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June 2014 Moms
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EBF supplementing and supply

CherylwangCherylwang member
in June 2014 Moms
hi all! I know this has been discussed but I am hoping for some success stories and what you did. I was in a out of town wedding about 3 weeks ago. My mom and dad had the kids for the weekend. While I was out of town I pumped and tried to do it every 4 hours. I was the maid of honor so it wasn't always easy to stay on top of that. I caught a stomach bug while I was gone and got so dehydrated. Since then my milk supply has dropped. I've been having to supplement about twice a day. I am hoping to bring my supply back up. LO won't nurse if there's no milk. So I can't just keep nursing as everyone suggests. She gets mad and screams. I try to pump but I don't get anything. What are some things you ladies have done to bring your supply back up and were you able to stop supplementing? I am just fearing that I will have to supplement more and more. I am hoping to keep up with nursing through the winter but who knows!
Thanks for reading. I know this is kinda long!
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Re: EBF supplementing and supply

  • Jenn111211Jenn111211 member
    I extended the amount of time for each pumping session and my supply increased by 2-3 ounces after about a week.
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  • jclester614jclester614 member
    I BF and supplement, I just have a low supply. For the screaming at breast, I have had good luck giving a little formula first, then BFing so LO isn't as "hangry" at the breast.

    I have had good luck with hops, blessed thistle, and fennel seed (as teas) as well as fenugreek pills. But I think everyone's bodies and reactions are different, and my issue is not from illness. Good luck!! I think resting and reducing anxiety is important too!
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  • SarahS11SarahS11 member
    I exclusively pump and had a week where my supply just wanted to disappear mysteriously... I made a batch of nobake lactation cookies (on Pinterest) and power pumped for 3 days when I got home from work, and my supply returned!
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  • CherylwangCherylwang member
    I feel like it's getting worse. I just pumped and only got 2 ounces. I hope I can make my supply return! Thanks for the advice.
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  • lechollslecholls member
    Sorry you're having supply issues it's so stressful. I had low supply to begin with, but I have been able to up my supply from 17-19 ounces a day to around 26 ounces by power pumping twice a day (first and last pump of the day) and by eating an unhealthy amount of lactation cookies. I got the recipe from allrecipes and they are insanely delicious so I've convinced myself that they are helping - and who knows maybe they are, but it's prob the power pumping.
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  • CherylwangCherylwang member
    skittler2 said:

    I had a stomach bug last weekend that completely dehydrated me and tanked my supply. I've been nursing and pumping as often as possible, and drinking/eating much more than normal to try and rehydrate. It's slowly coming back up but it's been stressing me out. I have a freezer stash so I had to pull from that to supplement the first couple of days but since then I've just been feeding LO more often since I assume he isn't getting as much at each feed. I started eating oatmeal for breakfast once I got my appetite back, and drinking a beer each night. I think I'm going to power pump the next three nights to see if that boosts anything. From what I've read on the Breastfeeding board, after getting sick it usually takes a couple of weeks to get your supply back. Good luck!

    ETA: even if you don't get anything when you pump, it's still signaling your body to make more milk so I'd keep pumping. FTM here though so, I'm no expert.

    I'm sorry you are going through the same thing as me. I hope this all works for both of us.
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  • ashanne88ashanne88 member
    I have stuggled with supply and have had to bring my supply back twice from getting sick/dehydrated.  It takes time but this is what worked for me.

    1. Pumping.  I pumped after LO ate as well to try to signal my body to make more.
    2. fenugreek pills
    3. Drinking insane amounts of water and eating often
    4. Oatmeal every morning for breakfast.  I'd recommend steel cut because they cook overnight and one cup dry makes 4 cups cooked.  I just keep them in the fridge, scoop out and reheat.
    5. Tons of lactation cookies. I like this recipe with extra chocolate chips (https://www.food.com/recipe/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-lactation-cookies-by-noel-trujillo-192346)
    6. Mother's milk tea.  If you don't like the taste of it at first, I recommend adding milk.  The tea is also good with the cookies.

    Good luck!  Supply issues are so stressful to deal with, I'm sorry you're going through this!
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  • CherylwangCherylwang member
    I need to do this. Every time I think about pumping I end up being busy and not doing it. Thanks for the tip! I will be motivated to do it now.
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  • clwheelclwheel member

    I'm going through the same. I was sick last week and apparently didn't hydrate enough :( I've added a few minutes to my pumping at work. This afternoon I was able to pump, wipe everything down (including myself so that I had a good seal) and then pumped again and got a second let down for another ounce or two! Small victories :)

    Engaged: 7/19/09 Married: 9/19/10
    BFP: 10/14/13 EDD: 6/16/14 DD Arrived: 6/21/14
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  • kamilasekowskakamilasekowska member
    edited November 2014
    Same here. Got a bug few days ago, feeling better now but my supply is so low.I'm using my freezer stash but LO has huge appetite. Never heard about lactation cookies, got to try those. Oatmeal in the morning and for dinner , pumping at night as well as day and lots of water. Fingers crossed.
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