How can I increase my brest milk supply?

Question

I breast feed and formula feed i give my 2 week old formula because he still seems hungry after breast feeding, almost 20 min later. he nurses for about 10 min and stop's himself. i try to pump but i can only pump about 1 oz from the breast he nursed from and maybe another 2-3 oz from the unnursed breast when i bottle feed he can eat about 3-4 oz i not sure if he's getting enough from me. how can i be sure ?and is there anything i can do to produce more milk for him?

Answer 1

lots of things:
1. drink lots of water - fluid in, fluid out (sports cap water bottles are great for one handed drinking)
2. stop the formula - it's a supply and demand issue. if the supply is coming from the formula, then there is no extra demand onyour breasts, so they will not supply extra. a greater demand will yield a greater supply.
3. get a pump. once you get him down for a nap or some non-nursing time, do a "power pump" taught to me by a lactation consultant. pump for 5 minutes, rest for 5, pump for 5, rest for 5. if you can work this in once or twice per day, you will see a HUGE increase in milk supply, if not in once day, no later than day 3. medela pump in style electric pumps are the cadillac of pumps and worth their money, especially for a working mom.
4. relax - deep cleansing breaths, exhale slowly, turn the lights low and mentally block out everything but you and baby. oxytocin flows when you relax, and that makes the milk flow.
5. burp the baby between sides. after the 10 minutes when he stops, burp him, cuddle a moment, and switch sides. if needed, burp again and go back to side 1.
6. stop worrying. breast milk is mother nature's best. you don't see other mammals running to the store for formula. your milk changes as the baby grows, and you will have enough if you feed him on demand, when he is hungry, not by watching the clock. listen to your baby's cues.
7. have confidence. know you are doing something so wonderful for his health, and for yours. enjoy this time - this helps to relax. you are a good mother.

best wishes to all lactating mothers!

Answer 2

Be very careful with the formula supplementation - you may be sabotaging your production by feeding him that. The breast is never truly empty, but the milk does flow faster when they're fuller. When the baby has drained most of the milk out and you allow them to keep suckling, your breasts will get the signal that the baby can handle more milk and your production will pick up within 2-3 days.

My pediatrician recommended letting my baby feed until he pulls away from the breast, burping him, and then offering the other side. Immediately after feeding him, get out the pump and pump both sides to encourage higher production. It doesn't matter if you don't get much milk out - just pump for a few minutes to stimulate them. Do that for two feedings each day - it'll work best in the morning when your energy is highest and you have the best milk supply. Within a couple of days you'll have enough milk to get him through the growth spurt he seems to be going through.

Answer 3

Hon, don't worry. Your milk is naturally the best and most nutritious thing he can eat at this stage. You produce enough. If he were still in need of nourishment, he would not stop nursing and leaving enough behind that you can pump it out.
There really isn't any way you can increase your natural output on your own. As baby ages, your output will increase naturally without any effort on your part. That's nature's way.
Although it is possible for a woman to nurse a child until the kid is a couple years old - and some do nurse until the little one is three, it's best if you follow your pediatrician's advice regarding introducing solid foods like baby cereal at about six weeks. That does not mean you have to stop nursing immediately; you give baby a couple tastes of cereal and then go ahead and nurse him. You wean him off the breast over time - but also know that he will not suffer any real harm if you choose to wait until he's, say, six months old before starting the weaning process. By then, however, when he's got a few teeth in his mouth, I predict you'll be more than happy to wean him off the breast. Baby teeth are SHARP!

Answer 4

Supplementing this early on is just going to make your supply problems worse and worse.

A 2 week old baby SHOULD seem like he is constantly nursing. Breastmilk digests in about 90 minutes and his tummy is the size of his fist. Plus, there is a growth spurt around 10 days to 2 weeks of age.

When he nurses for 10 minutes and then stops, have you tried offering him the second breast at that point? Try burping him, changing his diaper, etc. and then offering the other side.

The best way to increase your supply is to nurse, nurse, nurse!

Is he peeing and pooping? Gaining weight? Those things are all good signs.

Contact a Lactation Consultant and/or a La Leche League Leader (who will help for FREE and might even visit you at home) for some help.

Answer 5

My friend had a hard time with her milk coming in for a few weeks after her daughter was born. An old wives tale said to drink a beer, she did and she started producing more milk. Once your body becomes adjusted to his feeding, it should start producing more milk. Try having him suckle again after the 20 minutes to stimulate your breasts into more production. Unfortunately not all women have enough milk supply. Drink more fluids as well. My daughter was breast feed and she did seem to be hungrier more often than her brother who was bottle fed.

Answer 6

Drink, Drink, Drink, Drink, and Nurse, Nurse, Nurse, Nurse. Also make sure that your diet contains enough nutrients for both you and your baby.
In regards to whether he is getting enough:
If he wets less than 4 diapers per day or nursing less than 10 min at a time he is getting too little. Also your baby's face should round out by 3 weeks. (The American Academy of Pediatrics)
However, I found with my son was a grazer he liked to nurse 10 min several times close together. And remember a baby is a much more efficient than a breast pump. Also, Babies know what they need and how much and when, allowing them to listen to their bodies now teaches them to listen to their bodies signals later and will help them avoid overeating, eating by the clock, and emotional eating.

Answer 7

You need to make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids for yourself.
Pumping can help build up milk production.
You need to alternate which breast you start feeding from and end on. This will help too.
Try to not stress about this - that you care tells me you are going to be fine! The baby will not starve.... you are on top of this.
If he is swallowing - you know he is still getting milk - if not - switch sides.
I used to use a diaper pin on my shirt to keep track of which breast I ended with at last feeding and would start on that side next feeding since babies will suck more vigorously at beginning and this help facilitate your milk production and let down activity.
Try to locate a nearby Laleche league for support and help. Hospitals and clinics may know contact info for them.
Hang in there!

Answer 8

If he stops himself from feeding on your breast that means its time to burp him. Try giving him the other breast after your done burping him. You should burp him at least twice on each breast. I wouldn't bother with the formula because your breasts don't just fill up and are then emptyed, they can keep making milk during a feeding if the babys latched on right and hungry.

Answer 9

you have hit a growth spurt ... when done on one side switch to the other..... drink more fluids and nurse more .. the breast is a Wonderful thing.... more demand ... more production
.. so try to breast feed more and use the formula only as a last resort... by putting your child to the breast more often you will up your production in just a day or two... trust me ... been there!!!

Answer 10

I had the same problem. At first he seem to eat every 20 min. Which is normally a growth spurt. At 4 weeks my milk really came in. As long as he is gaining weight you have nothing to worry about.
Just relax and enjoy being a mom.