I spoke with a lactation consultant and she told me to pump once a day for three days but I still haven't seen much of an increase. One pediatrician told me to take an herb called Fenugreek and to eat as much as possible and drink as much water as possible. It seemed to be working for a few days but yesterday Brett was definitely hungry around 6pm and I wasn't making enough milk to satisfy her. I, sadly, left a 4th of July party to get some frozen milk and I added two scoops of formula to it so that she can start getting used to the taste. I only have about 60 ounces stored up in the freezer. I didn't pump and freeze enough while I was over-producing. =(
My first experience with formula is not a happy one. Just 2-oz's seemed to have constipated Brett so I gave her a sippy cup with water in it. She pooped shortly after but I don't think the water could have helped that quickly. I am going to try a different brand of formula to see if that helps.
I am happy I was able to breastfeed her for 5+ months and hope that I can feed her breast milk until she is a year old but I don't know if it is going to workout. I may introduce rice cereal to her sooner than I had planned so that she gets more food in her belly.
Fenugreek really worked for me for a while, but I had to take like 12 pills a day. I also pumped about an hour after each feeding to help stimulate and make more.
ReplyDeleteDrinking a ton of water is more important now in the hot weather than anything. I constantly have a glass or bottle of water with me.
Jackson is 6 months and a week old, and we just started him on solids this week. Just once a day, and he nurses after that and then goes down for the night. I will pump a few hours later before I go to bed to make up for him eating less after the solids, and I am getting a little stash started.
Did all of your efforts produce more milk?
ReplyDeleteI really think it helped. I am still breastfeeding, and I even have extra milk that I donate to a milk bank.
ReplyDeleteI know we talked about this on our walk, but having a beer (any kind of beer) every night has helped a ton! My pediatrician actually recommended it. It's also a great way to unwind after a long day =). Also, I think the frequency in which you take the Fenugreek really makes a difference. I take it 3 times a day...once with each meal. If I miss one, then I double up at the next meal. Another thing the pediatrician recommended was Mother's Milk tea. I can't stand the flavor, but I'm not a huge tea drinker. I have 4-5 packages of the tea that I will NEVER use. I can bring it to Gymboree or Mom's Night Out if you want to try it (if you haven't already). I've heard you have to drink the tea frequently throughout the day to really help.
ReplyDeleteI hope this helps! And remember...you are still the BEST mom for Brett even if the breastfeeding comes to an end. Don't ever think you have failed! You're doing a fabulous job!!!
Indian women regularly eat fenugreek after delivery to help increase milk supply and relieve aching back muscles. I figure if my ancestors have been doing it for hundreds of years, there's probably a good reason for it.
ReplyDeleteHolly- has your milk supply increased since this posting? As mentioned before, Fenugreek works for some. I'm not sure how much it helped me but my lactation nurse told me what I didn't want to hear... During Ellie's growth spurts she would want to nurse, and nurse, and nurse and I would have to accomodate her. It didn't help that she was a slow nurser. So it depended, every 1 1/2 hrs - 2 hrs I would nurse her. The time starts at the beginning of the nursing cycle. So if she started nursing at noon and didn't finish until 12:45 I would still put her back on the boob at 1:30pm or 2pm. Oh yes...and oh no. Literally chained to this little thing. All day and night. This will go on for 2-3 days. By this time milk supply goes up to accomodate the demand. Plus side is that I caught up on alot of tv. Good luck Holly.
ReplyDeleteWell, I went to a place called Milkalicious after Gymboree on Wednesday. I weighed Brett... since her doctor appointment 6 weeks ago she had only gained 1.5lbs (and that was with all of her clothes on and a wet diaper)! So, I fed her on both sides and then re-weighed her. She only took in 3 ounces! Since she is feeding every two hours she is roughly getting 24oz per day instead of the 40oz per day that her age requires!
ReplyDeleteAAHHH!
I bought something called More Milk Plus. It seemed to increase my milk within about 16 hours BUT it gave Brett terrible gas, she was grunting in pain all day and she pooped 4x in one day instead of the normal one time. So, I am off of the More Milk Plus and back on straight Fenugreek.
I bought some soy formula today to see if she will take it. Although, the last time I gave her formula (about a week and a half ago) she began refusing the bottle all together and now won't even take the breastmilk bottle. Sad.