BREASTFEEDING MOMS - HELP! How do I increase my milk supply?
I desperately need to increase my milk supply. My 3 month old son and I were sick (RSV) and my son hardly ate for almost a week. I was sick too and tried to keep my supply going, but with a worn out body and a decrease in my eating along with my son hardly eating, my milk is basically vanished! He is doing much better now, but NEVER seems satisfied after eating. I really, REALLY want to continue breastfeeding him. What can I do to increase my supply?! ADVICE PLEASE?! So far, I am eating 2,500 calories/day per my son's pediatrician and drinking 10 glasses of water/day. Any other ideas to go along with this?
Mastitis decreased my breast milk supply. How can i increase the supply?
I am a lactation consultant. Careful posters, Fenugreek absolutely DOES have side effects. Yes, it is an herb but most medications are made from herbs, so it being over the counter does not make it safe for all people. For example, Fenugreek can lower blood sugar levels, so it is not recommended for diabetics. This is one example, there are others. Carefully research anything you ingest: herb or pharmacy drug. Now to address the question of milk supply. Reduction in supply due to mastitis is a common occurence. I do agree with other posters about frequent feeds. Breast milk supply is a simple DEMAND=SUPPLY system. The more you empty the more you make, the less you empty the less you make. So frequent emptying and stimulation is key. I call it taking a nursing holiday. Spend all day nursing your baby, doing little else but sleep and eating. This will usually do the trick of increasing your supply. If it does not work, then yes considering a galactogogue (milk supply herb) can be considered but only when consulted by a lactation consultant and physician to monitor you while on it. Hope this helps.
Increasing my milk supply for a premature baby.?
Speak to your OB. He can put you on a prescription that can help supply. I can't remember the name of it. There is also another herb - something like Bleeding Thistle? - that is supposed to help. I think you should pump for longer. My OB had me on a schedule that every 4 hours I would feed my daughter for 30 minutes each breast, then pump each breast for 30 minutes, then 2 hour break, then repeat. This was around the clock. You can't pump during the day, and then sleep through 8 hours without pumping at all. If you want to increase supply then you need to pump through the night also. The hospital will rent you a really good pump. I did that and the increased suction, and doing both breasts at once, did seem to help.
My breastmilk supply has decreased....Experienced advice only please!?
I have been diagnosed with pneumonia and have been on Zithromax, Lortab, and Omnicef for 5 days. My baby is 3 weeks old and before I was admitted to the hospital I had an overabundant supply of breast milk, now I feel like I barely have enough. I was wondering if my milk supply will increase when I get better and finish my meds. I have been drinking about 3 quarts of water a day and resting adequately. I nurse often and even pump when I can. I started taking Fenugreek and Mother's Milk tea to help. I am lucky to be alive at this point. I am thinking there is a medicine that was injected or administered in an IV that reduced my breastmilk. Please if you don't know anything about breastfeeding do not bother to answer this. I have 2 1/2 years of breastfeeding experience and need solid advice. I really do not need snide remarks right now either. Thank you!!!!!!!
Not producing enough breast milk for my 3 week old newborn?
The best way to increase your milk supply is to feed your baby as often and for as long as she wants. Yes, she may want to feed every 15-20 minutes - she may wait 3-4 hours. The thing to do is feed on demand. Forget about pumping - your daughter is the best breast pump there is - the more she suckles, the more milk you will produce. I would like to point out that in the first few days (up to 21 or so) your body is mostly producing colostrum (a clearish liquid) BEFORE your milk fully comes in. Colostrum is more than adequate for your little one at this time as it contains anti-bodies and all the nutrients your baby needs. As I said, feed on demand and not by the clock! Let's face it, we dont wait 4 hours in-between our meals. We could have just eaten a lovely lunch and are completely full but in an hour or so we may want a cup of tea, coffee, fruit juice or water and maybe even a biscuit - so we have one, we don't wait for the clock to tell us do we? Your precious little one is still learning how to adjust from having all her needs being taken care of through the umbilical cord to you. Now she has to learn (as do you, of course) how to breastfeed. Forget about supplementing with formula, feed on demand and your milk supply will be great. If you get to a point when you are producing more milk than your baby wants, then use a pump and store the excess breastmilk (in the correct containers, of course) in your fridge and maybe your partner could give the occasional bottle of breastmilk to your baby. Most of all, enjoy the time you spend nursing your daughter - it's very precious. Babies grow up so quickly make the very most of every moment. Wishing you love and happiness.
Why do mothers use baby formula when they could use breast milk instead?
While the evidence points to breast milk being better for your baby’s health,Breast feeding can be hard.My wife breast fed our first child until 2 years and is currently feeding our second at 8 months.When my wife first started our first was a month premature, small, jaundiced and kept falling asleep when feeding, so did not eat much. This meant that she had to be fed every two hours, first on the breast, then from the bottle with expressed milk. Try to imagine feeding for 30 mins, pumping for 30mins, sleeping for an hour then repeating for a couple of weeks.Now imagine that you are a new mum who has never done this before. Your milk supply is not coming in very fast as your baby is not feeding well, you are just getting a teaspoon at a time. You're not experienced so even when your baby is awake (and you will be only half awake) you don't really get the latch right. This means that feeding does not go well and your nipples are getting sore, cracked and bleeding.Ok, you're strong willed (have an amazing husband) and persevere and it goes well. Success, but it is still hard as you cannot easily hand off your child or if you need to, you need to pump to express milk (which does not always go well). This continues but even more so when you go back to work.It would be so much easier if you could just drop some water and powder in a bottle, hand it and your baby to your (amazing) husband and finally get to sleep.Most of our friends (sensible, educated people who know that "breast is best" for their baby) either could not get started or gave up within the first three months.