How do I produce more milk?

bumpuser511563 · March 2009

DH and I went to Walmart and used a gift card, returned some stuff and DH paid the difference to buy an electric breast pump for me. I absolutely love it more than that awful manual one I was using for the last week. DH has laughed at me for days because one breast would leak all over our son while I was feeding him or I would pump with the manual pump and try to catch all the milk.

Anyway at the moment our son drinks 2 oz. per feeding. When he gets bigger, how can I produce more milk to feed him more fully. I do get the frequency during the course of the day to pump, but is there other ideas or strategies I don't know about.

Any advice is greatly appreciated! TIA!

snowchylde · March 2009

You just naturally will. If you are wanting to feed him more so he will wait longer between feedings, some babies just don't want to spread out feeding. During the day my son will eat every two hours, even if I give him extra milk I pumped out.

VegasWed · March 2009

Make sure to drink plenty of water and eat enough. Water is a must. If you find later that you need more supply so you can feed and/or build a freezer stash you can always use Fenugreek. I take Fenugreek 3x day to help keep up my supply. It works for some people and not for others. Right now it's so early for you, that you really should just drink lots of water and feed often. Use your pump and pump after each feeding to build your supply up. Good luck.

LucyPevensie · March 2009

Your body is very tuned in to your baby. The more he nurses at the breast - the more your body will produce. Try not to get caught up in ounces if you are putting him to the breast. And don't freak out and think you don't have enough milk if sometimes he nurses a TON and seems fussy - that is him telling your body - make more milk, I want more. Your body will follow the baby. If he is gaining weight and has wet and poopie diapers - you're making plenty of milk. Pumping is another good way to get a boost but your baby is the best way to make more milk - just put him on the boob whenever he seems hungry or fussy - nursing on demand is the best way to go for the first few months to meet his needs. You should be nursing very, very frequently right now.

purplepuggles · March 2009

are you just pumping, or are you nursing too?

nursing is the best way to build up supply.

if you are only pumping, you need to be pumping every2-3 hours around the clock to build up your supply in the beginning.

how old is your son?

LucyPevensie · March 2009

Also - if you're leaking all over your son - you're making enough milk!! And starting to pump like crazy can cause you to make too much - which is called over-supply and that is not a good thing - you'll end up engorged and when your son nurses - he can get hit (literally - it will spray into his mouth) too much milk and that can cause choking and sputtering and make baby very fussy at the breast, and can cause other issues as well.

Based on what you wrote - you really don't sound like you need to pump at all - maybe once or twice a day if you want to start storing some extra milk and creating a freezer stash. Other than that - just put your son to the boob and your body will do what it is supposed to do. Remember - pumps are a "recent" invention - just putting the baby to the boob is the way moms have made enough milk for millions of years.

bumpuser511563 · March 2009

He is a week and a half so far. I am trying to do both pumping and breast feeding, but I always end up spilling milk on him while I feed him from my breast. I always have to change his clothes afterwards.

purplepuggles · March 2009

Sailor Saturn:
He is a week and a half so far. I am trying to do both pumping and breast feeding, but I always end up spilling milk on him while I feed him from my breast. I always have to change his clothes afterwards.

that's normal. it will get better with time as your supply regulates itself to what your baby needs. you can put a washcloth or towel over the breast you are not using to soak up any leakage.

and you probably don't need to be pumping yet, and definitely not every time you breastfeed.

LucyPevensie · March 2009

OK - from your last reply - this cements it for me - you are making enough milk! In fact - right now you're making MORE than your son can drink (hence the spilling and leaking all over him) - because your body hasn't figured out how much he needs yet (in this case - a little LESS than you are currently making.) Your body will naturally adjust to make however much the baby needs - sometimes that's less - sometimes more. For now - leave that pump in the box!!! Just keep nursing at the breast and the spilling/leaking will stop soon. You can add a pumping session or two, again, just if you want to store some extra milk in the freezer - in a few weeks, once your body has adjusted to your baby's needs.

divakat · March 2009

Eat more calories and drink a ton of water. It's the only thing that helped me with dd. I had such a low supply at one point that I almost had to stop nursing, but I found out that my dieting and not drinking enough water was the reason for the low supply issues.

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