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Contact this group. They will help you and you won't have to wait until after you deliver. They are breast feeding fanatics and will do anything they can to help you and to promote breast feeding. Don't take supplements and don't drink that beer!
Also, I do not recommend co-sleeping as another poster advised, but you need to make your own choice about that. Just make sure it is a well informed decision, because many infant deaths have been attributed to it. At least research it for yourself before you decide to do it. I would never.
I also suggest LLL.
A number of moms in the various LLL that I attended pumped extra milk to donate to hospitals and places like that (for premature babies, adopted babies, etc.)
Don't take too much fenugreek. Take the recommended amount suggested by your doctor or pharmacist. Just because something is natural, doesn't mean it won't hurt you or the baby in too large of doses.
I took it and it helped.
I got a good pump and pumped in between feedings. Freeze it and don't use it unless your baby is not getting enough food. The baby should be gaining weight after an initial small loss. You want the baby to latch really well before using a bottle.
Try to keep the nurses from letting the baby nurse on a bottle in the hospital.
Hot showers and heating pads helped me let my milk flow, which encouraged my child to latch better.
Eating enough calories and being hydrated helped too.
Contact this group. They will help you and you won't have to wait until after you deliver. They are breast feeding fanatics and will do anything they can to help you and to promote breast feeding. Don't take supplements and don't drink that beer!
Also, I do not recommend co-sleeping as another poster advised, but you need to make your own choice about that. Just make sure it is a well informed decision, because many infant deaths have been attributed to it. At least research it for yourself before you decide to do it. I would never.
Not true if you practice SAFE and CORRECT co sleeping. Mamas sleeping next to their babies is how it's been done since the dawn of time; it's how all mammals sleep. Soft mattresses, pillows, blankets, bedframes, basically modern Western sleep comforts CAN make it dangerous, but if you have things properly set up, don't smoke, aren't obese, and breastfeed, it's perfectly safe. In many other countries, cosleeping is the norm and they rarely hear of things like SIDS.
I've read that oatmeal helps with milk supply. I started eating it over 10 years ago when my youngest was a newborn, and though it's been more than 3 years since I nursed a baby, I'm still eating my oats every day! Good source of fiber, too.
Otherwise, I just drank a lot of water, nursed a lot, and when I wanted to increase supply (I never had a problem, but I wanted a little extra to store, for when I wasn't around) I would pump in addition to nursing.
I also found that my best nursing/pumping sessions were when I was well rested. A good night's sleep, even if it's in three different chunks, was probably the most helpful thing I could do for supply.
Are you also pumping? I would recommend pumping after breastfeeding. Don't try to do too many laceration aids unless you know you need them. You can give yourself a clogged duct and/or mastitis by overdoing it.
-Good sleep
-Being in close proximity of baby (hormones)
-Don't worry about it or anything else for that matter (stress and anxiety)
-Oatmeal
-Fenugreek (capsules apparently work better than tea)
[quote=Maila;40542072]I am 3 weeks away from my delivery date. As I lie right now in the ER hooked up to fetal monitor to check for decreased fetal movements, my mind is all over the place.
First thing that came to my mind is, if the hospital bag is ready. Thanks to all the wonderful responses I got here, it's ready and sitting in the car in the parking lot. [\quote]
If you do deliver early and your supply was short last time, you are probably headed for the same deal this time.
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1. Get the baby to latch properly and make sure to keep offering the breast instead of formula.
Despite every LLL and LC's insistence, I've never seen it make a difference between nursing and pumping. The only difference is that you can't really tell how much your baby is taking in until they start either plumping up nicely or showing signs of starvation. So I prefer pumping to get a good read on how much nutrition baby is getting if there are any supply questions and especially if there are low birth weight or preemie concerns.
Listen to your doctor over your LC!!!!
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2. Eat White bread dipped in warm milk (advise by my mom)
Can't hurt any more than getting a bit of bleached flour in your diet, but that's totally inconsequential. Go for it.
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3. Include garlic in every day's diet (advise by my mom).
Might make your baby a garlic lover. Be prepared for a kid with eternally stinky breath? Sure, why not?
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4. Include a can of Guinness beer everyday (advise by a friend who swears that worked).
Skip the alcohol, because you will need to avoid pumping or nursing after drinking. FAS doesn't just happen in the womb, and there is no safe level of alcohol exposure. It's a toxin, plain and simple. Go with O'Douls or other non-alcoholic malted beverage if you want to try this. It's supposed to have the same effect.
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What else can I do to increase the supply? I can't wait for his birth now.
Absolutely the best advice I can give you is not to stress about it. Breast feeding is really not all that important. You will do much more harm by generating excess stress hormones worrying about a low supply, radically changing your diet, or eating an oversupply of strange herbs, than if you take a rational approach focusing on getting your baby fed as best you can.
You will get the supply you get. Do at least some pumping early on to ensure that your baby is getting enough nutrition. It is much more important to keep the right nutrients bathing baby's developing brain than it is to breastfeed exclusively.
Let the baby nurse as much as possible.
No supplemental formula or water.
The milk is produced when the milk is removed from the breast.
The baby gets that satisfied "full" feeling when it nurses to empty, and gets the milk fat at the end of nursing.
Rest as much as possible- I know...
I also joined LLL. Nursed all 3 of my children past the 1 year mark.
I am 3 weeks away from my delivery date. As I lie right now in the ER hooked up to fetal monitor to check for decreased fetal movements, my mind is all over the place.
First thing that came to my mind is, if the hospital bag is ready. Thanks to all the wonderful responses I got here, it's ready and sitting in the car in the parking lot.
Second worry: my first born was an under weight baby. She was born 4 lbs. to bring her weight up, the doctors wanted me to supplement her with formula after every feed. By the time she was 3 months old, I wasn't getting any breast milk at all. This time, I really aim to exclusive breast feed. Can anyone please help me the ways to increase the supply naturally? Here is my list so far.
1. Get the baby to latch properly and make sure to keep offering the breast instead of formula.
2. Eat White bread dipped in warm milk (advise by my mom)
3. Include garlic in every day's diet (advise by my mom).
4. Include a can of Guinness beer everyday (advise by a friend who swears that worked).
I am planning on following all the above.
What else can I do to increase the supply? I can't wait for his birth now.
Number one is the only suggestion that makes sense to me. In my experience, the more you nurse the more milk you produce. 2-4 sound like old wives tales. Do you have lots of support? Social (family and friends) and medical? I loved my lactation nurses who were on call 24 hours a day while I was still in the hospital. I'm not a medical professional, but I think the doctors suggesting you supplement with formula so early in your first born's life deterred your milk production.
Just stick to the basics. If you are already anxious about breastfeeding your baby that is not even born yet, anticipating theworst, possibly anxiety is your worst enemy. With my first child I was so anxious that it took 5 days for my milk to come in and it was not until I was released from the hospital (after 5 days due to complicated c-sect) that I experienced the let down response. After that it was a piece of cake and once I was able to relax while nursing in the privacy of my own home I could almost feed Third World countries!
Seriously, as a medical biochemist I suggest that you relax, follow a healthy eating plan, stay well hydrated, and nurse as often as possible, pump in addition if you are so inclined. When you add herbs, chemicals, alcohol , etc to the mix you are risking interactions and reactions that could force you to stop nursing for the health and safety of the child.
On the note of garlic, I wouldn't go there with a 10' pole. We always order pizza on Friday nights as a way to begin a relaxing weekend. I couldn't figure out why my baby was fussy every single weekend. Stopped eating pizza on Friday night and the fussiness disappeared. Some things just don't agree with babies, they are all individuals so no telling what each one reacts to, and alcohol is just not a good idea while nursing. I found that my baby fussed after I ate anything with strong flavors such as cruciferous veggies, spicy food, garlic, onions.
Contact this group. They will help you and you won't have to wait until after you deliver. They are breast feeding fanatics and will do anything they can to help you and to promote breast feeding. Don't take supplements and don't drink that beer!
Also, I do not recommend co-sleeping as another poster advised, but you need to make your own choice about that. Just make sure it is a well informed decision, because many infant deaths have been attributed to it. At least research it for yourself before you decide to do it. I would never.
Though it has been quite a few years since I've nursed, if I recall, the La Leche League suggested drinking a beer to help with milk production. Nightime nursing is easiest and most pleasant for both mom and baby if the baby is brought into bed w/mom and allowed to nurse. The cases of infant death from mom rolling over the baby are very few. I know I was always aware that I had a little one nestled next to me, even in sleep.
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