frkls, making milk is hard, yo

[Deleted]

My supply sucks, pretty much always has, I have been supplementing for DS since he was a week old. I nurse when we are together, but even on the weekends he gets a bottle of formula each day. I also try to nurse him pretty much all day and he is agreeable. I am taking fenugreek three times a day and am trying to increase my fluids. My biggest hurdle is pumping during the day, I have patients coming in and out and usually just get in two sessions in eight hours.
Any other suggestions?

[poppyseed]

Not frkls, but when I had a dip in supply, I took Calcium, Zinc, Magnesium supplments and it helped. puddleofgrace also has a good recipe for lactation cookies.

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May 6, 2013 15:27:10 GMT -5 poppyseed said:

Not frkls, but when I had a dip in supply, I took Calcium, Zinc, Magnesium supplments and it helped. puddleofgrace also has a good recipe for lactation cookies.

I do love cookies

[Deleted]

I have no suggestions but I supplemented all through the boys' bf'ing experience (6 months). A bottle a day is actually pretty good!! That's really amazing.

If you want to split up the bm throughout the day, you can actually mix formula and bm. We did this as soon as I went back to work, and it worked well! Only hiccups were when they started eating more, but Jake would just make a little more formula then. We hardly ever "wasted" bm (which is the main concern with mixing). Our theory was it was better to quickly make some extra formula if needed than offer more than we knew they'd eat each time. If that makes sense at all.

[Deleted]

I hate to say it but nothing helped with my supply as much as adding a pumping sesh did. If its at all possible, try it.

I also started a workout program a few months into it that had me striving for 100 g of protein a day with lots and lots of water. The high protein intake definitely helped.

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May 6, 2013 15:31:18 GMT -5 @missusbee said:

I hate to say it but nothing helped with my supply as much as adding a pumping sesh did. If its at all possible, try it.

I also started a workout program a few months into it that had me striving for 100 g of protein a day with lots and lots of water. The high protein intake definitely helped.

Andy is so stinking cute
I think I will try adding in more protein, thanks!

[Deleted]

Thank you!

And it can't hurt, right? Good luck

[Deleted]

Tamb I always want to do the eye-to-eye gesture to you when we talk about this stuff, lol.

I don't think I ever heard about the virgin gut thing. Maybe the LCs and nurses skipped that since the boys got formula their first day alive, lol.

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May 6, 2013 15:42:23 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

I probably should not even comment since I am still all riled up over the asshole blogger frkls linked to, but my advice is to try to enjoy this time. I don't mean to sound like an ass, but try not to stress! I hate seeing breastfeeding moms stress over this stuff. Ninja is right. He's still getting the good stuff from the breastmilk that he is having, and the virgin gut thing is out the window at this point anyway since you have already been supplementing. Fenugreek, trying to squeeze in more pumping sessions at work, spending your weekends with him on the boob, etc., sounds like a drag.

Thank you for the advice.
I'm not stressing and feel no guilt over supplementing. I stressed hard core with DD and refused to supplement with her until she was 6 months old. I don't mind the fenugreek, I still drink coffee and alcohol. I really enjoy him nursing as a wonderful time to bond with him. I'm just hoping if I increase my supply I can nurse longer.

[Deleted]

Yes and I feel the eye to eye thing with ninja whenever supplementing comes up. I supplemented Andy until 7 months. We couldn't have nursed that long without it. It doesn't have to be all or nothing.

And frkls says that moms who supplement nurse longer than moms who don't!

[angelaa73]

You're doing great! One bottle of formula is seriously nothing.

Good job! Enjoy your wee one

sent from my posse's on broadway