Breastfeeding - increasing supply BEFORE baby

britb618 · November 2014

Hey ladies,

So after reading the preparing your boobs for breastfeeding I thought I'd start a topic on increasing supply because to be honest this is my GREATEST fear/struggle. I wasn't able to pump more than an ounce (EVER) between both breasts, no matter how long I kept the pump on my boob for.

Part of my problem I think was that I never had her on me enough because of so many people visiting in the beginning and being afraid to kick people out. Not a mistake I will make again. Because I wasn't producing enough she wasn't gaining weight, or so I thought. We later found out she had severe heart burn and needed prescription zantac which eventually helped her. So anyway I ended up supplementing which further reduced my supply.

Is there anything any moms did before baby was born to help get supply going before baby was born? I may be jumping the gun because I am SOOO nervous about not being able to produce enough and I REALLY want to BF this time as long as possible, if possible. But if anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to them

BookitBoo · November 2014

@britb618‌ thanks for posting this! I have no advice but I'm following.

shannjohnston · November 2014

I don't think there's anything that can be done before the hormones kick in, that that's usually post-partum. Even the OTC and herbal stuff (like Fenugreek or Blessed Thistle) are less likely to help than just letting your LO suck away.

Trek3 · November 2014

I don't think you can increase supply before giving birth.

My milk was slow to come in, I bought some milk-increasing tea to start on after birth.

I could never get a lot of milk when pumping either, don't worry about that - it isn't the same as having a baby sucking. I had a really hard time letting down when pumping too.

https://earthmamaangelbaby.com/products/organic-milkmaid-tea

The most important way to increase milk supply is to let baby suck! Even if it seems like they are always hungry, the sucking increases your supply. As long as your baby is peeing enough, they are getting milk. (obviously if they are showing signs of dehydration, then supplement!)

In the early days, my girls both cluster fed ALL evening (like constant feeding for 3+ hours) until my supply was well established and they were through the early growth spurts.

Also, make sure you are eating and drinking enough (can have a huge effect on supply), and rest when possible.

emilyp2013 · November 2014

My OB told me to not attempt any kind of pumping or nipple stimulation early because it produces hormones that can induce premature contractions. So...maybe don't do that. I know there are foods and such that may be able to help build supply, like lactation cookies. I think you've pretty much identified your problems, though, from a purely biological standpoint. Having baby suckle is pretty important so you'd either have to shoo people away or get comfortable feeding while they're there. And heartburn is a big spit-up creator which probably discouraged you prematurely. :-) Don't fret either way. Know you're doing the best for baby and don't marginalize yourself if your best isn't your idea of ideal. *hugs*

britb618 · November 2014

well the fenungeek definitely helped me when I took it, I could feel my boobs swelling almost immediately it seemed. And I do agree that once I was steadily breast feeding it did increase but like I said, never able to pump more than an ounce and as a working mama that just wasn't feasible... but thanks ladies

Trek3 · November 2014

I also plan on baking some lactation cookies... not sure if the galactologues will actually help milk supply, but - cookies!

https://www.drmomma.org/2010/08/lactation-cookies-recipe-increasing.html

britb618 · November 2014

thanks @emilyp2013, I appreciate the hugs and encouragement

nfm12832 · November 2014

Love the cookie recipe maybe I'll try this I had the same problem with people coming and wanting to hold DD. So I already told everyone I do not want visitors for the first week or so. Also I had a breast reduction which may not of helped matters, I used fenugreek tablets about a week after my milk came in but will start to take it earlier this time around. Probably in January .

[Deleted User] · November 2014

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britb618 · November 2014

believe me, I would welcome an oversupply... haha but thank you for the warning. I was thinking of asking the doctor if it was okay if I started the fenungeek while pregnant and the tea. I just want to feel like I am doing SOMETHING to help aside from the obvious which is waiting until baby is born and milk comes in, I'm impatient I know lol!

storm08 · November 2014

I haven't heard anything that you can do ahead of time - but having a gameplan is a good idea. My milk was slow to come in, I think for a similar reason that I had a lot if people coming in and out and I didn't know what I was doing. Limiting visitors and frequent uninterrupted nursing sessions are a good idea at the beginning. Having lactation cookies or even lots of easy to grab snacks and drinks at the ready are good. I didn't realize that nursing would burn so many calories, so making sure that you are eating and drinking enough is important. DS was very sleepy, so I constantly had to wake him up to nurse him, and he'd fall asleep and continue sucking and I wouldn't always notice, so I think that actually ended up helping my supply. It took me awhile to respond to the pump. When I was trying to build up a stash before I went back to work I could only ever get an ounce or two. Being nervous and stressed while pumping at work always seemed to yield less. Good luck, you can do it!

RibbetRibbet · November 2014

britb618 said:

believe me, I would welcome an oversupply... haha but thank you for the warning. I was thinking of asking the doctor if it was okay if I started the fenungeek while pregnant and the tea. I just want to feel like I am doing SOMETHING to help aside from the obvious which is waiting until baby is born and milk comes in, I'm impatient I know lol!

With my oversupply my son had foremilk/hind milk imbalance and had horrible gas issues because of it But it also meant being able to get a great freezer supply

I think information is your best "preparation" for breastfeeding. I read every article on kellymom.com before I had my son and I swear it is the only reason I was able to start off so well. It was just nice to see the timeline they had set up on that website that explained about cluster feeding, and what dips in supply are normal, when the "usual" times of growth spurts are, etc.

Mrs_Bennett · November 2014

There is no way to increase your supply before you have a supply, but there are definitely ways to help after you give birth. First of all, make sure that you nurse, nurse, nurse! Let your LO nurse as long and as often as he/she wants. Yes, it will be all day/ night sometimes, and that's okay. Don't be shy--the needs of your baby are more important than anyone's feelings or comfort level.
Make sure that you're consuming enough calories through nourishing foods (now is not the time to try and lose the baby weight!) and LOTS of water. Rest when you can, and try not to stress, as that can negatively affect supply.
Eat oatmeal. Doesn't matter if it's plain, instant, loaded with toppings, or in baked goods--eating oatmeal will help.
Lots of skin to skin time! This will naturally increase the baby's nursing, and well as signal your body to make more milk. I've gotten a full let-down just from doing skin to skin without nursing before. That time is powerful--and messy!
Get support, whether it's LLL, a lactation consultant, a friend who has nursed successfully, or your mom. Make sure you have that support and knowledge from someone who has been there.
There are definitely other things that will boost milk supply (fenugreek, mother's milk teas, brewers' yeast, flaxseed oil, etc), but be cautious in using them during an early nursing relationship. The first month is when your body is adjusting to the needs of you LO, and excessively pumping or taking supplements will lead to an oversupply (which can lead to engorgement and mastitis).

Good luck, ladies!

mrsyoddtost · November 2014

I have no advice, but hopefully it's encouraging to know that I had a similar struggle with my firstborn and was able to breastfeed my second for a year no problem! I did some fenugreek with my first which helped some, but I don't know about anything you can do prior to birth to help at all. Just nurse, nurse, nurse when you first have the baby!

Maebb · November 2014

I don't have advice, but I tried everything suggested here to boost my supply with DS, and I still had to supplement. I've heard from some people that they had supply issues with one baby and then were able to EBF the next, so I'm hoping for that! I'm probably going to see an LC this time if I have issues rather than trying to figure it out on my own, but otherwise, I'm also going to try not to stress so much about it. I felt like a failure last time, and I really want to believe that I am not a failure, and I'm still a great mom to this baby, regardless of whatever feeding method ends up working best for us.

britb618 · November 2014

Thanks ladies. Fortunately my peds office has a great LC and she really did help me realize that it wasn't me, it was because of my daughter not gaining weight due to her heartburn, which made it so I had to supplement. I'm hoping that now that I know that COULD be a problem, we can address it immediately rather than me thinking it was my supply that made her not gain weight and therefore I will find it easier to stick to BFing and try to up my supply

I know stressing won't help and I am seriously trying not to...but stress has been my best friend lately so no promises!

Lindsay9911 · November 2014

Nothing helps ahead of time but I was the same with DD1. I was nervous to feed in public and generally uncomfortable when people were around. I ended up drying up at 5 months pp. With dd2 I felt a lot more comfortable in nursing and I nursed on demand. My supply was like night and day and we made it to 18 months breast feeding!

sanbry · November 2014

I'm gonna echo the others and say there isn't much you can do before baby. But when baby comes, do lots of skin to skin and nurse as much as baby wants. No bottles if you can avoid it, try to keep up the demand from baby so the supply will catch up! The Womanly Art of breastfeeding is a great resource book, I'm also going to La Leche League and some BF classes to get a head start. I didn't nurse my first for very long for many reasons i would like to avoid this time around.

LaBellaVida · November 2014

Nothing will help until your baby is here.
Once your baby is here nurse as much as possible. Even baby just comfort sucking will help.
Make sure your eating plenty. Always have snacks at the ready.
Water! Water! Water! You've got to stay hydrated.

Nursing is very demanding in the beginning to ensure you've got a good milk supply.

If at all possible, avoid the pump for the first several weeks. A baby who nurses is more sufficient then a pump. Even if you think your baby isn't gaining weight. I know there are certain circumstances with this though, so I'd Def. Seek out a lactation consultant early on, even if you feel like you've got it down.

Don't get discouraged, and just keep pressing on. I got so discouraged because my son's pedi freaked me out saying he wasn't gaining weight good enough and I needed to supplement immediately! I'm so glad I didn't take his advice....I knew in my gut he was fine and at least he was gaining weight. ... Even if it was 'slow. '

GirlWithAnchors · November 2014

Love this thread! Just saying because PP Hit all the bases

csjsmom · November 2014

I did not have an issue with supply with either pregnancy but I just wanted to say I found my milk came in much faster with my second. Like under 24 hours. So there's a chance it could happen sooner/better the second time around! And even though I nursed my first forever I couldn't nurse my second covered up in the beginning so visitors just had to deal with it! Or I would move to another room. I think the plan of limiting visitors should help.

Jellybean707 · November 2014

Thanks everyone for your awesome tips!

@britb618 I don't really have any advice but I wanted to say that I did the same thing you did. I didn't kick out visitors and let DS nurse enough to get a decent supply established. My In Laws hung out in my hospital room for 8 hours the day DS was born and it took a nurse to toss them out! Not a mistake I will make again!

I told my DH and family that this time I'm putting baby to chest at every opportunity I get. Everyone can get the eff out or stay and watch but nothing's coming between me and nursing LO!

kellyfo14 · November 2014

mrsyoddtost said:
I have no advice, but hopefully it's encouraging to know that I had a similar struggle with my firstborn and was able to breastfeed my second for a year no problem! I did some fenugreek with my first which helped some, but I don't know about anything you can do prior to birth to help at all. Just nurse, nurse, nurse when you first have the baby!

This was my experience almost to a T! With my first I had supply issues and did not respond great to the pump. She would cluster feed all night. The fenugreek did nothing for me except make me a little smelly. I tried everything. I went back to work at 8 weeks and would pump 3 times a day at work to try to get enough milk for her but nothing at all seemed to help. We made it 8 months.

With my second, my milk almost came in immediately. I did not pump at the hospital and nursed on demand. I pumped when I got home and had an impressive freezer stash in no time! I nursed him till he was 14 months. I was also home the second time around and did not have the stress of returning to a job I hated.

There is nothing you can do to prepare now except have a little faith that your body will remember. Best of luck to you!

lizj12 · November 2014

My doctor suggested I read "So That's What They're For" since I wasn't going to take a breastfeeding class. It's been really helpful in explaining the correct way for baby to latch (i.e. if baby only latches onto your nipple milk production or letdown isn't initiated within the body). Books have also said to feed or pump regularly, but don't force it. If you feed before baby's hungry he/she won't eat as much, and your body will signal to itself that it produced too much milk for feeding and you'll produce less. I've also been told by other moms to always keep protein snacks wherever I plan to feed and a big bottle of water (I have a 32 oz. Bubba water bottle that comes with a straw - it's amazing and keeps me drinking a minimum of 96 oz of water a day during pregnancy). My doctor has said 500 calories a day more should be consumed while breastfeeding, especially since you actually burn a lot of calories in the process!

From the various books I've read, it's not good to pump in advance because the first stuff that comes out for your baby, colostrum, is ultra high in protein and low in fat which is what your baby needs the first day or so of life. Then the fattier milk comes in.

All that said, I'm nervous too...my coping mechanism is learning as much as possible about how this works naturally - after all - decades upon decades of mothers have successfully nursed before us without knowing all the science behind it. I'm definitely not opposed to formula but I do want to breastfeed for a while as it's the free and we'll have plenty of other expenses to worry about when baby gets here!

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