Advice on how to increase supply?

[sunshineluv]

Tell me all your tricks!

I just had my period, so my supply is down, but it doesn't seem to be rebounding as quickly as I wanted. Annabelle had her first bottle of formula this morning, but that is bc I will be out of town this weekend and my freezer stash isn't big enough.

I have heard of oatmeal, drinking lots of water, and wheat beer?

[lauranicole91]

Fenugreek and power pumping is what helped me.

I'm sure someone has a lactation cookie recipe they'd share.

[silverjm]

I ate a lot of oatmeal with ground flax seed and fennel tea. Make sure you're getting plenty of protein and calories over all.

[katfco]

Lactation cookies
fenugreek (lots of it, much more than the bottle says)--it's a legume, so if you're worried she has a peanut allergy, steer clear
Mother's milk tea
power pumping
If necessary, talk to your doctor about maybe Reglan or Domperidone. My doctor wouldn't prescribe Domperidone to me, and Reglan gave me horrible side effects, but they've been known to help others.

[TrudyCampbell]

Eating a lot of calories and drinking a lot of water helps me.

[EnchantedSoul]

Lactation Cookies
Increase calories
Steel cut oatmeal
Gatorade
Beer
Water
Power Pumping (10 mins on, 10 mins off for an hour)
I have not tried all of these but these are the most common, I hear c

[sunshineluv]

Sept 16, 2014 10:05:27 GMT -5 lauranicole91 said:

Fenugreek and power pumping is what helped me.

I'm sure someone has a lactation cookie recipe they'd share.

 Power pumping sounds so miserable, but I can do this. Do you remember the schedule you followed?

[sunshineluv]

Sept 16, 2014 10:07:50 GMT -5 katfco said:

Lactation cookies
fenugreek (lots of it, much more than the bottle says)--it's a legume, so if you're worried she has a peanut allergy, steer clear
Mother's milk tea
power pumping
If necessary, talk to your doctor about maybe Reglan or Domperidone. My doctor wouldn't prescribe Domperidone to me, and Reglan gave me horrible side effects, but they've been known to help others.

 Can I get fenugreek at CVS? 
 

[lauranicole91]

Sept 16, 2014 10:18:43 GMT -5 sunshineluv said:

Sept 16, 2014 10:05:27 GMT -5 lauranicole91 said:

Fenugreek and power pumping is what helped me.

I'm sure someone has a lactation cookie recipe they'd share.

 Power pumping sounds so miserable, but I can do this. Do you remember the schedule you followed?

Haha. It's not as miserable as it sounds. I did it at night after she was in bed. I pumped for 10mins, rested for 10mins for an hour. It doesn't necessarily give great output, so don't be discouraged by the small amount. The key factor is that it's telling your body to make more.

[lauranicole91]

Sept 16, 2014 10:20:04 GMT -5 sunshineluv said:

Sept 16, 2014 10:07:50 GMT -5 katfco said:

Lactation cookies
fenugreek (lots of it, much more than the bottle says)--it's a legume, so if you're worried she has a peanut allergy, steer clear
Mother's milk tea
power pumping
If necessary, talk to your doctor about maybe Reglan or Domperidone. My doctor wouldn't prescribe Domperidone to me, and Reglan gave me horrible side effects, but they've been known to help others.

 Can I get fenugreek at CVS? 
 

The only place I found it was at GNC. But that was years ago, maybe it's more widespread than that now.

[tennisgal]

I found Fenugreek at Walmart - I think it was around $6/bottle. My Target didn't have it. I don't think I ever checked CVS. I do think that it did help my supply. Not a huge fan of smelling like maple syrup, but it did the trick

[bean47]

Eat lots, drink lots, frenugreek (I got it from amazon) and an extra pump session helped me.

[ktstorm]

Oatmeal
flaxseed
water
high fat food (peanut butter, avocado, ice cream lol) always seemed to give me a boost in supply
adding an extra pumping session (I normally did it before bed so a few hours after he was down for the night)

[katfco]

Sept 16, 2014 10:20:04 GMT -5 sunshineluv said:

Sept 16, 2014 10:07:50 GMT -5 katfco said:

Lactation cookies
fenugreek (lots of it, much more than the bottle says)--it's a legume, so if you're worried she has a peanut allergy, steer clear
Mother's milk tea
power pumping
If necessary, talk to your doctor about maybe Reglan or Domperidone. My doctor wouldn't prescribe Domperidone to me, and Reglan gave me horrible side effects, but they've been known to help others.

 Can I get fenugreek at CVS? 
 

I'm not certain. I had to get mine at a vitamin store. If you get it, check Kellymom.com for the recommended dosage. kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/herbs/fenugreek/ 

[thedahliharpa]

Yum!
www.drmomma.org/2010/08/major-milk-makin-lactation-cookies.html?m=1

[laurack]

I've been taking 6 fenugreek and 6 brewers yeast tablets a day and have noticed a slight increase. For me even getting an extra couple ounces a day is good though because it means my freezer stash has a better chance of lasting ...

[laurack]

oh also fusion posted a link to some teas, I've been putting off ordering because of the price but I'll still consider it at some point maybe

[lynzee21]

I'm so glad you asked this question! I am going to try the cookies this weekend.

[laurack]

she's eating solids now right? Has her milk intake gone down at all due to the solids? I'm hoping this is what will happen with william but probably not.. their calorie needs probably just increase so they'll take the same amount of milk AND food..

[lynzee21]

For pumpers, do you change the settings while pumping? Or just turn it on and let it go on the same setting the duration of the pump?

[skiesthelimit]

Oatmeal is working really well for me, as well as drinking a ton of water. I make these and eat 2 a day. I notice when I don't have them one day so they must be working!
www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/

[sunshineluv]

Sept 16, 2014 10:58:38 GMT -5 laurack said:

she's eating solids now right? Has her milk intake gone down at all due to the solids? I'm hoping this is what will happen with william but probably not.. their calorie needs probably just increase so they'll take the same amount of milk AND food..

 She isn't having enough solids yet to reduce her milk intake, just a bit of oatmeal each day.  She did have bananas today.  I am still sending 15 oz per day to daycare. (and not getting 15 oz when I pump )

[sunshineluv]

Sept 16, 2014 11:00:54 GMT -5 lynzee21 said:

For pumpers, do you change the settings while pumping? Or just turn it on and let it go on the same setting the duration of the pump?

 My pump, one of the medela ones, it is low at first, then it moves to level 6 and I keep it there for the duration of pumping.

[bigapple]

www.amazon.com/Motherlove-502-More-Milk-Plus/dp/B001ECVCH8

This stuff tastes like the most horrific hell imaginable, but it was the only thing that seemed to affect my supply.

I also tried pumping up my supply. I would nurse for twenty minutes on each side and then pump for twenty minutes at each feeding. My body wasn't fooled though.

Big hugs. I hope you find something that works for you!

[LiveLoveLearn]

Ditto the more milk plus that bigapple posted. It does taste terrible but helps. And oatmeal every morning, lots of water and making sure I get enough protein. And brewers yeast tablets. Then I've been power pumping before bed.
Supply issues are so frustrating, hope it bounces back for you.

[laurack]

Sept 16, 2014 11:00:54 GMT -5 lynzee21 said:

For pumpers, do you change the settings while pumping? Or just turn it on and let it go on the same setting the duration of the pump?

I have a hygiea so there is a dial for speed and for strength. I usually put the strength down low and then the speed up high, and as time passes I will turn the strength up. It's pretty powerful so i kind of ease myself into it lol

when I use my medela PISA in the mornings I just turn it up to med-high and leave it. It automatically starts out fast (to trigger letdown?) and then slows down

[laurack]

Sept 16, 2014 11:17:58 GMT -5 sunshineluv said:

Sept 16, 2014 10:58:38 GMT -5 laurack said:

she's eating solids now right? Has her milk intake gone down at all due to the solids? I'm hoping this is what will happen with william but probably not.. their calorie needs probably just increase so they'll take the same amount of milk AND food..

 She isn't having enough solids yet to reduce her milk intake, just a bit of oatmeal each day.  She did have bananas today.  I am still sending 15 oz per day to daycare. (and not getting 15 oz when I pump )

yeah I send 15 every day too and it's been a while since I've pumped 15oz. On the days he's only woken 1-2x in the night I try to pump one side in the AM and that way I can get a bit more. Yesterday I only got 12 but today I think I will get 14

It's a constant stress to me! which is silly becuase I don't even feel that strongly about him having some formula if necessary. It's like some game I am playing with myself or something, and I hate losing lol

[lynzee21]

Thank you laurack and sunshineluv! Have I mentioned that I HATE pumping???

[Dorothy Zbornak]

Fennel tea!!

[laurack]

I drink mothers milk tea sometimes but the package says to drink 5 cups a day and I just can't do it