Supplementing Breastfeeding

More cereal won't help because that still means less liquid for baby. Try making sure you get extra fluids yourself during your period. Your body loses a lot of vitamins and water during that time. The more water you drink, the more milk your body should produce. It still wouldn't hurt to speak with your doctor. There may be a supplement you can safely take to boost your production until your body realizes you are getting more fluids.

Hi S.,

Although it would be great to avoid formula, for a baby this age, food does not replace his milk and does not give him the nutrients that he needs. If he must be supplemented at this age, it needs to be formula or other appropriate milk substitute. A lactation consultant or LLL leader may be able to give you some other options. You might also try building more of a freezer stash during the times that you aren't menstruating so that you have more frozen EBM on hand for when you are. It's really normal for your supply to tank during your period.

When I had to work for a 6 week period and couldn't keep up with demand, I got my pediatrician's ok to supplement 1-2 feedings (10% of his feedings for a 24 hr period) with goat's milk. I used the kind that comes in the can (just add water) and our son did great with this from 6 weeks-12 weeks, then I was able to be with him full time again.

I liked it because it is very low allergy, much easier to digest than cow/soy protein, and I knew exactly what was in it.

I can only comment on the breastfeeding. I was able to go for a full 13 month period. For the first 6 months that is all I gave my son, but I did notice that my milk supply would decrease at times. I have two different consultants giving me sound advice.

You can build your supply with the following: oatmeal, oatmeal cookies, fenugreek herb (or mother's milk tea), and tons of water each day.

I've been using the Babys Only organic formula to supplement a bit when my supply is low. It's more expensive than the others but I figure since I am not using it full time, i could splurge and feel good about giving him organic formula. I bought mine luckyvitamins.com, it was the cheapest.

good luck!

Hi S.,

This happened to me exactly... I talked to a lactation consultant who recomended "power pumping" Pumping every hour, it's tough but I was determined. I could not get let down that often, but every 1.5 hours earier in the day and the 2 hours later in the day really did the trick. This translated to pumping 5 times a day at work, after a few days the supply went up and I dropped to pumping 4 times a day. I had been pumping 3 times per day before the drop. It worked well, I had to remain diligent. I also kept a hand pump at home, and if my son was not very hungry, I would pump and save. It was generally a tight squeeze, but I never had to supplement. If this makes you too crazy, give yourself permission to supplement, but if you really don't want to do that, try the power pumping.

Also, have you tried Fenugreek? You need to take a lot and it smells funny. Also, barley malt is supposed to help, so you could try a non-alcohol beer or Malta. You could also try to find a lactation consultant who is and MD. I understand there are medication that can help with this.

Good luck!

C.

My daughter just turned one and I breastfed her for the year. I also experienced the decline in my milk at work during my menstrual cycle. I always tapped into my frozen supply and made up for it later. When my milk came back strong after my cycle ended, I just made more of an effort to pump at night or after a feed to get a little more back into the freezer. I also tried a bit of formula when she was about 9 months old (I used Enfamil - it was what I had) and put an ounce in her first bottle with the breastmilk (I knew she always sucked the first bottle down, so I wouldn't waste the breastmilk) - this provided two things for me - One, I wanted to make sure she could take it just in case my frozen supply ever ran out...and Two, if I decided to not make it to a year - I would feel more at ease with the transition. It also saved me an ounce a day - which was an extra bottle at week's end in the freezer. I did it for a few weeks - and then decided to go for the year with breastfeeding, so I stopped. She's on cow's milk now during the day (transitioned fine) and I still nurse at night. As far as formula goes - I think they are really all the same - my doctor said something to me that made me feel okay about trying it - "It's not poison." I laughed and calmed down a bit about it. I too was worried about all the ingredients...but it does have a lot of vitamiins too - and since your baby is entirely on breast milk and you would barely be supplementing - I think it's more about which one your son would tolerate.

I hear your pain about all the ingredients you can't pronounce! I make all my own food and am down to one nursing a day with my 14 month old. It's a lot of work, but it's such an awesome thing to do for your baby! Have you talked to your doctor about your milk supply decreasing and ask what more you can do? I found that the more I pumped in between feedings, the more I produced. If he's nursing 5 times a day, say every 3 hours, try pumping on the 1.5 hour mark two or three times a day. After a few days, that should boost your supply. You know it's a supply/demand. I'm sure giving him some more cereal would help, but most doctors recommend a certain number of feedings/ounces per day for any given age. There is an old wives' tale that says beer helps boost production. I don't drink, so I never tried it. I just pumped in between feedings. Good luck!

this happens to me and what i do is eat more oatmeal, take fenugreek pills and drink plenty of water during the day.

my son is 8 mos old and was a big boy when he was born (10lbs 3 ounces) and he's now 25 lbs and he drinks around 24 ounces of breastmilk.

i work full time and i haven't gotten my cycle but always at the end of the month when i would get my cycle my milk supply decreases and i used to freak out about it. so i started reading that fenugreek helps and it does. i also take a tea called mother's milk that you can my at any organic store and that also helps

i wish you well and you should be complimented on how great you are doing on the breastfeeding.

all the best
P. shaddow

hi S.,

i started menstruating when my daughter was 2 months old and have had the same problem wiht supply ever since. i did some research on the internet, and discovered a few things that have really helped, maybe they'll work for you:

* start taking a calcium/magnesium supplement that's 2 parts cal to 1 part mag (the magnesium helps the calcium uptake in your system - there's some relationship between milk supply and calcium, but i have forgotten what it is...). they say to do this around when you period starts, but i could never remember so just have been taking it every day.

* both fenugreek and blessed thistle tincutres (you can get these at the health food store) worked wonders - take about a dropperfull or two a day around the time you think your period will start. literally - i'd go from flat to full in a matter of hours.

* I have a wonderful accupuncturist and chinese herbalist. she treated me with herbs and needle points, and that has also been a great help.

my daughter is now ten months old, and with the above treatments, i've only had to supplement with formula once or twice. the formula we use is called baby's only. you can get soy or milk based. it's organic. you can get it at the health food store. it's more expensive, but i figure we aren't using it that much so it's worth it to me.

good luck.

I think your milk supply will come back. You said you are pumping 8-12 oz. How much is your baby eatting at each feeding?

Fenugreek capsules work wonders to boost your milk supply. Try that first, and make sure you are getting enough fluids. Good luck!

Your supply should come back after your period is over. Have you ever thought about donor breast milk from a milk bank? We use the milk bank at Wake Med Mothers Milk bank in Raliegh North Carolina at the hospital I work at. They will ship it to your house.