My son is amost 6months old. I feel that my milk supply is decreasing. How can I build it back up?

Question

I pump in the mornings enough for 1 bottle he gets at the babysitters. Then I go and feed him from there on out straight from the breast. Anymore I can't get enough out for his cereal and a whole bottle for the sitters, or just a couple of ounces out for cereal at night. He gets mad as well when he is feeding because he isn't getting enough out when he eats and he gets frustrated. I can't afford to buy or use formula so I am really concerned. Is there a way to increase my supply again to keep breastfeeding? He has always been awesome at breastfeeding and I don't want it to stop. Please Help!!

Answer 1

Start nursing him more often and for as long as he wants. If you use a pacifier, stop! After a few days on nursing as much as you possibly can your supply should start producing more milk. Also, try pumping more frequently.

Answer 2

Make sure you are getting enough fluids and are still taking your prenatal vitamins.
Sounds like you are pumping too much. You cant keep your milk supply just by pumping. Baby actually needs to nurse. My suggestion would be to nurse him more often. He's probably eating solids now, so with that he is going to need less from you; and your body will adjust accordingly, which could be what you are experiencing. But when this would happen to me, although it would screw up my feeding schedule, I would just put him on the breast more often, like every 2 hours for a few days. If your working, do this on the weekend. After a few days of doing this your body will readjust to the new demand.
You can stop using your milk for his cereal and use fruit juice or powdered formula instead. If you are pumping too much and there isnt much left for him to get out on his own, this might be an option. Your body will always do better when its HIM taking it out.
Check out the government aid program WICK.

Answer 3

Yes, there are many things you can do to increase your milk supply. The best thing you can do is nurse (or pump) more often, even short sessions will help a lot with stimulating milk production. There are other things you can try:

-eat oatmeal; old fassioned is best, but instant also works
-make sure you are eating when you're hungry, drinking water when you're thirsty, and getting enough rest
-try to relax; stress can really kill a milk supply
-there are herbs that can increase milk supply: Fenugreek and Belssed Thistel. They work best when taken together.

Here are some links with additional information I hope you'll find helpful:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/increase.html

Could his fussiness at the breast be due to teething? Try giving him something cold to chew on like a cold washcloth or chilled teething ring before nurisng him. You can also try infant's Tylenol or Motrin (or other brands) for teethng pain.

Please note that pumping output is NOT the same as actual milk supply; what you pump does not tell you what you actualy make. Many moms can never pump a single drop of milk, but put thier babies to the breast and babies have plenty of wet diapers and thrive on breastmilk alone for monts! Babies are always better than pumps at getting the milk that is in the breasts.

Perhaps your pump needs some parts replaced. Or perhaps your body is simply figuring out the difference between the baby and the pump. Here are some links on decreased pumping output:
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/pumpwork.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/pumping_decrease.html

Answer 4

here's a few ideas

-make sure that you are getting good rest and eating well. Just as when you were pregnant the baby is getting all or most of its nutrition from you so its key to eat twice as well (not twice as much).

-some pumps are more effective than others. i used the avent hand pump, but for working moms i've heard that the medela pump is much better.

-have you looked into contacting a local LaLeche League leader in your area. They can give you some ideas on how to increase your supply as well

- make sure when you are with your baby (especially on your days off) that you put the baby frequently to the breast. That could mean after 20 mins since the last feed.

-have you tried pumping while the baby is also feeding. I was able to express considerably more milk when the let down was natural rather than mechanical.

-good luck, its not always easy but both you and your dear baby will benefit.

Answer 5

First off, I'm going to give you the kellymom link to increasing milk supply. They are the best website I have found with complete and correct information on breastfeeding. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html

Drink lots of water, first of all! It's so easy to get dehydrated in the hot summer months. You can also drink some Mother's Milk Tea, which has herbs in it to specifically increase milk supply. Or you can get Fenugreek or Blessed Thistle, both of which are supposed to increase supply.

Your baby could be going through a growth spurt and your body may be trying to catch up to meed his demands. Try nursing more often to help build up your supply.

If you're using any artificial nipples around the house (pacifiers, bottles), cut them out for now, at least until your supply increases. When he would usually take a pacifier, or maybe even a bottle of water or juice, nurse him instead. Even if he's not getting milk, he's stimulating your breasts to make more later.

Try cosleeping at night so he can nurse all night if needs be. Don't take him off the breast just because he's fallen asleep-- some babies get most of their milk while they're asleep (this was advice from my LLL Leader).

You could try Rx drugs like Domperidone (available at compounding pharmacies or Canada only) or Reglan, but that would probably cost more than formula so that may not be an option for you. But it could help extend your breastfeeding relationship so it may be worth the money. This is more of a "last resort" method, but many mothers use these drugs with amazing success. There is some controversy over them and Domperidone isn't FDA approved, however the AAP has approved it's use in breastfeeding mothers and it has been categorized as an "L1" (safest) drug by Dr. Thomas W. Hale, the world's leading authority on lactation and medication. http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/prescript_galactagogue.html for more information on drugs to increase supply. Here's a link with informatino on the Domperidone controversy: http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/OfficialDomStatements.shtml

You could also try WIC, not for getting free formula, but for getting on the lactating women's program. If you can't afford formula as it is, you may financially qualify to receive WIC checks. Some of the foods lactating mothers get include tuna, carrots, peanut butter, milk, cheese, beans, juice, and cereal. Some women have reported iffy support with breastfeeding in some offices, however some women get excellent support even when nursing past a year or nursing during a pregnancy. (My WIC counselor was concerned that I was nursing while pregnant, but I said right off the bat that my midwife was aware of it and supported me 100% and she didn't say another word about it). Anyway, here is some information on the USDA's WIC program. http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/

Happy nursing, and I hope you're able to meet your nursing goals!

Answer 6

the doc told me that if you use the pump a lot then it will decrease your milk supply..
your body has sort of a natural alarm in it. The more you feed your baby the more milk you will produce. the pump doesnt have the same effect as regular feedings... if you still want to continue pumping than try rubbing and stimulating your breast for so many minutes throughout the day. over time your milk supply will build back up
hope this helps

Answer 7

drink plenty of water
Try fenugreek pilld
try mother's milk tea
PUMP

he may be going thru a grothe spurt. OR you may not have a good enough pump most cheap pumps are ideally made for the 1st 6-9 months depending on the suction your baby is making. with my 1st I did the mistake of buying a cheap pump an I dried up at 9 months bc I couldnt pump while at school. With my son I pumped for 25 months while I was in school and at nite

Answer 8

1. Eat properly. Add one more yogurt or other dairy to your diet every day.
2. Co-sleep with the baby so that he can nurse at night, if not through the week, at least when you have a day off the next day
3. Drink fennel tea
4. Try to get some skin to skin contact in as soon as you get home. Close contact increases demand and therefore, supply.

Good luck!

Answer 9

Nurse on demand as much as you can. Use both breasts. Drink Nursing mother tea.
Make sure you are getting enough water too.

oh, oh contact la leche. They will be a tremendous help!!!

Answer 10

You can pump more bottles to keep the milk flowing but he is ready for more than milk. Try the jar baby foods.