How to increase breast milk supply?

Hello everyone,


What should i do to increase breast milk supply? i am supplementing with formula as there's not much milk, i get 1 to 1 1/2 ounce per pump only.

Baby is now 4 weeks old. Started formula on the 7th day.


Should i latch or pump more? If latch, when to latch, before giving formula or after? I pump almost 5 times a day and latch once only.


I'm taking Mother's milk tea to help, drink a lot of chinese soup, haven't tried the papaya soup yet. Any help is appreciated as this is driving me nuts. Thanks


P.S. Hkchoichoi - i got the apron, the linea negra, very nice, got the chance to use it already.

hi honeypie -


if you're willing - stop the formula. Just have the baby suck on you. That will be the best thing to increase your milk supply. It's the demand that causes your body to produce more than anything else. Also, your body initially will find it far easier to "release" to your baby than to a plastic pump. I had a far easier time getting my baby to get milk out of me than from a pump. the amount you pump out is NOT an indicator of how much you are actually producing to give your child. (a couple of varying numbers on this, but I think I seem to remember 3 oz MORE in your breast after you pump everything out.)


In between latching, use the pump if you are not too tired. But ideally get your baby to suck every 3 hours or so - and just keep having her get on.


But the fact that baby your takes formula is stopping from taking all that she can from you - so cutting that out will make her suck on you more. Don't worry if she's hungry - if she is, she'll suck more.


Glad you got the apron! Was going to ask - glad that it is working for you. I am down to 3 feeds a day, so only use it occasionally on the weekends - but it does come in handy when you have to breastfeed with guests over and whatnot.


good luck - keep asking for help and keep trying.

If you WANT to breast feed:

Have baby suck as much and often as possible.

Stop the formula.

Pump after she feeds if you have the energy - this will help.

HKCC is totally right, baby gets more from breast than a pump gets. And the more the baby sucks, the more you will produce (it is not instant, it takes a few days but really works)

Be sure YOU are sleeping and eating and drinking lots of water.


If you can, seek the advice of Louise or Hulda at Annerley Midwife http://www.amidwife.com


Fenugreek - I found the pills worked magic after 2-3 days, much better than MothersMilk tea.


Research:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/index.html

Excellent easy to read articles about milk supply and how to increase your supply


Breast Compression:

http://www.thebirthden.com/Newman.html

This site has a great video showing how to do this


Good luck, and please please believe us when we say it really does get easier - for both you and baby.

First two weeks are insanely difficult, but when you pass that, then pass 6 weeks it gets to be smooth sailing, and if you last to 6 months baby will be just doing it without your help at all!

Wow Honeypie, if you want to bf, I suggest you get in touch with local LLL,BF consultant, Matilda or all of the above ASAP and get some in-person support and help! (Can somebody PM a LLL contact phone number or meeting time?) Pumping and not putting baby to the breast, along with substituting formula, is like a recipe for how to reduce milk supply! If you want to wean, then know that your feelings are legitimate and it's okay. But if you want to BF, then follow the good advice people are offering here! A couple of people have suggested stopping formula altogether, but after two weeks of primarily pumping and giving formula, I'm not sure whether you will be able to quit the formula cold turkey comfortably. It's quite true that your body will produce milk as long as baby sucks, and she will satisfy her hunger eventually. But your milk supply might be really low just yet (until baby gets a chance to re-establish the supply chain!) and this might be challenging. So here's what I suggest if you want to build your supply. Put baby to breast every single time you feed and let her suckle as long as she will, at least 20 mins each side, maybe even 40 mins. Forget pumping altogether -- baby is the best pump. After you nurse on each side, then repeat for a second nursing on each side. (Be sure to drink lots of water -- it takes fluid to make milk!) If baby is still hungry after this or fails to wet or soil nappies, you could then give just enough formula to satisfy her hunger and meet her needs. The thing to remember is that formula is always a substitute and should be offered last, or as a last resort. Every drop of formula that you give will undermine your breastfeeding efforts to some degree. And all the above posters are right: pumping is just not the same and artificial nipples can cause nipple confusion in your baby. If you follow the universal advice of putting baby to the breast a LOT, you may find that for a couple of days you feel as if you are doing nothing but BF nonstop, and also your nipples may get sore. As for feeling as if it's nonstop, remember "this too shall pass." It's quite normal to nurse a baby lots while you are working on building up a milk supply, but once newborn period is over and your supply is established baby will need this less and less. (It won't last forever!) For now, it's certainly fine for you just to rock and nurse your baby all day long. In a more sentimental fashion, I might even think that BF is part of God's plan to keep mothers and babies together and establish that magical, human first bond that sews us into the tapestry of humanity. This togetherness is a wonderful thing about being a new mother -- just enjoy your baby! (Ask hubby to get food in the house, let all the chores slide, ask a friend to help with laundry, and keep meals very simple.) As for sore nipples, if that happens post again for more advice because there are lots of things that can help. Just don't get discouraged because it TRULY is worth it!!

Honeypie, I'll try calling. As I said before, truly, nursing more in the first few weeks is key (no matter that people try to say feed every 3-4 hours), and pump immediately after (if you have the strength)to empty the breasts, so that you have a couple of hours to fill up again. Leaving it too long after a feed won't give you enough time to get enough milk for baby's next feed. If the feeds are too close forget pumping till you have more time between feeds. Just feed, feed, feed.


And get a tube of Lansinoh from Mothercare for sore nipples, put on immediately after a feed - it really really works and you don't have to wash it off cause its edible for baby.

My mom also made me semolina porridge every day, its great stuff! We bf moms need a lot more calories - I am eating more after I delivered than when I was pregnant!! - AND more carb heavy stuff, I just feel I need to eat and the bubs is more important than the thighs at this point... LOL.

haaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!


With me its mango pudding, icecream, toast, butter and cheese and english tea with milk and sugar... this from someone who never liked sweet foods, drank tea w/o sugar and rarely ate dessert!!!!


I'm starting to look like my son with all his chins now hahahahahahaha

Good to hear I'm not the only one. Most of the women I know who had babies really lost their weight quickly and were back in their pre-pregnancy jeans within six months. It was exactly the opposite for me. I hardly put on any excess weight during my pregnancy. But after delivery my mom made me eat really rich high calorie food - wheat apparently is very good for lactation, ( i was told to avoid white rice) I was also fed a special food made with fenugreek, butter and raw cane suger tasted really bitter but I can tell you I had no problems with my milk supply. The down side is even the jeans I wore in my 7th and 8th month of pregnancy are now way too tight for me and of course I don't fit into any of my blouses :( But as you said bubs is more important than the thighs( that's what I tell myself too when I feel overwhelmed) I think if you want to breastfeed then you need to eat and eat healthy nutritious food high in fat and protein. My mum told me give one year of your life to the baby, forget about weight and diet and just enjoy the bonding :) So the best thing you can do is breast feed as often as your baby wants and continue to have a healthy nutritious diet and yeah, don't supplement with formula.


Good Luck!

You'll find phone # o their website: http://www.lllhk.org/

My sis would say to stop feeding formula. Then baby will suck more and you'll be able to produce more milk. After your baby feeds, you could then pump to empty your breasts. That would signal your body to produce more.


I pumped exclusively and my trick was to pump more often. Like every 4 hours even during the night. It was hardwork but I got my results. Each time I felt my supply was running low, I would pump more frequently.

Breast milk supply increases with effective milk removal, therefore the baby must be latched correctly and feeding effectively 8 to 12 times per day. Additional expressing after feeds can also be helpful. However, I advise you to seek help from a certified lactation consultant to assess your situation to determine if a low milk supply does exist and the reasons for it. Improvements in breastfeeding management can then be addressed.



Breastfeeding Clinic - 2849 1500

Matilda International Hospital

Hong Kong

http://www.matilda.org

hello everyone. thanks for all the adv. i've been latching endlessly for the past days, yes, it seems forever, but the good news is, i've lessen the formula bottles into half now. maybe i have more milk as baby sleeps now after latch.

i have stop pumping.


crj- where to buy fenugreek?


what if baby still cries even after more than an hour of bf?


thanks, typing one hand as baby is latch ;-)

Fenugreek -Lots of the healthfood stores have it - try NAtures Village on Lyndhurst Terrace (next to Cafe Siam).


BUT read this BEFORE you start to take it:

http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milksupply/fenugreek.html


It explains the amounts you need to take for it to be effective, and also reminds you it takes 2-3 days to work.


I would take it for 3 days, supply would boom, then go off it for a bit, and when supply was down do another few days. But you really need to follow the instructions on KellyMom and take a lot for it to be effective.


You are doing great - just keep breast feeding, as much as possible - it really will get easier!!

The first month I also took fenugreek (you can buy seeds from any Indian story) one tablespoon in a big pot of water and boiled it. I drank it instead of water.


I sweated a LOT in the first two months, used to wake in the night bathed in sweat. I'm not sure it was the fenugreek though - just the hormones!!

good job honeypie!


keep it up. Drink water 30 minutes before latching - your body needs fluids to make fluids. (Koreans make you drink a ton of soup.) Fluids are key - not to mention other good food and rest.


Keep it up - you're doing fine! you're turning the corner!

I'm glad I found this post. Here's my dilemma. My LO is now 16 days old, and nurses like a champ. His latch is terrific and have seen a LC at the hospital who said he's doing well. Now, I have found that that in the evening and night (from 6pm to midnight), he becomes really frantic for the breast and is fussy, I feel that I can't produce enough milk for him to subside his hunger. He is a hungry little guy! He used to feed every 2.5 - 3 hrs, and now in the evenings it's like every 1-1.5 hrs. I feel as if he is constantly at my breast. I don't want to give in and supplement him with formula just yet; I really want to give it a go. His weight gain is good with lots of wet and poopy nappies.


I know when he is suckling for comfort and when he is thirsty/hungry. In the evenings, it's like he can't get enough milk. In the mornings it's smooth sailing, I am full and ready to go. I have tried pumping after feeds, but hardly get anything. Also, I do breast compression so he gets that rich hindmilk. He feeds off both breasts (now he's down to 15 mins. on each one, before he used to be a lollygagger and take his sweet time and fall asleep). He gets so worked up when he is hungry, I feel guilty that I can't give him what he needs. :( Of course that's compounded at 3am when I'm at my most tired and exhausted.


I know it's not gas, he burps after I switch breasts and he hardly ever spits up. He gets so restless in between feeds and takes forever to settle to sleep.


Hubby has been great support, feeding me like crazy and helping when he can. I'm drinking the tea and tons of water.


I know it's early days yet, but any advice is greatly appreciated. I think I have a very hungry little man. Apparently, his father was a voracious eater too, and wore his poor mother out, eek!!

Also, be sure to drink lots of extra water.


Most importantly though, HANG IN THERE... the first few weeks are hard and so many women give up or think 'oh, I don't have enough milk'


It really does get easier - even though that is hard to believe now.


If you WANT to breast feed, continue with the advise above - sleep, drink and eat and get a midwife to visit you for further medical advise/support. Try http://www.amidwife.com for a home visit.


Good luck and WELL DONE!!

Thanks ladies for your advice and encouragement, I knew it would be a tough first month from what I have read and heard from friends. I'm lucky that my husband is really supportive and know the amazing benefits of BF to make it all worthwile for my little one.


Good news is that we had a good session of frequent feeds last night before 11pm, and he actually slept quite well, fussiness reduced! Typical, this morning for his first feed, he was drowsy and didn't want to wake up. Thanks crj for the suggestion, but I live in Guangzhou, not Hong Kong. The women at Annerley are fantastic, wish we could have their services here.


I have a new question now... Since he's been actively nursing, his BM's have been good, mustard-yellow (sorry if TMI) and usually after every feed. Just starting yesterday, he's wet his diapers very well, but hardly any poo for the last 4 diaper changes. Is this normal?? We hear him toot in his bassinet (which is quite funny) and think that he's doing a BM but then check and nothing is there.


When should I be concerned? We're going to the dr's on Friday for a regular checkup anyway. But I wanted to see if this is 'normal' for newborns being BF. He wouldn't be constipated, right?


Agh, the first of many questions as a FTM you will see me ask on this site!

p.s.

Apologies for 'highjacking' this thread...I hope it helps others out there too. :)

hello everyone, 54 days ago i posted this thread, i'm happy to report that i'm now BFing well, only 1-2 bottles of reduced formula. In a few weeks time, i can remove it completely. You have to gradually reduced it so it took me a long time, i have to check baby's weight too.


My milk has come, thanks to fenugreek, i just took it 4 days. The secret is latch, latch and latch, and the milk will come eventually. No pumping for me til now as i get depressed if i don't get a lot ;-)


As crj said, it does gets better, now i can say that.

Yeah!! That is great news Honeypie - well done!