What to do to encourage milk production?

turtletaylor0522

Hi!

A little backstory… I had a son in 2018. I placed him for adoption and took a medication to prevent my milk from coming in. 

I had another boy in 2022 and produced lots of colostrum in the hospital but dried up after three days. It thinned out a bit but never really became milk. My son was latching fine and I pumped even when we supplemented with formula. This went on for almost two weeks with consultations with the lactation team until my anxiety was so bad around pumping that I was having breakdowns every time I got the machine out. It wasn’t bad enough to be PPA or PPD, but it was bad. We have exclusively formula fed since then. 

Fast forward to now. My husband and I are planning our second baby together. I really, really want to breastfeed. The doctors said there is no way the medicine I took in 2018 affected my experience in 2022, but I’m still blaming myself. Im worried I’ll have the same amount of anxiety or worse this time around. So, aside from the mental aspects, what can I do to encourage my milk to come in? Besides the usual, stay hydrated, eat properly, feed or pump regularly, what can I do this time leading up to birth and after?

Thanks, ladies!

00kim00

I would suggest getting an IBCLC and figuring it out with her. I found one locally who did a prenatal virtual visit with me, and has been coming to my home weekly since the day after we were discharged from the hospital. The lactation network (https://lactationnetwork.com/) can match you with someone and bill your insurance- mine are fully covered.

Aside from that, I think working on the anxiety piece may help. Any amount of breastmilk you can give is great, but fed is best. Trying to take on that mindset and relieve the pressure from yourself may allow you to enjoy whatever you can do.

turtletaylor0522

@00kim00 Perfect resource to share! I didn’t know about that. We saw a lactation consultant provided through the hospital but they were overwhelmed and I didn’t always feel like a priority because my son was healthy on formula. Thank you!