how to increase breast milk production?

Question

my friend just had a baby and desperately wants to breast feed but she is hardly able to produce any at all. She has to feed him formula to suppliment him afterwards and he seems to prefer that because its easier to get the milk out. She doesn't want him to formula feed but the baby is not gettting enough from her. She hates expressing and only a few drops come out when she does it. She has been given medication but it had not increased the milk production. The baby seems to get tired of sucking from her breast and falls asleep hungry. How can she increase breast milk without medication and without expressing and avoid giving formula? I am frustrated right alongside her as i don't know how i can help her. Anyone have a similar experience or any suggestions?

and does the baby really NEED a specific routine to feed or can she just breast feed whenever. and will this help to increase her milk supply?

baby is 3 weeks old

Answer 1

Everytime she offers the baby formula, her body isn't getting the cue to make more milk. Milk is made when the baby stimulates the breast. If she wants to increase her milk supply, she needs to spend a day or two, basically, with her baby attached to her breast. Its important that she stays hydrated.. there are some foods you can use, oatmeal. Fenugreek and Mother's Milk Tea from any local health store are great for increasing supply. Even if she doesn't get a lot of output from pumping, the stimualtion of the breast pump will let her body know to make more milk. Its also important to be a little relaxed while she's feeding, otherwise she might have a hard time with let down. Her best bet, honestly, is to just ditch the bottle and nurse on demand untill she establishes a routine.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

1

Answer 4

Well how long ago did she have a baby? I've been breastfeeding for 2 1/2 months and the first 3-4 days I didn't really have a good amount of milk either, but than I started producing more. Just tell your friend to not suppliment her anything else, try to nurse as often as possible and in between just try to pump even if she doesn't get much out this will help bring her milk supply up. And when he supply is up it should take about a month or so for it to be really established and regular. Also if your friend is stressed, which I know she might be because I was as well. That can bring the supply down and not getting enough fluids and food, or rest can affect the supply too. It takes a couple of months to really get it down, and even than once in a while its really hard, but tell her not give up. I almost did a few times, especially at his growth sperts, but I am glad that I didn't.

Answer 5

Breastfed babies should be fed on demand, not put to a routine. The only way to increase supply in to increase time feeding. It is hard at first, my daughter fed every 90 minutes through the night at first. It does get easier if you stick with it, by 3 weeks she was going 3-4 hours in the night, now at 10 weeks she sleeps 9-11 hours over night. She feeds at least every 2 hours during the day, sometimes more. It is important they get enough during the day so they go longer at night.
Give up expressing, it is hard work and even now I find it doesnt work. Babies can get more milk out a lot easier and quicker than a pump. Try to stop formula if possible, it will only decrease the amount of time the baby spends breastfeeding. It is hard at first, you feel like all you do if feed day and night, but it is just a stage you have to go through, and it doesnt last too long. It is worth it in the end.

Answer 6

Few things:

a) sometimes it takes a few days for the "milk to come in" meaning that the body is always able to produce tons of milk right away.

b) the baby crying will produce more milk (so they say). Keep the baby close to momma, when he cries it will stimulate the production.

c) by feeding the baby other things her breasts will think that the production is on schedule.

d) use a pump (or manually stimulate) to increase the supply.

good luck, it's to easy to quit so keep at it.

Answer 7

The key to successful breastfeeding in the first 2 weeks is to stimulate the breasts frequently & encourage them to make enough milk by feeding your new baby little & often. Your breasts dont produce milk as soon as your baby is born. Colostrum is the first product that your breasts supply. Tell her to feed her baby every three hours, even if she has to wake him for a due feed. Feeding frequently will build up her milk supply. Good luck.

Answer 8

1. Concentrated Brewer's Yeast-3-4 tablets a day or 16-18 regular tablets. Start slowly with Brewer's Yeast, it may cause some gas in the beginning.

2. AVOID parsley it is used to dry up milk!!

3. Marshmallow tea-drink warm as often as desired or 2 capsules, 3-4 times a day. (other teas -blessed thistle or red raspberry)

4. Fresh salads, romaine lettuce, sprouts, green drinks, fresh fruits and vegetables, carrot juice. apple juice etc.

-the how to herb book

Answer 9

yep i agree with E, baby should not have any milkother than breast milk, everytime baby suckles on the mothers breasts, this stimulates milk production, milk will come in more quickly once the baby developes a good suck and latched on correctly, i had a similiar problem with my son, he had a very weak suckle at first, so my milk was very slow to begin with, i wud suggest to carry on expressing, i know its not nice but it will help! in the long run trust me, mother breasts work with the baby and its development, they only produce the right amount of milk depending on how demanding the baby is...i hope this makes sense, but please dont try to satify baby's hunger with formula(even though its hard) only switch to formula if you r 100% certain u have given up on breast feeding. women for thousands of years have fed their babies the natural way, and im sure thousands of women like your friend have had the same problems, just tell your friend to hang on in there :)

this is a very common problem among breast feeding mothers, plenty of stimulation IE, expressing, hand massages, heat pads, etc etc is great at milk production, and of course baby :)

Answer 10

ok,,,the thing is with milk production,,,is 1) get plenty of nutrition and sleep at night. 2) Don't be giving the baby anything BUT breast milk,,,,or your milk supply will deminish.