Anyone try essential oils for milk supply?

niknak1208 · September 2015

I really really want to exclusively breastfeed until Sam is a year old. I've always wanted to but have never made it because I've always returned to work. I'm staying home this time around. Sam is 13 weeks and this is the longest I've ever exclusively fed. Most of the time he seems fine..satisfied. Sometimes not though. I start to notice his agitation usually late afternoon to early evening. Lots of hunger ques. Sucking on his fingers. Fists in his mouth. Pulling at my clothes. So I just consistently try to feed but he seems mad. A while ago my pediatrician thought colic which I do think is an issue sometimes. But today just for kicks I tried to pump when he seemed like he wasn't feeding well. And I got basically nothing. I mean nothing. Like a few drops. I think partly this is because I had been attempting to feed him for a while and he had probably consumed what was there but I'm worried!

I've been pumping at night. Like 4-5am and then I feed him when he wakes up at 5-5:30am Normally I get about 5oz total. I have probably 70 oz frozen right now. But if I pump any earlier like 3-3:30am... Like tonight... I get more like 2-3oz. Even tho it's been hours since I last fed him

I ordered fennel tonight. I do a lot with oils so I thought I'd try.

I tried fenugreek but that stuff really tore up my stomach. I was in the bathroom for two days so I stopped.

Ugh. I'm hoping it works. I've read to either to apply diluted to the breast area or to consume one drop in water.

Just curious what has helped with others supply.

harmonicbabe26 · September 2015

Personally i do not believe in essential oils helping anything other than a stuffed nose or mild case of stress so please do not feel offended if you are a believer.

I consider myself a low supply veteran so I will share with you what worked for me.
- fenugreek and blessed thistle 3pills 3x a day
- steel cut oatmeal 1-2x a day with a tablespoon of fkax meal and tablespoon of brewers yeast
- 100oz of water every day RELIGIOUSLY
- in the PM a gatorade
- in the PM cup of malt ovaltine + malted milk
- pump or power pump 1x in addition to regular feedings
Sounds crazy and like a lot of stuff but I was able to provide ALL BM and freeze a bunch from doing this for as long as I wanted.
But ultimately what saved my BFing relationship this time was switching to exclusive pumping. Not saying you should do that but I would totally try the supplements... Give fenugreek another try. That stuff is amazing.

Designermomma · September 2015

I would be careful with EOs. I think getting enough rest, food and staying hydrated can do a world of wonder for breastfeeding. I made lactation cookies and ate those here and there and tried to relax as much as I can while pumping/feeding. Getting 5 oz at a time isn't bad. I pumped exclusively for a while and kept a log. I pumped from 5 - 10 oz total each time. Usually 10 oz was the first pump of the morning when DS started STTN. I've read that if you have a slump, try power pumping (pumping more frequently like every 1-2 hours) like when baby has a growth spurt they feed like every 30 min. to increase your milk supply.

mindaa · September 2015

@harmonicbabe26, thanks for outlining your routine - I recently started supplementing to keep up supply going back to work.
Did you really put a full tblsp of brewers yeast on oatmeal? I sprinkle it on food as much as I can, but even a little has such a distinct flavor. Keep looking at the 18oz jar wondering how I'm going to get through it!

niknak1208 · September 2015

Thank You! It's really frustrating me. I've only tried pumping during the day once. I only did it because it seemed like he wasn't getting anything and I felt like he should have been. That's the pump I mentioned in my post where I got literally drops.

@harmonicbabe26 is there any particular brand of fenugreek? I just bought it on Amazon and it just made my stomach crampy snd upset. I was taking 2 pills twice a day. Should I try sticking with 2 twice a day and just try again?

Can you get all of those things anywhere or are any of them specific to a health food store? I'm totally willing to make a list and go out tomorrow. I'm frustrated and it's heartbreaking to know your baby is hungry and crying.

I have probably 70 oz frozen right now. He sleeps usually from 9pm to 3:30an or sometimes later. I religiously pump every single night in an attempt to get a stock pile.

So even if I'm not getting anything .. Should I still sit there and pump every 1-2 hours? I mean literally hardly anything came out! I was really surprised

mindaa · September 2015

I've had some stomach cramps too, since Starting... And it's getting worse. Need to figure out whether it's the yeast or fenugreek so I can cut back. Even though it kills me to risk my supply

I've never heard about using Ovaltine - might have to add it.
Another thing I had to do was rent a pump. Was getting only drops from the medela PIS.

niknak1208 · September 2015

I have a madela PIS advanced. It works. I'm just worried there's nothing to pump sometimes. Like right now it's 4:30am. I haven't nursed from the right side since 9pm last night and it doesn't feel as full as it usually does. I'm going to pump in a minute like I do every night but I'm getting really frustrated. I've been trying really hard to drink more water but I'm no where near 100oz. I'm probably doing 64oz. Ugh. I really want this to work. Not only because I want to breastfeed but I also just left my job to stay home and the last thing we need is $200/month in formula!

How long does it take for fenugreek to kick in and start working?

harmonicbabe26 · September 2015

mindaa said:
@harmonicbabe26, thanks for outlining your routine - I recently started supplementing to keep up supply going back to work.
Did you really put a full tblsp of brewers yeast on oatmeal? I sprinkle it on food as much as I can, but even a little has such a distinct flavor. Keep looking at the 18oz jar wondering how I'm going to get through it!

Yeah the flavor is pretty distinct but i guess it didn't bother me that much. I also added peanut butter and fruit to my oats so that helped. I got those latge jars too and they went fast.

harmonicbabe26 · September 2015

mindaa said:
I've had some stomach cramps too, since Starting... And it's getting worse. Need to figure out whether it's the yeast or fenugreek so I can cut back. Even though it kills me to risk my supply
I've never heard about using Ovaltine - might have to add it.
Another thing I had to do was rent a pump. Was getting only drops from the medela PIS.

My vote is for cramps from brewers yeast. That stuff will give you gas!

harmonicbabe26 · September 2015

niknak1208 said:
I have a madela PIS advanced. It works. I'm just worried there's nothing to pump sometimes. Like right now it's 4:30am. I haven't nursed from the right side since 9pm last night and it doesn't feel as full as it usually does. I'm going to pump in a minute like I do every night but I'm getting really frustrated. I've been trying really hard to drink more water but I'm no where near 100oz. I'm probably doing 64oz. Ugh. I really want this to work. Not only because I want to breastfeed but I also just left my job to stay home and the last thing we need is $200/month in formula!

How long does it take for fenugreek to kick in and start working?

OMG DEF increase your water intake! You need 64oz when non BFing. Then oz for oz for all the milk you want to make and then some! Get a 24oz water bottle and aim to refill it 4-5x a day. I used to go to sleep with 2 full bottles and drank every time I woke up. Also every time I nursed/pumped.

I know it's easier said than done but try not to stress about it bc that will hurt you too.

As for pumping, yeah, after feeding you may not see much bc baby took it all. But if you keep training your body to make more, it should respond. Consistency is key. I used to have super low supply in the PM but I kepy pumping at 9pm after C went to sleep and soon that became a really good pump session.

Oh, fyi i never pumped more than like 3-4oz combined when replacing a feeding (when I pumped every 2-3hrs). First pump in the am i would get 10oz though.

harmonicbabe26 · September 2015

Oh regarding brands: I got Natures Way fenugreek and blessed thistle and Twin Labs Brewers Yeast. Both from amazon. Nothing special about either brand. Just what I got.
I think they say 72hrs for it to kick in.

And also a comment regarding formula. Remember that beeastfeeding is not ALL-OR-NOTHING... You can breastfeed and suplement with formula if your supply is not enough. In such a case your formula bill will most certainly NOT be $200 or however much per month... Get coupons, sign up for promos...
I BFed and supplemented my DD1 for 7 months. Who is to tell me that it doesn't count as BFing? In my book it does. (With DD2 she was exclusively on BM for 9 months but most of that time I pumped. Does it mean she wasn't 'BREAST fed'? I guess technically yah but who cares. But now i'm rambling...)
Anywho, supplements will cost you a pretty penny too so it's not like bfing is totally free....

Another sidenote: where do people get this $200/m for formula? A tub that costs $25 lasts a week if not 2 weeks. So that's $100/m at most... And that's BEFORE coupons...

niknak1208 · September 2015

@harmonicbabe26 Thank you!! This is all really helpful. I've been trying really hard today to drink a ton of water. So far I'm at 84.5 oz. I've just been doing water bottles today because I don't have a big 24oz but I plan to get one. I also started my fenugreek again this morning. Mine is natures way too. I do have some steel-cut oats so I can try that too. I think I've read that oats were helpful on their own. Or do I need to add flax meal and Brewers yeast?

I'm just ball parking formula because when I went back to work with my oldest .. It was about $27/can and he went through a can and a half every week. Usually. He was 100% formula at about 5mo. I was nursing in the am and pm was eventually my supply was too low.

If I don't feed him before I pump early morning.. After I've gone all night without a feeding.. I'm only getting 5oz. I don't really time how long I pump.. I just pump until it stops flowing.

harmonicbabe26 · September 2015

One more thought - did you check all your pump parts? Those white membranes rip easily and will affect pumping effectiveness. Sometimes different size flanges are needed. I have the PISA too and had to get the 27mm ones.

niknak1208 · September 2015

Hmm no I didn't think to. The membranes aren't ripped.. That much I know. But I'm not certain what size the flanges are. I'll have to check.

harmonicbabe26 · September 2015

They might be used up/soft not necessarily ripped. Try and see. Also, if he's going all night without feeding and you are not getting up to pump then yah your supply will adjust down. I would wake and pump if he isn't waking and use that milk to top him off in the evening when he's cranky. No fun, but that seems like a good way to beef up supply. Prolactine levels are supposed to be the highest at night, so even if you did not need a top off, I would take advantage of that to build a stash. With my DD1, she started sttn at 11wo but I got up to pump till she was 5mo bc I already had low supply and. I didn't want to give up on night milk that i knew was there.

niknak1208 · September 2015

That's what I was doing. He usually goes down for the night 9-9:30. Sometimes he wakes up around 10:30-11.. Sometimes not. I don't set an alarm or anything. He used to wake up about 2:30-3:30am and I would go pump after I fed him or before if I happened to wake up. Now he's sleeping better so I might not pump until 4-5am but I do pump every single night/early morning.

Last night he was sleepy and down by 8pm. But he woke up at 1am. So I fed him but went back to sleep. My alarm was set for 5:45 so I pumped then. I could try pumping earlier and again when I get up. That's how I got the stash I have now.

Maybe I'll grab a couple new membranes and try it how. They have been used a lot and washed.

I increased my water big time yesterday. I drank about 124oz. I feel like it's made a difference already. Maybe it's just because I feel better. We will see how today goes. Hopefully the fenugreek and water intake will do it. I'm going to try the steel cut oats too.

It's weird because it only seems to be an issue mid day. I'm wondering if that's because he kind of switched up his nap routine. He used to cat nap all morning and then take a long 2-4 hour nap around 1pm. So I would have a big period of time where I wouldn't be feeding. But in the last couple of weeks he stopped doing that. Now he takes an hour or so nap in the morning and then an hour or so in the afternoon. So for the last few days I've been using what I pumped the night before or morning of to supplement him.

harmonicbabe26 · September 2015

Another trick to extend the life of membranes - I have learned SO MUCH on the exclusive pumping board, seriously! - when cleaning parts, don't pull by the white membrane. Stick your index finger in the yellow part and push the membrane out. That way you are not stretching it backwards constantly thus maing it not seal properly when pumping... Not sure how much that helps but the ladies ther did it so i started. They are pro pumpers so I trust them....

Designermomma · September 2015

Flax, brewers yeast and oats are in lactation cookies and you don't taste it with chocolate chips. I loved them. I've also read that gaterade helps if you drink that too.

For your pump, you might call customer service and get some tips there. I had an Ameda pump and learned that the membranes needed to be replaced every 3 months! I got a lot better results when I replaced them.

niknak1208 · September 2015

I haven't gotten Brewers yeast yet. I've been eating steel-cut oats with flax meal every day for lunch for almost two weeks. I actually can't taste the flax meal at all. We canned peaches this year so I've been adding fresh peaches and it's actually really really yummy!!

I've returned to doing fenugreek and I'm taking it 3x daily instead of 2x. It's not upsetting my stomach as much this time around.

And I'm drinking a crap ton of water. Anywhere from 100-124oz every day.

I think it's working well so far! Today I didn't have to supplement with what I pumped the night before! I actually got to add it to my freezer stash which I haven't done since 09/02.

I'm excited about the results. My Sam seems less upset during his mid day feeds. I just got my fennel oil today too. Haven't tried it yet.

I should check on my membranes tho. They are new but I haven't changed them. I didn't know that!!

mindaa · September 2015

niknak1208 said:

I haven't gotten Brewers yeast yet. I've been eating steel-cut oats with flax meal every day for lunch for almost two weeks. I actually can't taste the flax meal at all. We canned peaches this year so I've been adding fresh peaches and it's actually really really yummy!! I've returned to doing fenugreek and I'm taking it 3x daily instead of 2x. It's not upsetting my stomach as much this time around. And I'm drinking a crap ton of water. Anywhere from 100-124oz every day. I think it's working well so far! Today I didn't have to supplement with what I pumped the night before! I actually got to add it to my freezer stash which I haven't done since 09/02. I'm excited about the results. My Sam seems less upset during his mid day feeds. I just got my fennel oil today too. Haven't tried it yet. I should check on my membranes tho. They are new but I haven't changed them. I didn't know that!!

That helped me with the Fenugreek also, taking smaller doses more frequently- no more cramps.

niknak1208 · September 2015

So I think it's definitely having a positive effect. Last night he slept through the night again for the first time in a week. (Friday night). I pumped at 4am like I usually get. I got almost 9oz! Usually I'd only get 5-6.

My mom is a professional baker and had 8 weddings yesterday. So I had to go help her deliver. I used to deliver all summer for years but with three kids I don't do it much anymore. First time leaving my little guy.

harmonicbabe26 · September 2015

Yay that's awesome!! I bet you it's your water intake that is making the biggest difference!

niknak1208 · September 2015

I think so too. Truthfully I'm just a horrible water drinker to begin with and I feel better all around. I don't know why I get that mid day slump.

niknak1208 · September 2015

That is so weird!! It totally cut off my initial comment.

The whole point in mentioning delivering cakes was because I had to pump all day. I nursed him at 9:30am. Pumped at 1:30pm snd only got 3oz!!! Pumped again at 5:30 and got 6oz.

niknak1208 · September 2015

Ok so I finally tried this fennel oil. You're supposed to either apply around your breast but not where baby would latch or drink one drop in 8oz of water. I just tried drinking it. Never again. O. M. G. It had to be the single most disgusting thing I've ever tasted!! And it lingers on your lips. Ewww!! I will be sticking to water..oats..fenugreek. That is all. Lol

harmonicbabe26 · September 2015

Oh that's too funny... You know I now remember, in Switzerland where I had my DD1 they started bringing me tons of fennel tea right after delivery, I guess to encourage milk coming in. And then I kept drinking it after I went home. I actually liked it. But experience with an essential oil. You could try the fennel tea if you want to add another milk making thing to your routine. And tea is extra water so that's a plus.

niknak1208 · September 2015

That's true. I would do anything except that fennel oil. Lol. And because it's an oil it lingered on your lips. So gross. I made apple bread a few days ago and I just started shoving bread in my mouth. Lol. It was the first thing I saw.

I've had to use my pumped supply to supplement the last couple days but I ran out of bottled water at home and we have well water otherwise. Now I'm back to drinking more. It makes a huge difference.

mindaa · November 2015

So I'm bummed to find that Fenugreek really can have the opposite effect as it's supposed to. I had a week gap between when I finished off one bottle of capsules and the next arrived. That was a great pumping week, then as soon as started taking them again, my output started to decline.

Glad I figured it out, and that my frequent pumping actually seems to be having good results... but now what to do with all the capsules I just ordered?

niknak1208 · November 2015

That's interesting because honestly I can't really tell the difference since bumping up to 3 pills. I can't really tell the difference since adding blessed thistle either. It's frustrating because I take those stinking things 3x a day. They make me kinda gassy. They taste bad. I have to really remember to take them. Ugh.

Sam just turned 5 mo. I'm hoping when he's ready for food it'll get easier since he will have something else to fill his belly. I hardly have any frozen left. I think 25-30oz and I'm never able to replenish it because he eats what I pump.

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