Regaining Milk Supply

I have heard that extra stress can cause a shortage of milk supply. You should find ways to relax and see if this helps with pumping. I also once heard that you should slowly sip on water while pumping and that this will help you relax and be able to pump more milk.

Don't stress Jamie! That in itself can be the culprit. I flew for over 25 years, many of the flight crew members were first time mom's. It amazed me that these moms pumped breast milk and then put it on dry ice, ran from plane to plane, when we switched air crafts,then handed it off to a family member when traveling through our main hub so their baby would have a supply of milk. Often time trips were chosen by them on the basis of how many times our air craft actually went through Pittsburgh's main hub so they could accomplish this. These trips were always the least desired because of the amount of legs in one day. Needless to say, I was in "awe", wondering how on earth new mother's balance both work and family with such ease? Even though it doesn't sound like you have to travel for work, I think you, like many other young women,you have mastered the art of career and motherhood with such devotion and grit that it amazes me. My hat is off to you and the many women out there that are wonderful mothers and seem to balance this with grace. My only suggestion to you is to not stress over being close to having to switch from breast milk to formula. You've given your daughter the antibodies needed, and it is my understanding that to wean her off breast milk, at her age, will be of no consequence. Just know there are women out there that salute you as a woman and mother. I know I do. Have a wonderful time with your daughter, have a great New Year full of love, prosperity and laughter.

Hi,J.~
Nature (AKA 'God') has a wonderful 'supply and demand' system for breastmilk. Here are some very simple but imperative rules to guide you!
1) RELAX! Sit or lay with your baby during feeding time.
2) CLEAR YOUR MIND! Just ENJOY her! She's all that matters at this moment. She'll only be little once -- for an all-too-brief period of time -- and stress keeps you from 'letting your milk down'.
3) DRINK! YOU must keep YOUR fluids replenished OFTEN to keep you and her both hydrated. You can't 'let down' milk if there's not enough fluids in your body to produce it.
4) REST! Tired mamas are not good breastfeeders. There's only so much you can keep giving before it robs you of some of your quality as a mom, wife, woman, worker, etc. Take time for YOU. No, actually, MAKE time for YOU! Take a long bubblebath. Nap when possible. Remember that if you don't do everything today, the world won't end!
5) EAT WELL! You need extra-good nourishment as you are STILL 'eating for two' and you should continue pre-natal vitamins as well.
6) ACCEPT HELP! If someone else can and is willing to do anything that needs done, LET THEM!! Even REQUEST help if possible!

After following all of the above 'rules', let the baby nurse a little longer than necessary at each feeding for a few days and you'll be making more milk than she needs!

Hope this helps! I'm a 51 yr old grandma who was breastfed and who nursed 4 kids at least 1 yr each. Our oldest daughter has nursed all 3 of hers for at least that long, also (even without Fenugreek, but then we were full-time SAHM's & didn't work outside the home.)

P.S. While you're nursing, make sure you don't take any 'anti-histamines' (meant to dry up 'sinuses') for colds, flu or allergies. Milk is produced in (milk) sinuses, so nasal sprays, inhalers, liquids and pills with anti-histamine in them will dry up milk!

Yes breast feeding is best, but my son wasn't breastfed for very long, due to the fact that I had to start taking seizure meds, due to a head injury I had years ago. Anyway, I found a formula that worked for me, and my son has not been sick all the time. Vitamins have helped and eating right has helped too. My daughter was breastfed for a few months and then on formula and she hasn't been that sick either, except for a few sinus infections and colds. If you can breastfeed for a long time, great, it definitely is best for baby, but if you NEED to go to formula, do not stress because in the end, you cannot tell who on the street was breast fed and who was not. suppliments at the local GNC store or the like will have something to help increase milk! Good luck and DO NOT feel bad if you cannot breast feed much longer. Ellen mom to two children.

Hi J.
You may need to contact a lactation consultant. You can call the hospital where you delivered and there should be an LC in the nursery area. Sometimes they will bring you in and help you or give you tips over the phone. They are the experts with breastfeeding. It sounds like you're doing the right things to try and keep your supply up. Certainly the hospital grade pump will help. As far as how long you think you will nurse, well, that's a question only you can answer. Sometimes the stress of having a newborn and having to go back to work after two months can take a toll on you and this will definitely affect your supply. Make sure you are drinking GOBS of water and keep hydrated. If your work is stressful, find ways to try and reduce that stress. Good luck to you. It is very challenging to try and pump and work at the same time...and be a new mom. You're doing a great job so far. If you have to use formula, it is still good nutrition for your child. I know the feeling of have to feel like formula may be an option. I felt like I was failing to provide for my baby. But you still are providing for your baby. This is easier said than done, though. Talk with your husband as well and keep expressing your feelings. Feel free to contact me if you need another ear to listen :)

P.

1) Drink more fluids, especially water.
2) Eat healthy foods! Lots of veggies, fruits, and proteins.
2) DO NOT STRESS! Honestly, the stress of returning to work and worrying about the baby and now on top add the stress of maybe not having enough milk.. Stress will keep you from producing as you should. In fact, it is the most common reason for lactating problems.

There are biological reasons for it. I won't bore you with them (unless you ask!).

Try to meditate, clear your mind for 5 minutes before you try to pump or feed. Visualize feeding the baby, feel the tremendous love and joy and pride you have for her. Say to yourself, "I have all I need to meet my daughter's needs." over and over. SMILE.. and then pump.

AND.. remember, if you have to switch her to formula, she won't starve, and she won't be nutritionally deficient! Millions of children have been raised on formula alone. She had your milk, exactly what she needed, for the first nine weeks.

Peace!

Hi. I had the same problem with my milk supply dwindling. It can be very stressful and that can also interfere with production. I pumped every two to three hours. Fortunately I was able to pump at work for 15-20 minutes without feeling rushed. I also fed every two to three hours. It's exhausting! I had to supplement with formula. After much trial and error and wasted breast milk.. I finally figured out what worked for us. I mixed Similac Advanced (premixed) with my breast milk JUST BEFORE feeding my little guy. Everything else soured my milk. This allowed me to still get breast milk to my baby and make sure he was getting enough to eat. Also, it helped me to relax enough to get a little ahead on the pumping. I never got back to normal, but it was suitable enough for us. I did this until he was a little over 10 months old. He is completely off of formula, drinking milk now, and is only breast feeding once in the early morning. And the occasional comfort nurse. He is a couple of weeks past his 1st birthday. I have a friend who had to take medication to keep up with her milk... this may be something you might want to look into. Also, you may want to try having a small amount of dark beer right as you begin to nurse or pump. This is known to increase milk production. There is also a tea that helps in this department.. and I cannot for the life of me remember what it is. I'm pregnant again and have little brain to speak of right this minute..lol. Anyway, I'm not sure what your belief system is but, ultimately, you should do what feels right for you and your baby. Good luck with whatever you choose.

you have gotten some great advice! I second the growth spurt possibility, too - hang in there! I just wanted to respond with a great recipe for lactation boost cookies - yes, cookies! So give a close friend or your husband the recipe and have them make you up a batch. They are delicious and I found they did give me a little boost when I needed it (I nursed my first for 18 months, plan to nurse the next one the same).

Lactation Boost Cookies

Ingredients :

* 1 cup butter or marg
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons water
* 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups oats, thick cut if you can get them
* 1 cup or more chocolate chips
* 2 tablespoons of brewers yeast** (be generous)

**I found this in the supplements section of whole foods - it was not with the regular baking yeast! if you can't find it, it's probably ok to leave it out.

Directions:

Preheat oven at 375 degrees F. Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes. Cream (beat well) margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well. Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to the margarine mix. Beat until blended. Sift together dry ingredients, except oats and chips. Add to margarine mixture. Stir in oats then chips. Scoop or drop onto baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment or silpat. The dough is a little crumbly, so it helps to use a scoop.

Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies.

Serves: 6 dozen cookies

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Just as you have to be able to relax to let your baby out, you also have to relax to let your milk come down. It could be with the stress of going back to work, you are not able to relax well while nursing or pumping. Also, in the bustle of going to work outside the home, are you still drinking plenty of fluids? try increasing your water/juice/soup intake. Also certain herbs promote milk production, like hops, borage, blessed thistle,& fenugreek. Other herbs tend to dry up milk, like cinnamon, & ginger. The benefits of nursing far outweigh the benefits of man-made formulas, so even if your milk supply dwindles, any breastmilk you can give your baby, is worth doing! If the baby sleeps with you, you can still nurse several times a night, without even waking up, after a little pratice, and wearing your baby when you're home, allows you to nurse while doing other chores, thereby maximizing the time you get to spend with your baby, while stimulating your breasts to produce more.
M., mom of 7 breastfed 3 yrs each.

There are teas designed for assisting in milk supply. You might also want to contact a naturopath or herbalist for suggestions on supplements that can help your milk supply. IF you have a local health food store or WHole Foods, they can be very helpful.

Stay clear of all things dehydrating like coffee, decongestants, other cold medications.

Drink TONS of water. A good guide for the amount of water you should have: Take the #of pounds you weigh (say 140) divide in half - 70 - Drink AT LEAST 70 ounces of water a day to really give your body a fighting chance.

Let your baby suckle all the time. That will be the best stimulant! YOU CAN DO IT!!!

P

I am a working mom and I nursed all four of my babies. The first thing you need to do is have a heart to heart talk with your husband. He is going to have to start doing more around the house while you are nursing the baby. Even if he is already helping a lot he will need to do more for the next year while the baby is nursing.

You need to focus your energies on nursing a baby and working. First, you need to set your alarm for 30 minutes early every morning and nurse the baby a long time first thing in the morning either before or after you shower and get ready. That will jump start your milk production every morning.

Now look at your work day and figure out when you can pump. If you work 4 hours you can probably only pump one time. If you work 8 hours you can pump two short times in the morning and in the afternoon and one long time at lunch. Talk to your employer and work this out. The hospital pump will work well. Use the double pumping one so that you can pump both sides at the same time--it is twice as quick. It always helped me to find the quietest place out of all the noisy places at work and pump. I put a photo of the baby in with the pump. I seemed to get more milk when I looked at the baby and thought about the baby and not work while I was pumping.

You need to drink more fluids at work. Buy a big container and put ice and water in it and keep it with you all day long or buy a case of bottled water and keep it at work. Make sure you are drinking the equivalent of one bottle of water at least 30 minutes before you pump every time.

When my milk supply got low I would go into work about 15 min before everyone and pump first thing in the morning to build my milk supply. I also did that when I knew I was going to have a crazy busy day at work and I didn't know if I would find the time to pump that day. Before you leave the office drink a big glass of water or juice so that you have plenty of milk when you get home.

When you get home lay down and nurse the baby before you do anything. Dinner can wait or you can teach your husband how to start dinner and you can finish it after you nurse the baby. Take that 20 or 30 minutes and relax and nurse your little one. It is a nice transition from work to mommy time.

When you put the baby to bed at night nurse the baby for a long time and make sure the baby is really full when you put the baby to bed. Then wait 30 minutes and pump. That will give you extra breast milk to freeze and use if your milk supply gets low. At first you will not have much milk because the baby has not been nursing at that time. But after about a week you will have an extra feeding for the day. If the baby wakes up before the 30 minutes then nurse the baby back to sleep and give up for that night. But, if the baby stays asleep get that extra feeding of milk and freeze it.

Fluids are critical to having enough milk to feed your baby. Keep a bottle of water or glass of water with you at all times. If you notice that your milk supply is low switch to juice. I always produced more milk when I drank something with nutrients in it, like juice. Do not drink anything with caffeine in it. Caffeine dehydrates you and it will decrease your milk supply. No coffee, no tea, no cokes, nothing with caffeine. Keep track of how much you are drinking and make sure you are getting a minimum of 8-10 glasses of fluids a day. Think of it like this--every time you nurse you need to drink something and then you will have enough milk for the baby.

Eating a healthy diet is critical to having enough milk for the baby. Cut out anything that is junk food or sweets in your diet. Eat a healthy diet and you will increase your milk supply.

Rest is critical to having enough milk to feed your baby. Go to bed at least an hour earlier than normal every night because you are going to be getting up earlier in the morning to nurse the baby. Leave the dishes in the sink. Leave the living room that needs to be picked up. Put one load of clothes in the washer and ask your hubby to put it in the dryer before he comes to bed. If one hour earlier is not enough then go to bed earlier than that. Set a bedtime and stick to it. Ask your hubby to do the things that you didn't get done.

On your days off sleep in, take a nap during the day, go to bed early and rest rest rest. The more sleep you get the more milk you will produce.

Now let's talk about stress. Stress can decrease your milk supply. Try to relax and enjoy your baby. It doesn't matter if your house is spotless. It doesn't matter if all the laundry is done. There is a lot of stress being a working mom--stress from work, stress from trying to get everything done at home, stress from trying to be super mom to your new baby. Just relax and do what you can and don't worry and fret over everything else.

Nursing your baby is your first priority for the first year of your baby's life. Have a heart to heart talk with your husband and get him on board with this. Nursing gives your baby nutrients and immunities to illness that the baby will not get with formula. In the grand scheme of things it is only one year of your hubby helping out more and it is so worth it because it gives your baby a healthy start and it teaches your husband how to help more around the house and that will make your marriage stronger.

My husband seemed to get it when I described it as a "team." We are a team and we have X,Y, and Z to get done with nursing the baby and taking care of the baby being the first priority of our team. The other thing we did was split up the baby responsibilities so that he didn't end up with just the lousy housekeeping responsibilities. For example, I would pick up the kitchen and he would give the baby a bath. I would nurse the baby and he would wash the pots and pans. I would put a load of laundry in the washer and he would dry it and fold it. When we divided everything up it seemed to work the best.

My suggestion would be to drink fluids, get plenty of rest, try not to stress out about it all, and get your hubby on board and helping more. If nursing does not work out switch to formula. You are not a bad mom if you can't do it all and need to bottle feed. Good luck with your new baby!

Congratulations! New babies are so much fun! Enjoy the time you have with her, and a just a note from experience...dont' forget about daddy. They can sometimes be big babies themselves and need mommy time! Lol! As for the milk issue...first of all, don't beat yourself up thinking you are a bad mommy if you have to change to formula. With my first child, I was bleeding, in pain and she was hungry because my milk had issues. After a week of hearing us both cry, my mother-in-law went to the store and bought formula. She is now a very healthy, and active 12 yr old with no allergy or developmental issues. A little too intelligent for mom, actually. With my second, my milk didn't appease her at all. We had the projectile vomiting going on until I changed her to formula. Again, another healthy, active, intelligent 9 yr old! Now with my son....he was an exception. Born with a heart defect, he had open heart surgery at 16 hours old and another 11 days later. I pumped for the first 8 months of his life so he could have as much benefit to life as possible. Because of feeding issues, I had to pump once he was too tired to eat after 2-3 minutes. I did have an issue with milk production and the nurses in NICU suggested a herbal supplement called Fenugreek. It worked wonderfully! I found it at Wal-mart or you can find it at GNC or Walgreens, those types of stores. Like the other ladies said, lots and lots of water! I have a bottle that I bought from my company for 8 dollars, it's 32 oz and I'm working on weight loss so I drink three of them a day! Really helps me to drink the water that I never think about otherwise. Hope this helps and best of luck! Again, don't feel bad if you have to go to formula...they are made now to be as close to breastmilk as possible! Take care and again, congrats!

Have you begun any new meds at all? I got on a new birth control after my son was born and my milk supply dropped in half! When I called my doc she figured it out right away. Call your doc for tips to regain some supply and keep pumping to get it flowing again. You can always mix 1/2 formula and 1/2 breast milk if you don't have enough but that way she will still get your breast milk. Congrats on your baby! W.

Hang in there. You'll notice ups and downs as you breastfeed, but rest assured she is getting enough. Continue to breastfeed every 2-2 1/2 hours or if you are work and can't pump that frequently, as least pump every 3 hours. Drink plenty of water, EAT & rest. My son is 9 months and I went back to work 3 days a week. I feel like he needs more than I pump at work (I usually get 12-15 ounces when I pump 3 times during the day), but it has worked. I always pump at night before going to bed (assuming she is a good sleeper and can last 4 or so hours from when you go to bed). This will add to the milk you produced at work and when you pump on non-work days it adds to your supply.
Lastly, a great book is The Nursing Mother's Companion--I didn't get it until my first son was a few months old, but I wish I had it in those early weeks.
It will get easier and hopefully you enjoy it. I hang on to nursing because he's not keen on formula taste right now, it's great for him, and it's such a great time to just sit, relax and enjoy a special time with him that doesn't last forever.
Good luck!

J.,

Hugs to you. I know it can be stressful when you are not producing enough milk. I went through this will my both my children...the first due to the meds I was on and the second was premature and it took me 2 months to get my supply up. First, take one day at a time...don't worry about having enough for tomorrow or the next day. This just causes stress which effects milk supply. Also, it is hard when you are working, but you need to make sure you are pumping at work at the same time everyday without interruption. Take a pic of your baby girl to look at and turn down the lights and just think about being at home with your girl. Thirdly, try fenugreek. It is an herb that increases milk supply. When you take it you will smell like maple syrup (just a little) and your little girl's urine may smell a little sweet. This does not cause harm to either one of you. This really helped. I like it better than the tea or liquid drops mentioned in previous post...b/c the tea and drops taste gross.

If you still aren't producing enough for a bottle then do half breat milk and half formula. The important thing is that your baby get nourishment...regardless if it is from breast milk, formula, or both. Hope this helps.

Try taking Fenugreek. Get a bottle at a GNC or other health foods store and take the max dose on the bottle. Good luck!
-Rae Anne

Hi J..

I had the same problem and tried an herb called Fenugreek. You can get it at any vitamin store. I recommend trying that before giving up on breastfeeding. It helped me tremendously (still nursing at 8 months!).

Good luck. S.

I went through the same thing and by 9 weeks my milk was mostly gone too. It started going away around 6-7 weeks and I know it was because I did not diligently pump every 2 hours. I would skip every now and then and it wasn't long before my body stopped producing. I had a great hospital pump too and kept trying to get it back but couldn't. At about 9 weeks old I had to go to formula. I felt so bad and guilty. I wanted to breastfed as long as possible. My son is 2 now and great and healthy. I am 7 mo. pregnant and will try again and know that I have to be strict about getting milk every 2 hours. Good luck

You can get through this! Even if you supplement with formula for awhile, don't stop pumping. I had all kinds of trouble breastfeeding, but was determined to do it. We never got the mechanics right, but I pumped and she drank breastmilk out of bottles. I gave my daughter formula to supplement the little bit of breastmilk I produced as I built my milk supply, and within a month or so I was making enough milk to not need the formula anymore. I stopped pumping when she was 11 months old with more than a month's supply in the freezer. So don't give up on producing more; it can be done and you can do it. I took fenugreek.

Hi J.. I think it's admirable that you want to continue to BF your daughter. I had trouble with my milk supply too, so I pumped & tried to nurse when I could, drank LOTs of water, and tried something called Fenugreek. I think you can get it at most drug stores, or the drugs section of most grocery stores. It's a natural supplement that might help, and if you're using a lactation consultant, she may have already suggested this. The only other thing I can say is don't feel too bad if your milk runs out and you have to switch to formula. It's great to try to BF, but she has already gotten a lot of benefit from nursing the first couple of months. Don't beat yourself up - some BFing advocates act like you're a bad parent if you don't continue it for a year or more, but some of us just can't. Best of luck.

Fenugreek worked great for me. You can get it at GNC. And do not stress out if you have to switch to formula. I had to switch to formula at four months due to severe postpartum. Things happen. You should stop when the stress and pressure start to take away from enjoying your little. Your little girl will be just fine. Good luck!!

Congratulations on your new baby! I have breastfed two children. The first weaned himself at 14 months and the second is still nursing and will be 2 yo this month.

With my first child, I worked part time and also helped supply milk to my neighbor's son because her supply ebbed and flowed. The trick my lactation consultation gave me was to pump in the morning before my son was awake. I usually got the most after sleep. Also, I found that my son could nurse and still be full after I pumped because he pulled my hind milk which is richest in fat and nutrients. I also nursed my son on one side for five minutes and the other side he would finish and this helped balance my production.

Don't give up! Meet with a lactation consultant often during this trying time. Your child deserves the good things that come from nursing and you deserve support from a professional that can guide you through this. If you find you have to supplement with formula, remember that that doesn't mean you have to give up nursing altogether. You might nurse when at home and give formula during the day.

Good luck and remember that you are already a great mommy!

Hi, I had this same problem when I was nursing my 5th child. I was told to get something called fenugreek. It is an herb and can only be bought at a health store or an herbal store. It works overnight. I would take two pills in the morning, two at lunch, two at dinner, and then two at bed. The next morning I was so full it was a relief to be able to pump. You could also try taking brewers yeast supplements, which will help your supply keep on going. I know this works as I used it several times during the year that I nursed my son. Hope this helps and keep on trying to do the best that you can. J.

Not sure if anyone else mentioned it but babies go through growth spurts around age 2 months and they demand more milk. After about a day or 2 of nursing the way she wants to nurse which will be more often and maybe for a longer period of time your milk will increase to where she wants it to be. All the other adivice is great too. Dont give up yet. I know many moms who give up at 2 months thinking they dont have enough milk and all it is is a growth spurt.

J.,
Breast feeding is based on supply and demand. The more the baby demands the more supply you will have. If you have have the weekend off I would just nurse her as much as you can. NO BOTTLES! I never had much luck with the pump increasing my supply. I was fortunate enough to work 3-4 hour shifts so my babies never usually had to take bottles. I had one who would not take anything but Mom. Is your job such that you can work 3-4 hours at a time? If it is then try not giving any bottles and just nursing. I am from MO, in MO I attended La Leche League meetings. It is a support group for breastfeeding Moms. I know that it is an international group so I would guess that there would be a local chapter in your area. Good Luck!

First, breathe and relax. She is the best one to increase your milk supply by suckling. I personally had a horrible time pumping. I would literally have one breast not suckled ALL night, pump as soon as I got up, and would maybe get 4 ounces. Then my baby (and this happened with both - 3 years apart), would latch onto that same breast immediately and get all they wanted. So don't rely on the pump to tell you how much you are making. Is it at all possible to nurse right before work and immediately after, to keep your supply up. And to pump during so that you have some for her while you are at work? If you don't work a really long stretch at a time, that may work. If you do work say 8 hours at once, is it possible to go to her during your lunch break to nurse and "lunch" with her? Good luck and you will be fine. ( :

Oh, a P.S., when your child hits a growth spurt it takes a few days for your milk supply to catch up to the demand. Don't worry, mother nature has had lots of practice and knows what to do. ( :

Hi Jamie! It was around that age that my milk supply started dropping too. My daughter is now almost 9 months. I tried a few different things. I pumped and pumped and pumped but I was never able to get more than 2 oz from both breasts combined in a 30-40 minute time span. I also drank lots of water, did the hot showers etc. She was getting upset because she was not getting enough milk from me so I started giving her a small amount of formula then breastfeeding for the remainder of the feeding. Eventually she got to where she preferred the bottle so I just stopped nursing all together at about 3 months.If you feel like you will be eventually putting her on formula you might as well introduce a small amount to her anyway so that there isn't a harsh transition of just breastmilk to just formula. I feel like that upsets their little tummies. My baby is very healthy, very active and very happy. Don't believe the hype about formula babies being less healthy and not as good behaved. Do what feels best to you and works best for your baby.
P.s. After my daughter was fully transitioned to formula I went to my dr and she told me there was some sort of medicine they could have given me to build up my supply. So, if breastfeeding is a must to you ask your dr about something to help.

Congratulations on your new baby girl! Very exciting! You need to rest, definitely, and drink lots of water. Some herbs are really great for milk production - fenugreek is the main one - but there are others that help as well (you can drink it in tea, or just take capsules). My body never did respond very well to a pump (had to use one briefly). I did A LOT better with actual breastfeeding. You might try to just breastfeed (without using the pump) as much as you can on a weekend, for example, and see if it comes back in better. That might really trigger the necessary hormones a lot better in your body. I hope it works out for you! God bless.

Hi J.,

Fenugreek is the most common way to increase your milk supply. Go to a local health store (pharmaceutical grade) and ask them if they have any blends that work better than fenugreek alone. An added benefit to this is it's good to keep your allergies and sinuses in good shape by keeping mucous down.

J., nurse as long as you can, over a year if possible. Breastmilk builds the immune system up even if you are not the healthiest and it will certainly be a Godsend later in life for your child. Try to keep yourself healthy as well by not eating out too much. I know working changes your routine but restaurant food contains so many processing chemicals and all the preservatives as well that they can affect the baby too.

Congratulations on your little one! God bless,

M.
www.squidoo.com/ifyourbabycouldtalk

You've gotten some really great advice -- water, rest, food, herbs (check out La Leche League's website for more herbs that may help, as well as some herbs to avoid because they may decrease your supply), and there are even prescription drugs which have increased milk production as a side effect.

You'll probably get your most milk in the first pumping of the morning. If your work schedule allows this, then you should probably try to aim for a long pumping session then. Whenever you can pump, try to have it be about the same time of day each day, so that your body "knows" to produce milk for that time. The more you pump, the more you'll get -- if you want to build up your milk supply, then pump for several minutes (as long as you can) after you stop producing milk.

Some moms have difficulty in pumping milk, though. One mom completely breastfed all 5 of her children, but she could only eke out an ounce or two at a time when using a pump. Having your baby nurse on one side while you pump on the other may help with your milk let-down reflex, if this seems to be a problem. Also, smelling your baby, thinking about her, looking at a picture, can all help the let-down reflex so that you produce more milk.

MOST IMPORTANT, make sure you get plenty of skin-to-skin time, and snuggle time with your baby. Get a baby sling, front-pack, or some other carrier, and when you're home, keep your baby with you, even as you go around the house doing chores or whatever. If you're comfortable with this, sleep with your baby in bed with you or right next to you. Your body responds to your baby's closeness with plenty of milk.

Finally, even if you try everything you can, and you're still not producing enough, you can continue to pump and nurse as much as you can, and feed formula as little as possible, so that the baby can get as much breastmilk as possible. Don't think of it as "switching to formula" as much as "supplementing with formula".

Also, you may want to take a close look at your finances, and see if by being more frugal you can stay home with your baby. See how much it really costs for you to work (formula, day care, taxes, clothes for you, convenience foods because you're working, etc.) and you may be surprised to find that by making a few adjustments at home (pinching pennies) will allow you to stay home with your baby full-time.

make sure that you are pumping in regular 2-3 hour intervals and that you are draining both breasts. Also, ask your lactation/pediatrician about milkthistle and fenugreek. I had mastitis and that's what they told me to get to bring my production back up. Good luck!!!

If you are stressing over it, you won't produce enough milk. Are you pumping at least twice while at work? Also increase oatmeal in your diet. and make sure where you pump is quiet and relaxing (wear headphones and relaxing music helped me). If you put a picture of your daughter close to you you will think of her nursing and produce more and let down easier. YOu can even try tape recording her baby noises.

I took an herb called More Milk Plus, and it worked great for me! It's worth a try. I had trouble with milk supply for at least a month. I just kept pumping and taking the pill and nursing as much as I could. The pumping really never helped me that much. I was able to pump a little in the beginning...but after that I couldn't even get an 1 oz. if I tried for a half hour! Breastmilk is the best for baby, so I had to give it my best shot before I gave up. Fortunately, it worked for me. I would say hang in there for a bit. Give it your best so you have peace of mind. If it doesn't get better switch to formula or suppliment. There's no shame in feeding your baby formula if you don't have the milk supply. I struggled with that when I was drying up. Being a mom is a tricky balance, huh?
Well, I'm new at all this...so that's all I've got. Best wishes!

Hi J.,

The best advice I can give is to drink, drink, drink! I had the same problem with my second daughter who is now almost 9 months and still nursing. Back in Aug. I went back to school part time and was working full time and had to pump everyday. The back up supply in the freezer went from over 30 ounces to about 8 and I started freaking out. I was only getting 2-4 ounces each time I pumped when I had been getting 5-8. I started drinking about 2 liters of water a day and noticed a huge difference in my milk supply. Some one suggested a mother's milk tea that is supposed to help lactation but I couldn't stand the taste. Hope this helped. Whatever you decide to do I wish you the best of luck. I know it is not easy especially with your first but just relax and know that you are doing the best you can for your little one and that is the most important thing.
~C.

Try the website www.kellymom.com, hands down the best breastfeeing website out there. It has lots of great articles written by lactation consultants. Also consider co-sleeping so you can nurse a lot at night. Dont give up!

I didn't get through all the responses, so I may be repeating some people but I wanted to give you some encouragement. First, while I am a huge believer in the benefits of breastfeeding, I don't believe it should be a stressful thing for you, that isn't good for either you or the baby. If you can't make it work, don't beat yourself up about it.

Second, it will probably get better if you keep at it. My milk supply dropped fairly dramatically a few times, the first time around 8 or 9 weeks. Sometimes it's situational (like going back to work or stress) and sometimes it's just because of something you or the baby are doing differently (like she might not be as hungry right now or is teething). You can usually get through it by continuing to try. I had to supplement with formula to the point of very little breastmilk for a while at one point, but then my milk kicked back in & it got fine again. I called a lactation consultant and she was nice enough to give me some pointers over the phone free of charge. See if the hospital gave you any numbers of LC's in your mommy bag or whatever.

Here is what the LC told me-
Try using an herbal supplement called More Milk Plus by Motherlove. It has fenugreek plus a couple other things & you can get it at Wild Oats & Whole Foods and some other stores like that. She also told me not to stop pumping as soon as the milk stopped. Our bodies have a let-down every 2 minutes, so keep pumping for about 5 minutes after the milk stops, you might see another let-down and get more, and this will give more stimulation. I started getting at least one more let-down after I thought I was done. For the same reasons, try putting the baby to each breast twice. So Left, then Right, the Left again, and Rigth again. This REALLY helped me. Next she told me to pump every 2 hours, doing it after the baby had nursed if I was home. So I had to play with the schedule a litte bit there. But if you are at work, you should do every 2 hours for 15 minutes each time. (I know, that is a lot. Do what you can...) One last thing about the More Milk Plus, I noticed a difference in about 4-5 days. But I have heard that it isn't any good for a long term thing. It stops working after a while. It's really just to give you a boost. In the year+ that I have nursed, I used it 2 different times for about 2 weeks each time.

Talk to your pediatrician. They need to know about any difficulties to monitor the baby's weight gain. And you should always double-check about taking any supplements with her doctor, even if an LC (or just another mom like me) tells you to take medications.

And last, if you decide to call an LC don't let them or anyone else make you feel bad about not being able to nurse. Guilt certainly doesn't increase your milk supply, so find a different one if you aren't comfortable with the first. And don't worry too much, your baby won't starve. :) Good luck!

J.,
Please don't give up! It's vital to your baby's health, present and future, that you keep trying. It might be that the stress of going back to work so soon is hindering your supply. Try to relax, breastfeed as often as possible when you're home with her. It would help if you keep to a schedule, and if possible, pump at work during a break. Your breasts need to be stimulated to produce milk. If you're gone for, say, about 5 hours for work (including drive time and breaks) plus time before work to get ready, you are probably not breastfeeding for about 6-7 hours. That's a whole lot of time when you think about it. How many feedings is that? About 2 or 3, right? I hope this is helpful for you. Good luck and God bless!

Since you have returned to work, your fluid intake may be least than before and your stress level has increased Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and try to de-stress before feeding your little one. I breastfed six including a set of twins. Remember the first six weeks are the hardest but your routine has changed now so you are going through a new adjustment period. Hang in there -you can do this !Be sure you are pumping at the same time you would normally feed ( if possible). I know it is not as much fun pumping as it is feeding, but again you can do this ! You and your little one are going though another adjustment period . Hope this helps.Good luck! Just call me -a grammy with experience .

Call the hospital's lactation consultant as soon as you can! When I went back to work after 10 weeks, my milk supply decreased too but I called the L.C. and got quite a few tips. First of all ... drink! Water, milk, 100% juices ... whatever it takes because the 'fluid in' becomes 'fluid out'. Also, I took an herbal supplement called Fenugreek. I bought it at GNC and a health food store but I've since seen it at Walgreen's. It increases milk supply and I could tell a big difference. When you are with your daughter, nurse her as much as you can - because the more you nurse, the more you produce. As your daughter takes more in, your body will respond by producing more. And when she is done nursing, 'empty' yourself on the pump - more for the freezer and it will trick your body into thinking your daughter needs more. And also very important -- try to relax while you're pumping. It was very difficult for me to do so at work. I was able to pump in my own office but sitting at my desk with all my work scattered around was not conducive to relaxation. Bring a onesie from home to smell, look at photos of your daughter or just close your eyes and imagine holding her, and more than anything ... drink your water, milk, juice - always have a bottle handy! Good luck!!

My supply dropped a few times, and each time I was able to get it back by pumping a ton for 24-48 hours. I pumped or breast fed every 2 hrs for 15 mins...even through the night. This is like cluster feeding & tells your body you need to make more. If you do a combo of feeding & pumping, you should pump after feedings to make sure you empty your breasts each time. I know it sucks, but it worked really well for me. Good luck!

J.,
First, relax - if you get stressed it will NOT help your milk supply. Second - if you have to begin supplementing with Formula it will be fine. All three of my kids were supplemented with formula pretty much from the time they came home from the hospital. It is more costly, but in many cases the cost is worth the peace of mind of not stressing about your production.....Try to continue to nurse as long as you can - but if it means your baby gets formula while you are at work and nurses when you are at home - that is okay. Just relax.

T.

try taking a couple of hot showers and just let the water beat down on your chest for 10-15min a couple times a day. this will stimulate the milk and hopefully get you flowing again. goodluck

You should drink Healthy Nursing Tea by secrets of tea.It`s natural tea and without preservatives;)

I know this response is really late. But I have been busy with my 5 week old. My milk supply dipped dramatically about 2 weeks ago. I started pumping after he breastfeeds and taking fenugreek (3 pills three times per day). There are also prescription medicines you can take. Your OB or lactation consultant should be able to prescribe them for you.

Try also increasing your water and fluid intake and make sure you are still eating enough for two. My older sister has a baby three month old baby and she lost her pregnancy weight in three weeks and had trouble producing enough milk. After she gained ten pounds, she was able to produce enough milk and had been successfully breastfeeding ever since.

I also noticed that when I relax, I get more milk. So I put something funny on to watch on tv while I pump. I'm also religous about pumping, atleast every 3 hours during the day and 4 hours at night. So I pump 7 times a day. This has worked for me and I hope it works for you.

If you decide to give up and switch to formula, don't be too upset about it. You gave your child breastmilk as long as you could which is better than not giving her any at all. You can also give her breastmilk mixed with formula, or breastmilk when you have it and formula when you don't have enough. Good luck and I hope my advice isn't too late.

J.,

Do the Fenugreek. I had to when I had my daughter because I wasn't producing enough milk. I didn't have to suppliment her anymore after I started that!!! In fact I had to hold a towel to one breast while she nursed on the other, I had so much milk!!! Good luck!!

E.

I have 3 kids. My oldest was breastfed for 7 weeks before I dried up, my second for 3 months before I dried up, and now my third for 6 months and still going. I found that diet and exercise is the key for me. I have to make sure I get enough fat in my diet for the both of us. I also cannot over exert myself exercise. I actually read that if you work out to vigorously, your body produces a hormone that makes your milk dry up. Light exercise, i.e. walking, swimming, is good. Also, I try to stay on top of my water intake and back off caffeine. I know how frustrating it can be. I changed everything this time, and it has been a much easier experience for me. Hopefully everything will work out for you so you don't have to swicth her if you don't want to. :)