Breast Feeding? milk lactation help?

Question

What are some good foods to eat to help in milk lactaion?

I am currently taking the herbal pill "fenugreek" and drinking "organic mothers milk tea" to help in good milk lactation but it seems I can't keep a good healthy FULL flow.

Or, is it normal for boobs to look as they did before pregnancy after breastfeeding has begun?

Answer 1

Please only take herbs IF you have a low supply that has been properly assessed by a lactation consultant. More often than not a woman makes MORE milk than a baby needs, and herbs will only cause the woman to make even more milk.

Oversupply can cause problems for the mom such as plugged ducts and mastitis and problems for the baby such as gassiness, choking during feeds, stomach pains, diarrhea, and intestinal bleeding.

The usual cause of a baby not getting enough milk is that a baby is not latched on correctly and therefore isn't getting the milk that is there. Also crazy schedules or limiting time at the breast can be to blame.

However if a baby is making enough wet and poopy diapers, and is gaining weight well THEY ARE GETTING ENOUGH MILK. PERIOD. NO IFS, ANDS OR BUTS. It doesn't matter what your breasts look like or how often your baby feeds.

Is your milk supply really low?
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html#supply

"What if you're not quite sure about baby's current weight gain (perhaps baby hasn't had a weight check lately)? If baby is having an adequate number of wet and dirty diapers then the following things do NOT mean that you have a low milk supply:

* Your baby nurses frequently. Breastmilk is digested quickly (usually in 1.5-2 hours), so breastfed babies need to eat more often than formula-fed babies. Many babies have a strong need to suck. Also, babies often need continuous contact with mom in order to feel secure. All these things are normal, and you cannot spoil your baby by meeting these needs.
* Your baby suddenly increases the frequency and/or length of nursings. This is often a growth spurt. The baby nurses more (this usually lasts a few days to a week), which increases your milk supply. Don't offer baby supplements when this happens: supplementing will inform your body that the baby doesn't need the extra milk, and your supply will drop.
* Your baby nurses more often and is fussy in the evening.
* Your baby doesn't nurse as long as she did previously. As babies get older and better at nursing, they become more efficient at extracting milk.
* Your baby is fussy. Many babies have a fussy time of day - often in the evening. Some babies are fussy much of the time. This can have many reasons, and sometimes the fussiness goes away before you find the reason.
* Your baby guzzles down a bottle of formula or expressed milk after nursing. Many babies will willingly take a bottle even after they have a full feeding at the breast. Read more here from board-certified lactation consultant Kathy Kuhn about why baby may do this and how this can affect milk supply. Of course, if you regularly supplement baby after nursing, your milk supply will drop (see below).
* Your breasts don't leak milk, or only leak a little, or stop leaking. Leaking has nothing to do with your milk supply. It often stops after your milk supply has adjusted to your baby's needs.
* Your breasts suddenly seem softer. Again, this normally happens after your milk supply has adjusted to your baby's needs.
* You never feel a let-down sensation, or it doesn't seem as strong as before. Some women never feel a let-down. This has nothing to do with milk supply.
* You get very little or no milk when you pump. The amount of milk that you can pump is not an accurate measure of your milk supply. A baby with a healthy suck milks your breast much more efficiently than any pump. Also, pumping is an acquired skill (different than nursing), and can be very dependent on the type of pump. Some women who have abundant milk supplies are unable to get any milk when they pump. In addition, it is very common and normal for pumping output to decrease over time. "

Is Baby Getting Enough Milk?
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/enough-milk.html

Answer 2

If you would like to pump or breastfeed from the earliest days, why not call the hospital and speak to someone who might be available to help you, and tell you whether or not they might have pumps available for you? At the hospital where I work, there are lactation consultants available 6 days a week, and we have hospital grade electric pumps as well. They are far superior to anything you might purchase, and designed for initiating the milk supply, if that is what you decide to do. Plan to pump within 6 hours of birth, every three hours. You might find it easiest to pump every 2- 2 1/2 hours during the day, and every 3-4 at night for a minimum of 8 pumpings during a 24 hour period. If you find your supply faltering, step it up to 10-12 times in 24 hours. You can pump (both sides simultaneously) for 15 minutes per session. Good luck. This is not impossible, and many women do it.

Answer 3

It's totally normal to feel like you're not producing as much milk as before. Right after delivery, your milk comes in, and many women have way too much milk at first. Unfortunately, some women think that's how it's supposed to be. After a while, our bodies become more efficient and make the proper amount of milk. It feels like you have no milk, but you do. I'm confident that you have plenty of milk, it's just not as noticeable as it was before. Just ask around anywhere. You'll find all kinds of women who say "I had to stop nursing at __ months because I didn't have any more milk." It's sad that so many women think that, but you don't need to worry about it! I'm sure that you have lots of milk, so relax and enjoy your little one.

Answer 4

Oatmeal has been tied to improving milk supply. How old is your baby? After awhile, your breasts can return to their "normal" size, but it usually occurs after several months. How often do you nurse? That can really affect your milk supply. However, occasionally a mom has a difficulty maintaining an adequate supply. There are a couple of prescription medications that can boost your supply--talk to your doctor about this. What makes you belive your supply is low? Some women think they have a low supply (often because of difficulty getting much when pumping) when in reality they don't (it's a pumping issue).

Answer 5

Maybe you should think about expressing after each breasfeed. How old is your baby? How often are you feeding it? If you're trying all the herbal stuff and still not getting a great supply, you may want to think about trying a course of motilium, which you'll need a gp script for. I don't really understand your question about boobs. After being pregnant and breastfeeding, they will never quite look the same.

Answer 6

How do you know you can't keep up a full flow?

The only way to tell, really, is to track your baby's growth. (A baby is more efficient than any pump.)

You certainly can't tell how much milk you're producing by the size of your breasts. Once the initial engorgement passes, you might not ever feel enormous like that again unless you skip a feeding. And maybe not even then. If you've got a nice schedule and your baby is eating well, your breasts might seem like their normal size most of the time.

Answer 7

Most moms I'm sure will say their boobs are a little more droopy than before, but other than that I say it is normal! I know a woman who breastfed her son for 9 months and she is an A cup! Actually, not feeling full or thinking you are making less is very common in breastfeeding moms. I went through it every day it seemed like - and it was not uncommon for me to be able to feed my daughter then 2 hours later pump 8 ounces!

Answer 8

breastfeeding is supply and demand... the more milk you take out, the more that you produce; to stimulate production, pump for a while after the baby finishes nursing as many times a day as possible until you feel confident that your child is getting enough.

adequate hydration is the most crucial thing for the mother in producing milk.

consult La Leche League for more information
http://llli.org/NB/NBmilksupplyissues.html

Answer 9

I never produced very much. you can try a RX called reglan (it's for acid reflux but helps milk supply somehow!) I tried the tea and fenugreek. My boobs look almost the same and i breast fed for 5 months! Good luck!

Answer 10

actually those pills may decrease milk production in some women. Remember the more the baby nurses the more milk your body will make. Rest and plenty of water are big pluses. Good luck to you both