My baby is 3 weeks old and I have recently wondered if I am producing enough milk for her I get approx 4 oz combined from both breasts if I pump every 3 hrs otherwise I get alot less. I just recently started pumping and I am glad because I had no clue how much she was getting. Now I was just browsing around on here to see of any herbal supplements to increase my supply (I'd rather have morethen she needs rather then less then she needs) I came across alot of people recommending fenugreek but when I look on sites to see how you buy it or how much it is every time it says Not for use by pregnant women or nursing women so now I am confused - Is there some special kind you have to buy not just 'Fenugreek' ? Or is it something that is not typically recommended? Just looking for some advice on this or maybe another way to increase my milk without taking any supplements? I drink alot of tea but I am not sure if that is helping or hurting me because someone told me once that tea dehydrates your body? Any advice is welcome Thanks! ↓
The trouble with pumping is women assume they need a certain amount otherwise they're not making enough, that is simply NOT true. If your baby is content & gaining weight you ARE making enough. The best way to increase your supply is to drink LOTS of water & feed (not pump) as much as possible. Your baby will ALWAYS be able to get more milk from the breast than a pump can, so keep in mind that if you can only get 4oz your baby is getting more when she is allowed to suckle at the breast. Also as she is only 3wks I would not suggest trying to increase your supply too much as you need your baby to be able to empty your breast as much as possible otherwise you leave yourself open to blocked ducts & mastitis. Goodluck & no matter how you decide to give her the breastmilk you are doing the best thing for her just by giving it to her. ↑
Thank you! I just worry because sometimes she will latch on and drink until I'm empty then cry it doesn't happen everytime though so maybe it's something else rather then breastmilk that's bothering her. I think I worry too much sometimes ..I definatly have to drink more water - I just hope the ice tea isnt hurting anything though. ↑
How much ice tea do you drink? You need to remember that tea is a diuretic (meaning it will make you wee) & if you drink alot of it you could be dehydrating yourself. A good rule to follow is for every cup of tea/coffee that you have also have a glass of water to make up for the diuretic affect. Also if the tea is caffeinated that could also be affecting her, so try switching to decaf or having some caffeinated & some decaf. She will know if you need to make more milk & will help you with the process by wanting to feed more often to boost your supply. I know it can be difficult to drink enough water but it is VERY important if you wish to breastfeed successfully. Try adding a splash of orange or lemon juice to add some flavour, or even a tiny splash of cordial. Goodluck & remember she is only 3wks old, things will get easier as you are both still learning the art of breastfeeding. ↑
I knew tea did something I couldnt remember what it was - I switched to decaf when I was pregnant and just recently bought 2 gallons and they didnt have the decaf so I got regular and went through it in 2 days .. but I dont drink anything else which is the bad part - I am going to make myself drink water with my meals at least - that makes it seem like I am drinking water since I have the flavor of something else in my mouth. I try and drink cranberry juice too since thats the only other thing I can really just drink...anything else either makes me feel gross or gives me heartburn etc. I really want the Bf'ing to work out ↑
You can just flavor your water with a little bit of juice, that always worked for me. Also, you can buy Fenugreek at places like GNC and Super Supplements. There is also a presciription called Reglan. However, I took both after my first was born and it did nothing. I'm not sure if I would bother with them again this time. I agree with E586467, feeding often is probably the key, not necessarily pumping. With my daughter I was not successful with the breastfeeding and didn't get the proper support. I knew nothing about La Leche and was actually advised by the lactation specialist to just stop trying. Needless to say, it was rough, and I regret not continuing. I am 35 weeks 4 days and this time I have my resources in place and feel a lot more prepared. There is actually a Dr. Jack Newman who has an instructional DVD. If you Google his name you can find it. I ordered it several months ago and have watched it a few times. It is very informative and answers a lot of questions. It also features women breastfeeding, demonstrating proper and improper latch, which to me was a big eye opener. I never realized until I watched the DVD for the first time that my daughter had been latched on completely wrong. An improper latch results in the baby being inefficient in suckling the milk from the breast. No one ever told me she was on wrong, and I had no clue. This has resulted in a lot of gulit on my part and resentment for the lactation nurse that was supposed to be helping me. I hope you have a better time than I did. ↑
