Looking for Ideas to Increase My Breastmilk Supply

I used fenugreek and the Mother's Milk tea. My LC told me not to use both at the same time though b/c MM tea had some fenugreek in it and you don't want too much.
I also found that when I didn't drink or eat enough, my supply went down.
Good luck.

First off, congrarts on your new baby!!! I have veen BFingfor almost 9 months now with MINIMAL supplementing. The other suggestions of Fenugreek are great but sometimes people have never been told a very importnat piece of information. Keep the supplements to an ABSOLUTE bare minimum. Each of those feedings is one that you are telling your body NOT to make. MY suggestion is put the baby on the boob ALL DAY LONG for a day or two. The will boost your supply and get you making what you need too. GOOD LUCK and GREAT JOB!!!

Congratulations! My daughter is nearly three now (and I'll be having #2 in 2 months!), but despite my committment she didn't gain an ounce her first month of exclusive breastfeeding. (due, we think, from either a piece of placenta left inside or abnormal hemorhagging that occured postpartum). I did take fenugreek for a month which helped only slightly. I also, nursed her EVERY TIME - until she became fussy for more (sometimes close to an hour) before ever giving her a bottle - and I pumped. If she was sleepiing when she normally ate - i pumped. I eventually took a medication called Domperidone. It is a dopamine blocker which allows the Prolactin hormone to dominate and I did indeed increase my milk supply. However, Dopamine is your feel-good hormone, so after a month - it was driving me crazy and the increase seemed to diminish after I stopped taking the Rx. What I could have used a lot more of and what I encourage you most to do - is get as much support as you can. Work with a knowledgable lactation consultant on a regular basis and get in touch with your area Le Leche League ( who, may be more helpful then your L.C.) The hardest part for me was accepting at about 4 months that supplementing was part of what worked for us and what we needed to do. Once I let that go - I could enjoy breastfeeding and although, i stopped measuring and tracking every drop - the nursing got better, my daughter seemed more content, and at 20 months I had to convince her to wean to a bottle! I believe she received as much benefit from being breastfeed, as a child 100% breastfeed. I have goals and am currently setting my intention and visualizing a successful breast feeding experience with #2, but I feel that my biggest weapon is having wise supporters and people to reach to for help if needed.

Good luck and great job! It is a major committment and your sticking to it and trying to make it work - makes you an awesome mom. Don't be discouraged. Just keep on keeping on.

Breastfeed, breastfeed, breastfeed! Every time your baby empties your breasts, your body gets a signal to make more milk. Breastfeed before every supplimental bottle you give her. Put her in a sling next to your breast and let her nurse as often as she likes!

The advice below is great. Eat lots of oatmeal, drink lots of water, balance your meals as well as you can with a newborn! And the beer one works. My Granny was given Guinness at the hospital when she had my Mum.

I responded well to "Mother's Milk" tea, which had Blessed Thistle and Fenugreek in it. For the first few days, have a cup about every 4 hours, then twice a day.

The Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition has a page on their website called "Making Milk is Easy". It can be found at:
http://massbfc.org/parents/milk.html

If you find that you need more help and advice, you can find all of the local breastfeeding resources near you (I think this is in MA...didn't see where you are from) at ZipMilk.org. This great new resource has a list of LLL leaders, Lactation consultants and WIC breastfeeding counselors. You enter your ZIP code and all the local helpers pop up.

Hope this helps. Congrats!

I would pump after each feeding (or as many as you want) - this will definately increase your supply and feeding on demand will also help. Let her nurse as much and as long as she wants. I would also speak with a lactation consultant, they will help you out more than you can imagine. If you want, I can give you some phone numbers of some really great women that run a breastfeeding support group and they will help you tremendously.

Fenugreek helped me only slightly, and I ended up smelling like maple syrup. You could also try a dark beer about an hour before you estimate you'll be feeding the baby. The baby won't get any of the alcohol, because your body will have metabolized it by then, but the hops and yeast and barley help with milk production.

You could also boost your oatmeal intake.

To boost my milk supply I took these pills, safe for baby, called fenugreek. It can be bought at any healthfood store. Ask you doctor or lactation specialist, I did and it is safe. Also I was told that I didn't need to change my diet to make more milk, but found out different bodys work differently..so I had to eat more to make more milk. It will help, also you should keep up with the pumping to make more, lots of work but it will pay off. As far as the formula goes, my rule for myself is and was If I feed my daughter a bottle from the frezzer (pumped) I have to replace it, through pumping. Otherwise your body thinks it does not need the extra feeding and slows the production down. So you may have to keep pumping for a full week or more until you get a huge flow but keep at it, don't be discouraged. Keep up the good work...

Yes, fenugreek will increase milk supply. Marshmallow root and fennel will as well. All these plants, mixed with red raspberry leaf, chamomile, and catnip would be a wonderful tea for both you and the baby.

I am also a new mom. Our daughter is almost five weeks old. I have not had any problems with breastfeeding. Have you been feeding on demand? If not, that would definitely be my suggestion. It took a little bit but now it's flowing like a river. Another thing I might suggest is pumping right after your breastfeed. According my doctor, that will increase the supply. I really hope this helps. Have a great day and enjoy your new little one. :)

Hi K.,
I BF exclusively for first 6 months - I found that the only way to keep up my milk supply was by drinking lots of water and by taking an afternoon nap. Anytime I missed my nap my milk supply would decrease. I also pumped a lot. Good luck!
S.

I know it might sound weird, but this worked for me. Try to pump 4 to 6 times a day. An hour or two after pumping give yourself a gentle breast massage. Massage each breast from the nipple back as if you were doing a self breast exam looking for lumps. It helps to stimulate the glands that produce milk. Don't freak out if you feel a bit lumpy. It could very well be a gland that is clogged. By all means, ask your ob if there is any worries. You may only get a few ounces at first but with a little luck from mother nature your supply of milk will increase. Good luck. I hope it helps and congratulations on your new baby daughter.
D. P.

More Milk Plus from Mother Love Herbal company. Has worked for a few of my friends that have tried it.

Congratulations on your baby girl! I know one of the biggest ways to increase supply is to have the baby at the breast as much as possible. This can be extremely demanding but the payoff is unbelievable. My daughter is going through this stage in her life and we talk all the time. She calls them nursathons. Her baby will sometimes nurse all day long. Be sure you are drinking at least 3 liters of water a day. (more if possible). Eat often and healthfully as much as possible! Just keep trying and don't give up! Good Luck to you and your little family! M. B. Mother of 2 grown girls and 4 grandchildren and nanny by trade!

I've noticed that my milk supply suffers when I don't drink enough, don't eat enough, don't sleep enough, or have too much stress. I try to keep tall glasses of water in different places around the house, and I drink and refill them often. Skipping breakfast is another temptation I have to work to avoid - so I buy bagels or other easy healthy breakfast foods.

I've also found that my son will fall asleep after one breast at night, but if I wake him up by burping him, he'll empty the other one too. I make a lot more milk during the night than the day, so I try to feed him as much as he'll take at night and then head back to bed!