I am taking Fenugreek to increase my milk supply. I am taking two capsules a day (610mg each). I just talked to a friend of mine who used Fenugreek about 3 years ago and she told me that she took two capsules three times a day. I am wondering how much other Moms have taken and if there is a "magical number". I am not noticing that much of an increase in my supply - at least not what I had expected. Any help would be so appreciated.
Thanks so much to everyone who responded to my request. I have actually stopped taking the Fenugreek as it just didn't work and have ordered some Mother's Milk Tea as some of you suggested I try it. I am nursing as often as my little one will eat and hoping for the best. I will nurse until there isn't a drop left!! :-) Thanks again!!!!!
I took 2 caps three times a day. It didn't work for me. But a girlfreind of mine did the same and it worked great for her.
I dont know much about Fenugreek, but here are some other options you can try to increase your milk supply:
-try nursing more often; about every hour for a day or two...since you stay home it shouldn't be too difficult to accomplish this. The more milk is removed, the more milk will be replaced
-try super-switch nursing...start breastfeeding on the right (or left) side. About halfway through your normal breastfeeding time, switch sides. About halfway through, switch sides again and then one more time so that you finish on the opposite breast you started on. This "tricks" the body into thinking that the baby asked for milk twice instead of once and it will work harder next time to make more milk.
-make sure you are eating enough calories (no dieting at this point :) )
-if you are on some kind of hormonal birth control, that could reduce your milk supply
-some moms enjoy mother's milk tea
-some moms say oatmeal for breakfast is helpful
-make sure you are not hypothyroid-some symptoms include being tired and/or having cold feet and hands
-if your baby is having trouble nursing so often, try pumping in the hours that your baby doesnt want to eat...the point is to just express as much milk as possible so your body thinks you need to be making more.
I hope this helps!
-A.
R., I am a breastfeeding consultant, and I also usually recommend 3 capsules 3 times a day, when I recommend Fenugreek. It seems to work better when you add Blessed Thistle ( in the same amount) If it doesn't work in 3-4 days, it probably will not work, and you can quit taking it. I recommend that you take it only for 3-4 days to give your supply a boost. Hopefully after that your baby, nursing better now that there's more milk, will keep it up. I see that many others have made suggestions for increasing your milk supply, as well as offered possible reasons for the decrease. It could possibly be a thyroid problem, but if you had a good supply earlier, that is unlikely-usually hypothyroid moms have trouble from the beginning (has your milk supply always been low?) Did you breast-feed your other children-did you have an adequate supply with them? Birth control pills, even the low dose do often decrease milk supply. But, just from reading a little about you, I would guess that the root of your problem is the amount of activity in your life. With four children 6 and under, homeschooling, and the correspondence course, it seems likely that you are not getting any naps during the day. A major cause of decreased milk supply is lack of rest. Unfortunately, I don't have a remedy to that problem, but sometimes our bodies have ways of telling us to slow down. See if you can trade off with another mom occasioanally for some rest & relaxation time, if that's not possible, maybe just by increasing the Fenugreek a bit, that might be enough to help.
I tried Fenugreek & found that it didn't work that well so I increased the dose & had an allergic reaction to it (itching), and my son also developed a rash. The best way to increase is to breastfeed more often, and your supply should increase, but if you have problems, don't stress! I had problems from the very beginning as my son had complications at birth & his intake had to be monitored, so it was me pumping (which doesn't produce the same results), and feeding it to him in a bottle. Then at one month postpartum I got Salmonella poisoning & dried up almost completely. I had to work hard for a month to re-establish barely 2 oz at a time, so I had to supplement my son's feedings with formula (Enfamil Lipil with Iron), but it gave us that special bonding time, and it was the only way he could be comforted. You are not a failure if you have to supplement, and it doesn't mean that you have to stop breastfeeding! Just do the breast first, then if he is still hungry, finish up with a bottle. Also, if you drink, one beer before feeding helps you relax & encourages let down, while the yeast or something enriches the breastmilk. Best of luck!
I too tried Fenugreek. I was taking the two capsules three times a day and it did absolutely nothing. Finally, I started pumping on one side and nursing my daughter on the other. The next feeding I would switch sides. It took a few days for my body to adjust, but I finally got my milk supply up that way.
I have two children and my dr has always said that what you take does not help supply more or less. It has to do with how ofen you nurse or pump. The more you do it the more that you will produce.
D. S
Hi R.,
I used Fenugreek as well, and my lactation consultant recommended 3 capsules, 3 times a day. I also read about it on www.babycenter.com. Hope that helps!
R.
You are not taking enough. I do breastfeeding counseling and have my moms take 3 capsules 3x a day. Also, I prefer the Motherlove More Milk Plus product to fenugreek alone. It is more expensive, but it works better. Lastly, you have to be very careful where you get your fenugreek, as the quality of the herb varies greatly. Here is a link to more info: http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/fenugreek.shtml
Merry-Go-Round in Kingwood carries Motherlove
SOMETIMES MOM'S CANNOT PRODUCE ENOUGH MILK, LET ME TELL YA I
KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE, I DRANK SOOOOOOO MUCH WATER AND STILL
NOT ENOUGH MILK PRODUCED! SO I HAD TO GO TO FORMULA!
I HAVE 2 SMALL CHILDREN MYSELF.
GOOD LUCK ~
Wow hi R., My name is S. and you sound alot like me!! Your interest and things. I tried Fenugreek with my youngest I took 2 capsules 3 times a day plus I drank Mother's Milk tea. I made it as ice tea because it was warm outside. Also you have to either nurse or pump every 2 hours that will help bring in the milk!! It is hard to remember to do it every 2 hours set a timer or something if you need to :) Good luck!!
Hi,
I'm taking Fenugreek right now. I started out taking 2 pills 2x day, but that was not working. So now I'm taking 3 pills 3x day. It seems to be working for now. It may take at least 3 days before you notice a difference. Also, you may want to gradually increase your dose. I took too much at one time and had some stomach issues afterward! Good luck
I was taking 3 pills 3 times a day. By the way, in some people (including me), it reacts with your body somehow so that you might smell like honey or something sweet.
K.
I had supply issues since my baby birth and was struggling hard to establish a good milk supply but fenugreek, power pumping, oatmeals nothing worked until I started drinking "Healthy Nursing Tea" that is an herbal natural supplement and now I am successfully bfing my son since one year.
Hi--
I own The Breastfeeding Shoppe in Northweest Houston. Based on what our Lactation Consultants are recommending, the proper dosage for Fenugreek is 2-3 pills 3 times a day. You will know you are taking the correct dosage when you start to smell like Maple syrup. Another herbal suppliment that you can take that is stronger is More Milk Plus. THat includes Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle, Nettle and Fennel. That pill is 1 pill 4 times a day if you weigh less than 175 or 2 pills 3 times a day if you are over than 175. You can go to our website at www.thebreastfeedingshoppe.com to see more of the herbal suppliments.
Hope this helps!!! We sell a ton of both of these suppliments.
N.
