My milk supply has not fully come in. Has anyone else had the similar problem?

Question

At day 5 post partum and my milk was not in I was told by a lactation consultant to give my breast first and then pump with a hospital breast pump. I have been doing this for a month now , my baby is a month old and my milk supply has not increased at all. All I can get out is around 1 oz both breasts combined. Does anyone out there have a similar situation? What was the final outcome? If your milk came in late when did it finally come. I supplement her with formula now and she is thriving but I really want to make my milk supply come in. I never got engorgement or ever feel let down. Im beginning to think it will never increase and am about to give up hope. Thanks for any info and advice.

Answer 1

It took me about 3 weeks to almost a month before I became engorged......

I was advised the best thing to do is feed my baby directly from the boob and after each feeding.....pump each boob for 15 minutes even if there is no milk coming out.....this is to trick your body it needs to make milk and to stimulate the breasts so don't worry if nothing comes out.......and I was never able to pump alot of milk even after......
I totally breastfed......and nothing else.......

here are some links to help you with increasing your milk supply

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html
http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com/supply.html
http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/html/increasing.shtml
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/increase.html
http://parenting.ivillage.com/newborn/nbreastfeed/0,,456z,00.html


Also there is an old wives tale that if you drink a glass of water before feeding it will help your milk come down......
and just relax when you are feeding or pumping....
I've also heard that if you have your baby near you or their clothes with their smell it will help your milk come in because of their scent....and it sends some triggers to your brain as well...
or look at their picture or something.....

Here is also a link for feeding your baby when the time is right....when they are 6 months old.....

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babyfeeding/1400680.html

Age: Birth to 4 months------------
Feeding behavior
• Rooting reflex helps your baby turn toward a nipple to find nourishment
What to feed
• Breast milk or formula ONLY •
Your baby's digestive tract is still developing, which is why solid food is off limits for now.

From 4-6 months------------
Signs of readiness for solid food
Your baby probably won't do all these things — they're just clues to watch for.
• Can hold head up
• Sits well in highchair
• Makes chewing motions
• Shows significant weight gain (birth weight has doubled)
• Shows interest in food
• Can close mouth around a spoon
• Can move food from front to back of mouth
• Can move tongue back and forth, but is losing tendency to push food out with tongue
• Seems hungry after 8 to 10 feedings of breast milk or 40 oz. of formula in a day
• Is teething
What to feed
• Breast milk or formula, PLUS
• Semi-liquid iron-fortified rice cereal, THEN
• Other grain cereals like oats or barley

And foods to avoid for your baby
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babyfeeding/9195.html

Answer 2

Just because you can only pump 1 ounce does not mean that 's all your baby is getting. Babies are MUCH more efficient at removing milk from the breast than any pump.

First of all, you should STOP supplementing with formula. That will decrease your supply. You'll have to wean her off the formula slowly to give your supply time to increase. Don't give formula until after your baby has nursed from both breasts, and then only if she's still obviously hungry. After she's nursed you should pump to stimulate your breasts to make more milk. Even if you're not getting much out, the stimulation from the pump will tell your breasts to start producing more milk.

You should nurse your baby whenever she shows signs of hunger... don't wait until she's crying. If she's making smacking sounds with her mouth, rooting around, sucking on her hand - offer her the breast. If you're using a pacifier, stop. Offer your breast instead.

You might also try eating a bowl of oatmeal every day, and you could try Mother's Milk Tea. Also make sure you're drinking plenty of water and getting lots of rest.

Kellymom.com has lots of great advice. Check them out also!

www.kellymom.com

Answer 3

You have to ditch the formula!!!!!

My milk did not come in for 5 days after my c-section, but the colostrum is what a newborn needs at first anyway. No formula has ever passed my baby's lips.

Demand creates supply and you are sabotaging yourself. Let the baby nurse nurse nurse! After a few days of constant nursing your supply will be right where it needs to be! You can also eat lots of oatmeal and drink mother's milk tea to boost supply. Fenugreek capsules are another natural supply booster. Avoid large amounts of sage though.

You cannot judge how much milk you make by a pump. You know if your baby is getting enough by the amount of wet and poopy diaper they have. I have successfully nursed 2 children and was NEVER able to pump more than an ounce.

Answer 4

If you're supplementing with formula, chances are your milk will only decrease, not increase. The baby does the best job of stimulating increased supply, and any time she's getting formula she's not going to nurse as well. Sorry, but I think you got bum advice from your lac consultant.

Answer 5

Fenugreek Seed tea is great with lots of water, milk and rest. I think pumps are way over rated. The baby is the best pump for you. I never gave my kids formula. It is hard when you nurse, you can't see how much they are getting. They are getting what they need as long as you keep bringing her/him to the breast. Rest and lots of fluids. Don't give up!

Answer 6

Yes, i have the same situation as you. But now my breastmilk already increase a lot. Now my baby already 5 months.
After I try mother milk tea, drink a lot of water, juice, milk, soy milk and green mung bean water ( i boiled the mung green bean and i drink the water) then my milk increase. It's happened after 4 months.
You can find mung green bean in asian supermarket. It's good for your baby skin too.

Answer 7

Drink Healthy nursing tea. It helped me when I had similar issues with my breast milk.

Answer 8

I have heard that there are natural herbs that can increase breastmilk. You can also try drinking more water and see if this helps. Try doing a google search on herbs to help increase your breastmilk.

Answer 9

sometimes a small piece of the placenta can be left in the uterus. if it's in there some people have a hard time with lactation, you should get it checked out.

Answer 10

Drink some champagne. Its fantastic as we do this in Europe in hospitals. Should you drink 2 glasses it will certainly be there real quick