your pediatrician's office is the greatest resource I have with my breastfeeding questions.

You can try fenugreek (an herb). Take enough so that your urine and sweat smell like maple syrup...

Hi T. - I breast-fed both of my boys so I know all about it. First - make sure you're eating enough (you need 500 extra calories a day - that's 200 MORE than you needed during pregnancy). Second - Make sure you're drinking PLENTY of fluids - I always kept a water bottle in every room of the house - and made sure to drink at least 60 oz. a day. Third - don't supplement. If you're supplementing your milk supply won't replenish itself because it has no need too. The more you feed your baby, the more milk is produced. Even if you feel like you're giving them an empty breast (you're not - it's still producing milk)...keep doing it. When breast-feeding my youngest, Leo at three-months old I was feeding him almost every 2-3 hours and I had plenty of milk. Also - the La Leche League online is a great resource. You do have the power to get your milk to come in. Best of Luck, B.

2 things. 1. Have you tried taking Fenugreek? It is an herb you can buy at any nutrition store. It will make you smell a little like maple syrup but will kick up the supplies. 2. I would suggest giving Doris Christiansen, not just any lactation consultant but a really amazing one, a call. She has a couple of support groups (where advice can be received for free, or for a very reasonable rate can help you one on one. She is worth every penny. If you want to keep breast feeding, Doris can help you through this challenging time. I admire your efforts and strongly encourage you to hang in there. It is great for baby (and so easy for mom...once things get going a bit better). Good luck. Here's Doris' contact information. She has a website. Giver her a call. She is an amazing woman with a wealth of information. Doris can give you Fenugreek dosages. I can't recall what I took but it TOTALLY worked. Here is also a URL for info on Fenugreek.
Best wishes!
http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_fenugree...
Doris Christiansen RN, IBCLC
Breastfeeding Pump 'n" Go
2464 E. Menlo Street
Mesa, AZ 85213
Tel: ###-###-####
http://www.pump-n-go.com/

One word!!
CABBAGE...CABBAGE...
Put a head of cabbage in your fridge!
Then when its cold put it in your bra all around your breasts!
I sware this soooo works! I just didi it 10 months ago!
I have had four kids and I tried everything below and more.
This is the only thing that worked!
Hope it works for you!

Good luck-

Hi T.,

I had the same problem when my son was about 6 weeks old. I was really scared. I called a lactation consultant and things turned around. My son is now 5 months old and I am still exclusively nursing him. First they evaluated the baby. He had lost some weight and with my supply being down I was having to supplement for about 5 days. I was nursing, pumping & supplememnting every 3 hours around the clock for 5 days. I also was taking fenugreek.

Call a lactation consultant though to figure out what the problem is. You need to know why you are drying up. Do you have a breast infection? Is the baby not nursing efficiently or properly. If you are not getting stimulation or enough stimulation & the baby is not draining the breasts you will have problems. Do continue to nurse.

Good luck!

I'm sure you have heard this plenty of times before.....but water, water, water! I had an issue drying up during an illness & had several friends with low milk production. The hydration thing ended up being a big part of the problem for all of us. Some needed 10 glasses of water & some needed 25, and it was a big help for us all. Good luck!

the best advice I got was to drink a ton of water - take half your weight and drink that many ounces of water. Good luck, I hope you can nurse her longer!!

I consulted numerous lactation consultants for this problem (my baby is 3 1/2 months). I researched this problem thoroughly and I HIGHLY recommend doing the following:
1) Take 2 capsules of Fenugreek three times per day. You can find Fenugreek at health food stores.
2) Ask your ob/gyn for a prescription for Reglan. Usually, doctors just prescribe one round of Reglan (about a month), but for lactation problems, you should not stop the Reglan until you are finished breastfeeding.
3) Pump after you feed your daughter. If you are really serious about increasing your milk, you should really pump every 3 hours round the clock for a week and then just during the day after she eats. After awhile you probably won't need to pump anymore. It doesn't matter if you don't produce any milk when you pump, it's the stimulation that signals your mammary glands to pump up the volume.

If you do all of this, you are doing ALL you can to increase your production. This is what I did and I was having serious problems producing.

If you contact the La Leche League representative in your area she can give you some good advice. This happened to me when my son was 5 mos. I started taking Fenugreek (not sure its spelled right) but there is something else you can take too. Aslo, make sure your not pregnant. It turns out my milk dried up because I am pregnant again.

Hi T. - sorry to hear about your dilemma. Are you on the pill? If you are, the pill will tend to dry you up? Have you consulted with a lactation nurse? There is an all natural pill that you could get at a health food store that will hopefully help you gradually get back your supply. I'm at a loss for what it's called... I used it and it definitely helped! I have two healthy boys to show for it! Good luck and let me know if I can be of further assistance. K.

Hi T. - I don't have this problem, infact I have SO much milk that my 21month still likes to nurse at night.. Oh well. BUT I know a few people who have used the natural supplement called "Marshmellow root" I am pretty sure thats what its called. If you go into any health food store and ask them .. Im pretty sure they will know what you are talking about. It works. Try it! Its worth it! I hope something works out for you soon. - Smiles - K.

T.,

As a lactation consultant, I would recommend that you breastfeed at least 5-6 times per day. Make sure you are nursing completely on one side to adequately empty the breast and signal your brain/breast to produce more. Do not time your feedings, again, allow your daughter to nurse completely on one side before transitioning to the other. Milk production is about supply and demand at this point, therefore, the more you breastfeed, the more milk you will produce. However, you do need to empty the breast completely to signal for an adequate "refill." If this does not help, I would recommend making an appointment with a lactation consultant in your area.

L. Kandell, MS, RD, IBCLC/RLC
Affiliated Nutrition Consultants, LLC
Scottsdale, AZ
###-###-####

I used the pure fenugreek capsules (from whole foods) as they are supposed to be more effective than mothers milk and similar products which aren't the pure fenugreek extract. They worked really well for me. Babycenter.com website has good info on breastfeeding/milk supply etc.

Don't give up and try not to stress too much. Definitely contact a lactation consultant and pump more frequently when at work. You can buy (not too expensive) adaptors to hook into a cigarette lighter or a battery pack adaptor (takes AA batteries) and you can pump in the field. You might want to bring a blanket for a little privacy and definitely a cooler for the milk. I would also bring a small hand towel to put in your lap incase you drip or spill. I used both adapters at different times and they work great. Good luck!

J.

You might try the herb fenugreek. You can look up the amounts to take online, and it supposedly really does increase your milk supply. Other than that, have you tried letting your little girl latch on again? I don't know if it's too late for her to understand what she's supposed to do, but babies are a lot more efficient at drawing out milk than pumps (even the good ones!) Good luck, T.!

- L. (mom of 1 year old Katie in LaPorte)

My recommendations would be to make sure you're getting enough food, drink and rest. Also, how often during the day are you nursing her? I was able to speed up and increase milk flow if I nursed my baby more often during the day. Are you working or still at home? Sometimes stress from a job can really slow your milk flow.

Call a lactation specialist and call your child's pediatrician. They can prescribe stuff to help increase flow.

T.,
Sorry to hear you are having this problem. It must be very stressful for you. Do you have any history of thyroid problems, or have you ever had your thryroid checked? Sometimes this can be a cause of low milk supply.
You can also discuss with your OB and pediatrician the use of fenugreek, goat's rue, or Reglan to help increase your milk supply.
I would recommended pumping your breasts for 10 minutes after each feeding (or pumping for a longer duration while you are at work). This tells your body that you need to make more milk and will hopefully increase your supply. You need to use a good quality double electric pump- such as the Medela Pump in Style or Ameda Purely Yours. These kinds of pumps are also very important for working moms to use.
I would also recommended contacting a lactation consultant in your area. I am one at Littleton Adventist Hospital, if you'd like to call us for more advice, please see the number listed below. Rose hospital also has a great lactation program.
It's very important to pump regularly, even while at work, to keep up your supply. As milk production works off of supply and demand. I suspect this is probably the culprit to your decreased supply. If you need help or suggestions with dealing with pumping at work, again feel free to call us at the number below. A lot of women who are able to keep up a good pumping routine when going back to work do see a dip in their supply when they first go back to work.
Get plenty of rest, make sure you are well hydrated and try to eat a balanced diet as well.

Good Luck,
K. Pickering, RN, CLE
Lactation Dept. ###-###-####

I had that same problem. In my case, I think that the reason why mine dried up was that my daughter wasn't latched on properly. She would feed but it would never be enough. I did everything, (except for the beer), and finally, I just had to switch her to forumla at 3 months so she would not be hungry because at that age, was too hard for me to correct it (according to a lactation consultant). I would talk to a lactation consultant and have her check your baby's latch.
Good luck.

I nursed most of my children until they were 2 years old. You need to make sure you are drinking enough liquids... In addition you need to make sure you are nursing consitently at the same time every day. Do not give up!! It is absolutely the best all the way around. It is the one time of day you actually sit and get one on one time with your child. Do NOT give up. Make sure you have the best breast pump possible they are not all created equal. The best pump is the baby.

I can definitely recommend that you DO NOT try the medicine Reglan...I was prescribed this when they thought I wasn't making enough milk. I had severe side effects which masked themselves as post pardum depression. My son and I nearly ended up killed by me. Don' take it! Make sure your drinking at least 2 liters of water a day, not exercising or dieting too much or at all while you try to build up your supply. Also make sure you're not going more than 3-4 hours during the day without stimulation or 9 hours at night. If your baby is sleeping more that that, wake her up or pump. Good Luck. You are welcome to contact me again if you want. I had a terrible nursing experience with first child so we had to work through a lot to end up nursing for a year. I'm no medical expert, but I've read a lot and learned from my difficult experience.

Well I used Fenugreek Herb supplements. Worked very well and quickly. I smelled like maple syrup- which is normal. could be worse

Make sure you are drinking lots of water. Not dieting don't overdo the exercise right now. You can build your supply back up.

Best of luck

S.

T.,
I too had problems with milk supply. The herbal supplement Fenugreek really helped. You can find it at any natural food supplier like Wild Oats or online. Also contact your local chapter of La Leche League, they will help you with this difficulty. But lastly, if it doesn't work out don't feel like less of a mom or feel guilty about using formula. My son was born tounge tied and they didn't figure it out until 48 hours after birth. My milk never really came in strong I never had any engorgement and we struggled greatly. The second night home from the hospital my little one was up all night and I didn't know what was wrong. The nurse came to do the home visit the following morning and she said that he was just hungry. I was dumfounded as he was nursing every hour and a half. I just wasn't producing enough milk to sustain his appetite. She checked his weight and told me that if he didn't gain 8 oz. in two days he must go back to the hospital. We supplemented on formula and the breastfeeding decreased day by day. Following the second bout of steriods due to asthma (you can't breastfeed at allfor 2 weeks on steroids) we gave up as he no longer wanted to take the breast. I felt so failed as a mom. I wanted all the best for my little boy. Just keep in mind that breastfeeding doesn't work for everyone no matter what moms who breast fed all their kids may tell you. The important thing is that you make sure your baby is fed. Formula has worked for millions of babies. My son is now almost 1 and he is a triving and healthy cutie and I have no regrets. Best of Luck!

see a lactation consultant at a nearby hospital or go to the la leche league website. Those people can fix any problem with nursing.

TRY GOING TO BABYZONE.COM, BABYCENTER.COM, BABYFIT.COM, WEBMD.COM IMOTHERTOANOTHER.COM. ALL OF THE WEBSITES HERE HAVE GRATE INFO ON BREASTFEEDING AND ALMOST ANY OTHER INFO YOU MIGHT NEED OR WANT. GOOD LUCK, AND I HOPE EVRYTHING GOES WELL.

Is it the low amount of milk from pumping that makes you think your supply is low? If you can, get a different pump. I find that my breasts become unsensitive to a pump if it's used to much. Maybe if you can alternate pumps, that would help.

Also, don't worry to much about her latch. Everyone always makes a big deal about it in the early days, wich can stress you out. My youngest son, now 5 months had a horrible latch! It sounded like he was drinking from a straw in a cup with almost no liquid...but he was gaining and acting healthy, so I just let him be. Around 4 months old, he started getting better, now he's a reat nurser.

I am tandem nursing my 3 year old and my 6 month old. Come to a (LLL) La Leche League meeting the 3rd Tuesday of the month at St. Luke's Methodist (if you are in Lubbock - if not there are meetings everywhere). I want to ask, what is the indication that your milk is drying up? Sometimes in the first few months it appears as though milk is not coming, but it actually is, Also, if yoour baby is 3 months and in a growth spurt it may appear as though she is not getting enough milk (people may even be telling you that), but hang in there. The more you nurse, the more you make - so keep going. The baby may be just pluggin you so you will make more milk because she is growing. She has to work harder some days to get you to make more milk for her growing body. It also depends how often you nurse. Nursing on demand is recommended by LLL, and that worked for me. If you are working full time, it may be more difficult, and if you are doing this, you have to be really consistent and creative. Just remember, nursing even one day cuts the baby's chance of diabetes significantly, so every day you are giving your baby the perfect food, mommy's milk, you are helping your baby. Good job, that you made it to 3 months! Hang in there, and get some support. If you can't make it to a meeting, call a LLL leaderand get the support over the phone. Lubbock leaders, Celeste and Amanda, are so great.

WarmLLLy,
K.

My SIL has an ameda pump (The "purchase" version of the hospital pumps) and it worked fine to pump milk with her first pregnancy when she had a normal milk supply, but she was in the hospital longer this time with a C-Section and her milk started drying up. The Ameda pump could not get her to produce milk this time, so at the hospital (or you can go to a store specializing in this kind of stuff, it actually might be cheaper that way) they gave her a true hospital pump (not the purchase version. In the true hospital-grade pumps, the motor alone costs like $500), and she said it got her to produce milk immediately. It worked worlds better than her purchase version Ameda did (but the Ameda really is great if your milk supply is normal). Good luck. Also try looking at pics of your baby and thinking about her while you pump.

hi i know the feeling my son is 6 weeks old the best advise i have is first off you have to relax, dont stress about baby work or life it will reduce milk supply. second i know she doesnt want the nip but put her on it as soon as she wakes up hungry let her suck for about 10 min even if no milk comes out -then pump right afterwards in a dark relaxed room even if no milk comes out --in about 1 week to 3 days you will produce more and more milk --i just went through that --my husband came home he was stressing me out i thought i lost my milk supply too--my lactation consultant and she advsed those things --as well as eat well 3 to 5 time a day and drink plenty of water it makes a diff. before you pump put a warm cloth on your chest for better circulation--dont stress i had to feed my baby formula a couple of times and i really did not want him to have any formula but let me know how that works it does take a couple of days okay pump every 3 hrs too.....

Eat lots of veggies and rice and a protein chicken,pork or beef. Use an electric pump, pump every 3 hours for 30 minutes even through the night, lanolin cream helps if you start to have cracking nipples but it takes a minimum of 3 days for your milk to come back.

Good luck,
K.

There is a medication that your doctor can prescribe that will get your supply back up. I can't remember the name, but I remember that it had a really weird dosing schedule and it worked like a miracle. Stress can really foul up your supply and not pumping when you are supposed to is also really bad. I had the same sorts of things happening when I was nursing. The benefits make ti so worth it to stick with it. Good luck.

-S.

As everyone pretty much has stated make sure you are drinking enough water. Another thing that I didn't realize was any kind of decongestant will dry you up as well as birth control pills. Are you taking either of these? I found out with my first and stopped taking them and my milk came back in full force. I nursed him until he was 13 mos old. I successfully nursed my second and third children for about a year each as well. I hope this information helps! ~L.

I had the same problem, my son started daycare when I went back to work when he was 4 months old. I took mothers milk plus also...I actually took more than what the bottle said, almost double. Drink a lot of water and try to pump several times a day. I took my pump to work and pumped and dumped. It worked for me, my son is now 9 months old now and my milk is now gradually drying up. He is content with a bottle and I feel happy to have made it so long. Best of luck to you. Also, know that if your milk does dry up that you have still succeeded!! Alot of mothers I know gave up on nursing after a couple of days. Your baby girl has received the best that you could give her. God bless you both!

Hi T.,
I am not an expert but I breastfeed two children out of three. There are so many factors. You could contact the nurses at the Hospital or a group called La Leche Ligue for advise.
Try not to do much phisical exercise and rest as much as you can. Also drink plenty of water. I drank a lot of soymilk and sometimes beer. Make sure the baby is latching all right. Make her nurse as much as posible.
L.

I spoke with another mom from daycare that is nursing as well. She recommended trying "Brewer's Yeast" which you can buy at grocery stores that carry organic or natural foods to increase milk supply. I have not tried it yet, but she is also using the mother's milk and in one week she doubled her milk supply. I was able to increase my milk supply by pumping every 2-3 hrs if I am not nursing, drinking only water (lots of it), cutting out the caffeine, and snacking right before nursing. Pump wherever you may be no matter what, you are not only reducing your milk supply but you can also end up with Mastitis, or clogged ducts. You really don't want either one, very painful. Good luck.

I would call a lactation specialist as soon as possible. The women at Bosom Buddies (a shop for nursing bras, pumps, etc.) are FANTASTIC. www.bosombuddies.com or ###-###-#### I believe they have two locations. They have VERY qualified lactation specialists there. Also Ana Hill is wonderful. I think you can email her at ____@____.com

I am a working mommy of a 3 month old, as well. I pump while at work every two to three hours, and I have been drinking Mother's Milk tea, as well. I was freaked for a while about whether or not I was making enough milk, because for a while I was only getting about an oz a feeding, too. I have had my day care provider supplement with formula (about 5-6 oz a day) while I'm at work, and it has seemed to help. Have you tried latching your baby on to your breast much? Having your baby sucking on your breast helps your milk production go up a lot. Just keep trying to put her back on as much as you can. Also, try to pump for at least 10 minutes per side, if you can, or longer.
If you need more advice you can always contact the La Leche League (www.lalecheleague.org) or you can contact a lactation consultant with the ILCA (http://gotwww.net/ilca/). Good luck!

Dear T.,

I think the day you were out in the field with no access to your pump is the day that created your drying up issues. Pumps are great, but nothing works better than the baby at breast. It is true that you need to put that baby to breast often and for long periods of time. This may be inconvenient to your work schedule, etc. So, if you want to continue breastfeeding, I would recommend that you breastfeed more often and for longer periods of time as much as possible. Then, pump during those times when your baby is not latching on or you are at work (in the field). Bring a pump (electric or manual) to your job site. Use it during your bathroom breaks. You will gradually build up your milk supply. I found manual pumps more convenient to carry to work or other places, but electric pumps are faster to use if you are pressed for time. In addition, call the La Leche League for support and information. They are a wealth of knowledge in the area of breastfeeding!

A. D.

T.
You are right, stress definately plays a role. I find the most common problems tend to be stress, hydration and sleep. It sounds like breastfeeding has been very stressful for you from the beginning. You are doing alot for your daughter- give yourself some credit and take it easy on yourself. It's easy to say "just relax", but harder to do it. Do whatever you can do destress yourself. I found visualization very helpful. You can work out a visualize where your breasts are overfilling with milk and the supply is bountiful - it really does work. Ask for and get whatever help you can from those closest to you. There are herbs you can try - I would suggest finding a good naturopathic physician (www.naturopathic.org) , herbalist or midwife in your area. Take care. Rest
K.

T.,
I am expecting in October and recently took the childbirth classes at UMC (in Lubbock). Pauline Mills is a lactation consultant for UMC. I haven't used her yet (she taught some of the classes) but thought it would be a good resource for you (I'm not sure where you are located). Her cell number is ###-###-####...she said you can call her from 7am-9pm. She gets paid by the hospital for calls on her cell phone...so call away!!

There are so many wonderful things about breast feeding and there are so many issues also. I found the La Leche League a life saver. I was able to breast feed for 10 months and it was beautiful. the web site is www.lalecheleague.org One of the things the ladies told me to do during dry up spells is to feed feed feed. Seriously. for at least 3-7 days straight. They even suggested waking the baby up at night and feed every two hours for 3-7 days straight. If the baby does not want to eat that often then pump. Anything to make your body think you need to make more milk. I hope this is helpful. Good luck and God Bless.

Hi T.,
A few suggestions for you. Try Fenugreek tablets. They are available at most vitamin stores or natural stores.

Also, I know this may sound strange, but Guniness beer work well as well. 1 bottle will do and should not hurt the baby.

Pumping will help. One method that helped me was to nurse on one side only for the feeding and pump the other breast, then alternate. I seemed to produce a bit more that way.

And good old fashion water. I was told 6-8 ounces each hour.

Remember, the more you stress, the less you produce. Also you need to eat and sleep well so lean on others to help you as both of those factors affect your milk supply.

DO not be harsh on yourself. 3 months is better than nothing and formulas these days have great supplements to minic breastmilk so if you dry up, you have not cheated you little girl or you. Nature knows whats best.

All the best,
D.

I had the same problem and tried teas and extra pumping. The only thing that worked was a prescription my OBGYN gave me that is for Acid Reflux, but that increases milk supply as a side effect. I didn't have Acid Reflux, she gave me the prescription just to increase milk. It worked great, but as soon as the prescription ended, my milk was gone. I was 41 at the time and attribute the lack of milk to my age. If you are younger, maybe it would help your milk production come back.

Beer? Never geard that one. I suggest feeding her often and also pumping in between/ I myself hated pumping but it helps. Drinking water and plenty of fluid will hel too. Maybe try that beer suggestion. My milk supply was never that high with my first so I always pumped every few hours. Good luck
A.

Have you tried drinking a beer. I know that sounds weird considering if you drink while breastfeeding you are supposed to pump it out, but one beer won't hurt and the yeast is supposed to help with milk production. Fortunately, I never had that problem, but my mom always did that with us kids and she said it worked great. I have girlfriends that were the same way and could only breastfeed for a couple months because of their milk supply, so if nothing works you might be one too. I hope this helps! Good luck!

T. -
It is really hard to be a working mother who's breastfeeding. I really began to dwindle when my son wasn't eating a lot. The best way to produce more is to pump and feed more. The more that is required from your breasts the more they will produce. It is the law of supply and demand. If you can get your daughter to latch on better that will make all the difference in the world. Pumping is different than the working mouth of a child. If that doesn't work I highly suggest seeing a lactition to help you and your daughter so that you can continue to breastfeed. You are right as well about the stress, it will limit your production. It is difficult and strenuous, and working all those hours without pumping will be your demise. I am sure you are working to support the family, at least to help out, but I would suggest mandating a pump time to supply for your daughter. I don't know what it is you do, but maybe ask to work a differnt schedule so you don't have to miss out on the time with your daughter and to maintain pumping. I know it is stressful in needing to pay the bills and supply for your baby, I am right there with you, but there are sacrifices that have to be made and I would rather be poor with nothing and be able to bond with my son than have everything and have no time with him at all.

I have a 4 month old and understand what you are going through. If you need any help or would like to have your daughter receive breastmilk I can help guide you in the right direction of where to obtain some with little or no cost! Being a mother is hard, that is where support is helpful. Feel free to send me a note if you would like some suggestions for help or just an ear.

Good luck,
M., DENVER

____@____.com, Denver, CO

T., make sure you are drinking plenty of water. Also a glass of beer will help. I know that sounds horrible. But my mom was a labor and delivery nurse for 42 years and has told me on several occasions that beer helps. Also the more often you feed your baby, the more milk you will have.

Hi,

Are you sure that your milk is drying up? Because it could mean that your body is making just the right amount for your baby. Does she have the the 8-10 wet diapers aday, and is her BM still loose, is she gaining weight?
One way to help your body produce more milk is to pump in between feedings and make sure you are switching from the left to the right more often. One thing you can try to see if your daughter is getting enough is too weigh her before you feed her and then again after, that will give you a rough idea on how many ounces she is getting. As long as she is not dehyrated (has enough wet diapers) and she is gaining wieght i wouldn't really worry about it.

Hope that helps
M. W.

***Fenugreek***
I was skeptical to take something I've never heard but it worked wonderfully for me and for others I have recommended it to.

Another good option is malt beverages - Ovaltine, Wendy's Frostys :> Anything w/ malt.

Of course, good rest always helps. That's why many people find pumping first thing in the morning to be more successful than at any other time of the day.

Reduce your stress as much a possible (that includes stressing about your milk supply). Stress can really effect your milk supply.

***LOTS OF WATER!***
I was the worst about taking this advise, but rest & water are your 2 best allies when providing for your baby girl.

Good luck,
P.

Try getting a bath with lavender bubble bath. It totally let my milk let down and is very relaxing. Just don't put the bubble bath gel/soap on your breasts.Maybe you're under a lot of stress right now and rightfully so.Relax. Pump while you're on a rocking chair with a baby 's blanket. Also warm compresses on your breast prior to expressing helps too. Good luck! By the way, I've tried all 3 of these myself and they helped.

Hi T.,

That happened to me when my baby was 6 months old, I always had a low milk supply. I had not been eating very well so that is why. I also was not drinking enough water. How is your diet? I had to start eating every 2 hours, even if I needed a snack in the middle of the night, I got up because all that nutrients is going to the baby plus you need some for you. My son is not 15 months and is on regular food, thank goodness. :)

K.
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