Hello,
I had my son just over 3 weeks ago. I breastfeed him mostly but sometimes it just doesnt fill him so he gets an ounce or so of formula. I feed him for hours a day and my supply still seems low. One boob is bigger then the other and is producing more milk and gets fuller faster. I am trying to feed him more on the other breast so the supply increases but it isnt seeming to work. Any suggestions on what I should do? Also- has anybody tried fenugren (sp?) or anything else to increase supply?

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How do you know he's not full out of curiousity? Have you gone by diapers or just by fussing? Those might help me answer that question.

On the second one, tried fenugreek, alfalfa, blessed thistle, mother's milk tea, mother's milk tincture, I've done a nursing camp and a nursing pumping camp. I'd say fenugreek and alfalfa both work very well...never really noticed a big difference with blessed thistle as I took it in combo and it didn't change anything. The tea and tincture are better for just keeping up supply not so much for boosting in my experience. And remember, your at a 3 week growth spurt where supplementation can make it really hard to keep up supply. I'd say do a nursing camp with fenugreek or alfalfa. Take around 3 3x a day for either one (you can safely take 4 3 x a day too) and make sure to get at least your 8 glasses of water/fluids a day and go to bed/couch with your DS and nurse as often as he wants or is willing to day and night. Have a movie marathon, watch junk TV, etc. just nurse. Get up to pee or if you have to take afew minute break but ignore the chores (And if you have other kids, beg someone to help for 2-3 days). I found Harry Potter worked well for days like this myself since I could watch all 4 back to back LOL Between the herbal aide and the constant nursing, your supply should increase quickly. If you smeel like maple, you know you are taking enough fenugreek =) Good luck and keep us updated! If you need more ideas, come on back...I dealt with supply issues with my first and now have an overabundant supply with my second so I think I got it figured out this time around =)

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Kerri, educated, opinionated, attached, sometimes cloth diapering, formerly breastfeeding, babywearing non-vax'ing, gentle disciplining, future unschooling, semi-crunchy, mostly non-judgemental and totally liberal mama to Kierdan(12/4/04), my sensory guy, and Kyler Jane, my g-tuber (2/1/07) and loving partner to one babywearing, attached fuzzy man with a hint of crunch


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Somone new when the Christmas trees go up

Hi,

Well... some babies just like to suck, suck, suck all the time. It doesn't mean that you're not making enough or that your supply is low. Some are also just fussy unless they're latched on. I had one of those.

The best way to assess supply is to watch your wet and poopy diapers. If you're really anxious you could call your ped and have them do a weight check.

ITA to be really cautious about formula. Milk supply is exactly that- supply and demand. If he's going through a growth spurt and if you nurse on demand, in a few days your supply should ramp up. If you are supplementing, that's less stimulation your body is getting and it makes it much harder for that increase to occur.

I always have had one breast (the left) produce a little more than the other. I understand that it isn't that uncommon. It hasn't made a huge difference for me.

Have you tried oatmeal to increase your supply? I had a bit of an oversupply right after DS was born and mistakenly ate a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast... and was engorged for the rest of the day!

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Suzanne

Proud mommy to Katie and Rob

Thank you for the best reply ever!

Well I *think* he's not full. During the day he is usually really good and seems satisfied after he has fed. But during the night and right before we go to bed it seems he can't get enough. If he falls asleep at the breast it is a very very light sleep and if I give him formula he sleeps sooo well. He seems so satisfied after a bottle at night which makes it difficult to keep bf'ing - but i know it is best for him and he loves bf'ing.

I am really scared to lose what supply I do have. I have a 6 year old daughter and I am also a part time college student.

Also - pumping isnt working so well. The most I have got at once is 2 ounces out of each breast and that was after no feeding for 6 hours because I was at school.

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Thank you for replying

He has lots of wet diapers but has had some issues with poopy ones. I think the formula was hurting his tummy and constapating him bc when I gave him soy formula the 4 day constapation and belly ache dissapeared.

The right breast produces much more. It is really annoying!

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Okay, stop the formula.

He is not doing anything abnormal...he is NORMAL! A newborns tummy is the size of a walnut and BM has no added *junk* that formula has in it. That is why BM babies eat so frequently, everything in it is perfect and easily digestible UNLIKE formula, it is full of chemicals and added *stuff* that is rough and tough on babies tummies, taking significantly longer to digest!

Sounds like he is #1 going thru a 3 week growth spurt(NORMAL!) and cluster feeding(NORMAL!).

Hang in there, I exclusively BF 2 babies and I swear the first 6-8 weeks are BFing bootcamp; seems like all you are doing is nursing, nursing, nursing....which is exactly what you are supposed to be doing!!! Your milk supply is not fully and truly established until about 5 weeks, so hang in there!!! He will have another growth spurt at 6 weeks again!

Oh, and don't watch the amount of milk you are pumping. NO pump is as good of a sucker as your baby; he is the strongest pump you have!!!

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Nancy

i skimmed over the answers, and i am in total agreement. nancy said everything i would have

welcome to the bf board

around 3 weeks is the first growth spurt, the more oftne the baby nurses, the moremilk you will make. at the moment your supply is probably decreasing just a bit to make only what the baby demands. you will notice (probably by 6 weeks) that you won't *feel* full anymore unless it has been quite some time between feedings. this does not mean your milk has dried up, it means that your body has adjusted.

for you specfic question, yes, i have used fengreek and it does work, but it doesn't sound like you need it honestly.

my right side was my overachiever as well, let me guess, you are right-handed, huh?

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that is very normal.

one of the theories behind the connection between formula feeding and increased risk of sids is the fact that usually bf babies sleep lighter, and therefore can wake up easier/not become apnic quite as easily. the frequent feedings help as well as cosleeping (for those that do).

aww, it sucks that you had to go back to school so soon. :hug:

do you cosleep with the little one? that is one way to encourage more nursing, as he cna latch on pretty frequently through the night this way (when a child gets the majority of their nutrition at night, it is referred to as reverse cycle nursing, it works well for many working moms/college moms etc.)

like the other mama mentioned, there is no pump as good as an effectively nursing baby, but some ar ebetter than others. what kind of pump ar eyou using? also, if you could try to pump real quick about 3 hours into your classes (i don't know what you are taking to know how much time you have between) it might be helpful.

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DD is not much older than your DS. She's a cluster feeder every single night, worse on nights I've eaten something that doesn't agree. I know she's getting plenty, but she just wants to keep going. Last night it was about 10 minutes on(for DD, thats a "whole" session as she's quite good at getting it out and I have some overactive letdown), 5-10 minutes off for 2-3 hours and then up 2-3 times during the night on a good night, sometimes 4+ on a rough night. She also cluster feeds late morning and early afternoon normally. Those times its an hour of on and off nursing normally. I agree with everyone about the pump. Not all people can pump much, and theoretically, if you DS is going 6 hours away from you at this age, one bottle 3 hours in of 4 oz. should be enough to get him through if he nurses right before and as soon as you get home. You're doing a great job and got lots of great advice here. Welcome!

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Kerri, educated, opinionated, attached, sometimes cloth diapering, formerly breastfeeding, babywearing non-vax'ing, gentle disciplining, future unschooling, semi-crunchy, mostly non-judgemental and totally liberal mama to Kierdan(12/4/04), my sensory guy, and Kyler Jane, my g-tuber (2/1/07) and loving partner to one babywearing, attached fuzzy man with a hint of crunch


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Somone new when the Christmas trees go up

sounds like you're already getting some awesome advise Kreid! Welcome to BF board and good luck with your little one......you CAN get through these early weeks and it will only get easierd!

I agree though, drop the formula....every ounce is an ounce the baby will not be asking your body to make for him...it's a sure-fire way to GET supply issues......

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