Breastmilk Reduction - How Do You Get It to Come Back

You might not like it, but beer does help. Also, go to the vitamin store like GNC and ask them for a supplement for increasing breastmilk. I can't remember the name, but it starts with an "F".

This site has excellent information about increasing milk supply.

http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/bf/galact.asp

Best of luck. You can do it!

Hi Kimberly,

Like what many have said before, it's all about supply and demand. I've tried pumping for this reason but my son's way was much more efficient so what I've done in the past is breastfeed more often for about 2-3 days to pump up the supply (every 2-3 hrs in my case, so your child's feeding schedule may be different).

Most importantly, lots of rest and drink plenty of fluid .. any fluid will do, although my personal choice is tea :)

Good luck!

Keep up the breastfeeding, especially if you're working, she needs it!
Eat and drink ALOT, and try to rest, that helps more than any gimics. Whole grain oats should help too. THe teas are just a gimic.
Also, as she grows older your milk changes to suit her needs, it tends to get more condensed/thicker. You may have less quantity, but that's what she needs. Also remember that she drinks more efficiently than your pump. If you pump only 6oz, she may still be drinking way more than that, like about 10oz.

Hi Kimberly,
First, I would try to breastfeed directly as much as possible since the pump isn't nearly as efficient as your little one. I also drank tons of water, ate oatmeal daily (yuk), took Fenugreek tablets, and drank Mother's Milk tea (found at Henry's and though I don't generally like tea, I liked this stuff). I, too, work full time and had to pump throughout the day to supply enough for my son the following day. Every two to three hours, in fact. Staying on a schedule seemed to help me because when I went out of town one weekend and slacked off a bit (when he was around 9 months) my production never fully recovered and we had to suppliment with formula from then on. Anyway, I was able to keep up the bedtime and morning direct feedings through his first year even after I quit pumping altogether during the day when he was around 10 months (I was tired of that stupid machine by then)! Good luck and enjoy this special bonding time with your little one. I miss it myself!

I was the same way with my daughter...but i was able to increase my milk and continue to breastfeed/ pump for 12 months. Right off you want to buy fenugreek tablets ( herbal supplement) and start taking 3 pills 3 times a day. Then order mother's milk tablets I was only able to find them online... they were even better then fenugreek. they are also herbal.

For me I pumped when i first woke up in the morning before work. then when my daughter woke up, usually an hour later i fed her. Your daughter will still be hungry until you increas your milk so feed her pumped milk AFTER you breastfeed her. The rule to remember to increase your milk production is to drain your breasts more often. So anytime my daughter breastfed I would pump an hour later. But before you give your daughter any pumped breast milk or formula always breastfeed her first to stimulate your milk production.

You can take fenugreek seed capsules 3 x 3 times a day, you can find them at whole foods or the vitamin shoppe and also if you are up for it you can have like half a guinness beer at night for a few days until your milk comes back, the fenugreek you can do for as long as you like.
good luck!

Yes, definitely possible to increase your supply! When I first went back to work after having my son my supply decreased.

Drink Tons of Water
Eat Oatmeal
Eat something between every pumping or bf session

I have friends that have had success with Funegreek. You can get it at a health store.

Kimberly,

Yes, it is entirely possible to increase your milk supply. Go to www.kellymom.com and search "low milk supply." It is the most comprehensive list I've seen on everything from pumping to herbs to medications that can help. I pumped for both my kids at work until they were 16 month old. It is a big committment but can be done. Pumping is an art and a science so you have to find a schedule and a routine that works for you.

Good luck,
T.

Just like others said I took fenugreek and drank mothers milk. Good luck!

Trish and Kristie gave you good advice, among others. Also, try this, it might actually be fun and it could help a lot:

Get the demand up for your breastmilk by having your husband stimulate production. Massaging your breasts gently and sucking on them a bit will help keep them active. I'm not kidding. Take a warm bath, relax, and get him involved. This as well as the other suggestions could have you flowing beautifully.

I had good success with pumping one breast WHILE breastfeeding from the other. This is cumbersome but really got my supply going, even a little later. I did increase my supply a few months in, so I'm pretty sure it's possible. I would pump the other breast, then put baby on it if she wanted it. Since she was so much more effective, she often still drew milk out, even though I had already been pumping.

Also I think it helped that I was nursing pretty frequently, even through the night- every few hours - when I was trying to increase- somehow the overnight stuff tells your body you're really serious about breastfeeding. =)

Good luck!

there is this stuff called Motilium..i took it when my son was 9 months..u only have to take it for 2 weeks..you'll see a difference in 72 hours..it's also known as DOM..its for heartburn but it makes your milk supply go up..you'll have to google it to find where to get it..i don't remember where i got it but i ordered it online.

if the "demand" is low, so is the supply!

The more you breastfeed the more milk will come. the best and most natural way to regain milk supply is to breastfeed your child more often, or for a longer time.

Fenugreek capsules, as recommended (your body will give off a maple syrup smell)

Reduce your stress--easier said than done, I know.

I nursed my second child to 19 months and stopped purposely. With my third child, I've needed the two things I mentioned above. And it's worked.
Good luck

Let her suck on you until she can suck no more!! Do it all the time, all day all night as many times as you can, and your milk will produce more and more and more, guarantee.

Wendy

Its supply and demand. Get your child on the breast on a regular basis and your production amount will increase. It is common to produce less after a few months, especially on the pump, but if you are stimulated regularly, you will continue to produce and can increase production the more she latches on. Good luck

There are a couple things you can do....
I know that whole oats oatmeal is supposed to increase the milk. Also drinking plenty of fluids. I know there is a tea you can drink, but I am not sure what it's called. You can try pumping after each feeding (with this there is a trick, once you are all out, continue pumping for about 5 minutes). This will make your body think you need more. You should start to see a bit of an increase within 24 hours. Also, relax! Your body senses stress and anxiety and that in turn affects your milk supply. So just relax. I know it's hard when you think you are losing your supply. Hang in there!! I did the whole oats oatmeal trick and pumping more. I was able to nurse my son until 14 months.

More Milk Plus tincture worked best for me. I tried Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle and Mothers Milk Tea. The More Milk Plus got me flowing noticeably more within 48 hours. You can get it at most health food stores, Henry's Marketplace, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, etc.

Just put the recommended amount into your juice.

There are 3 things that help produce more milk: 1) fenugreek - a natural herbal supplement you can buy at Henry's/Sprouts 2) Mother's Milk tea and 3) Drinking one dark beer per day - doesn't have to be guiness but a dark beer has more barley/hops/etc. that help our body produce milk.

Best of luck,
G.

The best way to get more milk produced, is more nursing and pumping. You're definitely not too late. When i had really low production, i had to pump right after nursing. But just increasing the nursing/pumping throughout the day should help. Make sure you're at least nursing 6 times a day, approx every 3 hours. that should help. I usually start at 7am and nurse or pump until 7pm every 3 hours, then get him up at 10-11pm for a 'dream feed'...but you could just pump rather than do that, i like the extra cuddle time :-) Good luck

It is all about supply and demand. Your milk will increase if you nurse her more and if your breasts have more stimulation. Many people mentioned fenugreek, but that does change the flavor of your milk, so just be aware if your baby does not like the taste. Besides increasing stimulation (nursing or pumping) you can try and decrease the stress in your life (hard one to do, I know).

Best of luck,
T.

Hi Kimberly.

It is possible, but it will take work. As long as your child is nursing, you will continue to produce milk. However, since your daughter is nursing less, you will produce less. That is the way your body works. It increases and decreases based on demand. Therefore, you must increase demand :)

If you really want to increase, nurse often,then pump a good 10 minutes on each breast after your daughter is done nursing. Drink lots of fluids (no caffeine). Fennel (or fenugreek) is good for milk supply. Once your supply is back up, avoid supplementing as much as possible.

Good luck!

Totally possible!!

I had the same issue, my son was 8 weeks preemie, and I all but gave up until I went to see a lactation consultant. If you call the hospital where you little girl was born they most likely have one on staff who can help you with your specific issue.

For me I had to pump every two hours, and remain hydrated and lower my physical exercise. It just depends on what your situation is.

Good Luck!

for me, pumping dried me up. I couldn't do it. I'd sit there and pump for over and hour and I was lucky to get 1-2 ounces. So I just stopped pumping. However, that's not possible for you since you're working. try Mother's Milk tea by Traiditional Medicinals.

It may or may not have gone down permanently. You'll pump less when you start getting your menstrual cycle back; I got mine at 6 months, but I've heard of people getting anywhere from 4 months to a year.

I went back to work when my daughter was 3 months old, and pumped during the day until she was over a year old. My supply definitely went up and down, sometimes for no reason that I could figure out.

I'd suggest trying to pump more frequently (every 2 hours if you've been pumping for every 3), and maybe try to add an extra pumping session, maybe at night after your daughter goes to bed? Also, as Deanna Leigh suggested, consult a lactation consultant.

You can try fenugreek and see if that helps you increase your supply. You can also try eating oatmeal for breakfast.

Don't give up, but don't stress yourself out about it too much either. Even if you have to supplement with formula, your daughter will still get the benefit of breastmilk from nursing and what you do pump. Some people react better to the pump than others do; it doesn't mean that what your daughter is able to get out of you is less.

I was able to keep my daughter on breastmilk for a full year only because I built up a large stash of milk in my freezer before I went back to work. By the time she was 9 months old, she was drinking more out of my stash every day than I was able to pump.