Need to Boost My Breastmilk! Returning to Work Next Week

Firstly, you need to eat more than usual, not less than usual. Your body will react and stop producing milk to save itself if it isn't getting extra nutrition. Same with too strenuous exercise.

I too am surprised that you would be told not to pump. Here is what I am doing to increase my supply. I pump the "third breast." In other words, I start with breast #1, then move baby to breast #2 after 15 min., then pump breast #1 again while nursing on breast #2. If you are short on time this is good as it doesn't require any extra pumping time. Also pumping 10 min. on both breasts after nursing or a pumping or two between nursings will help. And a night pumping or two also.

I also manually express both breasts after pumping as the pump just isn't good at getting my milk out. Remember that it's all about supply and demand.

And like others said, relax and feel warm lovey thoughts about your baby. What I do is I take deep breaths while nursing/pumping. My anxiety about my low supply is counterproductive to my goal.

Here is something else: the latch of the baby will determine whether or not your body is getting the signal to produce milk. I suspect that since you have been to LLL you know how to get a good deep latch without nipple pain. Nipple pain will be counterproductive to milk production.

The other things that I am doing is Domperidone 20 mg. 4x per day, Fenugreek (3 capsules 3x per day), blessed thistle (same), water, and brewer's yeast. All already mentioned.

Good luck!

I had similar problems, and fenugreek, oatmeal, etc. did not work for me. However, when I went back to work, I pumped for fewer times, but longer period of time, which really helped. I initially only pumped for 10-12 minutes (per books, suggestions, etc.) Then when I went back to work (luckily, I have an office with closed door, but hopefully your business has some private rooms to pump), I pumped for at least 30 minutes a few times a day and that made a big difference. After learning that I really regretted only pumping for those short "spurts" before.

Congrats on your new baby! I have twins at 4 and 1/2 months and can get concerned about my supply. Here's what I do...

1) drink a dark beer each night (Guiness) as the hops and barley help milk supply.
2) Fenugreek 3 capsules 3 times a day
3) Borage oil capsule once a day
4) Mother's milk tea at least once a day
5) Oatmeal every morning - oats help milk
6) when I am feeling low, I pump every 2 hours and the supply increases but takes up to 2 days.
7) eat well
8) don't stress (I know easier said than done)
9) sleep well (ditto)
(7-9 all affect milk supply)
10) relax when you pump and imagine milk coming out. Pump for 30-45 minutes to get your breasts going.

Good luck sister!

J. (mom to Asher and Gage)

Mothers Milk and fenugreek never helped me, but brewer's yeast pills did tremendously. (Europeans are encouraged to drink dark lager to stimulate the milk supply because of the effect of the yeast). You can get the pills at Whole Foods or health food stores. Good luck!

What has helped me is to make a fresh juice with 8 carrots, 4 leaves of chard, 4 leaves of kale, 1/2 dark green lettuce, 1 orange and 1 fuji apple. This gives me lots of milk, and when my supply is very low, I increase to 2 juices per day. In the morning I try to have lots of fresh fruit, then a high protien meal. I also add 2 tablespoons of flax oil in my juice for babys brain. Some shakes also help, such as fresh orange juice with 1 or 2 bananas and fresh blueberries, make sure to add flax oil and some protien powder, I use hemp or green powder.
When I started to nurse I was shaking because i was so weak and i saw a nutritionist and she recommended to have 3 shakes a day plus my regular meals, and it helped a lot. Greens really help produce milk. Eat asparagus, salads, green beans, etc.
Maybe some fish, salmon, cod, etc. Best of luck, hang in there. It gets easier.

here is my list on how to build your supply

1. rent a hospital grade pump..Medela Classic is what i'm using..it's $3 a day and totally worth it! OR better yet buy one off ebay and when you're done you can re-sell it on ebay and get your money back. i bought one and it works great..the medela classic is supposed to be the best pump out there.
2. get the Easy Expression bra www.easyexpressionproducts.com it holds both cups over you bb's and it's better to pump 2 at a time
3. eat oatmeal ....get the healthy kind i add bananas also i would think pasta would be good b/c it retains water
4. Take "Lactation Supplement" by Gaia Herbs you can find it at the health food store
5. try to pump at the same time every day...also try power pumping..10 minutes pumping..then stop for 10 then 10 again and then stop and so on. even pump if you aren't getting anything.
6. Make sure the white membrane thingies that attach onto the cups are fairly new ..over used ones affect how much milk you get
7. Drink lots of fluids including Nursing Mom's tea or Mother's Milk tea or the tea i prefer is www.breastea.com ..also drinks with electrolytes like Recharge...Smart Water...Gatorade i notice on days i drink a lot of fluids i have more milk
8. Eat barley..Barley Grass supplements are great. also..they have barley bread at Trader Joe's if you have a Trader Joe's where you live..or just buy barley. I buy a delicious barley tea at the japanese market and i drink a couple of cups a day..it's decaf and yummy.
i also drink Healthy Mom's drinks by Ensure
9.A warm wash cloth helps too ..apply to breasts before pumping or try the breast heating pads that you heat up in the microwave.
10. Keep taking your prenatal vitamin..not getting a lot of milk could mean a vitamin deficiency
even if you pump just a little ..save what you get and start adding them together and then supplement with the milk that you pump..that's why it's also good to pump after they've gone to sleep..then you help build your supply and you also have more bb milk for baby..
11. nurse nurse nurse..triple up on nursing..you're going to have to dedicate a week to it
the more you pump the more milk you'll begin to make.
12. LOTS OF REST..nap if you can ..milk builds when you rest
13. DHA supplements also are great for lactation..also found at the health food store*
14. Alfalfa supplements are also great.
i think that's it..
15. Try a whey protein powder drink.. i use "Whey to Go" by Solgar..you mix it with milk add some berries and a banana. it says to check with your doc before using if you're bfing..so ask your doc..i only drink one a day and i add a some Motherlove's "More Milk Plus" to it.
16. Again you should double pump when you're pumping so make sure you get the bra to make it easier on you!
17. Goat's Rue herb is also supposed to help boost
honestly drink LOTS of liquids
keep yourself moist ...don't take any birth control pills.
18. there is also this stuff called Motilium aka DOM a lot of mom's use this ..it's for reflux but it builds up your supply.. you can read about it on Kellymom.com http://www.kellymom.com/newman/19a-domperidone1.html
and you can buy it here... http://www.inhousepharmacy.com/general/motilium.html

I would add oatmeal and non-alcoholic beer to your diet.

I took 5 fenugreek capsules, 3x's a day and I took the Mothercare "More Milk" tincture 3x's a day. Eventually I had to begin taking a medication called Domperidone (brand name Motilium) in order to up my supply enough. The medication Reglan can cause depression so I knew I didn't need that! You can get Domperidone from a New Zealand pharmacy called www.inhousepharmacy.com. But I would look it up on www.kellymom.com to read about it. You should also eat well balanced meals and keep your calories up. Things like oats and barley help. Having said all of that, I still don't pump out enough for my now 8 month old to be exclusively breastfed, as I work full time. I pump 2 to 2.5 oz twice a day at work. I am quite simply not a good pumper! But I nurse him as much as I can on my days and mornings off and throughout the night. So nurse him as much as you can and pump as much as you can....I think that was odd advice from the LLL leader. Best of luck!

Hi L., You will be pumping (I pump at work about every 3-3.5 hours) at work when your baby is having a bottle at daycare or with whomever will be watching him, and I bet you'll pump plenty of milk (3.5-4 oz). I just went back to work after having my 3rd child, so 3rd time doing this. My 2nd child had down syndrome and was harder for him to suck, and I increased my milk supply dramatically by taking a med called Reglan.

Here's what really worked for me w/both kids:

one dark beer a day == like a Newcastle -- one if fine and won't get into the milk. Also I upped my cheese and hot chocolate intake (what women supposedly due in Nicaragua per our babysitter) helped a lot.

The beer is what does it, with the water -- much more than fenugreek. I also had success w/brewers yeast mixed into my food if you are anti-beer

If your son sleeps thru night or gives you long stretch, you should get one good pump half hour after first feeding in morning -- you have more milk in morning so you may want to try that.

as for pumping, some friends have gotten more by looking at picture of their baby or really thinking about baby. also, pump for 10 minutes after milk stops coming out -- yes, it''s a pain -- but this will help more milk come in

good luck

WATER, WATER, WATER. Drink lots of water.

Good luck,
M.

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

This is a great guide to increasing milk supply.

More than anything, it sounds like you need to eat more. Somehow, when they are on the inside, eating lots is easier. But once they are out, we want out figures back -- but they need even more calories after they are born and we are still their only source for food. Eat, eat, eat healthy, but eat. Your weight gain is supposed to melt off slowly. If you lose weight too fast, then your milk supply will not be optimal. It was the first thing my pediatrician told me when he saw how quickly I was losing weight after my daughters birth -- slow down. I am not naturally much of an eater and so it really is work to be mindful of how much I am eating. Sounds like you are the same. Keep working at it. It's a marathon, not a race. Good luck!

I definitely think that getting your balanced meals in order first will help. You must add whole grains to every breakfast. Eat recipes that have fennel in them (vegetable paella with fennel is great).

Since your son is only 3 and a half months old, you can easily get him to breast more. He won't complain at that age! Put him to breast as much as possible before you go back. When you go back, you are going to have to pump 3-4 times a day while you're away from him. Pumping at night will not yield a lot of milk because that's when your milk supply is lowest. The best time to pump is about 30 minutes after the first feeding of the day. That's when your supply is highest. In addition to that first pumping, fter the second feeding of the day could also yield some good results.

With fenugreek, I think that its effectiveness will work with only 3 caps 3x/day. I have taken fenugreek for 10 months now (baby is 11 months) and when I started, my lactation consultant said 3 caps 3x/day was sufficient to boost supply. In my experience, I would try to take fenugreek in the morning, in the afternoon right before I could catch a nap and in the evening right before bed. For some reason, I felt that rest directly after taking it also helped.

Good luck!

I seem to recall my pediatrician telling me that oatmeal and peanut butter both helped with milk supply. But, I had the same concern with my first baby as you, I never got more than an ounce or 2 while I was home and nursing the baby. But once you are at work and away from the baby, you will get a lot more, trust me. I sometimes got 8-10 ounces at one pumping. So as long as you have enough stored for a day or 2, you will be fine - you will replace what she consumed each day that you are away. Also, once she is 6 months she will get some solids, too, and can have more solids while you are gone, and more milk when you are home. It really will work itself out. Oh, and you really need to be using a double electric pump if you aren't already. One other thing - I had a really hard time getting a letdown with the medela pump because it felt like it was ripping my nipples up - I found a different brand online, whittlestone I believe it was called - and it worked much better for me. It didn't suck as hard, but it produced a good letdown for me. Good luck and stick with it - babies need mother's milk and not formula during their first year - you are doing a great thing for you baby.

Hi, L..

I have a 13-month-old daughter who I am now beginning to wean.

Besides all that you have been doing, it is really important that you eat throughout the day. Even, if you can't sit down to eat a full meal, you need to make sure you snack all day.

But saying that, you have to make sure the food you're consuming is healthy and nutritious. In order for me to successfully breastfeed this long, I have had to consume 4-5 meals per day and in the early first months, I was sitting down and having 6 meals a day along with snacks. I have a very fast metabolism, even the maximum requirement of calories most books suggest you have per day was never enough to make the amount of milk my daughter needed.

I pumped ten minutes after every nursing, as well, which also helped keep my supply up.

If you're really intent of nursing for a year, keep up what you are doing, but make sure you eat. It's one of the single, most important things you can do to ensure your keep your supply up!

Good luck!

E.

Hi...
My lactation specialist always said to pump in the morning, because by night time, your supply is low... also, NON Alcoholic beer helps somehow...
and also, DO NOT get on the pill... even the mini...i did that and mine went down from 6 oz to 2... also, i think if you keep doing it (and eat regularly), your body will adjust and will develop more.. .BUT YOU GOTTA EAT!!!!

My milk supply disappeared almost completely when I went on the mini pill while nursing, and I had to go on a drug called Reglan (or Regelan, can't remember the exact spelling) which causes lactation. And it's safe in small doses (short term use) for infants - it's even given to babies in the NICU for acid reflux issues. I tried all the herbal remedies, beer(!), everything and nothing but the medication worked. Think I was on it for 6 or 7 days. I had to be VERY persistent with my doctor to get it, but the lactation consultant urged me to press the issue. Glad I did, I nursed my baby for about a year.

You MUST eat regular and balanced meals along with, milk, juice soup etc. You are working so hard on your milk with all the water and herbs but you are missing themost important part...nutrician.

I heard from several sources that eating oatmeal helps, root beer, and high fat items like alvocadoes. Best of luck...