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April 2015 Moms
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Milk Supply Dropping

SLambert313SLambert313 member
in April 2015 Moms
Since my little guy was born I feel like I have been fighting with my milk supply. Initially when he was born he had trouble latching so I have been exclusively pumping. We fed him breast milk and supplemented with formula until he was around three weeks old. Eventually I was able to get my supply up and have only been feeding him breast milk since that time, he is now 15 weeks. This past week I have noticed my milk supply has dropped significantly, and I am barely keeping up with his needs. I am increasing my pumps, drinking more and more water, and I have ordered Fenugreek to try. I am hoping this helps and my body starts to produce more, I'm battling with the guilt from everyone who keeps telling me breast is best, but if my body won't produce I am not going to starve my little one. Has anyone else experienced anything similar, and if so what did you try?
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Re: Milk Supply Dropping

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    erinb49erinb49 member
    I'm going through the same thing. I wondered if it was my birth control, but decided not to stop because I'm not up for Irish twins! I find that the baby seems to up my supply better than the pump. Have you tried latching again now that he's older? (Bigger mouth, more coordinated) you could also try eating oatmeal, that helped me. Also, don't feel guilty about supplementing with formula (I went though that too!) you did so much to provide breastmilk for his most vulnerable weeks, you should feel proud mama! And some is better than none!
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    SLambert313SLambert313 member
    Phew! I know moms do it, but The idea of Irish twins stresses me out haha.

    I have tried relatching. He will work at it for a few minutes, but then I think he gives up because he is used to the faster flow of the bottle. We keep trying though as I would much rather breastfeed and spend time with the little one than be attached to a pump half of the day.

    I haven't tried oatmeal, I will definitely pick some up to try and see if that helps. Thanks for the encouragement. It's so tough wanting to do the absolute best for your baby and feeling like you're falling flat sometimes!
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    erinb49erinb49 member
    I hear you! We put so much pressure on ourselves! As if we didn't just go through the incredible stress of childbirth and the newborn period, then we feel like we have to do everything perfectly. It's too much!
    Did you try talking to a lactation consultant? Or maybe going to a leche league meeting? Some hands on help can really make a difference. It took me a few tries to find the right LC but it helped me and my LO so much
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    mdaugherty8mdaugherty8 member
    I've been in the same boat. I was making enough (exclusively pumping) but recently he started eating more so now I'm not making enough. However, thank the Lord above I gave nursing another try (3m old now) and it went great so now I'm nursing and only pumping for work. Nursing has helped my supply go up. Fenugreek has helped some but it hasn't gotten me where I need to be.
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    amycol1031amycol1031 member
    The same thing happened to me around 12 weeks. I tried fenugreek and it was working but it made my baby miserable! She'd wake up from naps hysterical and was tough to calm down. I finally figured out that it started when I started taking fenugreek. Be careful with that, it could upset their stomach and make them extra gassy. I did one power pump a day-pump 20 minutes, rest 10, pump 10, rest 10, pump 10. It's crazy but it worked. I've also been eating oatmeal once a day and I think that may be working too. Good luck!
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    SLambert313SLambert313 member
    The lactation consultant that I met with in the hospital and saw numerous times right after he was born wasn't very helpful. She would latch him perfectly, but I struggled with the latch and would cry from pain every time I fed him. She never understood why I was having such a difficult time, and unfortunately at three in the morning when my little one was starving I couldn't invite her into the bedroom to help. Every time I left her office I felt about two feet tall for having a hard time breastfeeding. LO and I were able to figure out the latch by spending some time working on our own positioning, but I think by the time we figured it out he much preferred the bottle. I am hopeful that when we decide to have baby number two we will be successful, and have a different LC who will work is through any problems we may face.

    The Fenugreek seems to be helping for now. I have been taking it for a couple of days and have seen an improvement in my supply with no adverse effects on him yet, so hopefully it works. I've never power pumped before. I'll have to try it, though I do spend a half an hour for each individual pumping session. Oy the trials and tribulations. I was speaking with another mom yesterday and she was telling me that one of her friends made enough milk to supply not only her baby, but another family who had adopted a child. So jealous, but my body will only do what it will do I suppose. Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions. It's so nice to know you're not alone.
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    ccaudill0107ccaudill0107 member
    Oatmeal, ginger ale, a beer to relax and he Brewers yeast helps production. If your ovulating that could be the reason for the drop hopefully it will pick back up. Good luck mamma! Keep up the good work oh and try re latching! It worked for a friend of mine
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    azadirazadir member
    Have you heard of Pinky's Boobie Bikkies? You buy them online... They really worked for me. In fact I had too much milk happening from just half a biscuit a day 2 days in a row. Good luck!
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    smilesallaroundsmilesallaround member
    @SLambert313 has your LO been checked for tongue tie? The LC would tell me everything looked great but it would hurt SO bad and he would have trouble latching and staying latch. Turns out my DS was tongue and lip tied. We had it revised and he now nurses great and I have no pain. I had to see 4 different LCs to get it diagnosed correctly. The 2nd one caught it but it wasn't revised correctly. The 4th one caught it again.
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    b-cookeb-cooke member
    So glad I'm not the only one! I've been EP since about week 2. My LO does so much better with a bottle. I noticed my supply dropped even while taking Fenugreek, drinking tons of water, and eating oatmeal daily. I finally gave up and decided whatever my body didn't make I'd supplement with formula. Now my milk supply is more stable...I think the stress of not providing breastmilk like I wanted was causing issues! Get plenty of rest and relax!

    I will have to try a power pump session so maybe I can be ahead on my milk supply!
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    chrisandsarahweddingchrisandsarahwedding member
    I am in the same boat right now. My LO only gained 4oz in a month. I am trying to pump an oz after every feeding. Also drinking mothers milk tea and eating 2 fernugreek tablets 3 times a day. It already seems like my supply is improving and its only been a couple days.
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    cwhite90cwhite90 member
    My little guy is 16 weeks and I've noticed my milk supply dropping as well. I've been eating milk cookies, ( 2-3 a day) mothers tea for lactating women, ( super good iced) fenugreek tablets, drinking tons of water and I'll have a beer at night when he's sleeping occasionally. I've noticed a definite improvement. I work a lot so when I am home I try to exclusively breast feed and this also helps. In the morning our milk supply increases so try breast feeding ur little one then pumping afterwards this helps to also increase ur supply. All of these things I've gotten and or learned from my lactation consultant...she is amazing. It's a struggle everyday Bc my little guy is eating so much but supplementing with formula when he goes to daycare also helps. Just make sure u stay on his feeding schedule so u can keep up ur supply. Hope these tips help.
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    pooks0703pooks0703 member
    OK ladies I know this may sound ridiculous but my sister in law who is a doctor had same issues as well as myself and what really helped me increase my milk supply was:

    Hagen Daz ice cream. I began eating the pineapple coconut and chocolate every night and within a couple of hours produced more milk.

    Fenugreek tablets from Whole Foods (2 tablets every four hours) per our pediatrician also helped a LOT!

    Oatmeal for breakfast

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    littabeautylittabeauty member
    I had problems building my supply as my baby was premmie and was fed by nasal gastric tube so this was what LC suggested:
    - lactation cookies - loads of recipes online but just be careful with Brewers yeast as it can cause gas
    - double pumping (not sure if you do both breasts at same time or not but it def helps)
    - pumping every 2 hours if poss during day, maybe once during night
    - power pumping
    - if you are trying to pump when you are out ie at work, look at picture of your baby and/or have a piece of baby's clothing to hold and smell (Gets milk supply going)
    It took me 14 days to produce enough milk after birth, they had to supplement with formula. I felt like a failure but kept persevering and it paid off. I have exclusively breastfed for 4 months so far and all going well.
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