Breast Milk Drying Up

A tried and true product that I LOVE is called More Milk or More Milk Plus by MotherLove. It is available on Sunflower Market and also in Arizona at a store called Baby Mother and More in Mesa at ###-###-#### or the store's website at www.milksmile.com

The products are AMAZING and work fast for increasing milk supply!

http://www.milksmile.com/index.php/cPath/30_36

...tell them C. from Tucson sent you ;)

Hello D.
You have quite a lot of advise here, and I don't imagine I will be adding much. You will have to drink a great deal of mother's milk tea, or use a great deal of the supplements. You can also try Fenugreek/Blessed thistle herbal capsules you can pick up at a whole foods market. Generally the recommendation is 1 pill each three times per day. If you don't see an increase in your production, go to 2 pills each 3 times per day.

The prescription medication you can get from you OB/Gyn is called Reglan. Most Ob's don't know how to use it. It is a 10mg tiny tablet. You would need to start with 4 pills per day until your production comes up. Then drop back to 3 pills per day for a week, etc until you're taking the lowest dose that doesn't change your production. This may mean you continue to take 3 pills a day. This prescription has some side effects including anxiety or jumpiness or depression, so you will need to watch your moods if you do take it.

Finally, whatever method you use, you will need to pump and nurse regularly, preferrably at the times when your child traditionally would nurse. Use your weekend to determine your schedule and stick to it while you pump during the workweek.

I hope you will continue to breastfeed and look for a solution that allows you to do so. Good job and good luck.

I also went through that period with my first son when I went back to work. The four things that worked for me were 1. Spend a weekend in bed if you have to, but really it is the skin to skin contact and the relaxation of totally focusing on your baby. That helps in the short term. 2. Listen to the advice to drink LOTs of water. I took a Nalgene bottle to work and made myself drink at least the whole thing before I left the office for the day. 3. ALSO listen to the advice to eat. I kept repeating, "if Mama don't eat, baby don't eat"-silly, but it worked for me. 4. Set a timer/alarm at work to pump. I would get stressed and distracted and would miss the pumping time. I found that once I got a schedule down, my milk would pump when it was supposed to. Good luck to you!

Hi D.

The more you are asking for (ie feeding, pumping), the more you produce, i fed my daughter for 9 months and son for 16 months.

When my son was about 9 months I got bad food posioning, my production went way down but with alot of feeds production went up again!

Keep nursing and pumping

certain food is suppose to encourage let down including beer!

H.

Drink plenty of water. Have one to two beers per night. Look for a micro brew or import. American beers have yucky perservatives. Darker beers are better.

Can you pump at work? Pumping at a set time every day helps.

It isn't much fun, but I don't let down well with the pump either so I have to "fool" my body by putting the baby on one side and pumping on the other at the same time. When the baby gets me to let down, the milk flows better.

Keep nursing every morning and every night when you are home. Don't be tempted to let someone give the baby a bottle while you're available. The baby's suck seems to get milk flowing better than anything and it is good for thier neurological development, too.

Good luck,
B

There are a few things you can do to increase your supply. One is "power pumping". To 'power pump' you pump for 10 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes, then pump for 10, etc., alternating back and forth for one hour. Do this once (sometimes I did it twice) a day. Also, be sure you are drinking lots of fluids, especially water. If you are dehydrated your milk supply decreases.

There is also a supplement available at health food stores called "More Milk Complex" or "Mother's Milk" or something like that. An employee should know.

If you are still concerned, you can talk to your OB or pediatrician about prescribing something to help with your supply. I think it's called Reglan or Raglan, can't remember which.

Also, most hospitals have a lactation hotline that you can call and talk to a lactation consultant.

I did all these things when I was nursing my triplets and it helped immensely. Hope it helps you! Good luck!

(Check with your doctor first) Buy Fenugreek & Blessed thistle...take 3 of each 3x a day...
And expect to run into complications..its normal..just call a lactation consultant.

With the help of healthy nursing tea, you can keep your supply maintained. I was drinking this tea and got a good supply.

I had milk production issues with my son and my OB/GYN gave me a prescription medication - I can't remember what it is off hand. I also drank a nursing tea and took breast milk production supplements that I found at our health food store. Between those things and diligent pumping in between feedings, I got the supply back up. Good luck.

My children are in their 20s now, but I used to just spend a couple of days letting them nurse a lot and then my milk built up again. R.

If your work schedule is such that you may find yourself not "pumping or nursing like you should" again, maybe it is best to go to formula. I think it would be disheartening to successfully re-lactate (very possible depending on how serious you are) only to fall into old patterns that caused the problem in the first place. You might want to have a long term game plan to really keep up your milk once you get it back. Even if it means deprioritizing some things you did not expect to.
The suggestions so far are great...if you have to, you might get even bigger guns with some drugs known to stimulate production...probably a lactation specialist could help. (I personally used fenugreek alone as an extra insurance policy...never had a slow down...but then, I never went back to work.)

Hi D.,

I certainly feel for you. I had every problem imaginable with nursing, and I almost dried up three times. Finally at 5 months or so I got regular with no more problems and was able to feed my first for 1 year and my second for one year as well. Stress can be a big factor as well.

What I did to get the supply back was everything Nora had mentioned, plus...I utilized help from a lactation consultant from the La Leche league (wonderful program and free)http://www.llli.org/resources.html. I spent as much time as I could relaxing with my baby having skin to skin contact. I also pumped every chance I got, including directly after I fed the baby. I drank boatloads of water and tried to eat as much as I could. I tried to destress as much as possible. It all worked out. It was worth it for me. It will seem as if all you are doing is nursing or pumping. If someone could bring your baby to your work during your lunch break that would help as well.

You have to firmly believe this is what you want for your child or the frustration will win. If it is what you want, hang in there!!! and don't give up. Good luck

Hi. My name is N.. I am a 35 y/o single mother of two. I breast fed both my children for 2.5 years. The best ways to increase your milk is to demand more from your breasts. Pump every other hour. Even if you only get a little. Eventually your supply will increase. Also, do not drink soda, coffee or tea. They will dehydrate you and decrease your milk supply. Drink LOTS of water. When you think you have had enough water, drink two more glasses.Also eat pleanty of food. You must eat. No skipping meals. Skipping meals will decrease your milk supply and make your milk not as rich and tasty for your little one.Also try to nurse as much as possible. I hope all turns out well for you.

You would need to pump as much as you can to get your body used to the fact "you need that milk". My consultant told me to take fenugreek to help increase my milk, but I hear it works best in combination with other herbs. Whatever you do, research it before taking it. I've also heard good things about Goat's Rue. www.motherlove.com

The only advice I can think of is to let your baby nurse more often (when you are at home) so your body realizes it needs to increase your milk supply. I've also heard that fenugreek tablets can also help it to increase. Good luck:)

all you need to do is drink more fluids

Hi D.,

I know it's frustrating and it is also difficult to pump at work. What is keeping you from pumping at work? When you can pump are you in a space you feel comfortable and have ample time? If not, is it something you can speak to your boss about? Is your work mamma/breastfeeding friendly?
How determined are you REALLY about continuing to give your daughter your milk and to nurse her? If you have to, or choose to feed your baby formula, will you be able to do it knowing that you did the very best you could with nursing? Will you do it without judgments on yourself? These are really important questions to ask yourself because it will help you figure out what YOU really want to do. We all know that breast milk is the absolute best thing we can give our babies and toddlers. And I really feel that MOST moms really want to nurse their children for as long as they can, yet because we have to or choose to go back to work, it can be difficult to continue to breastfeed for a year or 2, or more. Heck Sometimes it's difficult to nurse for a very short time due to external pressures and lack of support. So this is where our own determination and really understanding what we want for our children and ourselves comes in. Being a mother requires us reach deeper into our own new knowing.
I know it seems like I'm getting off track here, but bear with me. If we are to feed our children, either by breastfeeding or by formula (and I say this being a breastfeeding advocate), it is important for us to live by our own truths(which can morph through time as we gain new insights and wisdom), so when we nurse, bottle feed with our milk or with formula, we are doing it with complete love and non-judgement. Perhaps by asking yourself some of these questions you will find it easier to either be determined enought to pump and nurse as much as possible to get your milk supply back up and nurse your baby as long as you can. OR you will come to the desicion of weaning her onto formula. Understand the consequences of each side and ask yourself what can you be comfortable doing?

There are also some "practical" things to try to help your milk supply.
*Drink Mother's Milk tea. You have to drink quite a bit of it every day. You can get this at natural food markets and Maternity botiques.
*Every once in a while drink a dark beer. -EGADS! Yes, I said beer. In Ireland they give new mammas one Guiness to help with increasing the milk supply. If you aren't comfortable with this or don't like beer, I believe there are other ways of getting hops and barley into your system. But the beer also has the effect of calming you down to help release those great hormones that allow your milk to come in. At work drink Chamomile tea, or Mother's Milk.
*At work, bring a photo of your baby. Get into an environment (room) that you can put your feet up and really relax.
*Get the BEST pump you can afford. There are great double pumps out there so you can do both breasts at once and save some time at work.
*At first, try to pump and nurse as often as possible. When you are satisfied with your supply, then go back to a routine.
*Seek out other women who support you in your determination to nurse if that is what you choose to do. Contact a La Leche Leauge lactation consultant for support and extra help and see if there is a breastfeeding support group in your area.

I wish you the best as you walk through your motherhood journey. I have added a little article written by a friend of mine on Breastfeeding From Within. (You can also apply it to Feeding your Child From Within).

In peace,
A.
mom of 4. Birth and Parenting Mentor
www.birthingfromwithin.com

Breastfeeding From Within
By Virginia Bobro

Birthing From Within encourages and teaches "doing the next best thing" when it comes to making decisions within the flow of labor and birth. The same mind-set is important during postpartum and breastfeeding. In the days, weeks, months, and even years that a woman is breastfeeding, she will face numerous obstacles, detours, and unexpected events. How she prepares prenatally and how she views these challenges can make a difference in her ability to cope.

As a breastfeeding counselor, I support many breastfeeding mothers who have to change their perception of what a "successful" breastfeeding relationship is. Some mothers need to wean much earlier than they hoped. Others need to supplement with bottles or formula. These are opportunities to re-envision what it means to nurture and nourish their babies. Many mothers are humbled when the "breastfeeding fairy" presents them with difficult circumstances and spoils their fantasy that nursing is easy and blissful.

When breastfeeding does not go as expected or hoped for, a mother can feel regret, anger, blame, grief, and guilt. Inevitably, this negative self-talk begins to affect her self-esteem and attitude, her ability to receive support, and her relationships with her baby, partner, and others in her community.

So, what can be done?
In addition to learning practical things that make breastfeeding easier, do this:
♥ Learn and practice mindfulness.
The same pain-coping practices you learn to help you cope with labor can help you postpartum when you need to still your mind, quiet negative self-talk and deal with physical discomfort and stress. (See Birthing From Within, pp. 213-238).
♥ Get a breastfeeding "reality check."
Breastfeeding is natural, but not always straightforward and easy. Very few women sail through breastfeeding on calm seas from beginning to end. Even for the most vigilant captain, storms arise outside of her control, and still, she can do the next best thing. When women know that they can influence but not control what happens, they can see the wisdom of preparing for all possibilities.
♥ Set up your breastfeeding support system.
Having a supportive crew onboard in the first months of motherhood can make all the difference. Welcome meals, errands, and compassionate listeners. When breastfeeding gets rough, support is needed to keep going and not get mired in "what ifs" and judgment. You need to hear acknowledgment that you are doing your best, not more advice and information.

♥ Focus on connecting with your baby and yourself as a mother
Come to breastfeeding with an open heart. To the degree that you can, let go of your ideals and goals, such as breastfeeding exclusively for six months. Just hold the intention to do the best you can. When you love yourself and feed your baby in love, this is the heart of breastfeeding from within

EXERCISE: Feeding with Love

When sitting (or lying down) to feed your baby, try this:

Begin to notice all the sensations around you, beginning with your baby:
Look at her face, notice the touch of her skin, take in her smell and her sounds.

Then begin to bring your attention to your own body: Where does your body touch your baby's body? How is your breath moving in and out of your body?
Where do you feel relaxed and open?
Where does your body feel tight, tense, or closed?

Gently and mindfully breathe into those places, softening and releasing anything that is unneeded in this moment. This may take several minutes. Go slowly and do not expect perfection!

As your body lets go of anything extra, feel your heart opening.
Allow yourself to inhale the presence of your baby, loving her in this moment and loving yourself as well. With each new breath, feel into your baby's heart, visualizing a connection that endures beyond feeding time.

If feeding is difficult, your focus may return to the task of latching or monitoring the feed. Do what needs to be done, then, when you are ready, take another conscious breath and return to your opening heart.

Resources
Local La Leche League
Lactation Consultants
Other Supportive Breastfeeding Moms

Try here:
Follow the diet guidelines for lactating women
http://www.moondragon.org/nutrition/nutritionguide2.html
http://www.moondragon.org/nutrition/nutritionguide.html
Serving guide

These helped me boost my supply. Oatmeal, TONS of water, Mother's Milk tea, Goat's rue, as already suggested. And lots and lots and lots of nursing and pumping...as it's already been said....it's a matter of supply and demand.

Generally supply will meet demand. The more you pump or nurse, the more milk you will produce. Try pumping every hour if you can and pump past the point of no milk. Nurse as often as you can and let your baby nurse past milk as well. Good Luck! C.

I think you just need to pump more and drink lots of liquids to increase your supply.

D.,
Something else you can try is some natural herbs. I got mine form whole foods. I am not into only natural things, but I found these really did help to boost my milk supply. Try "Fenugreek" as herb tablets or "More Milk Plus" as drops you put into a drink. The other things is I found when I don't eat enough protien, my milk supply goes down. I don't know if this effects you the same way but though I would mention it so you could think about it.
A.

The absolute number 1 thing to do is to bump up how much you are nursing. Nurse as much as you possibly can. Next is to pump as much as you can. Do 20 minutes on each side every 3 hours (when you're not nursing) if possible. If it's not possible then do as much as you can...some is better than none. There are also supplements you can take. Mother's Milk Tea can help but it's about $5 a box and you'll go through it fast. You can take Fenugreek and Milk Thistle (not the combo pill...they don't work as well). Take 3 capsules of each one 3 times a day. The Fenugreek has a distinctive smell (not a bad one) and you should be able to smell it on your skin if you're taking enough...so if 3 pills 3 times a day isn't enough then do 3 pills 4 times a day. You have to do the Fenugreek and Milk Thistle together for the best effect, but if you have to choose one over the other due to cost, then take the Fenugreek, but do it 4 times a day. Do it every single day and continue to nurse and pump. You have to be really committed in order to keep your supply. It only takes a few days for the tea and/or supplements to work. You can buy Milk Thistle pretty much anywhere and Fenugreek at any vitamin shop. The supplements may cause some flatulence at first....but it goes away. I cannot stress enough how important the nursing/pumping is. Good luck!

D.,

You can pick up some Mother's Milk tea. It's sold at health food stores. Keep trying to pump and express your milk in a warm shower. Any more questions please feel free to email me. I breast feed my son for 17 months. ____@____.com