Lactation Problems

When my milk supply went down with my middle son, they told me to try Fenugreek and Brewer's yeast! I also consulted with a lactation specialist.

I don't know if my theory is correct, but I lost my milk at 7 months with my first boy. As I look back, I think I didn't drink enough water, and maybe I exercised too much... Good luck. I will say that herbal pills (milk thistle and fenugreek did not help at all).

My wife had the same issues and used fenugreek (herbal supplement that is safe) and it helped a lot. She would also have a glass of stout beer every once in a while (guiness) when she did decide to have a beer she woudl wait until after she either breastfed or pumped. Hope this helps. I am a SAHD of a beautiful 1 and a half year old.

I am the mother of nine bith children, seven step children and 31 grandchildren. I nursed all my children for various lenths of time from six months to a year and one half.

Try improving your own nutrition and hydration. When you nurse, sit down, relax, and drink a large glass of water. Drink 1/2-1 gallon of water a day. Relax, that is important. I remember with my youngest was three months old I had to go to work and when I picked her up to feed her I was swollen and tense and she would not nurse. When I relaxed, she nursed and there was plenty of milk. What a relief!

The better nutrition, the more milk your body will make.

I also found that it worked better for me to only nurse onone side each time. That allows the other side to refill for next time.

For about a week nurse her every 1 1/2 to 2 hrs (except at night) and it'll help your body recognize that it needs to produce more milk. Also try to double you water intake because if your dehydrated you don't produce as much milk. I had the same problem and this worked for me.

Hi,

I also had low milk supply. My son wasn't gaining weight even though I was nursing him constantly!! He was 9lbs at birth and at 5 months he was only about 11 and 1/2 pounds. You do the math!! The doctors almost diagnosed him as "failure to thrive"! They told me to supplement with preemie formula and I didn't want to do that. I started giving him goat milk supplements (my dad has intestinal cancer and he is on the raw food diet, which recommends goat milk if you have to supplement because it is much easier to digest than cows milk) which doesn't have all the nutrients that formula has, but I figured he would get what he needed from my milk and that the goat milk would just fatten him up. It worked and he is now a very healthy and bright two year old. Here is the point I want to make though...when my son was eighteen months, I finally went to the doctor because I was struggling with getting off my baby weight. I researched it for months before I finally decided to get checked out. I just had this feeling that something was wrong. Sure enought I had a hypothyroid! No one in my family has thyroid problems so I was really suprised. It isn't that uncommon of a thing though after you have a baby. Turns out that hypothyroid is one of the main causes of low milk supply in women. It is really rare to have low milk supply unless something is not right. I am just upset that the doctors didn't even think to check and see if everything was okay with me, when they saw my baby was practically starving. I had to find the information out on my own!! People throw around "low milk supply" all the time, but if you do your research it truly isn't very common. A lot of people think they have low milk supply because it is hard to tell how much your baby is getting and they are new to nursing. If your baby is gaining weight, but you think you have low milk supply it is unlikely that you do. It sounds like your baby is still hungry if she is crying after every feeding, but it could be that she just wants to suck. Will she take a binki? Is she gaining weight? I would talk to a lactation consultant or go and get your thyroid checked to see if it could be the cause. Good luck! I am sure things will work out for you and your precious baby!

T.

Try malt or there is an herbal supplement(maybe fenegreek?)that can help. Malted milkshakes or malt ovalteen, or a daily beer (I know but my doc said its helpful, plus it helps you relax.)

I nursed each of my boys for a year. It takes diligence. Always drink plenty of water, at least 64 ounces per day, eat well, always take your prenatal vitamin, and too much stress or lack of sleep can decrease your supply (as though you can help that one!). I also cut my Zyrtec in half since antihistamines can decrease your supply as well. Remember supply and demand. If you go longer than 6 hours without nursing on a side, it will decrease your supply quite a bit. You are so awesome for raising 4 children by yourself and still nursing. Oh, some also claim that fenugreek tea helps. Good luck!!!

You should use Healthy Nursing Tea by secrets of tea while using this you can turn them over and breast milk would start coming out.
take care!!

Mother's Milk Tea (King Soopers, Vitamin Cottage, GNC) along with a lot of water. Fenugreek tablets also work (Vitamin Cottage, GNC). :)

Eat oatmeal everyday, even twice a day until your supply goes up. Also, make sure to eat something every few hours and drink water constantly. Like the others said, nurse her often. If you have a pump, pump after feeding her even if you aren't getting anything. Try nursing her more often until your supply goes up. The more you give her formula, the more your supply will dwindle. Sometimes my 3 1/2 month old son eats every two hours and there are times he'll want to eat every hour (this happens more in the evenings and is pretty common.)

Is she losing weight? You can get her weighed as often as you like. Just because she seems hungry, doesn't mean she is. My son (now 10 mo) would often act hungry just after he fed, but in reality it was tiredness. When he was 6 months he started to suck his thumb when he was tired, which shows me he still likes sucking after nursing, and indeed he is tired.

If you want to keep breastfeeding, avoid supplementing as much as you can. The only way to really know if she's getting enough milk is if she's gaining weight. And breast-fed babies are usually in lower percentile for the first while, like under a year.

And another important thing is RELAX. You need to not freak out about losing your milk-- that keeps your milk from coming. Instead, just relax, breath deep and look at your adorable baby. Do drink water, and if you're religious, even pray to have enough milk for your baby. It works.

Good luck!

My production was down with my last baby and I took fenugreek capsules. You can get this in a tea as well, but the tea does not have enough fenugreek to help production much. I took a lot of it (I believe about 9 capsules a day) and it really helped with milk production. I believe it about doubled my production. You can get it at any health food store. I smelled a bit like licorice the whole time, but it was worth it (and there are worse things you can smell like). Also, drink a ton of water. That also makes a big difference.

First of all I am glad to hear that you knew to supplement to keep your baby healthy! I also nursed my 3 girls, when I thought I was having troubles producing enough milk I would use a warm wash cloth and wrap it around my breast while sitting down and relaxing, that really helped to make my milk let down. Have you tried pumping between feedings? You can save the milk and use it instead of having to use formula. You should talk with your doctor also he or she might have more suggestions. Also remember that formula is a good source of the things that your baby needs, don't give up on nursing your baby but stressing out about giving your baby formula will also lessen your ability to produce milk. I hope this helps!! Good luck.

Just keep up the nursing, and do it often. Even if you feel like you're nursing constantly. Your milk supply will start to increase in about three days. If possible, stop using formula for a few days and make sure your baby is having sufficient wet diapers each day.

It's possible that your baby is going through a growth spurt.

I went through this with my son, and I have to say that it was tough for those few days, but well worth the effort. Also, increase your fluid intake, and make sure you're getting all the calories you need to produce enough milk. I also took some pills by Motherlove called "More Milk Plus". These can be purchased from any lactation consultant or breast pump rental shop.

A.,
My name is Sharon. I'm a stylist at Whimsy Salon in Boise. But, about 4 years ago I spent 5 years training as a midwife and taught natural childbirth (Bradley) and breasfeeding out of my home. The best, most natural way to increase your milk supply is to breast feed OFTEN! Supply equal demand. The more you nurse, the more milk your body will produce. OF course,if you are not eating enough then that could also be contributing to "insufficient funds", so to speak. Your body needs approx 1000 more a day than it did when you were pregnant in order to nurse. Make sure that you drink plenty of water and have either water or juice with you to drink while you nurse.
Good ways to tell if your baby is getting enough milk are
1. 6-8 wet diapers and 2-5 bowel movements a day. Your baby will probably have less bowel movements since she is older than 6 weeks.
2. If she is gaining approx 1 pound per month
3. She is nursing frequently from both breasts at each single feeding.
4 She appears healthy ...has good color and resilient skin, is filling out and growing in length, is alert and active.

False alarms: ( you think you don't have enough milk but really you do)
1. Your baby nurses very often. She may be experiencing a strong need to suckle or just be next to her mother. This frequent attention from her assures that she is getting everything she needs, including enough milk.
2. Her nursing habits, weight, sleep patterns dont compare with other babies. Each baby is an individual. I only have two of my own but they were different as night and day in ALL aspects!
3. She suddenly increases the frequency or length of nursing. She may be going through a growth spurt, (usually around 2 wks, 6 wks, 3 months)
4. she suddenly decreases nursing time. She may be able to extract enough milk to satisfy her tummy in a short period of time. But..she will digest it fast too...so she will need more frequent sessions.
5. She is fussy. Babies are fussy for reasons other than hunger. These reasons are sometimes not discernable.
6. Your breasts leak only a little or not at all. This stops after your milk supply is established and regulated to her needs.
7. Your breasts seem softer. Also happens after supply is established and regulated.
8. You never feel "let-down" or doesn't seem as strong as before. This again occurs after time. Some mothers never feel it at all.

I hope this helps but if you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to email me personally at ____@____.com!
Good luck and many blessings!
Sharon

Hi A....try to find the herbal supplement called Fen U Greek at your herbal store. It has really helped my milk supply! Good luck!
D.

There are two things. You could try the tincture called "more milk plus" or Start with some Funugreek. These are really great herbs that help with milk production. Also she could be teething and wanting to suck, or might be ready to start solids. Has she given you signs that she is interested in tasting food? My first started food at 4 months and second at 6months. The tinctures can be found at any natural food store.

Contact Pam Caldwell of herblore.com. She provided me with her nursing tincture and that with some pumping with a breast pump frequently during the day helped me increase my supply. I wish you the best!

The usual suspect would be hydration, are you drinking lots of water? Also, traditional medicinal makes a mother's milk tea that is said to boost production. Lastly, if you have a pump, you could try expressing more milk than she needs to boost your supply. La leche Leauge also has great advice. Cheers

Nurseing follows the law of supply and demand. You need to give your body the signal that it is not producing enough. Try pumping after each feeding, even if nothing is coming out, especially if nothing is coming out, as your body will be signalled that it is not producing enough.

Having said that, if you are dehydrated and your body has no liquid to use to produce milk then it won't be able to increase production. Have a water bottle with you all day long and drink constantly.

If you do pump and find that you aren't empty, then maybe your baby has bad technique and you should consult with a lactation expert.

There are herbs. I think it's Greek fennel that is supposed to increase your supply. You can find it at health food stores - maybe Whole Foods. I'm new to the area, so I don't know the local chains. However, the recommended dosages are pretty high and who likes to pop a lot of pills. Remember - the law of supply and demand. Give your body the signal to produce more by pumping.

A.

My lactation consultant told me to take fenugreek and blessed thistle, available at places like GNC where they sell remedic herbs and stuff. That helped to boost my supply. Good luck!

A. my lactation nurse suggested to me goats rue from motherlove. I could not find it in any stores so I ordered it from motherlove out of fort collins colorado. you can go to their website which I believe is motherlove.com. this has helped me alot I actually notice a difference when I don't take it.
other people have suggested fenuegreek? or something like that but it makes one smell like maple syrup
the other thing the nurse had me do was pump for ne month after almost every feeding to help bring the milk in also.
I hope this helps:) and good luck. oh and be sure to be drinking enough water and eating enough!!!
K. N

When I was breastfeeding, I had to make sure I was drinking enough water as well as milk for my own needs as well as my baby's. At four months old, baby's usually begin simple starter foods like rice cereal, bananas or apple sauce. Always check with your pediatrician first.

Another source of ideas would be La Leche League or a natural food store.

How often is she eating? Breastfeed babies eat more often then formula feed babies. It wouldn't be unusual for your daughter to eat every 2 hours. During growth spurts or new milestones, feeding patterns may vary. Make sure your baby has several wet diapers a day. Check for other signs of dehydration. I wouldn't supplement with formula because this will decrease your milk production since breastfeeding is supply and demand. Make sure you are eating and drinking enough. You can always pump one time to see about how much milk you have, this could put your mind at ease. Since your baby is taking a bottle anyway, just give her the bottle you pump after so you don't waste your milk. I nursed six kids for over 13 years staight. I know what it feels like to feed every two hours. Most of my friends and family formula feed their babies and didn't understand how time consuming it could be to nurse. Breast mild is digested faster then formula that is why they eat more often. Hang in there and good luck.

Friends and I have found that taking Brewers Yeast can make a big difference in milk supply. Also, rest, water, taking time to sit down and breath before putting baby to breast, nursing every two hours during the day, no supplement, another nurse two hours from beginning of first nurse...supply will build up and time between lengthen. Instead of formula with a four month old, consider adding one tiny serving of rice cereal with breast milk or boiled water if the milk doesn't bounce right back. good luck, V.

Hi A.,

I've been nursing my little one for 10 months now...and have had to increase my milk supply early on, due to him being sick and not nursing as much and then being hungery after getting better. The advice that I was given both from my Pediatrician and some nursing Moms were:

~ My Peds said, if possilbe take two days (the weekend perhaps) and nurse your little one every hour on the hour...if she's not willing to, then pump...but nurse or pump every hour on the hour for two days.

~Drink lots of water...and be sure you are keeping up with your water throughout. Lack of water equals lack of milk.

~Look for "Traditional Medicinals" Organic teas at your health stores or super market, City Market carries it. And get yourself a box of "Mother's Milk" (promotes healthy lactation)

~Eat Oatmeal every morning..yes, oatmeal helps with lactation.

~This I've not tried but was told by anonther nursing Mom, you can purchase "Fenugreek pills" it's an herb that is in the tea and promotes lactation.

I've done all the above less the pills and it's worked for me. I've been told ultimately though it's your baby that will do the trick since milk production is on demand the more she nurses the more milk supply you will have.

Hope that helps!

Good luck,
A.

Try pumping inbetween feedings. I know you will feel like you are nursing all day long, but when my daugther went through a growth spurt, that's what I had to do. I was so worried about her not getting enough. Within the next week or so, my supply seemed to be more.

Good Luck, and just hang in there!

I had the same problem when my baby was 3 weeks old. She had been sick and didn't nurse well for about a week which made my milk supply really low. I tried to nurse as often as she wanted (almost hourly) and after she nursed I would then pump for 10 minutes (even though most of that time there wasn't any milk coming out) on both sides every 2-3 hours and after about 2 days I noticed a huge improvement on my milk supply. I went from pumping 3-4 oz. total from both sides to being able to pump 4 oz. from each side. Also I know that the herb saw palmetto is said to help build up your milk supply.

I just asked my neighbor who is a lactation consultant about increasing my milk supply. She said make sure you are staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water through out the day. There is a tea with Fenugreek in it called "Mother's Milk" so drink several cups of that per day which will also aid in keeping you hydrated. And then try and add a feeding which tells your body to produce more milk. You can call a lactation consultant at Sweedish Medical Center and they should be able to give you some additional guidance. I understand your frustration. Good luck!

First off, have you had any surgeries on your breasts? If so, that could be causing a problem. If not, you need to feed frequently and often to up your supply. If you can stop supplimenting, do. This will force your body to supply what your baby needs. This means you will have to let her nurse as often as she wants, even if it feels like you are wearing her, until your body gets the idea. This ususally only takes a day or so. It is the stimulas of nursing often that tells your body it needs to produce more milk. If you suppliment, pump during that time as well, so you are still supplying the stimulas to your body. It isn't as effective as your baby nursing, but it helps. If you continue to have problems, call the lactation specialist at your local hospital and get their in put. They can help you problem solve this situation.

Nurse, nurse and nurse. It is a supply and demand thing. You make as much as she demands. It might mean for a while that you are nursing every 2 hours again, but it won't be for long. Drink lots of water and do it again. She will build up your supply for you as long as you continue to nurse.

If you have a pump and can pump while you nurse this will help boost your supply. Since you milk lets down in both breasts even though the child is only nursing on one. (I know pumping seems anti-productive but if you take advantage of the let down while your child is feeding on one and since your child takes a bottle you can feed Breukelen the pumped bottle). Do this for a day or two and you should see an increase in milk and can stop the pumping and just offer both sides. You will get more if you pump with the natural let down, at least this worked for me. Good luck!

Dear A.,

Your milk supply is generally a supply and demand relationship. The more you let her nurse, the more you will produce. There are some factors that will help with your milk supply. SLEEP- sleep deprivation has a lot to do with supply and had a direct relationship with causing mastitis. Don't try to do everything, take it as it comes and rest with her when she sleeps. Rest and good nourishment are paramount. Not only should you push yourself to drink between 2-3 quarts of water per day! Yes really! AND be sure you are nourishing yourself well. Grains, like oats and barley(green) should be introduced into your diet and a good "B" complex of vitamins will help.

Nursing can be very fulfilling...do not supplement. Just keep nursing her and your milk should increase if you follow those recommendations. Baby's go through growth spurts where they just nurse and nurse- it builds up your supply, so let her nurse more as long as you are not getting sore.

There are teas at your Health Food Store and sometimes at your local larger grocery store like: "Mother's Milk". This too will help boost your milk supply. Be sure you are eating a well balanced diet with your veggies, fruit and protein and grains. If you are having a problem with supply do not diet! You need extra calories to feed your infant...so eat well. Some of us gain weight after delivery even with nursing due to a hormonal imbalance, but most women don't gain, they lose with nursing. She is worth it!

What I do to get my water in each day is fill up containers in the frig and throughout the day I drink from those containers. (I use quart jars) At the end of the day you will see how much you are drinking. You sometimes need to push to get the water you need so you aren't dehydrated.

If you are still having problems please consult with a Lactation Consultant with your local Hospital or Health Department...that is what they are there for!

Best to you and your little one!

H. B. MOM (mother of many-9)

To keep your milk supply up, you should be nursing frequently. From start to finish, you should be nursing every 2-3 hours. Drinking plenty of water and eating a good diet also helps with the amount of breast milk you will make. Stress can deplete your milk supply thus making it necessary for you to supplement. You can also feed your child rice cereal at least once or twice during the day to satisfy their hunger.

Hello
I had the same problem with nursing. My doctor recommended a tea called Mother's Milk Tea. You can get it at a health food store. Also, he had said if that didn't work there was a medication that he could give me. But the tea seemed to work. I also would pump after I fed her. Even though I didn't get much milk during the pumping, it is suppose to tell your body you need to produce more milk. Hope this helps! I know how frustrating it can get, but don't give up!

My first advice to anyone struggling with nursing is to get help from a lactation nurse and/or La Leche League. I had trouble with my milk coming in and then again when I returned to work and got mastitis. Both times I went to the nursing support group at St. Joes. Anyone who had their baby there can go for free, and they are the best. It's Thursdays at 1PM on the labor and delivery wing.

Ideas they gave me to boost supply:
1. PUMP! this was the biggest thing. Your body will make as much milk as it thinks it needs to based on how much sucking/stimulation it gets. They had me pump for 8-12 minutes after each time I nursed. Your body doesn't know that your baby is getting supplemental feedings with formula, so it thinks its work is done. If you stimulate your breasts with pumping after you nurse her, then your body will learn after a few days that it needs to produce more... and it usually will. Then you can stop pumping. They told me that this was the single most important thing to do. I also am vigilant that whenever he gets bottles of pumped milk while I'm at work that I pump as much as he drinks during the day. If he drinks two 4 oz bottles, I'm sure that I pump at least 8 oz. He's 9 months old now, and my supply is steady. If you don't have a pump, most hospitals rent them on the delivery floor.

Other tips they gave me or that I got from Dr. Sear's Baby Book that helped me:
2. relax; 3. get plenty of rest; 4. drink lot's of water; 5. Mother's Milk herbal tincture (sold at Little Footprints and Bossom Buddies); 6. taking warm baths with her and nursing her in the bath; 7. apply warm, wet compress and massage the breast just before and while she nurses with a firm pressure toward the nipple; 8. sleeping with her- either in a co-sleeper or crib in the same room and/or in your bed for naps or overnight. Milk is produced in higher quantities overnight/in the early morning (and has a higher fat content during these hours). Having your baby in the same room and bringing them into bed to nurse helps encourage milk production; 9. If you are working, I highly recommend the book Working Mother Nursing Mother. It's full of practical advice and support.

Good Luck. In my experience, nursing creates challenging periods, but if you stick with it, it really pays off. Overall it's well worth it- and easier!

Try some tea made for lactating moms, found at health food stores. I would also highly recommend you go to a LaLeche League meeting in your area - check out www.llli.org. Supplementing can actually cause your supply to go down. Nurse on demand - not by a schedule, and your baby will be getting what she needs. Your milk is enough!!!

Hi A.-

I used Mother's Milk tea. But I agree with some of the rest--maybe she just wants to suck or feed more often than your other kids. When they use a bottle, they can't tell how much they are taking in, so it's possible she really only needs to breastfeed (though it would take a few days for your supply to meet her needs now that you're supplementing.) Check out the La Leche League for advice or keep us posted. Best of luck and hang in there! You're doing great.

Something that you can try if you have the time is after you feed your daughter, pump. I know you won't be getting anything else but it will give you the stimulation that you need to be making more milk. I had to do this with my son because he ate so much. The milk doesn't produce immediately but if you keep with it your body will start. Hope that helps!

try oatmeal... the non-instant is the best but i had oatmeal bars and also the instant and it seemed to help also you can pump a little form each side after she is done nursing to stimulate more production..

I nursed my son for 1 year and we could not supplemnt with formula due to his stomach.. so we tried everything. The mothers milk tea is expensive and you have to drink about 4 cups a day for it to be effective.. the fengreek also works but i am a fan of natural stuff so i vote for oatmeal!

Have you spoken with your doctor? You could ask for a prescription that boosts your supply. Are you keeping your stress level down?? I had issues with lactating, I got the pills and (oddly enough) drank a can of beer a day. Now I hate the taste of beer, but my father recommended it, and it did wonders. I'm not sure which ingredient in the beer helped, but it sure got her flowing. And there isn't enough alcohol in a can of beer to affect your baby. I may sound insane, but I hope it helps.

I had very low milk supply when I had my daughter May of 2006. I was not even getting an oz out of both sides. So I tried it all … the pumping all the time, the mothers milk plus supplements, the fenugreek supplements and I still had low milk supply and was supplementing with formula. Finally when my baby was about three months I went to an acupuncturist and it worked!!!! Literally, that was the last day I had to give my baby formula. I hope that this helps because it changed my milk supply and I was able to breastfeed my baby for 13 months after that!

There are soem natural things you can try. There is a tea called "Mother's Milk" you can get at GNC or a natural food store it doesn'y do anything bad and its all natural. All there are pills you can take called Fenugreek, these help you produce more milk too. These are a couple of things the lactation consultant recommended for me.
BUT if you do run out of milk, I did, there is nothing shameful in giving your baby formula. I cried for a long time because I felt very guilty. But my husband said to me one night,"Do you want our baby to be hungry so you can be happy or do you want a healthy baby?" Kind of put it in perspective.
Good luck and I hope these work for you. Happy nursing.

If you can find a Le Lache League meeting (at: http://www.llli.org/) or at least a leader of these meetings to contact they are able to give you great help with this. You can also meet other moms that are breastfeeding and develop a support community for you as a mom!

I have a friend in the same boat so we went to a Le Leche League meeting (which wasn't bad at all) and they suggested that she pump on one side at the same time she's feeding on the other and then if the baby is still hungry, you can switch sides and you will already have reached the hind milk in the other which fills baby up more. You will in addition have a bottle of milk (fore milk and hind milk) if you need to freeze it. They did say at first you may not get a lot in the bottle if you switch sides pumping, but it will increase your supply very quickly (my friend is back to work and needed more from pumping in addition to her hungry boy). It also fools your body into thinking there are twins so up, up, up goes your milk production.

S., 25, mother of Tyrrone, 3.5 months

Try taking Fenugreek, you can get it at any health food store. It will up your milk supply greatly. And nurse as much as possible, it is a supply/demand thing. The more she nurses, the more milk you'll make.

I understand how frustrating that is. Anything with malt is good. Be sure and drink a lot of fluids. Using a pump for the breast milk may help in sumplementing. Your doctor would be a good resource, also.

It sounds like your hands are more than full! Try to get more rest......(easy for me to say!)

Good luck!

K.

A., My pediatrician always suggested that I drink a bottle of beer in the early evening as evening time you are tired and it helps to relax you as well as the grains in the beer help to build your Milk supply.

Also, drink drink drink lots of water!!!!! The more water you drink the more milk you will have and continue to put the baby to your breast even if you feel there is not enough milk, the stimulation to the breast will help to stimulate more milk. The La Leche League is a Breast Feeding support group that has alot of information out there to help moms nurse. Look them up on the web!

Good Luck!

L.

Try more frequent feedings, not longer ones. The more frequent you feed, the more often you will start producing milk. Also,(sorry I forgot what it was called) but at Wild Oats, I got a tincture that stimulated the milk production. Fenugreek? There are actually a lot of products on the market for just that thing. I was in a similar situation. Drink lots of water!

I would go pick up some tea, they have one called mothers milk (I found it in Fred Meyers health food section) that's designed for that it has fennel in it which is great for helping with milk production also fennel in capsules or fenugreek in capsules helps, not sure if you are already doing this or not but drink tons and tons of water if it were me I would cut out everything (soda,coffee etc.) but water.

Have you tried mother's milk tea? It's in the herbal/organic section at Fred Meyers. It worked great for me! Good luck!

P.S. Don't drink beer! There is a myth that drinking beer will boost your milk supply when it will actually decrease it.

Hi A.,
I only nursed for 6 weeks or so, but made the mistake of supplementing too early because I felt like I wasnt producing. I rented a heavy duty pump and would pump AFTER I breastfed & then try to pump once or twice in addition to breastfeeding and that did increase the milk supply. Also my sister in law had said to drink a beer...I guess the yeast in it will increase supply?? I never tried that; as I didnt feel comfortable with alcohol...not sure if an Odulls or non-alcohol beer would work. Good luck.

I purchased a vitamin suppliment from this company. They are excellent for all your breastfeeding needs.

Bosom Buddies®
8331-c S Willow Street
Lone Tree, CO 80124
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(888) 860-0041 x316

http://www.bosombuddies.com

Make sure you are drinking lots of water.

I had trouble nursing after I had the flu, and a tea was recommended. You can find it at any GNC. It's completely natural and it's called Mother's Milk. It helped me a lot.

If you have a wild oats or another natural marketplace there is a "mothers milk" tea it works great

When I returned to work, I also experienced a reduced milk supply when I was pumping. I started taking a supplement that I found at a local health food store called, "Lactation Ease" the key herb was Fenulgeek, which surprisingly boosted my pumping sessions from about 3 oz. to about 5 -6 oz. I also have a tea called Mothers Milk (also found at Health food store) that is similar to the supplement. It is all natural and perfectly safe for your little one. One side-effect, it makes your urine smell like maple-syrup. (small sacrifice). Hope it works for you like it did for me. Another thing you could do is call a Lactation Consultant at your local hospital, they can offer alot of validation and expert recommendations.

Hi A.,
You should drink at least a gallon of water a day. Also, go to a healthfood store, or online and find a "more milk" tincture. It will have things like fennel, fenugreek, blessed thistle...things to help your milk come in. Also, if you have a pump, try pumping between feedings, this wills stimulate your body to produce more. Best of luck!

There is lots of good advice here...the overall theme? More demand = more supply. Drink lots of water yourself. I was also told Root Beer when my supply was low, again the malt in a drink.
Good luck!
R. (mom of two boys who were both breastfed for 1 year)

Hi A.,

I am right where you are at. About me: Mommy to 3 and have breastfed each. No problems with first 2, but now nursing our 6mth old, my milk supply must be too low b/c our sweet baby girl has dropped in weight. Aih! The pediatrician is giving me a month to turn things around before she recommends I supplement with formula. A couple of suggestions, I've collected from my OB/GYN, the Pediatrician, and others are: 1) Diligently increase water intake daily!!, 2) drink Mother's Milk Tea (herbal blend that stimulates the production of milk), 3) Drink 1 dark beer like Sam Adam's Lager daily, 4) Increase nursings, 5) Let baby continue to suckle for up to 15min. after the breasts have been emptied of milk; b/c of the law of supply and demand. (Increase the demand and the supply will increase).

I don't like beer, nor do I want the alcohol in my body while nursing. So, I bought a box of the tea, but those bags will be gone soon, so I'm going to order from www.bulkherbstore.com. They sell "Mama's milk tea" a 1/2 lb bag for $7.95. I also, bought Stress B complex vitamins at the recommendation of a knowledgeable employee in the vitamin area of Sunflower Markets. And I'm carrying my water around the house trying to consume loads of it. :)

They say to give your body about a week to respond to these changes and ramp up the milk supply. I'm only a couple days into it, so we'll see. Best of success to you.

HI A.~
i also have a 4 month old son and we are having the exact same problem. i talked to my ob, his doctor, the Le Leche Leauge of utah and they all gave me different things to do, and non of them worked for me. i contacted a lactation place and they have told me to get your milk supply up you need to rent a hospital grade breast pump, they say that will do the trick, so i will be trying that out today. i hope this helps, and good luck!!

Hi A.,
What drives the production of breast milk is the demand for it. The more your baby nurses (& empties your breasts), the more milk your body creates to meet that demand.

I had this problem when I was nursing my baby. One thing that a lactation consultant advised me to do was to nurse the baby & then about 15 to 30 minutes after, use a breast pump to remove any breast milk. Once your breasts are completely empty, your body will sense the need to make more milk. If when you go to pump you are not able to pump any milk (but a few drops), then be assured that the stimulation of your breasts will signal to your body the need to make more milk. If you do pump extra milk, save it in the refirgerator. It is safe in the refrigerator for 3 days. You can use any milk pumped to supplement your baby instead of using formula.

This takes a lot of time & energy, but if you really want to exclusively breastfeed your baby, this is one way to do it.

If you don't own a breast pump you can always check with your local hospital or Babys-R-Us for places to rent one. Breastfeeding is one of the most difficult things I have ever done, but my son reaped the rewards of my diligence. I nursed him, worked full time & pumped while at work for an entire year. He has been very healthy without much illness at all. I truly believe that it was because of the breastmilk that he received.

Good luck.

Hi A.,

I had that problem with my 3rd child. What I did was drink plenty of fluids, avoided anything with Sage in it (it will dry up milk) and any antihistamines. I also fed him very frequently AND pumped. But I think what made the biggest change was taking Mother's Milk Plus Special blend supplement. You can find it if you do a search on the internet. It got to a point that I had too much for him!

And, with 4 kids, you could be a little stressed out. I'm pregnant with my 4th boy and plan on letting a few things slide when he is born and I already have a supply of the supplement just in case I need it.

So, just relax, and try the supplement. I really liked it.

I had the same problem, my doctor said that if I drink ALOT of liquids and if my baby dosen't want to eat every two hours then pump... it lets your body know it needs to produce more milk.

Why do you think that your daughter is hungry after nusing?
Every child will nurse differently. She may be one of those children that likes to hang out at the breast. Milk supply is as simple as supply and demand. The more you nurse the more milk you make. That is why woman can nurse 2 or 3 babies as one time (twins). Supplementing her will only decrease your milk supply as formula takes hours to digest and human milk starts to digents within 90 seconds. Big difference. You may want to contact a Board Certified Lactation Consultant (a lot cheaper than formula) or a La Leche League Leader. Good Luck with you little one.

Hello A.,

I am also a single mother, I have two little girls (Chloe is 2 1/2 months old and Brynlie is 5 yrs old.) I am breastfeeding too and I have had some problems with my milk supply. I know that different herbs can help with that, so I ran to the health food store and bought some AWESOME tea that helped within hours!! I was so glad. It is an herbal tea with Fenugreek, Fennel, blessed thistle and a few other wonderful herbs. The brand is Traditional Medicinals and it is called Organic Mothers Milk :promotes healthy lactaion*

I was so glad to find out that it has worked. I know how hard that can be and how frustrating it is to feel like you cannot provide your baby with the milk she/he needs. I hate having doctors tell me I need to supplement. I wont do it! Hope this helps a bunch! Let me know if you have any questions, I havent tried responding or posting questions on this site yet but if you need to feel free to email me at ____@____.com - Breukelen is such an adorable name.

Take Care

A.

Hey A.~

I had some lactation problems with my last baby. He had a stiff neck when he came out and he could not latch properly. Long story short I almost lost my milk. I had to feed my week old baby from a cup and I had to give him my pumped milk first and then supplement with formula. Out of both breasts I could only pump 1/2 ounce, total. It was horrible. With the help of the wonderful lactaion nurses at St. Lukes in Boise, we got my milk back up to where I could pump 6-8 ounces each feeding. I had to pump every 3 hours and I went on the fenugreek herb. You can buy it in pill form from the local Fred Meyer. It is in the natural section in bottles and it is 8-9 dollars per bottle. You take 3 pills 3 times a day, to make a total of 9 pills daily. Once I started the herb, my milk supply doubled almost everyday. You will know you have enough on board after a few days, when you start to smell like maple syrup. My pee smelled a little like it, but more my sweat smelled like syrup. When that happens, you have loads of milk. This is my 3rd breastfed baby and I never had this much milk with my first 2, so I would definitly reccomend it, and it is 100% safe for the baby and natural. My baby did get some physical therapy and he came around and we successfully breast fed for 7 months. Then we found out he had a milk allergy and we are now using soy formula, whichwas a little disappointing, but he has much heathier skin with a milk-free diet! I hope this helps you some! Good Luck

Dear A.,

I hear the herb fenugreek works very well for some moms. You buy it in bulk or much easier is already in tea bags at any health food store. It works quite quickly so drink the tea before a feeding. You may have to drink several cups a day to start. Make sure your daughter is staying at the breast as long as possible so it gets stimulated. I have been in your situation and you have to feed your hungry child but it is also a fact that the more formula you give the less milk you will make. Hang in there and keep formula to a minimum for best results. Good luck

Hi,
I have always had a problem keeping my milk supply up, but with my last child it was much better. Make sure you are drinking enough fluid, and eating really well first off. Everything that is removed from the breast is going to be made the next day, (supply and demand)so if you are sumplemeting you are getting into a vicious cycle. Your baby is telling your breasts how much milk she needs. If she is going through a growth spurt, she will just nurse more often and for longer for a few days and then your breasts will increase the amount they make to feed her the correct amount she needs. (also your milk supply changes it's fat content and vitamins etc based on your baby's age-isn't that amazing?!)So when you supplement after a feeding,your breast aren't getting that extra signal that your baby needs more milk to be satisfied. Not saying that sumplementing is so evil, but can you see how it really doesn't correct the problem? So you can just keep her on the breast longer, or sumplement and pump after feedings to help your breast make more milk.(baby is best-but a pump is helpful also) I would also suggest calling the hospital you delivered at and asking to speak with the lactation specialist. She can help you and even give you the names of herbs that are supposed to help with your milk suppy. Hope this helps and good luck!

My lactation consultant had me take fenugreek (seed I believe). Its available in capsules in health food stores. It makes your burps kindof disgusting though. You might peruse the internet to tell you how much to take.

I have heard that eating oatmeal boosts your milk supply. I used to eat a big bowl of it every morning when I had my third daughter. It seemed to work. I had to supplement my last baby with formula. She was in the NICU and not getting better. The nurse finally said to me that we needed to feed her some formula after I nursed her to help. By the next morning she was off all the machines. She could've been there much longer if we hadn't started feeding her the formula. Supplementing with formula isn't a bad thing, and you shouldn't feel bad about it. Our bodies don't always work the way we hope they will. Some mothers can't produce milk, others adopted their babies and can't either. Formula has saved many a baby. Don't get me wrong... I still believe nursing is the best.

Drink as much water as you can. Make sure you are getting as much nutrients as you can by eating heathy calories. Rest a bit each day and did you know that stress can lessen your milk?. I know it is hard but try not tho worry about things that you can not do anything about. Put your feet up at least three times a day and just rest.

There are some great herbal tinctures you can get from many of the natural grocers made by Motherlove. Fenugreek capsules were key for me to promote lactation. You can also check out www.nursingzone.com and maybe get a consultation with Cindy if your really concerned. It not uncommon what your going through and it maybe that your daughter is not getting enough hindmilk to make her "full". So you may need to nurse for longer periods and offer both breasts in one session. Best of Luck!

I had the same problem with my little girl at about 3-4 months. I am now pregnant with #2 girl, and I have been referred Multiple times to the book: On Becoming BABY WISE ( you can purchase a used book for $1.50 + s&h at Amazon.com). It is a breastfeeding philosophy of feeding every 3 hours, not just when the baby is hungy. This enables the baby to get the hindmilk (much more nutrients) and helps with your milk supply. Also stress is a huge factor (duh, or it wouldn't be a problem in the 1st place!), so try and relax and drink LOTS of fluids. Let me know if this helps or not. Good luck!!! Stick in there! Be positive! At least your little girl is getting some rich breast milk!

Does your daughter sleep after feeding? Do you have a breastpump? If so while she is sleeping, you can pump. That will trigger your breasts to think that you are not making enough milk and they will start making more. When you pump, you might not get much if anything at all...but make sure you do it for 5-10 minutes after what you are getting has stopped. I learned this from a mother that was exclusively pumping. All of the advice I have rec'd from her has been extremely helpful when it comes to this issue. I, like you, breastfeed. I feed on one side first thing in the morning and then pump the other side dry plus 5 extra minutes. I alternate which side I pump each morning to avoid getting misshapen and lopsided breasts permanently. If I can during the day then I pump later also but generally just get it done once in the morning. You can freeze what you are pumping or just feed it to her later.

Have you introduced cereals yet? I haven't yet and have a lot of mixed feelings about when I should start my lil man on it as he just turned 3 months old.

I hope that this helps and if you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask, I will help as much as I can.
L.

I had the same problem with my son, where I was not producing enough milk for him and he was always hungry after feedings and wanted to eat every hour and a half! I started taking the medication Reglan (prescribed by my Dr.) and also supplementing with formula-and I didn't want to do either of these! I did this for about 3 weeks until my milk supply had increased and then I was able to breast feed him. Good luck!

First call the lactation program ###-###-#### free if your baby is on medicaid :) Not to bad if she's not. Second DONT STOP!!!!! pump when you can, empty each breast every time, and feed her what you pump from a bottle. Most of all keep your spirits up,I too am a single mom and that is the biggest key and hardest thing to do. Your attitude will directly effect your milk supply. (ie stress, anxiety, inability to relax) The breast feeding book my Sears is an excellent resource and La leche League meetings are free and Very helpful look on the net for the closest one to you. Good Luck

I'm totally not a carbination person and rarely drink it, but my mother in law told me root beer helps support your milk supply. Sure enough, whenever I feel low on milk, I'll drink some of that (coke will sometimes help, but not as much as root beer) and I will feel full of milk by the next feeding. Worth a try?

I had the same problem. I haven't had to supplement yet. I went to Whole Foods and bought some drops and tea by Wish Garden. The drops didn't help so I went back and got some pills called "Lactate Support" by Gaia Herbs. I have to pump at work. The day before I started taking lactate support, I only pumped 6 ounces. After the first day on the pills, I pumped 10.5 ounces. I'm still drinking the tea. It tastes really bad so I recommend mixing it with lemon or apple juice. If one thing doesn't work, go back and ask them to recommend something different (you can return the first one. They are really knowledgeable!

My sister got a prescription to help with this and it seemed to do the trick. I'm not sure what it was but I'm sure your OBGYN will.

Try putting your feet up and relaxing for at least 30 minutes a day with a pint of beer. Seriously. I know how hard it is; I was a single mom with 4 kids from birth to 11 for 10 years. My Irish mother told me this, and it works. Low milk supply is usually caused by stress ( any dairy farmer can tell you that!) so a daily period of relaxation will help enormously.

Most women are able to make plenty of milk and a lactation consultant can help you figure out how you can work things out with your daughter. A couple of quick thoughts. Go to www.lowmilksupply.org for some good info. Try nursing her on a single breast for as long as she wants. Spend plenty of time skin to skin with your girl. Call Julie Johnson at ###-###-#### she does private consulations and runs a clinic in S. Jordan on Thursdays. Believe me the small cost of a consultant will pay for itself (formula is $$$!).

Hi A., I have breast fed nine children incuding a set of twins, one on each side. I hope this will help. Make sure you are eating a very nutritious diet. Lots of fresh leafy greens. (Thats how cows have a terrific supply!) avoid dehydrating beverages such as caffienated soda drinks and coffee and so forth. The herb sage will dry up your milk, comes in handy when you are ready to wean the little wippersnapper. But Hops is the herb to boost milk supply. Most importantly though is that you are eating a hightly nutritious diet. Lots of fresh vegetables in the form of salads; 8-12 different varieties of vegetables every day. I buy at Wild Oats or Whole foods market. Romaine, spinach, carrot, cucumber, kale, chard, collard greens and beet breens. You can also juice a salad a day It may sound icky to juice, but try it, Spinach leaves, about 4 carrots, 1/2 beet, Collard leaf. Kale leaf, Chard leaf, A half cucumber, and a handful of fresh cilantro,the carrot and beet really sweetens up the juice. Just drink it as soon as you juice because even if it sits for ten to fifteen minutes its starts to taste a little bitter. Eat four different kinds of fresh fruit each and every day. The high water content of raw fruits and veggies boosts milk supply and makes excellent nutritious milk for baby. Get in a handful of raw nuts and seeds for calcium and other minerals and essential fatty acids. get in a serving or two of beans and lentils each day as well. Be patient, milk regulation is on a supply/demand system the more baby nurses the more your body is signaled to make more milk. Avoid supplementing with formula. When we use formula, the breast milk will decrease until you finally dry up. give your body 24-48 hours to regulate. Just get those fruits and veggies in then your body will have the raw materials to make the most rich, nutritious, abundant supply for baby. Be patient and diligent, soon you'll be a jersy cow and baby will be so happy and healthy!

Hi A.,

Try contacting Bosom Buddies. They are on 88th st. in Westminster, www.bosombuddies.com. They sell nursing bras, etc, & they are (or have) lactation consultants. I actually took a hand out from them about this very issue.

Also, I delivered my baby 5 weeks ago at Avista Hospital in Louisville, & every week I have been calling the lactation consultants there w/ questions. The 2 women are Jill & Niki, & they are fantastic. You could probably call them, or else try asking at the hospital where you delivered.

Specifically I know you have to get rest and feed the baby more often since it's supply & demand. I would also guess that pumping would help.

Good luck,

R.