How can I get more milk from my breasts?

wolfpawnat

Hey ladies,

Simple question, my little fella is eating all around him every 3 hours and sadly no matter how I try my breasts are not producing enough milk, he is still screaming for more after some feeds. Is there any nacks to getting more milk, the public health nurse recommended Fennel Tea which I am going to try today, but is there certain foods that help, should I drink more fluids, etc. even anything herbal. I do not want Aidan on formula milk, breast in my opinion is the only way to go. I just feel like I'm failing him if I don't produce more. I know alot of people say that you produce what is needed, but listen to him cry as he tries to get more food and say that to me.

All replies greatly appreciated:)

savoyard

I was given malt granules to add to drinks like milk which seemed to help. I remember my son would cry for more, especially in the evening and it was heartbreaking sometimes. And exhausting, as sometimes I seemed to spend hours in the feed/cry cycle, but it does pass.

Does he have a soother? This can reduce the amount of milk you produce - the more he is at the breast, the more your body will produce. Good luck - I am sure if he is feeding every 3 hours he will not be starving, even though he may sound like it!

marti101

Its perfectly natural the more your son feeds the more milk is being produced.My son used to feed for hours every night .You are producing but what it is your body is only getting used to how much it should make.I wouldnt worry use it as an exscuse to watch your fav shows and have a few snacks on hand plenty of fluid and it should settle down with in the next few weeks.You can pm im still feeding my 1 yr old so.But the one thing id do is if you feel down or whatever is concentrate to getting to the end of the week and then do the same next week and so on.
Also attend a bfreastfeeding clinic,itll give you support and you will hear some tips that the nurses dont tell you.Also dont listen to anyone who will tell you horror stories and have never breastfed tehmselves.Just smile and nod it will save your sanity.
And btw congrats on the breastfeeding:DMeant to add Kellys Mom.com but i find Rollercoaster.ie the best they have a breastfeeding board and you get all the help you need there.

beth-lou

First of all well done on the breast feeding. It can take a while for it to establish itself but it will eventually. Try to drink plenty of water adn eat good food, get as much rest as you can and feed him often and it will increase the flow. Is he crying because he is hungry or because he misses your boobies. Some babies just love to lie there sucking away. A soother can hinder the amount they feed, but if you have a comfort sucker on your hands, it can help soothe him and might be all he is after. As others have said, maybe get in touch with a breast feeding group. How old is he now?

axel rose

Def what the others have said. Also ensure that you are drinking enough liquids and getting enough rest.

Now please don't kill me but please try and avoid to have definite plans like 'no way to formula'. Hear me out, BF is def the best way to go and I completely agree that you should persevere. However sometimes it doesn't work out and ruling out formula arbitrarily can add to the stress and also give you a sense of failure.

I did my damnedest to BF for 8 weeks. However my night feeds were lasting 3 hours (why cant someone invent a breast gauge), then I had to give up so much food (green veg, fruit then dairy- considering I'm veggie!) I had to give up for the health of the two of us! There are more evil things out there than formula you know!

Now if you are reading this and think that I'm saying that you should start formula-read it again because I'm not!

beth-lou

Just curious, but why did you have to give up green veg and dairy?

axel rose

The little man was in a bit of pain after each feed. The PHN reckoned that something I was eating was causing this. So I started with the most common, fruit, then green veg and when I was considering licking the walls for nourishment I knew I had to give it up.

I did feel like a failure for a while but in fairness I had no choice. What do you give to a veggie that has to give up fruit, green veg, dairy and spices?

beth-lou

Poor you!

I do agree that if breast feeding isn't working out that there is no shame in turning to formula. It sounds as though the OP is at the early stages and I know her baby is only a week or two old. It took me three weeks before I was a buxom milking machine.

I do think plenty of fluids and good food helps. If all else fails, turn to the bottle (not alcohol ) with your head held high that you tried. But so far I think you're doing a great job.

Cainer

Hi wolfpawnat,

I breastfed two of my three children and I found that the more stressed that I was about being able to produce more milk the less that I actually produced! I only fed my first child for a week because I, like you wasn't producing enough milk. The public health nurse wasn't very helpful and advised me to give a bottle which I gave into and gave up on breastfeeding and I really wish I hadn't.

When no. 2 came around I was much more relaxed and I think that was the key.

I always fed on demand which could have been every hour some days and then longer on others. If your baby is hungry, put him to your breast and see he wants to feed no matter I'd he only fed an hour previously.

It's always a good idea to drink loads more fluids when your breast feeding but it's also very important just to relax and tell yourself that if you really need to give him one bottle that it's not the end of the world.

He'll still be getting all of the nutrients and protection from you and you won't be as worried that he's being fed. One more tip is to actually think about your baby, visualise him even if your not with him and then you'll naturally produce more milk.

Good luck and don't give up!

marti101

On average though it does take 4/6 weeks to get a good supply going.Also as long as there is plenty dirty/wet nappies and the phn is happy i wouldnt worry.Now saying that the chart they use to keep track of the baby eg weight etc is a formala chart not a breastfed chart so keep that in mind also.If you are in any doubt please ring your phn or hospital thats what they are there for.Your baby sounds just like mine feeeding every few hours but i wouldnt worry its sounds perfectly natural.

wolfpawnat

Aidan is 13days old. he is an absolute savage. I had the PHN and she told me that i should have a tub of aptimal here for him too to make me feel like I have a safety net.

I was told to avoid green veg and citrus fruit too.

I have been told to drink 3 cups of fennel tea a day too. making my first one now. hope it tastes ok:)

marti101

I have to say bad advice from a PHN your baby is feeding prefectly well you dont need formala.Sorry i dont mean to sound so militant but the PHN dont know it all.As i said before talk to women who have breastfed it makes it so much easier when you klnow they have been where you are and came through.Formala isnt easier you couls have colic and all sorts its not the magic answer to everything.I sent you a pm good luck but you wont need it:D

Nevyn

Drink more milk and fruit juices are the first two that come to mind.
Second is do you have a pump ?

My second was over due and a very very hungry baby when she was born
the first two weeks were hard, but the more you push you body usually the more it will
produce.

I would feed her and when she was done use the pump for 5 mins on each breast
and inbetween feeds do the same, it takes 5 mins of 'sucking'/pumping to get the breast to react, which mean the body feels there is more of a demand and will work harder at
making milk.

It worked and soon I was producing too much and could thanks to storing milk i the fridge and freeze skip a feed. Whe I finally stopped breastfeeding her I had 3 more days of breast milk in the fridge/freeezer for her.

I know everyone woman is different and I got some of my granny's gene cos she was
one of the wetnurses who used to be on call for the rotunda, but try it and try not
to get stressed as the will hamper milk production.

luckat

Wolfpawnat, if dairy upsets him, what about goat's milk? It's the traditional milk for that kind of thing. (I mean for you to drink it, not him at this stage!)

Fennel tea is good for bringing in milk; so is well-cooked, soft brown rice - if you can have some brown rice salad (add fresh veggies - when you're able to take the veggies) it may help.

I'm with axel rose on the formula - if your baby's hungry, why not have some formula as a side feed? It'll be handy in another way: he'll learn to suckle both with the front of his mouth (as you do when breastfeeding) and with the back (as you do when sucking from a bottle).

marti101

Because if you start with the bottle now it will feck up your supply cause its not established yet.Anyway formalae isnt the magic solution.i went through on my last baby he was fed with a cup while in hospital and it took me ages to get my supply right.Its cause he was on antibiotics and was sleepy.Look wolfpawnat its up to you it is your baby but from what you are saying hes getting enough.Thats what babies do is cry they have no other way of communicating you will learn in time the different ways they cry.Anyway good luck.You can pm me ive fed all my 3 kids that way and from 9 months to a year[so far]

SanFran07

The first few weeks can be the hardest. As long as he's gaining weight and having lots of wet nappies then he's getting enough.

Babies are born with a strong suck reflex so they will suck, suck, suck even if they're not hungry - just to satisfy that reflex. Breastfeeding is also a 'social' occasion too...when you go for a meal with friends it's so much more than just the food ..it's the interaction too :-)

It does get easier - as others have said it really makes you slow down after your baby has been born which gives you more time to recover. Enlist all the help you can and just focus on resting and feeding !

petergdub

Cant believe it - a bloke who knows more about breastfeeding than women do.

Fenugreek - available in 500 or 600mg capsules in health food stores.
It's recommended by breast feeding experts and has been used in the middle east for thousands of years.
According to the jar will boost production by up to 900%.

My wife (second baby 6 weeks early so a boost was required) used it and milk ahoy within a couple of days.

sneakyST

Porridge is fantastic for increasing your supply, and works very quickly

Try a bowl in the morning and one at night and you should see a difference

If your baby is having a growth spurt it'll seem like they're not getting enough milk for a few days, but then your supply will catch up. PHNs tend to recommend formula very easily - if you keep feeding whenever baby is looking for it your supply should catch up quickly

Crea

When I bf my son he'd stay on the boob for ages ie: sometimes for a number of hours. Basically everytime he cried he went up the jumper (i did check his nappy and gave him a cuddle first). It lasted a few weeks and even at 3 mths the evening feed would go on for an hour.
Are you waiting every 3 hours to feed your child to get a routine? If this is the case then don't. Just feed on demand (ie: when your child cries). If your baby is crying after the feed then don't stop feeding . It can be a bit wearing having babs on the boob all the time but this is the best way to get your supply up as the baby sucking will stimulate the milk production.

wolfpawnat

My little man has the most distinguishable cries on this planet. I know exactly what each one means. The fod cry actually sounds like he's saying moo- my OH cannot stop laughing at this, so I know when he is hungry, wants his nappy changed and a cuddle.

i feed him when he cries for food, always between 2 and 4 hours between each feed. I have to express milk for him, he would not latch to my breast day one. I tried for a week to feed him that way and he lost a fortune of weight, he just wont latch. but I am ok with expressing for him and bottle feeding it to him.

Thank you to everyone for your replies. I really need to sort this out, I havent been able to let my OH do night feeds because we would both be up because I have to pump every time.

littlebug

wow wolfpawnat that's a task and a half! I pumped for my daughter for the first few weeks and it's tough going. What kind of pump are you using? Electric or manual?

Since he's taking the milk by bottle I assume you know how much he's taking? Apart from the dietary suggestions already given the only thing I would suggest is to pump more often for a few days. If it's every four hours at the minute then try doing an in between session as well to increase the supply. Yes your breasts will produce what your baby needs when he is getting the milk directly from you but if you're exclusively pumping you are only producing for the pumping session (if that makes sense).

Could your OH not give the baby the bottle at night while you pump? Even on alternate nights just to let you get back to bed quicker?

sneakyST

That could be your problem - the best pump in the world isn't half as efficient as a baby suckling...is it that you're not getting much when you pump or that you're getting a lot but he's still hungry all the time?

Two things that might help - you tend to get more out when you pump in the morning, so you might want to pump as much as you can in the morning and store whatever he doesn't drink in the fridge in case he's looking for more later. Try and pump with him in the room with you, especially if he's crying as you get much more out.

The other thing is even if a baby doesn't latch at birth, sometimes they just suddenly latch when they're a bit older. I knew someone who pumped for four months and then her baby just latched one day. Have you tried nipple shields? It's usually best not to use them if feeding is going ok, but some babies latch better with them so it might be worth a try. I'd keep giving it a shot every couple of days, he might surprise you one day and latch on.

Try the porridge and fennel tea (I found the tea helped a little and the porridge helped a HUGE amount!), and make sure you drink, eat and rest regularly. Difficult with a small baby, but whenever I have a problem with supply it's usually because I'm overtired or haven't had enough to eat or drink.

Good luck, and well done on getting this far, it does get better, my daughter is now 8 months and still breast feeding and it's a breeze now even though I had loads of problems in the beginning...

luckat

marti101 wrote: »

Because if you start with the bottle now it will feck up your supply cause its not established yet.

Wasn't my experience - I think using a bottle as backup relaxed me enough that the milk came in with a whoosh.

luckat

If you want to teach him to latch on, touch the point just beside and slightly under his mouth with your nipple - it triggers a reflex to turn towards the thing touching and latch on. Try it with a finger first, maybe, so you see exactly where the right point is.

marti101

Wolfpawnat its called cluster feeding they feed for hours at night,its just really their way of establishing your milk.What i used to do was go to bed and lie down baby snuggles in and you find you can feed easier.This cluster feeding will last a few weeks,its basically growth spurt,so get yourself some dvds and nice choccies and plenty to drink.And let your little man feed away.A few weeks from now and your an old pro and feeding everywhere you forget all about it.They grow so quick,really enjoy this time and stop stressing,feed on demand and away you go.You will be fine and you can pm me if you want.

wolfpawnat

littlebug wrote: »

What kind of pump are you using? Electric or manual?

Since he's taking the milk by bottle I assume you know how much he's taking?

Could your OH not give the baby the bottle at night while you pump? Even on alternate nights just to let you get back to bed quicker?

Manual, I had very minimal success with the electronic pumps. He eats between 3-4oz every meal, he has gone as high as 6 and is hungry 3-4 hours again! I have a bottomless pit for a son:D:)

My OH is in college all day so I only get him to do the weekend nights:D 2 nights of sleep together is amazing:)

sneakyST wrote: »

is it that you're not getting much when you pump or that you're getting a lot but he's still hungry all the time?

Have you tried nipple shields?

A bit of both actually, if I get stressed I dont produce alot which obviously due to hormones, tiredness, stress and just wanting to do what I can for my little man causes me to become more upset.

And other times I pump an absolute fortune and he eats it all all thats the boobs dry again for ages! I dont offer it all to him at one. I put it in 4oz bottles but he will drink one and cry hungrily until he gets more and drinks all that too!

Yes I have tried nipple shields, they work for about 10 min but they are too big for his tiny mouth and he gags after a while from them so I think he will havr more success with them when he is a bit bigger - I am actually looking forward to that:)

luckat wrote: »

If you want to teach him to latch on, touch the point just beside and slightly under his mouth with your nipple - it triggers a reflex to turn towards the thing touching and latch on.

Believe me he knows where to look, he attacked my OHs chest yesterday completely untriggered, what I find unique to is that when he is bottle fed he wants to be fed facing in to my breast.:)

beth-lou

Aw bless you really have your work cutout for you hon.
Have you talked to a breast feeding counsellor? My best friend had an almost exact same problem as you. Although the nipple shields did work for herbut her nipples weren't big enough apparently.
She got in touch with a breast feeding counsellor and she spent a few hours with her and helped her enormously. Are you in the Dublin area? If so I can find out who she was talking to and put you in touch with them.

If it's any consolation my 2nd used to feed almost constantly from about 6 o clock in the evening until 11 o clock at night. I jst put my feet up, turned on the tv and cuddled her and fed on demand. It didn't last for very long and they do settle into a better routine after a few weeks.

If you want to drop a feed you could use formula, but if you drop this feed a few nights in a row it will stop. Up to you what you want to do, but I have to say I admire your determination so far. You are doing brilliantly!

luckat

Steer clear of the choccies if the babby doesn't get on well with cow's milk, btw. Chocolate often upsets sensitive babies.

littlebug

wolfpawnat wrote: »

Manual, I had very minimal success with the electronic pumps.

I found the electric really harsh at the start and used the manual one mostly but when I got used to it the electric one in the hospital was great as it was much quicker (both sides at once lol).

bathladybird

hi all,porridge is the best for supply,anything oaty really..the fennel tea also works a treat and its great for windy babies..
i've just been using the weleda nursing tea ,very strong,but gave my baby indigestion and made her spit up..
i was wondering if any of you have travelled through airports with b.milk?
i have a trip for a day next fri and i feel its an awful waste to dump my milk..i'm travelling to germany and they are pretty tough at the security checkpoint at the best of times..
i'll be gone from 5am-10pm so thats alot of milk!
thanks,
x

happy09

Thanks for all your advices! It's great place to get some info for future mums!