Breastfeeding - Austin,TX

B.,

My friend did mashmallow root to increase her milk. Or you could pump in between feedings.

Good Luck!

A. and The BOO!

Brewer's Yeast, Shiner Bock, St. Polly Girl (the last two are yeasty beers that would help and are fine to drink as long as it is done in moderation; 1/2 to 1 beer/day)

Hello B.,

I used homeopathy, Ricinus Communis (laboratoires Boiron), it worked wonders for me. I used it for the first few weeks after my daughter was born.

I would imagine the people's pharmacy would carry this, I know they have quite a selection of homeopathic medicine.

Good luck
A.

fenugreek? There is an herbal tea I used that helped. If you go to the health food store and ask they should be able to help you.

YOu might not believe this, but a friend of mine had tha tproblem and was told by her pediatrician to drink ONE light beer a day.....When she told me that I was shocked! However it worked! You might want to ask your Dr. about that and see if they would suggest it!

I usually drank half a beer a day and that really helped. This time I am going to try milk maid tea from earth mama angel baby. Also just keep up your fluid intake(drink plenty).

www.earthmamaangelbaby.com

Fenugreek tea, you can find it at any healthfood store. A website that is good for breastfeeding moms is kellymom.com, lots of good info.

I consulted a lactionist, and she gave me great advise. She had me drink grape juice. It needs to be 100% grape juice. This kept my milk in great supply. I drank a glass everyday, and any time my milk was low.
Things to AVOID: Milkthistle (homiopathic), STRESS, not getting enough REST, not EATTING regularly. These 3 things are MAJOR factors in milk production. When your milk is low ask yourself if you have eatten, are rested, or stressed. Fixing these will GREATLY help your milk production. Also, do not be afraid to feed your baby. As the baby grows, it wants more milk, and as it gets it, your body will increase the supply. You can't feed too often, if the baby asks for it. Your body will adjust to the baby's needs. I hope this helps. Also, Prayer soothes & helps even more.

There is a tea called Mother's milk that you can get. It is supposed to help with lactation. It can be found a GNC stores. I'm not sure if you can find it anywhere else.

Good luck!

Mother's Milk Tea- Available @ Sun Harvest. I put in Honey and some milk and it is warm and yummy and helps with your milk quality as well as quantity within a day or so of drinking it. This is not hearsay - I am using it right now. Watch out for the day that your milk "comes in again". You will be full again!

There is a tea that you can buy that will help you increase you milk supply up to 10%. Just search breastfeeding tea on google and plenty of sites where you can purchase it will show up. I had a friend who was having trouble and this helped her. Also, just drinking an 8 oz glass of water during pumping should help. I breastfeed my 2 and 4 yr old and believe that the kind of pump you have and the amount that you are able to relax have an impact. Also, your milk duct is a sweet gland. The warmer the cone that you pump into the better. I also found that I produced the most milk in the morning. I hope this helps.

when i had my first child, i was worried about not producing enough milk to feed her. here in germany they sell special breastfeeding teas, which also help the baby's stomach to feel better, only natural ingredients. u might find them on organic baby websites, just google it. also (and that worked GREAT for me) onion soup. i know how weird that sounds but an old italian lady told me about it and when i tried it i was stunned, a few hrs later i had more than enough milk.
and by the way, ur breast will make as much milk as the baby needs, dont worry about that, just let the baby drink more often and it will adjust.trust in ur body.

I agree with everyone else too, but also remember that you may think your supply is low, because your baby needs to feed more, but remember those growth spurts!!! They can make you think that you are not producing enough, when in fact you are. If your baby is still young, growth spurts can come every couple of weeks!

B.
Congratulations on nursing your baby!
- When nursing at home, pump on side that baby is not on. This takes advantage of the let-down reflex on that side while your baby nurses.
- If you are working, hen arriving home on Friday, change into a button up shirt and sling/wear your baby. Your body will respond to this closeness by increasing certain hormones that aid milk supply. Wear your baby as much as you can the whole weekend (and weeknights, too if you can). Co-sleep if it is safe for you to do so – even if it’s just naps on the weekends. The more you can be skin-to-skin (or close to it), the better.
- Loads of water is good. Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle are good herbs. When it comes to Fenugreek, you know you’re taking enough when you’re body fluids start to smell like maple syrup. :-)
- Traditional Medicinal makes a Mother’s Milk Tea. They recommend 3+ cups a day in order to get it to work well. I, personally, am not a hot tea person – so I made a half-gallon, sweetened it with sugar and drank it cold. It’s not the most wonderful tasting tea, but I’ve had teas that are much more bitter than this one!
- There are certain stretches and pressure points that you can do before nursing/pumping to aid the let-down reflex. 1.) Roll your shoulders around to stimulate between your shoulder blades and spine. 2.) Cross your arms at/near the wrists and, using your knuckles, rub your chest. 3.) Take 3 deep, cleansing breaths. Remember, you will be able to nurse/pump more if you are relaxed.

I’ve also heard that certain beers are handy for increasing supply, but I don’t know anyone with personal experience with this.

La Leche League is a phenomenal resource. There are monthly meetings all over town. I am in South Austin and attend the Oak Hill meeting.
http://www.lllaustin.org/

I hope that you find some of this helpful.

K. H, mama to
Catherine, 4.5y
Samuel, 18m

Beer! I know it sounds a bit strange, but drink one beer a day (making sure to drink it a few hours before your next feeding) really helps your milk come in.
I think it has something to do with the yeast.

I think any beer will do, but I think the regular ones may work better than the light ones.

If you are not a beer fan, choose a nice Raspberry Ale or Strawberry Blonde microbrew that tastes much better and is more enjoyable.

There are also different herbal teas out there that I have not tried, but they may help you as well- just do a search for breastfeeding teas or postpartum recovery teas online.

Hope this helps...
S.

I was told LOTS and LOTS of water and I took two herbal suppliments - Frenugreek and Goats Rue. I was having lots of problems with milk supply with my third child. This is the advice the lactation consultant gave me. And also to breastfeed often (as my little girl was lazy and would sleep for ages). The actual feeding stimulates more milk than just pumping. The suppliments definately helped.

Hi B., The best way I know to get breast milk going & a better supply is drink lots of tea. Worked for me.
good luck with your little one, they are so precious.

I am taking fenugreek, drinking Mother's Milk Tea, and La Leche League recommended eating a bowl of oatmeal each day.

Organic Mothers Milk Tea by Traditional Medicines. you can find this at any HEB. I used it both times with my children after they were born and had to stop after a few months cus i produced so much milk. it tastes good (if you like tea).

I use to drink fennugeek tea you can find it at most health food stores and even some grocery stores. There is also a tea called Mothers Milk. As far as I know these do not have any adverse effect on the baby, and again I used fennugeek and never notice any effect on my babies. Also drink a lot of water that helps a lot.

I have used an herbal supplement called Fenugreek to breastfeed both of my children. It was recommended to me by a lactation consultant and the pedi ok'd it. I like it because it works quickly (within the first or second dose) so you don't have to use it every day if it's not necessary. I know it can be purchased at Whole Foods and it's probably available at many other vitamin/nutrition stores.

My doc perscribed me Reglan both times I was pregnant to help with milk production. Although I never saw a nursing coach so I couldn't get the milk to come. I think I was doing it wrong but I did produce more milk on it..I just couldn't get the baby to get it out..lol. Good luck!

Hi B.!

A friend of mine told me about a tea you can drink. It's called Mother's Milk Tea. I think it may be by Celestial Seasonings. You can find it at Whole Foods. The proper herb that's in this tea is called Fenugreek. You can find this in pill form at Whole Foods too. I wish I would have known about this herb when I was breast feeding my daughter because I just didn't produce enough. By the time I found out, I stopped producing and my daughter was completely on formula. I got to nurse her for 3 months and I still had to supplement with formula during that time as well.

Good luck to ya! Have a wonderful Sunday! :)

--R. :)

B.,
First of all please congratulate yourself for doing the best thing you can do for your baby which is breastfeed!
I had a supply problem so I started taking fenugreek from GNC. I am sure you can get it from other places, but that potency helped me. I took 10 capsules a day, broken down in three separate doses throughout the day. I never had a problem with supply again! I did however have a problem later on with using the pump when I went back to work. Stress affects your "let down" so rememeber that if that ever pops up for you.
Good luck!!

I've bf each of my four children for 14-18 months and sometimes needed to boost my milk supply and always found the easiest and fastest results came from me drinking some "Mother's Milk" tea from the brand Traditional Medicinals. It's sold at GNC and maybe at other retailers. I bought a percolator (I don't drink coffee or any caffeine whatsoever, including black tea)and use it to make the tea. (I've used the percolator for yrs and it's paid for itself, even though the only thing I use it for is to make spearmint tea & mother's tea.) 2 tea bags for 12 cups water, percolate it, and chill it. Add some sugar to taste and it's delicious. Nothing better than ice cold Mother's Milk tea on a hot summer day, plus the milk supply increases quickly and it's totally healthy and easy. (I can feel a difference in milk supply within hours, although I might drink 6-8 cups of it at once because it's delicious IMO.) All the best!

I took fenugreek tablets which I bought from sunharvest and had a lot of success with for increasing my supply. I took the maximum dose initially and then slowly reduced it after a couple of months. They were recommended by my lactation consultant. Two of my friends also took them and had a lot of success with them too.

Hope this helps.
S.

Hi, B.. Congratulations. I read all the responses and the only thing that I would add to clarify is that your body needs more calories than you expect. I nursed my 2 girls until they were almost 2 and worked full-time. You have to increase your fluid intake . . . water, juices or some of these teas that have been suggested, but also increase your calorie intake with healthy snacks. When I nursed, I'd have a large glass of water or juice beside me to drink to help replenish fluids and you must eat more than you think. Many moms are concerned about trying to lose their baby-weight, however, as the baby nurses, the uterus contracts early on and things begin to take shape again. Also, by producing milk, this is an additional demand on your system, therefore, you must have the calories available to produce the milk. You will burn them up as you produce. I regularly ate more than my husband at mealtime and I lost the weight in ~6weeks; (it took a bit longer to get it toned), but the point is that the calories I consumed went to the specific purpose of milk production. Relax and read the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding from LaLeche League-- it answers many questions.
Prayers, peace and sleep to you! G.

Lots and lots of almost any liquid you drink will help. Your body will do the rest. Good luck

My pedi actually suggested some oatmeal stout beer!

Hi B.,

Below is a website of testimonials that really are amazing.

http://www.oil-testimonials.com/aromatherapy.php?t=1&...

Check it out. If you find something you may like to try you can order the products on my website:

www.youngliving.org/sherylhawkinson

If you have any questions, I am here to help

I liked the "Tasty Nursing mother's tea" from the Purple Thistle Tea Company out of Albuquerque, NM. I think it's a midwife who started the company... either way, the tea worked like a CHARM for me!

Oatmeal is what I used and it WORKED! And it doesn't matter how you consume it just as long as you do. So cookies count if they are make with real oatmeal :)

I came across this last year when my daughter was b-feeding her daughter.
Hope it helps you, also drink plenty of fluids,

Housepoet's Famous Lactation Boosting Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip & Flaxseed cookies:

* 1 cup butter or marg
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons water
* 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal*
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups oats, thick cut if you can get them
* 1 cup or more chocolate chips
* 2 tablespoons of brewers yeast* (be generous)

Directions:

Preheat oven at 375 degrees F. Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes. Cream (beat well) margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well. Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to the margarine mix. Beat until blended. Sift together dry ingredients, except oats and chips. Add to margarine mixture. Stir in oats then chips. Scoop or drop onto baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment or silpat. The dough is a little crumbly, so it helps to use a scoop.

Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies.
Serves: 6 dozen cookies
Preparation time: 15 minutes
*can be found at any local health food store.
*NOTE* IT MUST BE BREWERS YEAST, NO SUBSTITUTIONS.

A.

B., let me tell you what worked the BEST for me....in a nut shell, by the time my daughter was born, I had given up on breastfeeding and decided not to even try. (I have 4 kids....3 boys and a girl)..... After my daughter was born, and she was losing weight after a week of "trying" to breastfeed, I had to supplement but at the same time I had a friend come to me and tell me to atleast try Herbalife's Formula 1 shake mix. I did and no kidding 5 days later my daughter refused her supplement bottle and MY MILK WAS IN! (move over elsey the cow) She is 6 now and has been on the shake mix since then and her health has been unbelievable. SHe never had the upper respiratory issues that babies have and rarely ever gets sick.....and her teeth are perfect! Seriously, give me an email/call and give it a try! It is sooooo worth it!

check out my profile on here......lemme know what you think!

C.

Mother's Milk Tea. Alsolots of rest & water.
Cat

I've heard a lot of different things actually. I'm not producing that much either, so I went to the doctor and asked for the prescription to help me out...I will never do that again. I was so tired, had stomach crams, and kept running to the bathroom. I also heard that oatmeal would help...have you tried drinking lots of water?

Breastfeeding is supply versus demand. It is common for women to feel that they are losing their milk supply because they do not feel as full as before. This is totally normal. Your body is adapting to the milk supply, so you are not going to have that super full feeling but believe me the milk is there.

The more you nurse the more milk you will produce. Breastfeed every time your baby is hungry, do not supplement with formula or water. Your body knows what to do, trust it. It is also very normal for a baby to want to eat every 1 1/2-3 hours for the first couple of months and anytime the baby is going through a growth spurt. Do not buy into sleep training as it does not apply to a breastfed baby. Breastfed babies wake more frequently to eat because it is so gentle and they digest it much faster than formula.

It also normal for babies to lose weight in the beginning. Most babies return to their birth weight by the time they are 2 weeks old. I just wanted to add that because I read a post below about losing weight and some doctors push formula when it really is not necessary.

You still need to drink plenty of fluids and eat when you are hungry. I would suggest to talk to a lactation consultant or someone from la leche league. They will be able to help you maintain your breastfeeding goals.

I hope this information helps you. I used to work for the WIC program as a nutritionist. I also nursed my son until he turned 2.

A beer a day seems to help - relaxes and really it does not harm the baby.

This might sound silly but beer. Hops in the beer stimulates milk production. I was told by a lactation consultant that if you drink a beer while you nurse, it will give you the hops and also the small amount of alcohol will help you relax, which helps with the let-down. If you drink it while you are nursing, the alcohol doesn't affect the baby and it will have absorbed by the time you nurse again. My sister used "near beer" because she just didn't feel right about drinking and nursing. It still has the hops.

A girlfriend in Seattle had trouble w/ her milk supply and her doc gave her some anti-nausea medication, not because she was nauseated, but because a side-effect of the drug was more milk.

Mother's milk tea found at any health food store and I've ever seen it in some grocery stores. You can also try fenugreek seed, also found at any health food store. I've used both and they work. Good luck.

Hi Becky - You might find a blog post by a guest blogger on my blog helpful. She talks about increasing breast milk supply. http://www.entrepremusings.com/index.php/2007/11/11/guest...

A.
site: www.babblesoft.com
blog: www.entrepreMusings.com

you can also up your protein intake, which will allow your body to produce more satisfying milk

please don't do beer. you just don't know if it will do anything to baby. fenugreek worked for me. also remember to relax. the more stressed you are the more your supply can decrease. just get in bed with your baby for a day (if possible) and let him/her nurse as often as wanted. lots of fluid and make sure you're getting enough calories yourself.

Hi B. -

Lots and lots of water is the very best thing for you while breastfeeding. If you are interested in supplementing then you can purchase Blessed Thistle at most pharmacies.

Best of luck nursing your little angel!

My Dr. told me to drink one Shiner Bock (must be a dark beer) a day. He said it isn't enough to harm the baby, but will help me produce more milk. I did it, and it worked!! I BF for 9 1/2 months.

B.,
Looks like you've gotten a lot of replies already! That's great!

I've tried Mother's Milk Tea (found it at Kroger in the natural foods section). I've also had beer and that works, too. My mil actually brought me some brewer's yeast (the stuff in beer that helps your production) in caplet form when I had my first baby. I think you can find that in the vitamin aisle at your grocery store.

Also, know that supply and demand really is the way it works for most moms. It may not feel like you're making enough - especially at the beginning - but, if you just trust your body and relax (that's the other thing that REALLY helps), you should be just fine. Make nursing times an oasis for you and baby. Spend it stroking their skin, admiring their beautiful face, relaxing in a comfy chair with your feet up and comfy pillows, read a good book, watch your favorite tv show, etc... Just take a deep breath and relax and that should be a big help, too.

Good luck!
____@____.com
mom to 3 breastfed babies: 5yo dd, 3yo ds, 21mo dd

I've heard moms swear by eating oatmeal to boost supply.

Thyroid problems can be triggered by pregnancy or childbirth and can negatively affect milk supply.

WATER WATER WATER or watermelon :) !!!!!!!!!!

Just don't use any type of antihistamine such as Claritin or Alavert kinda thing cause it will dry you out.

You will be fine!

Fenugreek is the most popular herb that you can take. You will want to make sure that use use a Fenugreek Seed and that it is 610 miligrams. This one is the most effective. The main side effect is that you will smell like maple syrup but it is safe for you and the baby. You should take 3 pills 3 times a day and it will take about 72 hours to start working. If that doesn't work, you can try a more potent pill called More Milk Plus. This is a liquid pill and usually works in 24 hours. Depending on your weight is how many pills that you would take. Under 175 pounds is 1 pill 4 times a day. Over 175 is 2 pills 3 times a day. This pill contains Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle, Nettle and Fennel, all 4 increase milk supply. For more information, you can contact me at ###-###-####.

Thanks!
N.
The Breastfeedingshoppe, Inc.
###-###-####

I know it sounds weird but beer is really good, it is the hops. I would recommend Guiness as the best - maybe not the best tasting but actually more nutrients.

I used to start drinking it right before and during. It also helps you relax a litte if you are tense. I was with my first and had issues with bleeding nipples even though she latched on properly.

There are other herbal recipes that contain hops and such but I don't have any of my books for that anymore. After 5 kids my youngest is 2 and it was time to pass them on to others. A book I found very helpful for herbal remedies was Wise Woman's Herbal for the Childbearing Years by Susan Weed. Last I checked it was available online at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Good Luck!

a herbal supplement called Fenugreek. you start off by taking two capsules three times a day and may increase it up to four capsules if needed.

Others have already said Mother's Milk Hot Tea. I just wanted to let you know I have found it at Kroger's in the health food section and at Wal-mart.

Seek help if you feel it would be best. Good luck!