Need tips on how to produce milk

valeriecruz

I have birth a week ago and I don't seem to be producing enough milk.

saric83

What makes you think you're not producing enough?  Did you have any complications with delivery that may have caused milk-delay?

valeriecruz

I feed her and she will sleep for about an hour and then she will wake up and eat again. So in assuming she's not getting enough. No complications.

sschwege

valeriecruz said:

I feed her and she will sleep for about an hour and then she will wake up and eat again. So in assuming she's not getting enough. No complications.

Sounds about right for a one week old!  They eat almost constantly in the beginning!  

The best way to tell if they are getting enough is watching to make sure they are producing enough wet and dirty diapers.  I bet everything is just fine, just keep nursing on demand as you are doing, it will get easier I promise!

sschwege

As far as tips for making sure your supply is there, make sure you are drinking plenty of water and eating enough, try to rest when you can and holding baby skin to skin and/or baby wearing is great for supply.  I've also heard a bowl of oatmeal can help.

valeriecruz

Thank you! Yeah I've been feeling really down lately. I started giving her for

valeriecruz

Formula and still nurse her.

saric83

I agree with PP that's totally normal!  She's naturally cluster-feeding (eating smaller amounts frequently) to increase your supply.  Our pediatrician told us to keep an eye out for at least six wet diapers each day.  If she's doing that, you're totally fine.  Just keep feeding her each time she's hungry.

Also, if there are any infant class centers around you or maybe a local lactation consultant office/clinic/hospital where you can drop in to weigh your baby, go in and weigh her, feed her there, and then weigh her again.  It will give you an approximate idea of how much she's eating. 

valeriecruz

Yes I'm going to try and talk to a lactation consultant. Do you think it is a bad idea to be giving her formula as well? I resorted to that because she was not sleeping and I felt like she wasn't getting full enough.

saric83

If you're nervous about it, keep doing it until you meet with the lactation specialist, but I would pump every time you give her formula and offer breast before formula each time, so you're still keeping your supply up.  It's all based on supply and demand, so when the demand goes down, your supply will go down too, and this is a crucial time for you to be building that supply up. 

sschwege

valeriecruz said:

Yes I'm going to try and talk to a lactation consultant. Do you think it is a bad idea to be giving her formula as well? I resorted to that because she was not sleeping and I felt like she wasn't getting full enough.

If your goal is to EBF I would leave the formula alone for now. In the beginning it seems all you do is nurse, but I promise it gets easier. Right now your baby is telling your body how much milk to make, if you give formula you are sending your body a message that baby doesn't need as much.

That being said, if you want to do a mix of the two then just keep doing what you are doing.

You are doing great mama!

valeriecruz

Okay makes sense! I'm trying to nurse her more often but I'm still cramping after 10 mins of nursing. Does that stop?

sschwege

valeriecruz said:

Okay makes sense! I'm trying to nurse her more often but I'm still cramping after 10 mins of nursing. Does that stop?

For sure! It should stop soon maybe a few days to a week. I alternated Motrin and Tylenol every 3 hrs until the cramping stopped.

Ashisaloser

Try fenugreek herb pills! I swear, I wasn't making enough milk and I took three pills three times a day, and not I'm making twice as much as I was. It makes your sweat smelllike maple syrup though!

Allisekaylin

It's crazy how much I smell like maple syrup lol!

LEGALLYblonde86

Fenugreek, and yup, your pee, and armpits will smell like maple syrup. Also pinterest has a ton of recipes for lactation smoothies and cookies etc. Clif bars (oatmeal raisin) make me over flow like crazy!

DaliaJesse

I take oatmeal every morning for breakfast, this helps me in producing enough breast milk. 

NurseRieger

As long as you are getting dirty diapers baby is getting milk. My LO lived at my boobs, now he's 4 weeks and I'm finally getting more than 2 hrs between feedings. It's normal for a newborn to constantly eat. Also supplementing with formula will decrease milk production because baby will take less milk and then get less and then need formula. It's a vicious cycle especially if you want to exclusively BF.

Kayciejoe56

Babies will naturally go through phases of eating more or less. My LO is almost 3 weeks and we just survived a growth spurt. He ate every 45 minutes for almost 7 hours yesterday. Which also meant no naps longer than 30 minutes all day! This went on for 2 days, today is back to normal with 2 hour naps and eating every 2 hours. I asked the pedi today and she said it's perfectly normal for everyday to look completely different. Like PP have said, as long there are enough dirty diapers, LO is getting plenty!