How to increase milk supply???

[Sunnyb]

I've been mix feeding Holly for a week now due to severe colic & needing help with feeds at night. I BF Holly during the day, my hubby gives Holly formula as her last feed every night & every other night he will do the 3am feed with formula & I BF the next. I have also been trying to express so that she can have breast milk rather than formula whenever possible. This seems to have messed my boobs up big time though! My right boob seems to produce more than the left, sometimes they become engorged & other times don't seem to fill up at all
I really don't want to dry up & have to move onto formula for every feed. So my question is what to do to boost my milk supply? Should I express more? Can I take or eat anything to help boost it?
Kicking myself for messing things up, but was insane with tiredness last week & giving formula was a last resort!
I love BF & want to continue as long as possible - surely if my boobs are making milk, there must be something I can do to make more?
Please help - I'm desperate!!!!

Sunnyb xxx

 

[frankie707]

Firstly don't panic we've all had these worries when bf. Your boobs will always make enough even if they don't feel full to the touch. There are things you can do to up your supply:
make sure you're drinking lots of water
porridge/oats
fenugreek capsules (you can get these from holland and barret and other such stores)
ROL uses/used something called 'new mama tea'
expressing more will help but will take up a lot of time and I found it stressed me more
get as much rest as poss and stay relaxed

hope this helps, my boobs never feel full anymore but G gets enough milk.
You're doing brilliantly

 

[Maria1977]

Hey hun, my boobs never get engorged and yet I've not had any supplies worries.

I've heard fenugreek can help, also oats. And I'm taking agnus castus to try to rebalance my hormones and the woman in Holland & Barrett said that they will increase supply also.

Also lots of rest and lots of water too. I drink alot of water since being pregnant anyways.

And try not to worry, they may not feel full but as long as your putting baby to breast the milk will keep coming xxxxxx

 

[GemmGirl]

I agree with the other ladies. Don't panic that you are not making enough milk. I got really worried when lo was about 3 months as I never felt full at any time. I was told that it's because I was making just the right amount and it's really rare for a mummy not to produce enough milk. When he went through a growth spurt I used fenugreek which certainly seemed to do the trick but be warned - it can leave u smelling like maple syrup! I only had to use it for a few days before I was confident supply was fine. I haven't tried the other remedies but I reckon if you are eating and drinking plenty and getting plenty of rest your body can cope fine with mixed feeding - good luck x

 

[Rayoflight]

Do you want to carry on combination feeding or would you prefer to fully BF?

Remember, each time you give formula, that's one feed dropped. Your body works on a supply and demand basis so introducing formula means your body doesn't produce enough milk for that feed that's been dropped. So when you come to try BFing more you feel like there's nothing there.

I know the night feeds are a killer but this is when your prolactin levels are at their highest and when your boobies produce the most milk.

It really depends what you want to do moving forward. If it's exclusively breastfeed then start offering the breast as much as possible and do express (freezing it for when you need it). Try the oats, fenugreek, mama tea, water route as it has worked for many of us.

If you want to carry on the combination feeding I'd say keep expressing as much as you can to keep your supply up. You might find after a few weeks that the bottle doesn't necessarily have to be formula. Especially if you express first thing in a morning - you might get loads.

What breastpump have you got? X

 

[Esoames]

Same as the other ladies! Water and Oats help me loads and Im currently taking fenugreek as madam is being greedy lol! try not to worry, my boobs feel empty most times yet Isla is sucking away for 10 minutes most feeds

 

[Sunnyb]

Rayoflight - I have the Medela Swing pump. My hubby did just 2 formula feeds last night (which is the maximum we do.) I then BF Holly this morning from one boob & expressed 4oz from the other. I've been expressing in between BF Holly. The only time I don't express is every other night when she has 2 formula feeds. I've been freezing some breast milk & sometimes hubby will give Holly expressed breastmilk instead of formula. I would prefer to just give Holly breastmilk, but was advised last Friday to mix feed for a while due to her having colic & me being stressed & exhausted.
Should I be expressing during the nights my hubby is bottle feeding her? I worry that not feeding or expressing for 8 hours might mess my supply up as there's no demand?
I'm eating porridge already & try to drink as much water/juice as possible. Think I'll try the fenugreek too!
Thanks for all your suggestions so far ladies & any other advice will be gratefully received x

Sunnyb xxx

 

[Minchin]

just as the other ladies said. And ROL is an expert
fenugreek was amazing for me.
hang in there hon xxx

 

[frankie707]

If you're consistently not feeding for 8 hours over night then your body will adapt to that and just produce enough milk for one feed in the morning rather than the night feeds so if you're planning on always giving a bottle for night feeds (until she sleeps through ) then not expressing would mean that you would avoid engorged breasts but if you wanted to go back to doing the night feeds then I would say express but to be honest if you are up expressing you may aswell feed her.
Fenugreek really worked for me when I had a wobble about how much milk I was making but just LO suckling should tell your body exactly how much milk to make.

 

[JJ Mum]

Some great advice here from the ladies,

I'm not expressing at the mo, but when building up supply of BF for when I went to take that for two days for OH to use in a beaker, I would feed on one side first thing in the morning, and express with the pump on the other boob at the same time, would get more because of the let down reflex from Devon feeding.
Bit tricky at first but as long as your organised and lay everthing out ready it's fine and no stress as your doing both at once, no extra sessions of expressing. If OH would do up to two feeds , then try to express once or the twice a day when required, but early morning I have more milk. Then your milk supply is keeping up, OH can still help while you get more sleep and baby can have just your milk in the end! win win situation - well done you

 

[Belfast girl]

hi, sort of in same situation. emma is quite underweight so having to do top ups at each feed via syringe and feed at the breast every 3 hours as well. yesterday was the first day of my regime and i was able to express enough but the hospital increased the amount i am to top up with and today i didn't have enough and had to resort to formula

the midwife advised some nursing tea, fennel tea, a half pint od guinness and brewers yeast. i haven't tried any of these yet but will defo have porridge tomorrow. but am sure that if you continue to express etc your body will respond!!

 

[frankie707]

Belfast girl I have a friend who had to top up after every feed with formula but by 8/9 weeks old her supply had caught up and she was able to drop all but one formula feed in the evening so keep offering LO boob as much as poss to tell your body how much you need. Porridge and flapjacks also

 

[Sunnyb]

I'm eating porridge while I'm reading this!! Going to buy some fenugreek today & get some advice from the health store while I'm there. If they give me any other info, I'll update you all with it later x

Sunnyb xxx

 

[Miss]

Hey Sunnyb!

No more to add than has already been added! Just wanted to say hi and let you know - am thinking about you hun - hope things level out for you soon xxx

 

[jennilisanne]

Drink lots!! I have days I have to give Sophia a bottle and it coincides with my not drinking enough.