Increasing Milk Supply?

Is there anything I can do to increase my milk supply?

I don't think I'm producing enough milk for DD. I'm 3 weeks post partum (tomorrow) and this morning I decided to pump a couple of bottles so DH can feed her also during the day today. We had an awful night, I have been up with her since 3:30am and all she wants to do is eat. It's like she can't get enough. Anyway, I went to pump a couple of bottles and it took me nearly an hour to pump 2oz total from both breasts. My first week home with her, I was able to get at least 5oz's total. That's not normal right? To take that long to pump only 2oz?

I'm really getting concerned that the reason for her fussiness or rather her hysterical crying is because she is not getting enough when she is eating. She stays on the boob for a good 30-40 minutes and I know she is eating and not using me as a pacifier. She gets one bottle of formula at night when DH has baby duty from 10pm until 1:30am.

I do plan to call my LC today, but thought I'd see if anyone here had any suggestions as well.

TIA...

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

nursing, nursing, nursing!!! She is building your milk supply! Try not to supplement, if you do make sure you pump around when she is eating.

I have heard oatmeal and mother's milk (or tea?)

GL and don't give up!!

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

1/ Drinks tons of water
2/ Eat oatmeal
3/ Supplements include:
More Milk (sold at Whole Foods or online), fenugreek or Mother's Milk organic tea
4/ Keep pumping and nursing

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

I take fenugreek and mother's milk, but I can tell you I don't think its working for me. Many people say it helped them a lot, so you may wanna give it a try.
The best thing to do honestly, is just to keep putting her on you. The more she latches on the more you'll produce.
Her stomach is tiny now, she doesn't need much yet. I've been struggling fro 6 weeks now.
I've been trying to nurse more even though I don't have much.
When I pump I get anywhere between 1 1/2 to 3 oz altogether.

Good luck BFing is not easy!
XOXOXO
BOTB

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

Thank you!

I really don't think I can nurse anymore than I am right now! She is basically eating every 2 hours for a good 30-40 minutes at a time. Last night, she literally was crying to eat 30 minutes after finishing nursing. At first I thought she was just using me as a pacifier, but I can tell she was really eating and not just sucking away.

I really have not been pumping since I've been nursing her so much. I didn't think I had to (and according to the LC, I didn't need to..) Maybe that's my mistake.

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

DS has always been a 45+ minute nurser. Some babies are just slow eaters. I also produced at least 5 oz when I pumped the first week after DS was born. Your supply is regulating at that point. I started pumping less frequently and eventually stopped for a week or two. When I started pumping again, I could barely get an ounce or two (I only pump for 15 miutes at a time).

You really can't judge how much you're producing based on what you pump. Babies are much more efficient at getting milk than a pump. As long as your DD has enough wet and dirty diapers, you're ok. That's how I judge whether DS is getting enough. At his 2 month appointment, DS had gained 5 lbs since birth. Even though I have a slow nurser, I know my supply is ok.

I know it's frustrating when you don't pump a lot, but you're likely producing enough for your DD when you nurse. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water during the day. That should help. Also, your supply should be the best right after the first morning feeding. Over the last few weeks, I began pumping again right after the first morning feeding and now I can get 4-7 oz. It took a little while to start producing that much though.

You can also eat oatmeal to boost your supply. Mother's Milk Tea or More Milk Tea, which contains fenugreek may help as well. Try not to stress too much. You're doing a great job.

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

3 weeks is typically time of a growth spurt! When mine were 3 weeks they were eating for really long periods of time too - I think as they get older they get better and more effiecient at it - now they nurse for about 20 minutes. Sometimes its a little longer but not like that.
I only pump about an ounce from each breast also and I nurse them every three hours around the clock. I actually stopped pumping for awhile because I found it stressful - I was thinking to myself - is this all they are getting?? How can that be enough?? When I talked to the ped about it, he told me you can't measure breastmilk by volume - its about the amount of calories they are getting - and there is no way to measure that. He said as long as they are growing and gaining weight, they are getting enough. I still have concern in the back of my mind I am not making enough milk, but they fall asleep at the breast every time, and they never fuss or complain while they are eating, so I have to think they are getting what they want/need.
I actually bought the mother's milk tea the other day - I want to increase my supply so I can start to build up a freezer stash for when I go back to work... I'll let you know if it works. I tried fenugreek alone and it didn't seem to do anything.

ETA: you probably pumped more in the beginning because your body hadn't adjusted yet to your baby's needs - so you were producing more than she needs.
I have read A LOT about supply because of my concern, and what I learned is a very small %age of women have low supply/not enough for their baby, and I found that encouraging.

Message edited 2/22/2009 10:44:25 AM.

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

One of the things you can do that hasn't already been mentioned is to power pump. Pump for 10 minutes, stop for 5 minutes, pump for 10 minutes, stop for 5, then pump for 15 minutes.

If you can't do that based on nursing times etc, pump for an additional 5 minutes after your breasts stop producing milk. It will stimulate them to produce more, and in some cases you'll get a second let down, and can keep pumping until they empty.

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

I wouldn't go too crazy with the pumping right now as you are still building your supply. Basically, every 3 weeks for the first 3 months they tend to go through a growth spurt. As long as there are plenty of wet and poopy diapers she's getting enough- I SWEAR.

The pump is no where NEAR as efficient as a baby when it comes to getting the milk out. The baby sucking will stimulate your letdown more than the pump will as well.

I have used fenugreek and drank lots of water and found that it definitely helps. Most importantly, allow the baby to nurse as often as she wants. I know it is exhausting, but try to nurse on demand. If you must have DH give her bottles overnight- you should pump to keep your supply up (which kind of defeats the purpose of letting him do the feeding anyway).

It is NOT forever- it WILL get better and she'll start sleeping longer.

The first month and a half are absolutley the worst of it.

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

Definately sounds like a growth spurt- I remember going through that with my DD and getting so frustrated. I will be honest- I started supplementing with formula at this point. I found out later that my DD had a very shallow latch that could only be corrected with surgery. Due to the latch she never really built up my milk supply in the early weeks so supplementing ended up being the only thing I could do.

GO see an LC- I would have forever felt like a failure if the LC hadn't told me my DD's latch really was to blame and that there was nothing I could do

Re: Increasing Milk Supply?

In addition to what all the other girls are recommending regarding drinking lots of water, pumping etc.....Make sure you are eating enough food and try drinking some Gatorade everyday. I know that as soon as I was skipping meals etc my production slowed....and I was surprised to see how much Gatorade helped.