I'm Losing My Milk Supply!! Help!!

one that seems to help that is usually dispised, you need to pump after you finish feeding him. What you get you can freeze for up to 4 months if stored properly. That way you can use breast milk when you are out instead of formula if you wish.

Two words Brewer's Yeast. you'll have more milk than you'll know what to do with. You have gotten a lot of advice here, but if you want to talk to someone call the La Leche League ###-###-####).

I've found a type of tea at the whole food stores called Mothers Milk. They also have it in a liquid sulplment called more milk. It worked for me. good luck. :)

Hi Jenille, I want to salute you for your desire to breastfeed your child. You are truly a great mom! I suggest you eat lots of green leafy vegetables and seaweeds (rich in iodine and calcium). That's what I always eat when I breastfed my children. I also drink milk 3x a day. You continue nursing your child your milk will come back. What I do is to breastfeed my child every 15 minutes. It's hard but think of the benefit to your child. Anyway. it's time for bonding, right? Hope my suggestion will help you. Best regard, great mom!

Yogi makes an organic tea for nursing mothers. You can get it at Whole Foods.

Make sure you are drinking plenty of water - I also understand that eating lots of whole grains is good for your milk supply.

You could also try attendning a LLL meeting in your area or speaking with a lactation consultant.

Hi J.,

It would be helpful if you got the book 'The Breastfeeding Book' by Dr's Sears and Sears.
But for a quickie jump start get yourself from either Trader Joes, Henry's, or Costco might have it - Organic carrot juice by Naked Juice. If you can juice the carrots yourself would be better...but the Naked Juice can get you started. Also, from Henry's or any store that carries alot of teas, get, from the brand name Traditional Medicinals the 'Organic Mothers Milk' tea. My herbalist always had/has me (and other Moms) on at least these two items because they just cause the milk to flow. I usually used mostly the tea because it was all I needed to help maintain the milk coming in the first months with nursing both of my kids. I nursed my son for 2.3 years...and my daughter at 16 months is still nursing.
Keep in mind though too....the more you nurse the more milk comes. The pumping won't do that. When baby nurses it does signal to your body the output needed or desired. But it sounds like you already see that.
I've never seen the tea not work....and it works very quickly. Sleep, rest, staying calm is very important...but how many of us Moms laugh at that when told to do that - especially the first time around? HA. But with both of my kids if I felt like it wasn't enough I'd get one or two cups in in the evening ....and they'd have plenty for during the night feedings. You can gauge it yourself. Try one cup 3 times a day until you see how much comes out.

You'll be fine....good luck.

T.

Hi J.,
My name is M. V.. It has been a mighty long time since my 17 year old was an infant and this may sound crazy but... have you tried drinking a beer? That really helps your milk come in.. My doctor actually suggested it to me when I was having the same problem..the yeast in the beer helps bring in your milk.. almost immediately. I breastfed my son for 17 mos and I worked for a quite a few months during that time. Also make sure you are eating enough calories, like 2000. You have to eat in order to keep up your supply.
Good luck and I hope this suggestion helped.

Try taking Fenugreek. It is a natural supplement they sell at health food stores. They have pills, they are the easiest. They also make a tea called mothers milk that helps, but it is hard to drink 5 cups a day. I took the fenugreek and it was helping, but it upset my tummy. It does not happen with everyone so you can try.

Try Mother's Milk tea from Traditional Medicinals! Check a health food store. There's nothing as effective as the baby to get the milk out, but the tea worked wonders for me.

Hi J.,
I understand what you're going through. I have a 7 week old. Be confident that your body will adjust as your baby nurses. It takes 48-72 hours for your milk supply to catch up. Be patient, keep your mind and body relaxed, and keep him at the breast for each feeding (even at night if you can). You'll notice your supply is up in a couple days. I don't know if it's an option, but try to have your mother only give him your pumped milk instead of formula. That way whatever you're pumping will not be wasted and that helps with the demand too. Good luck!

Hi! J.,

I have nursed 4 babies for at least 16 months each and one for almost 2 years.

What makes you think that you are loosing your milk? If it is only that he is fussy, he just may be growing and at present he needs more. Usually about 6 weeks babies go thru a growth spurt and need more milk. This will happen from time to time. The other thing is that he may be pick up on your stress of having to run around and do whatever it is that you are doing. Babies are very senitive to our emotions.

Stop whatever you are doing (all the running around and housework, etc.) drink lots and lots of water and nurse him whenever he wants. Do worry about anything and in a couple of days you will have all the milk you need.

I realize that it is tempting to try and do all the things that you were doing before you had the baby, however you just did the hard (physical) work that you will ever do. You spent 9 months making another human being and then spent who knows how many hours pushing that big thing out a really small hole. You need to take care of yourself as much as you need to feed that baby. Stop and enjoy that time you have with him now. You will never have this time again and they grow so fast. Before you know it he will be going off to school and then learning to drive and dating girls. It is just around the corner. I know. My first baby is now 34. I thought they would never grow up and move out, however that day will come.

Look at the changes in him already. Look at those first pictures. What changes and how much has he grown! I love the frist few months when they are so dependent. You are the most important person in his world. Grandma is okay, but not as good as mom.

I hope that I am not coming across as scolding you, however, I am a mom and that is what we do sometimes.

Sometimes I wish I could go back to those first few weeks of each one of my children's life. Now I just get to go be with my daughters and help them with their babies thru the first week or so.

Your milk is there! Go back to feeding on demand and offering to nurse every two hours if possible. Your body should work out the issue of supply and demand. I have been nursing for 10 months and it is one of the best things I have ever done. Don't give up and try not to supplement formula if possible until your milk supply is adjusted. I have never used formula but was told to pump each time you give the baby formula. Also, it is important to remember babies get much more milk form you then you can get from a pump. Good Luck!

When this happened to me I would feed the baby until I thought I was empty, then pump for a few minutes. You will not get much at first and it will seem sense less. BUT, this sends signals to your body that the demand has not been met and will start to produce more. Supply and demand!
Good luck~
Melissa

Get the book "nursing mother's companion" this book absolutely SAVED my nursing career. Take tons of Fenugreek capsules, like 12-15 a day. This WORKS!!! keep nursing and pumping, the more stimulation, the more milk...DONT GIVE UP!!!
E-Mail me personally and I will help you, I have helped tons of friends with this!

____@____.com

B.

A few suggestions:

When you have to be gone away from baby for a long time, take a manual pump with you so that you can still pump at the times when baby would eat. Also...eat lots of oatmeal (it helps with milk production). There is also a herbal tea formula that I get from the health food store called "Organic Mother's Milk" by Traditional Medicinals. I drink a couple of cups a day and it works.

Good luck.

Dear J.,

Not to worry! Breastfeeding is the most natural activity in the world and your body is expressly designed to increase or decrease your milk supply based on your baby's needs. Try not to worry or overthink this one. Your milk supply will increase to just the right amount without you needing to do a thing.

Take care of yourself, eat right, and get plenty of sleep and you and your baby will be just fine.

I am a postpartum doula and this question comes up a lot. First start by breastfeeding him as often as he will take your breat, that is the best way to build your supply. You can also take Mothers Milk tea, avail at health food stores. But it comes with mixed reviews. Having him on your breast is the best thing possible, even through the night for a while.
It may take some time, but you will be able to rebuild your supply.
L. Stoenner
postpartum doula(Dona)

My sister used to work for the Women's Infant and Children (W.I.C.) program in Texas and learned lots of great stuff for lactation consultants. She shared some good stuff over the years which I will pass on to you. For official info, google "la leche league" and call a consultant from your area. As far as I know, they give free advice and with one quick tip can have you successfully breastfeeding again in no time. My free advice is as follows: your body responds to what you do. If you stop feeding baby, your body stops producing. All those days that he was supplemented taught your body that you needed to produce less so, voila!, your body obeyed you and has slowed down production to match your need. To get it going again, you have to start nursing your son exclusively again without supplementing--formula is a no-no. When baby fills up on formula (and it seems to be more filling than breast milk for the newest babies) he will not help you produce your own milk. He needs to be hungry to latch on to you and start sucking away. The more he sucks on your own breast, the more your body will respond and start producing at full rate again. I would also advise that at first you go back to nursing at night instead of pumping. Pumping is a great help but you should probably use that resource only after you've got your supply going again. Baby's little mouth is so much more efficient at stimulating your body's production so if you can have him latch on day and night as much as possible--every hour or every two hours--you will get the supply going again.It might take a couple days of this to get back into your full supply but the body is amazing in the way it adapts. Make sure to stay hydrated--drink lots of water as you get back into this stage of building up your supply. Don't give him any formula because that is the worse thing for your milk supply. Enjoy those special times with baby, relax, don't worry, your body will supply what he needs if you keep feeding him. One thing I did in the "building up the supply stage" was take my baby (she is 7 weeks old now and my 3rd child) to all my appointments. If someone can go with you that is even better. I'm not very good at public nursing so I just would lock myself up in the bathroom or the car or a private room and nurse the baby at the slightest hint of a need.

Try Mother's Milk tea, most health food stores carry it. You can also try Fenugreek herb in a pill or tincture or Lecithin supplements. A diet with lots of grains and plenty of water also helps. Good Luck. Remember the more you are pumping or nursing the more milk you will make. It's all about supply and demand with breastfeeding.

The best thing you can do is stop stressing about it and try to relax. I know that's hard, but worrying does nothing but decrease your supply. When you're with him more and having more opportunity to nurse him your body WILL readjust to him demand. It may take a few days, so be patient, but it'll work itself out.

Best of luck,

M.

Hi J,
Nurse as often as he will and drink lots of fluids. The milk will come back you just have to not supliment and again nurse every 2 hours if he will.
Regards,
S.

Breast milk is created on a supply/demand basis. So, yes, the more times you nurse/pump you are telling your body that you need more. If you are away form your baby, try to nurse or pump in his absence. Even if you don't get much when pumping the time at the pump is demanding more production. If you want to actually pump more you can try pumping one breast while your baby is at the other. Also, for some reason, our bodes produce more first thing in the morning. Try to pump before he wakes or, again, with him on one side. Your body has a hormonal response to your baby and will always provide for him, while you may not respond to the plastic pump.
You can also be sure that you are hydrated and well fed. You can try a suppliment called fenugreek. (Usually in tea form) that is supposed to enhance milk production... Another great resource is La Leche League at www.lli.org
Hope that helps.

If you stop supplementing with formula your supply will naturally come back as you breastfeed on demand. That's the beauty of breastfeeding......supply and demand. Try keeping baby close to you at all times (a sling and co-sleeping are wonderful for this) and you both will quickly get back into sync with one another. Exclusively breastfeed. Don't panic and feed him formula or you'll have the same problem ongoing.
(and google the inferiority of formula for motivation).

I breastfed 2 premies and always had problems with supply. Make sure you are drinking at least 2 liters of fluids a day and pumping/breastfeeding at least every 2-3 hrs for the next few weeks. Even at night, you'll need to get up and pump or feed. Your breasts respond to "demand", and if it drops you wont make milk. Also your body has been under more stress with illness and that also affects milk supply. Do you have any other significant stress in your life? That will affect milk supply too.... Try to focus on nothing else for next few weeks and it should come back. Make "making milk" your full time job!!If that doesnt work, make sure you contact a reputable lactation specialist in your area. They usually have great ideas. You may also want to try some "Organic Mothers Milk" lactation tea...it has fennel in it that is supposed to help increase milk supply.. I wish you the best!By the way, while you are busy building supply up again, make sure baby stays well hydrated. You may need to supplement for a week or so until supply comes back..you dont want baby dehydrated or hungry!!

Hi! I'm M. and am new to the site. I have a 7 wk old girl... first time mom. I don't really have any sound advice or anything, but I attend a lactation support group, and it's so helpful! There have been similar questions there in the group and the consultant/nurse always asks lots of questions like when he eats and sleeps and all that stuff.... maybe you can check one out by you and they can help! I have a preemie and I had to supplement and still do - and have plenty of milk. Your baby may be growing and is prompting you to make more. but don't go by what you pump because you may not pump as much as you are feeding him, it's deceiving for sure. Best advice: seek help with a lactation consultant ASAP!

Hi! I can relate, as I had the same problem with my first son. What I did - and what seemed to help - was pump 15 minutes (both breasts) after each feeding. I also took the herb fenugreek (not sure if that helped or just made me feel better!) and drank lots of water. With my second baby, I haven't had any issues with milk supply, so I think the supply has more to do with how efficiently your baby sucks & encourages milk production. It's a bummer to work so hard and only produce a few ounces, but be nice to yourself and know that you are doing the best you can. Any breast milk you give your baby is wonderful, so if you have to supplement for his health, then don't be h*** o* yourself.
Good luck!!! :)J.

Hi J. - Congratulations on the new baby! You are doing an awesome thing by breast feeding. My milk supply went down when I wasn't feeding my son on both sides. What I was doing was training my breasts that he only needed milk every 6-8 hours because only one breast was excreting milk every 3-4 hours. Does that make sense? I hope so - anyway - The lactation consultant's advice really worked for me. She said pump for 5-10 minutes after every feeding. EVEN IF NO MILK IS COMING OUT! This continued to stimulate the breast so that it made more milk. I was full as can be in less than a week. Good luck!

When I was nursing, I took a supplement called more milk plus, which I bought at whole foods. But, if you are really concerned about it, you can ask your ob/gyn about a prescription that would be more powerful. Another idea is to nurse and pump more often...if you are having trouble pumping, it may be the pump. Your hospital should have available lactation consultants that can be a great resource for answering questions on the phone and/or help sessions and support groups. Another idea is to seek help from the la leche or similar organizations. Good luck.

This happened to me as well, and it's frustrating. You should know as well, that babies have significant growth spurts during the 3rd and 6th weeks, where their demand increases a LOT. I found there were days when all I did was nurse my son. I found that during those weeks, I HAD to be at home to get my body to adjust my production to his demand. If you feel you need to catch up already - dedicate a week to being full time nursing directly (not pumping), and then pump additionally between nursing sessions with your son - your body will think it needs to produce more and will automatically produce enough to meet that additional demand. Example, if your son is eating every 2 hours, try to pump on the hour in between.

If this doesn't work - don't take it too hard. There are LOTs of kids who have some formula, and every bit of breastmilk helps, even if it isn't exclusive.

Good Luck!

I attending a breastfeading class when my 6 month old daughter was a few weeks old. She was eating fine but she wanted to eat all the time and I felt that I just wasn't satisfying her. They suggested I try Mothers Milk Tea (available at Henry's) and Fenugreek supplements. I've used both with great success. It turns out I did have plenty of milk but that I would get really soft during a feeding and she couldn't latch properly. Having the extra boost from the tea and supplement allowed me to be fuller so that MacKenzie could really latch on. These allowed me to produce more milk then I really needed so it kept me fuller. Even 6 months later I continue to drink the tea several times a day.

The more you nurse, the more milk your body will automatically produce. I personally don't think that pumping has the same effect. During the holidays my in-laws gave me a few breaks and I pumped more ofter and I noticed that my supply tended to decrease but once I went back to regular nursing, my production went up to satisfy her. When I went back to regular nursings, I restarted the Mothers Milk Tea and Fenugreek.

If none of those work, there is a Breastfeeding class every Monday and Friday at Scripps Mary Birch Hospital and they also have a wonderful Lactation Store on the main floor that have people in there that can answer all your questions and that can help.
Good Luck!

It's hard to fool our bodies into producing milk for a child who "isn't there". I guess the only suggestion I can offer is to make sure that you ALWAYS express when you feel your milk come in. Just a few times of this signal going ignored can start your body on its shutting down process.

Have you talked with a lactation consultant? I have used a natural herb called Fenugreek, it really works and is completely healthy and safe. Good Luck to you and your new baby.

First of all make sure you drink a lot of fluids. And secondly the more you pump/ breastfeed the more milk you produce because if you don't give it as much you'll stop makin as much because your body will think you dont want to produce any more milk. i hope this helps

Good for you for breastfeeding and not wanting to give it up! It's tough work.

Drink tons and tons of water. I exclusively pump for my 4 month old son, he never latched. I notice when I drink more water I supply more milk.

I would also recommend, if you can't be around your son during the day, pump and pump some more. When I first started I could only pump about 1/2 oz. Now I get at least 20 oz per pumping session.

Good luck and don't give up!

You need to nurse your baby like crazy! Every time he wants to suck, give him the breast. All night and all day. No pumping, no formula, no pacifiers! Don't worry, this special demanding time will go by much quicker than you can imagine! Good luck and enjoy the closeness with your precious baby.

J.,
I too had this problem when my babies were 3-4 mo and I was working. I used the Fenugreek herbal supplements and it helps a lot. I never tried the tea, but I have heard it doesn't work as well. The fenugreek works by increasing your sweat. I learned that your milk ducts are modified sweat glands. The fenugreek has a maple smell to it and if you are taking enough your sweat will also have that slight odor. The lactation consultant recommended fenugreek and it really works.
M.

Try Mother's Milk tea. It says you have to drink something like 8 cups a day, so I made it all in the morning and had iced tea all day. It really helped me. I also used Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle. Read the bottles, but it was about 3 Fenugreek and 2 Blessed Thistle 3 or 4 times a day. Read the bottles though...they are available at health food stores.

There are many things you can do, so don't panic. As you know, you have to nurse often. Your milk will always rise to the demand for it. Also, eat oatmeal in the afternoon to increase your supply in the evening when our supply is naturally at its lowest. Drink lots of water, I mean go overboard on the water drinking. In most cases, a woman's supply is not as low as she perceives it to be, especially if you are judging based on how much you can pump. When I was pumping, I rarely got more than 2 or 3 ounces total. I know it's frustrating, but your body responds to the baby much differently than it responds to the pump. Your baby can get a lot more milk than the pump can simply because your body knows the difference. There are supplements you can take to increase your supply. More Milk Plus is probably the best one out there. You can find it at Henry's, it come in a little blue bottle. Message your breast before feeding. Really, you will not lose your supply. I've been through it all with nursing and would be happy to encourage you along the way if you are having doubts or have questions about anything. You were made to nurse! Your supply will be up in no time!

Do not worry! Why are you pumping at night? It might help to BF during the night also. When you are away from him during the day, still try to pump every 3 hours to keep the stimulation. Of course use common sense - if you know you are going to be home shortly and the baby will want to eat then don't pump right at the 3 hr mark, but wait to BF then. I BF my daughter for 2.5 years and I worked full time. Maybe at the first pump, I would get a couple ounces, but then as the day wore on, I pumped less to where I would only get one ounce. They will continue to BF until they are full and then want more in 2-3 hours. I worried all the time that she was not getting enough. There were a couple times, where I ran out of a milk supply at the baby sitters and they had to give formula. After my hormones settled down from pregnancy, I realized that this was the best thing for my baby and if she was hungry she would let me know.

Your body understand the supply and demand issue. Your body may lag a day behind though. For example if your baby is really hungry today, then your body will begin secreting more hormone to produce the milk and it will respond tomorrow by increasing your supply. So, if you feel as though your supply has diminished, it may just be that you have been stressed and a little sleep deprived (which can decrease milk) and you may need to pump every three hours if you are not with your baby.

The other thing, engorgement is terrible! Is your body finally adapting to the changes? After awhile you do get use to your breasts being fuller.

Don't give up and keep working. You and your baby will be fine. If they are hungry, look for the signs that indicate that. Rooting and eating their fingers. If you are using a pacifer, they won't be satisfied with that.
Sorry so long, I just thought BF was a great bonding opportunity. Hope it helps

Hi Janille
At such an early age, you need to exclusively breastfeed in order to establish the supply/demand of milk. In a little while, you'll be able to leave, pump, whatever. For now, to get back to what your baby needs, devote an entire day to hanging out in bed with your baby. Strip the baby down to a diaper, and you should be bare chested, to have all of the skin-to-skin contact you can. Let the baby suckle all he wants. Drink plenty, (non-alcoholic beer is great for milk supple) and eat very nutritious foods, of course. Start nursing at night, because even though you can eventually pump what your baby needs, a pump won't be enough stimulation to actually establish a good milk supply. It will be worth it in the long run to do it the hard way now. Good luck!

I read the Nursing Mother's Companion. In this book it said to take fenugreek tablets to help make more milk. You can find them at Whole Foods. Feed your baby on demand as opposed to feeding him every three hours. The fenugreek works best when you're nursing about 8 times a day. Many woman don't pump very much milk. You can't assume that this is the amount that your baby is getting. Good Luck and don't give up! Not only is it the best thing for your baby, but it is so rewarding for a mother to see her baby thriving from something your body made to do.

call eve at milkmaid at home in hillcrest (san diego). she will give you good advice. also, talk to your doctor about reglan. it helps increase milk supply, but can make you dizzy.

Try the suppliment Fenugreek. If you take 3-6 pills a day, it will help your milk supply within a week. I hear a sip of beer works too, but I'm not ready to try that.

The longer he is on the breast, the more milk you will produce. Let him nurse as long as he wants, or you can stand, at least 20 min. a go... You will get the milk back, just don't give up!

Just keep nursing him! Your body should then start producing more, but it might take a few days. Our bodies are designed to produce what our babies need...just like when they're going through a growth spurt, they nurse more to produce more. Check out the book, Child of Mine: Feeding with love and good sense by Ellyn Satter

Good luck!

HI. I'm a mom of two and nursed both to 13 months. ways to increase milk supply: nurse baby more often, baby is better at getting milk to flow than a pump. make sure you stay hydrated,are drinking enough water. and then "wivestale" cure is to have a beer! it is supposed to increase milk supply.
good luck

Hi J.,
Breasts produce milk in direct proportion to the stimulus they receive. You will need to let your little one nurse often for a few days to increase your supply. It may be frustrating for both of you, since he won't get much, so be prepared to supplement just a bit. Keep in mind that if you fill him up with formula, he won't have the desire to suck. Since you may become sore from the frequent nursings, be sure to have some pure hydrous lanolin on hand to rub on your nipples. You need to drink a lot of fluids and get some rest. The stress of multiple appointments also takes its toll on your milk supply. Try to relax. You may indulge in a little beer with no harm to your baby, and it will help you relax. That advice was given to me by my mom. I tried it and was teased unmercifully by the friend who caught me with a beer before noon!
I'm now 62 and a grandma to 2.

Take a deep breath and RELAX. All this stress about losing your supply is only going to compound your problem. As a few people have already suggested, it will correct itself, as long as you take action immediatly. Nurse your baby at every feeding on both sides until your breasts are completely empty, then if your baby is still acting hungry you could give a small amount of formula or pumped breast milk but I would do this sparingly. Periodically put the baby to nurse between feedings as well. Definetly drink a TON of water, way more than you think is enough, eat regular nutritious meals and get as much rest as you can. I agree with the others that have suggested you take the More Milk Plus supplement, it really helped me.
Im sending you a big hug cause I know this can be very overwhelming. Good luck and dont be afraid to seek help from a qualified lactation consultant or attend a few LLL meetings.

Milk can always be made, don't stress. I have three children under the age of 10. And worked with two, and pumped. Green tea, lots of water, and let him stay on. Pump every 1 1/2 hours, or pump after he eats. Do not stress. You could also call a warm line (breastfeeding help like la leche). But, you must not supplement if possible. Either bring your your child with you or like i said pump every 1 1/2 hours or after the baby is done eating. It takes alot more energy to suck on a breast, so don't worry. A bottle is easier to drink. Within a day or two, you and your baby will be a okay. Lots of water!!

I was losing my milk supply early on to. I met with a lactation consultant and what they had me do was pump after EVERY feeding for a week. I sometimes would only get a few drops, sometimes the combined total out of both breasts was only an ounce. Very discouraging, but it tricks your body into believing that your baby is taking more milk. It is very time consuming - I had a family member come over during the day so that they could hold my daughter while I pumped for 15 minutes after each feed. I also took Fenugreek (herb sold at Mother's Market). The pediatrician said it was fine to take. After a week of the pumping, my supply increased. I continued with the fenugreek for about a month (not sure if it worked, but psychologically it made me feel better). Good luck. Stick with it.

My advice is to NURSE, NURSE, NURSE and keep on nursing! Try to avoid formula if possible. Its much better to nurse and pump. If you have to leave a bottle, use breast milk. At 5 weeks, your baby needs to eat all the time and on demand. Even better if you can arrange your schedule to nurse both sides before an appt. so your baby won't need a supplemental bottle while you're gone. Then nurse when you get home. I know its a huge commitment, but one you and your baby will both benefit from immensely. Once you start nursing exclusively your milk supply will be plentiful. If you still have a problem, call a lactation consultant immediately. Often when you give a bottle it makes the baby lazy and they don't suck hard enough when you nurse. They get frustrated because the milk doesn't pour out like a bottle. Try to take your baby with you as much as possible so you can nurse. Its so easy. My kids never had a bottle. I did leave them with a bottle in case of an emergency but most of the time it was dumped. When your baby gets older - you will be able to go longer in between feedings. Make sure you are drinking lots, I means tons of water too. I applaud you for nursing! Don't
give up. I am the mother of 2 boys who I nursed until they were both 2. They are 9 and 12 now. They are healthy, highly gifted and most of all loving, caring people. Check out the WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING - great resource book. I was never a member of LaLeche, just had the support of my husband, sisters and mom. Breastfeeding moms need support. Good luck!

Supply and demand is the theme when it comes to breast feeding. If baby isn't demanding (or you skip a feeding), the supply will start to dwindle.

I suggest that first, you slow down, get enough rest, make sure you are eating well and getting plenty of fluids. If your baby is only 5 weeks old that means that technically, you are still in that post-partum recovery stage. Delegate as much as possible and try not to do anything but the essentials.

That being said, continue the daily feeding schedule with your baby. If you need to be away, it's fine for baby to get a bottle but you should pump before you leave so that you don't miss a feeding. After a week or so, your milk supply should return to it's previous levels.

There is also a "Mother's Milk" tea that helps with milk production.

After a few weeks, if your milk supply doesn't return, I would suggest speaking with a lactation consultant.

I nursed my daughter until she was 14 months. I went back to work when she was 5 1/2 months. I kept pumping and my milk supply stayed up and I never had to supplement with formula.

I hope that helps!

Take fenegreek (SP?) A natural spice/herb will not harm the baby. Let him sleep in the same room so you can nurse through the night as well.

You need to do some night feedings because at the beginning they are most important in establishing milk supply.
Fenugreek is an herbal supplement which stimulates milk supply and has only one side effect...your urine and perspiation will smell like maple syrup. To bump your milk supply you take 10 capsules all at once and then 2 at each meal.
I am a lactation nurse and work with moms all the time.
K. G.

Hi my name is S. i suggest letting him suckle as much as he wants to stimulate that milk supply once that you are producing again get him back to a 3-4 hour feeding schedule to keep it consistant. when you are sick it is important to keep the feeding schedule or increase feeding times to keep the supply active.

regards

S. v. mother of two one 7year old and one 4 year old good luck.

Bravo for breastfeeding! I agree with Jessica, DON'T WORRY. You can bring your milk back up. Get your little one
on the breast as much as possible. The baby is much more efficient than the pump - pulls more - so do this as often as possible. Pump in between feedings with a double pump to try and increase your supply. If you need to be away from the baby, pump while you are out. Medela pumps have car charging accessories and battery operated energy sources. Be diligent about this....

Drink a ton of water - more than you think you need. If you want to try and add a supplement - try either Fenugreek herbs or the nursing tea 'Mother's Milk'.

You can do this - you are doing it. Great work!!!

If you live in the South Bay - Bright Beginnings and Beyond in South Redondo has a great breast feeding support group on Wed, Fri, and Sunday mornings at 10am.

When i was nursing the same thing happen to me. My dr. told me that yeast helps in producing milk. So I got brewers yeast and mixed it with water. Ask your dr. what she thinks. There are also lactation consultants at the hospital or through your dr. you can ask.
Good luck and keep trying. Try not to get frustrated it will just work angainst you.

stop pumping at night.
you don't get the same release of prolactin w a pump so you won't get same increase in milk production..
any time your milk supply goes down, either yoiu have to nurse longer or more frequently. takes 2-3 days of this to get milk supply back up then yoiu can spread out again.
same thing holds when your baby will go thru a growth spurt and seem to be demanding constantly.
first step towards insufficient breast milk is supplementing w formula, second using anything except the breast.

J.: Don't worry! Breasts are made to respond to a greater need with more supply. What you have to do is keep breastfeeding as often as possible, and follow this by pumping on both sides at the same time. Start pumping slowly, maybe only once or twice a day, depending on how your breasts respond. When I do this, I get way more than I need within 24 hours, but some people may need more time. And keep feeding him as often as you can. The more stimulation the breasts get, the more supply they'll give.

Be careful, though. An oversupply of milk can lead to problems with too much foremilk, which can cause gassiness and diarrhea.

Good luck!

Hi J.,
I had the same supply problem for a different reason and I got it back by "power pumping." To increase your supply, feed your baby more often and pump in between feedings. If he won't feed more, than pump more. My milk supply dwindled away almost completely and I was able to restore it within 3 days by pumping every 2-3 hours. I saw a lactation consultant every week and she also advised I take fenugreek (?) as a natural supplement to increase milk supply.
Good luck!

Hi J..
I am glad that you are seeking advise. One word: WATER and lots of it. If you feel you need a boost there are wonderful all natural suppliments that are always wonderful. I think someone mentioned tea - it works!
Good luck.
Crystal P.

Drink more water and breastfeed exclusivly...no pumping. It sounds like you haven't let your body figure out the amount of milk your baby needs. I'm a mother of two (5yrs and 2yrs)and was told that you shouldn't pump at all till the baby is at least 2 to 3 months old, this way your body gets used to feeding the "baby" on his/her schedule, and not to your "pumping" schedule. Good Luck!! J. H. San Diego, CA

J.,

I had this problem for about 6 weeks when I was nursing twins, years ago.
The main problem is stress, stress, stress. Look at your schedule and remove as much stress as you can. Limit your times away from your baby unless it is absolutely necessary job wise. Recognize what it is doing to your body. Your body is showing you how detrimental stress is by shutting down your milk supply.
Also, you can not try to lose the weight at this time. That can also cause a problem because you are not eating enough to support your body and produce milk for your baby.
Exercise around 1/2 hour a day, at least 5 days a week. A brisk walk can do wonders to your body and mind. If you have a jogging stroller this can be accomplished with the baby. This will help with the stress and start you toward getting back into shape.

Breakdown: Eat like a pig (with reason), exercise like a gazelle (releasing your stress in your mind) and drink water constantly, all day long. And my last item came from my OBGYN, if you are having problem with your milk "coming down" with your late afternoon/evening nursing drink 1/2 of a dark beer. I would only drink until I felt myself relax from the effects then my husband would finish it or I would dump it. Guiness was my choice.

Hope this helps,

Evelyn

Hi J., I nursed one child for 14 months until I found out I was pregnant with another that I nursed for 2 1/2 years. I was a breast feeding consultant as well. There are several things that could be causing your milk to slow. If you are giving him a bottle he might have nipple confusion and doesn't latch on as good to you as he should. Could you have your mom go with you to the doctor and nurse him while you are there? The stimulation of nursing will bring your milk production up. You need to drink plenty of water. Sometimes we forget, especially when we are sick. Plenty means at least your 8-8 oz cups a day, plus more if you can. I used to get a 1 liter bottle and fill it twice a day. It holds 4 1/2 8 oz cups of water. It would be beneficial to nurse the baby at night too. If the baby is sleeping all through the night then your body will adjust. If not, the added feeding will help to meet his demand. If you have been sick it is very important to breast feed to give the baby the antibodies from your breast milk so the baby doesn't get sick and if he does, he will not get it as bad and get over it quicker. I was a madela breast pump center and know the need is there for many mothers who have no choice but to pump, for many reasons. So with this in mind, if you have to pump, do it. If you use the right nipple on the bottle, it will cut down on the nipple confusion. I have a website you can go to to show you what to look for http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

just click on the link and it will take you there. When you can finally get back to just breast feeding, don't get frustrated. Everything will adjust out again if you are patient. Sometimes babies get frustrated when going back to the breast because it is easier to suck out of a bottle and they have to work at the breast. The baby will get through it. He might act fussy and frustrated at first, but push through it and you should be ok. I had to pump because of hospitalization and had my husband help me to keep my supply. It might sound weird to a few, but it worked!! Some husbands might say yuck!!!, but mine didn't. Whatever works, right. I hope this helps.
Good Luck!

Hello,
As long as you continue to nurse, your milk will come back. You can also go to the health food store and they sell an organic tea that will naturally stimulate your milk ducts. Dont give up....just one serving of formula diminishes almost all of the vitamins from your breastmilk....hang in there and your little baby will get what he needs. You also may want to check with your doctor because some women do dry up after the 5-week period.

J.,

A couple of things come to mind. First, babies go through a growth spurt right around six weeks -- it feels as if they nurse around the clock, and that you don't have enough milk. They literally suck you dry --- what they are really doing is making more milk to feed their growth spurt.

I would suggest that you nurse on demand -- nurse whenever the baby is hungry -- day and night. This will rebuild your milk supply.

I'm wondering why your mother has to supplement with formula if you are pumping all night?

If you are not pumping every 2-3 hours during the night, then your supply will not be what your baby needs -- five/six week old nurses every 2-3 hours around the clock.

Try to snuggle in with your baby -- lots of skin to skin contact, lots of together time, hopefully in bed or on the couch.

Relax, eat and drink well ---- and enjoy the time you are nursing...it goes by really quickly and you can't get it back once it is gone!

You said you had the flu -- if you took any decongestants, these will affect your milk supply.....

Good luck!

Don't panic! Increase your water consumption. Consider the pump your using. I used a manual pump for my first son, and the Pump in Style for my second. The Pump in Style produced more milk. Also, before nursing or pumping, be sure you take a minute and think about what your doing. Think about your son and relax! I remember trying to pump or nurse when I was trying to do other things at the same time. It just brings on frustration. Also, give your baby lots of eye contact. Not only should you see more milk, but it bring you and your baby even closer together!

Gets some rest too! If you've been sick your probably going to wear yourself out by trying to catch up to all the things you couldn't get done last week.

Take care.
M. P.

You have to keep breast feeding...sorry. Im sure thats not the answer you wanted to hear. pumping wont give the same results as breast feeding. Feed at night too. In the beginning its sooooooo hard!! It hurts and it is so time consuming, I remember! But hang in there and it will work. Oh also drink water, a lot of water. I would not supplement because its an easy way out and you might just stop nursing all together. I never had a whole lot of milk so i took him in to the breast feeding clinic and they weighed him before and after and he was getting enough. Plus he was gaining wt. I personally dont know anything about these supplements you can take and i dont buy into taking a pill for something like this!

The physiology in milk producing says, "The more often you empty your breasts, the more milk you will produce". It all is run by hormones and a feedback system in your hormone producing glands. An empty breast produces the most milk and the more it fills up the slower the production will be. It will take approximately 3 hour to produce a "meal".

If you want to increase your milk production you need to breastfeed on a regular basis and very often. It would help you to get back the amount you need to produce in just a couple of days.
Pumping is conveniant, but for some mothers it is not the right thing to do. Most of the time the infant can empty the breast more efficiantly. As you have these problems I recommend you to try only to breastfeed your baby every 2 to 3 hours for the next few days.

Best of luck to you.

L. A.

It is a big change, but with a newborn your life is all about him right now. I know with my first the nursing was the most difficult thing to adjust to. With such a young one i would recommend keeping a consistent schedule of feeding him. You should try and schedule your appointments around feeding. You probably know typically you should feed every 2 1/2 - 3 hours (from start to start). If you feed more often than this you might not be giving your breasts enough time to reproduce the supply and you will not be giving him the best milk you can. I do know that at a young age like he is they typicaly eat around 1occ per pound per feeding. Their are 30cc in an ounce. So if he weighs 9 lbs he probably eats around 3 oz per feeding. If that is all your pumping you are doing just fine. I would also recommend rotating your pumping and nursing. Pumping is not as efficient as him nursing. I think you will keep a more consistent supply if you rotate rather than do all nursing during the day and all pumping at night. If you do find you are still not pumping enough there are natural herbs you can get at heath food stores which can help increase your supply. Make sure you drink lots of water too! I hope this helps you a little. I would also recommend checking to see if you have a breast feeding clinic in your area. It may be at the hospital or privately run.

Hi. Okay, first good for you for nursing your baby! You need to keep the baby with you at all times and nurse nurse nurse! I would pump also to work on "supply" - nursing is a supply and demand thing, so the more you "demand" (nurse and pump)the more supply you will have. IF you continue to supplement with formula, your "demand" will go away and your milk supply will wane.

This link will take you to the La Leche League website, this page deals specifically with milk supply. :
http://www.llli.org/NB/NBmilksupplyissues.html

This is from that page and sums up some good information:
_____________________________________
Here are some ideas that may help you to increase your milk supply. Look them over and consider which might work for you.

Contact a local La Leche League Leader for information and support.
Encourage your baby to breastfeed frequently and for as long as he will.
Offer both breasts at each feeding. Allow baby to stay at the first breast as long as he is actively sucking and swallowing. Offer the second breast when baby slows down or stops. "Finish the first breast first," is a good general rule. (This technique gives baby lots of the fatty "hindmilk.")
Baby should end the feeding. He may do this by falling asleep and detaching from the breast after about 10 to 30 minutes of active sucking and swallowing.
Be sure baby is latched on and positioned correctly at the breast, that is, lips should be on the areola (the darker skin area), well behind the nipple. An LLL Leader can help fine-tune positioning as well as suggest ideas to ease soreness. Breastfeeding isn't supposed to hurt.
A sleepy baby may benefit from "switch nursing" that is, switching breasts two or three times during each feeding. Switch breasts when baby's sucking slows down and he swallows less often.
All of baby's sucking should be at the breast. Limit or stop pacifier use while encouraging baby to nurse more effectively. If you are supplementing, even temporarily, you can give the supplement by spoon, cup, or with a nursing supplementer. Contact an LLL Leader for assistance in using these.
This may be a stressful time. Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your own need for rest, relaxation, proper diet and enough fluids.

-=--------------------------------
You can also get Mother's Milk tea at most health food stores/ drink as much water as you can and even a good dark beer is known to help your milk supply.

good luck and please don't give up. If you need any more support with this, please let me know and I would be happy to put you into contact with a local group of women who are breastfeeding and are very committed to other moms/ we meet on Mondays in Encinitas. xo

The most important thing to do right now is nurse nurse nurse! Nurse as often as possible. Do not supplement at all during this time if you want to build up your supply. Nurse him during the day and nurse him at night.

I've breastfed two babies now and I NEVER got much from a pump, the baby will get more than a pump will - and everyone is different here. Some ladies can pump and fill a bottle in minutes, I was lucky to pump an oz in 20 minutes with a hospital grade machine. So, I've always just nursed on demand, day and night.

He is only 5 weeks old, if you can, be with him as much as possible during this time.

There are things out there like Mother's Milk tea that may help but right now your supply is decreasing because you've been away and baby has been supplemented. You may just need to nurse on demand to build it up.

Best of luck to you,
M.

Hi J.,

To keep your supply up continue to feed and pump. Also, stay hydrated and make sure you are eating plenty. There are a couple of herbal supplements that are perfectly safe to use. You can try the Mother's Milk tea but its disgusting. Or, you can try an herbal called Fenugreek (its actually what's in the nasty tea) and take it several times a day. When I felt like I needed to give my supply a boost I took two Fenugreek 4 times a day for several days and I know it helps. You can also try contacting your local lactation consultant, as they are such a valuable resource! Good luck and don't be too h*** o* yourself!

Drink LOTS of fluids and nurse and pump as much as possible. It will come back if you work hard! Good Luck!

first off, don't worry. worrying will not help your milk supply. are you staying hydrated and eating well? if you aren't you need to. i would suggest pumping right after you nurse to help increase the supply. i'm hoping you're able to nurse your newborn every 3 hours or 8-12 times within a 24 hour period, if you aren't able then you HAVE TO pump. i'm hoping this info helps you. hang in there, you're doing a great job.

M.

You are supposed to drink half your weight in ounces. This includes other beverages(non caffeinated).
If you weigh 150 pounds then you will need 75 ounces of WATER/broth, etc.
This is what the nurses are learning right now for women not breastfeeding. Therefore, drink more than that!

Mothers Milk tea bags from New Frontiers
Fenugreek in bulk at Lazy Acreas
dark beer
rest
and growth spurts only happen once in while.

J. -
I've been through the exact same thing. Don't worry, but take action ASAP! Have your doctor write a script for "REGLAN" which will help you lactate... but keep pumping every three hours and go to an Herbal Supplement place or a Whole Foods store and purchase "More Milk Plus" by Motherlove it's 100% Vegetarian and is loaded with Fenugreek and Fennel Seed. It's about $25 for 60 pills and is way better then that horrible tea they sell. I took both at the same time and my milk came in like a Waterfall within three days! This was the easiest and quickest way for me to start breast feeding my twins again. GOOD LUCK!

Pump after he is done breastfeeding for 15-20 minutes to stimulate production.

Hi,
I have been exclusively breastfeeding my son for 5 months and my sister is a lactation consultant. I suggest buying Fenugreek and mother's milk tea ( it actually tastes good). You can purchase these items at any health food store. I buy mine at Whole Foods. Nurse every two hours. I went through the same thing with my son.

Have you tried taking Fenugreek or drinking Mother's milk tea? They both worked for me ... I took 3 Fenugreek pills 3 times a day. You can buy it at a healthfood/vitamin store (there is one on Spring next to Pavillions that I got it at). The MM tea tastes good too. I also bought Fenugreek seeds at the Apothecary on 2nd street in Belmont Shore to make tea but it was really strong and I didn't like the taste. These things all work to help increase your milk supply as long as you still have a supply. You are doing the right thing too by nursing till the cows come home. My twin boys have always had enough milk but I never produced so much that I ever got really rock hard breast and I have never leaked - not even in a warm shower. I am still nursing them (16 months old!) and my supply ebbs and flows with their needs. You are at the critical stage for setting up your supply for them so keep up the good work! It is "inconvenient" but worth it! Oh - stay away from sage in your food - it can decrease your supply as well!

Good luck! P.

My first question with regards to your milk supply, is there a reason you pump at night? The reason I ask this is becuase nights are when most babies breastfeed the best. As a result of this most lactation consultants that I've heard will say to make sure you are breastfeeding at night if you have any issues with your milk supply. Pumping during the night could really be one of you problems. Granted you have also been sick which can slow milk supply. But I would suggest trying to nurse at night for a time at least in order to get your supply back up. Although I do have sympathies with you. I'm a post partum nurse who works nights so I have to pump at nights too, but I only work a few nights a week and the rest of the time when I'm home I make sure to nurse well at nights. If I don't do that I really see a drop in my supply. I hope this helps and that you are able to get that milk supply back up. I have a 9moth old little boy and we are still nursing strong! Good luck.

Go to a natural health food store (henry's or somewhere) and get Fenugreek (near the vitamens) and mother's milk tea. Eat oatmeal and keep breastfeeding as much as possible!!!

Good luck!

drink mother's milk tea, eat brown rice, let him nurse and nurse and nurse whenever you can, RELAX, call the pump station or go on their website, find a high powered pump yunno hospital grade and if none of this works, give yourself permission to switch to formula because your baby's needs are what matters here. You can do it!

You are not losing your milk. There is a natural time about a month after the child is born in which the volume of milk seems to level off and at the same time the baby is demanding more, due to growth spurts. Don't panic. Keep pumping, keep nursing. You will not lose your supply if you do those both.
After a few more weeks, things will get easier. There is a similar growth spurt moment later, but do the same, remain calm--keep pumping, keep nursing....Good luck!

I was able to survive these moments with two babies until and nursed for seven months, while working! But I had a lot of nursing advice from my local hospital. You can call the nursing advice lines at the hospital for advice any time, as well.

I took fenugreek capsules. Don't bother with the teas. You need to take quite a bit very consistently and you begin to smell a little like maple syrup...but it really works!!! I probably took 2 caps with each meal to begin with then ended up taking about 4 per day after a few weeks.
good luck!
ps I got them from Wild oats or whole foods...a little spendy but worth it if you truly desire to continue breastfeeding. :)
N.
PSS oh yah, and drink at least a gallon of water a day, and remember to take it easy! You JUST had a baby you spent 9 mos growing in your body....try that first. sometimes it's all you need.

When my oldest now 14 was a baby I had the flu too. As the old cowboys would say "Get back on the horse". The more you nurse the more milk you'll produce. Feed yourself well, drink lots of water and take deep breaths to calm yourself as your stress level affects everything in motherhood. If you want the breastfeeding to work forget about making your life so busy. You'll be glad when your health, happy baby grows up and is a healthy happy child with a not so stressed out mom. They are professionals that your doctor or midwife can recommend about this that can help you. Good Luck and remember you're the gift to your baby right now so surrender to the process.

Hi there.

First, off, just try and relax a bit about it...and don't forget when you're sick your supply is probably a little harder to keep up. Your body is busy. You need to actually breastfeed as much as possible though. The pumps are great, but no matter how great the pump is, your baby always sucks better and more. Just load yourself with fluids, and nurse your baby as much as possible. Also, your milk supply is biggest in the morning. If you need to pump, that's the better time to do it...you'll get more. And...it may seem like you need bottles and bottles of milk, but you'd be surprised...watch how your baby does with wet diapers and with growth and let that be your guide for how much you need. You'll be fine!

-M

If you can crawl in bed with baby by your side and let him/her nurse all day. You will have your milk supply back quickly.

Just to shed a little bit of light....my daughter is 17 months old and i still breast feed her and I NEVER could pump more than an ounce. My breast never responded to the pump. The best way th gauge if she is getting enough milk is her weight. you can buy a baby scale or just wait until her next dr appointment. Was her weight good at the last appointment? I would for go the formula until she is older and try to leave her right after you breast feed her that should give you at the least 2 hours. There are also any foods/herbs you can try to increase your supply. I would go to Mothers market and ask someone that works there to help. they have a lot of valuable information. Also, you can contact your local la leche league for additional support http://www.llli.org/WebUS.html

Best of luck!

K. W i Portola Hills

I frequent a breast feeding clinic. They always say to pump after every feeding. Even if you are just getting a little each time, your telling your body to make more. There are also things on the market to help you produce milk....Mother milk tea & fenugreek. You can find both at health food stores. Good Luck, J.

Has anyone recommended drinking a Guinness? When my supply was down, my lactation consultant suggested having a beer a day, the darker the better. Now whenever I have a dip, I have a beer with supper and come back strong. Usually I pump right before having the beer, so my body processes it before I pump again.

Good luck! It can be frustrating and daunting, but have faith that your milk will come back in.

Baby was two months old and suddenly I went down on breast milk. Started healthy nursing tea and got my supply back with sufficient increase.

Fenugreek is amazing and works very quickly. You can buy it at GNC. My lactation consultant advised me to take 3 at a time, 3 tms per day. I also pumped an extra 10-15 min after each feeding for a few days and my supply came back super fast. However, I only had to do the extra pumping in the beginning. Now that my baby is older, if my supply starts running low again I just pop a few Fenugreek and it comes right back.

Try the vitamin supplement called Fenugreek. It doubled my milk supply. Also, try pumping first thing in the morning- around 5 am, your hormones are highest then and you can pump a lot of milk and feed the baby within the hour after that pumping. And remember to keep drinking a ton of water, i used to forget that sometimes.

Hi J.,

I'm a lactation educator and a mom of three exclusively breastfed children, so I can offer a some basic help. You seem to understand that how much milk you make is based on how much is removed. You need to provide as much stimulation to your breasts as possible, so feed you baby any time your baby shows ANY signs of hunger, and I would even pump between feedings even if you don't get much or any milk - just to stimulate the breasts. If you have to be separated from your baby, pump every couple of hours.
There is also an herbal supplement that is safe to take called More Milk Plus (a combination of fenugreek, blessed thistle leaf, and fennel seed). You can buy it (or something similar) at Whole Foods Market. This seems to work for a lot of moms to increase their supply.
I hope this helps. Your baby is very lucky you are so dedicated to breastfeeding -it really is the best thing you can do for him in giving him the best start in life.
Best,
-Kathye

I'm confident that you can rebuild your supply. Your body makes milk in response to demand. Let your son nurse as often as possible, and at night too. If you don't absolutely have to be away from him, stick close and let him nurse on demand as often as he likes, at night as well (He is better at draining your breasts than the pump is). If he stays on the breast and sucks even after you think he has emptied it, that is GOOD, because he is giving your body the message that it needs to make more milk. If he has nursed at both breasts for a long time and is clearly still hungry, you could supplement him then. You shouldn't need to supplement for long, it takes your body 24-36 hours to respond to the increased demands for more milk.
The other thing is to really slow down and take care of yourself. If you have been busy and also have had the flu, you need to really rest, eat plenty of good wholesome foods (you need 500 calories a day extra to make milk, I have a feeling you should have even more right now), drink LOTS of water, take your prenatal vitamins and focus on your baby and your milk supply. If you get too run down you are at risk for a breast infection. Five weeks is still very newly postpartum, and many women feel that they are supposed to be right back functioning at their normal level. This is a precious time, so really give yourself permission to soak it up. Good Luck!

Hi J.,

Please try not to worry! You can increase your milk supply within a few days to a week. The key is to feed your baby on demand. Any time the baby is hungry you will need to feed him. This means day and night as often as he wants (which can mean 12 times a day or more, if so desired by him!). The more your baby feeds the more milk you produce. I would also recommend that if you pump while you are trying to increase your supply then do so AFTER the feeding. You won't get a lot of milk, and that's ok. As the week progresses you will find that your body will increase the supply and you will get more milk.

Bottom line for best results: nurse on demand, do NOT replace nursing with pumping, offer both breasts at each feeding, make sure you drink plenty of non-caffeinated fluids and eat a lot of protein, and absolutely no formula until your supply is back up.

As a side note: Cold medicines can decrease our milk supply, so please try to avoid these if possible(I am so sorry to hear you have had the flu. That is terrible to deal with in conjunction with a new baby). One last thing you can do while trying to increase your supply is take Fenugreek. It's not proven, but many mama's - including myself!- swear by it and that it works.

Lastly, as long as he is having 4 wet diapers per day and one to two bowel movements, then you KNOW he is getting enough milk. Have faith in yourself and in your body that you can do this! It is VERY rare that a woman has low milk supply and has to stop nursing her baby. Most often it is misinformation that confuses mama's and they stop nursing. Please check out this website as it has EXCELLENT information about increasing your milk supply. It is written by an IBCLC (which is a person with a LOT of experience/certifications in lactation). http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com/supply.html

J., I wish you the best! I know you can do it!

When my son was 6 weeks old I felt like I was losing my supply too, and I was breastfeeding exclusively... I tried to pump one day and only got one oz while my sister gave him a bottle and he gulped down 6oz that I had pumped when my milk was overflowing a few weeks earlier.... turns out he was just growing, and was nursing more than my supply allowed. But when I just kept letting him nurse, even though he wasn't getting anything - within a week my milk came in more than enough to keep him fed. Just keep on nursing him, it will all be ok - nursing can be stressful sometimes, but the more you try to relax and enjoy this time the better it will be - as long as he is growing he's fine :) Good luck - my nursing relationship with my son lasted 19 wonderful months :)

You can try pumping/feeding every two hours for a few days and that might increase your supply. The more you demand, the more you'll have. :)

The only other thing I can stress is that in order for you to increase your milk supply is to not supplement right now until you feel your supply is back to where you want it. I also pumped after my babies nursed to help and it did. I would put the baby to the breast every chance you get (every hour if possible) This happened to me and I had to use a SNS for a while, but we got through it and so will you. Take the time to do this and it will happen. Good Luck!

Aloha

I'm a Mom of 4 & wholistic doc.

Relax, & take a deep breath

REST REST REST,
lots fluids, &
keep him in snuggly with you

For me, nursing was more effective than pumping

Supplement as necessary

Blessings

Dr Linds MD

on MamaSource as AlohaMD Wellness

First you are probably a little dehydrated, drink more water! Second.. it is not orthodox...but the way our grandmothers did it is they would have a few sips of a dark beer. It has somthing to do with the yeast/enzymes...it helps with milk flow.
I dont want all my fellow moms out there to think that I am in any way suggesting you 'hit the bar' or 'get drunk', far from it! Look online for yourself, beer in moderation helps w/ milk flow.

Best!

Very, very simple. Breastfeed more! Pumping and breastfeeding are not the same thing. Your body knows the difference. You are not losing your milk supply, your milk supply is adjusting. Your body is an amazing thing. Breast milk works on a supply and demand principle. Breast feed less, your milk supply will go down. Breast feed more and your milk supply will increase. You really have to watch out for supplementing grandmas. Bottom line is, if you are serious about breastfeeding, you must breastfeed. Cut down on the personal appointments and having grandma supplement, nurse your baby, and before you know it, your supply will be exactly what your baby needs.

You need to see a professional lactation consultant ASAP. It might not be too late for you to regain your supply. It will take constant nursing & pumping for your to get your supply back. We had to supplement our twins with formula in the beginning & I totally blame that supplement, along with poor advice, to be the fault of my not providing enough milk for my twins. I had to quit nursing after only 4 months. Call your doctor immediately for a good referral if you don't already have a lactation consultant. That means TODAY!

I am sure that you know this but when you are away (because it does have to happen at times) make sure that you pump roughly around same time that your baby is eating at home. I bought a nursing cover and sit in the back seat of my car and pump. The joys of motherhood. I also was given the advice from a lactation nurse that when you notice your milk supply going low after each nursing session pump for an additional 10 minutes. I know that this is a lot of work (trust me I had to do it a couple of times). I would do it on a weekend when I had my husbands help, so that he could take the baby after nursing and I could pump. I would do it for two days. I think that a few ounces for a 5week old is enough. You should only be producing enough milk to feed the baby. Oh and there is usually more milk in the morning so maybe after you nurse him in the morning you can pump on a regular basis. The lactation nurse suggested after your first feeding. And last but not least if in the end you can only produce a small amount remember that even the smallest amount is useful to your baby. I heard that an ounce a day can really help.
GOOD LUCK!
L.