How to increase your breast milk.

[YTV]

Hi,

I would like to share with all mom's who's wants to increase there breast milk supply.

A few months back I had engorge breast and very sore nipples. So my Doctor advised me to bump instead of breastfeeding. I was worried that my milk supply would run low if I wasn't directly feeding my baby from the breast, so I decided to pump then fed him on my breast. After 2 days I notice that I had increased my breast milk by 2oz I was amazed! now I can do 9oz from one breast and 5oz from the other. I feel a bit like a cow. I Now have 9liters in my freezer and looking to donate my milk.

what you need to do is:

1) You need to empty your breast, by pumping,
2) Then get your baby to feed from your breast.
3) Then feed your just pumped milk to your baby.

Take a not of the amount you pumped.

With in two days you will notice your breast milk has increase dramatically!
My friend tried and she too has a freezer full of milk.

Good luck!

 

[FutureHKmom]

Hi YTV - did you do this process at all the feeds during the day or only certain ones? And do you pump from both breasts each time? Thanks!

 

[firsttimemom]

hi ytv,

do you mean i pump first, then feed baby directly and after he finished, i still give him the milk i got? why i don't keep the milk in the fridge for later use?

thanks for your post, really need ways how to improve my supply.

 

[0ze_Kid]

crystal88 - I think what ytv is saying is that you use baby to "stimulate" your breast to produce more milk but because you know you have just expressed you know bub isn't getting anything so you want to give bub what you have just expressed.

I also found that by expressing after every feed (and not before) also helped milk supply as you were also emptying for each feed.

I have heard that diet can also help increase supply. I recall drinking a tea (Weleda Nursing Tea for Breastfeeding Mothers) which had Anise, Fennel, Caraway, Fenugreek and leaves from Lemon Verbena (among other things). It tasted good, kept me hydrated and, while I can't be SURE it worked, I didn't have a supply issue until I stopped pumping (and stopped drinking the tea too).

 

[YTV]

Crystal:

"do you mean i pump first, then feed baby directly and after he finished?" that is correct.

"why i don't keep the milk in the fridge for later use? " because you just empty your breast and there want be enouth milk left in your breast to feed your baby.


you pump from both breast then feed your baby on your breast to stimulate it (Thanks Oze _Kid that is what I ment), this will also make sure your baby gets the back milk, then offering your baby the pumped milk so she/he can get some fore milk for hydration.Because you just empty your breast your baby will need more food that's why you need to feed him/her the bottle of breast milk.
You do this for every feed until your happy with the amount of milk your getting. Don't force your baby to finish all the bottle.
If your baby is sleeping through the night. pump once more during the night, this will help with growth spurts later on.

 

[firsttimemom]

Hi Ytv,

thanks for your reply......i understand now, i haven't tried this method. I'm so desperate not getting more than 2 oz from pumping, i usually pump BEFORE feed so my breast is full, but still i only get 1 - 2 oz.

If i give that pump to him, it's only around 1 oz. or less as he already latch.

Will post here if i get lucky like you. Futurehkmom, let me know too if you try this method.

 

[YTV]

Hi Crystal88,

Make sure you drink a large glass of water before or while you're pumping. When you empty your breast, massage it until it's soft and you don't feel any lumps -- that's how you know it's empty.

How old is your baby? If he's only a few weeks then 2 oz is fine.

I've just PM'd you my phone number -- if you need any more help.

 

[LLL_Sarah]

The way breastfeeding works

During the first six weeks the baby needs to have between eight and 14 feeds a day AND your body need to give between eight and 14 feeds a day. If the baby seems hungry feed him again - even if he only finished feeding 10 minutes before. During this time your milk supply will increase IF you feed the baby enough.

After six weeks your breasts will replace the milk taken out - if you take out (baby drinks or you pump) lots then your body will make lots. If you need to increase your milk then you need to get baby to feed or pump on an empty breast. If you do this after every feed then your supply usually takes around 48 hours to increase.

When you need to increase your supply the baby can be unsettled and want to feed "all the time" - this is a good thing - let him. The more he feeds on your empty breasts the more milk you will have in 48 hours.

The reason YVT's method works is because she is getting the baby to feed on her empty breasts.

But a word of caution. Doing this when it isn't required can easily lead to an over supply. The problems of over supply are actually harder to solve than the problems of under supply.

Best wishes,
SARAH

 

[YTV]

Hi LLL_Sarah,
"But a word of caution. Doing this when it isn't required can easily lead to an over supply. The problems of over supply are actually harder to solve than the problems of under supply."

What would the problem be for over supplying?
I've been trying to reduce my milk supply lately because I just have too much. So what I did was to pump less and just let my baby feed on my breast, by doing this I found when I do pump, my milk is a few oz less.

Ps my baby is a little bit chubby
seeing the Doctor next week to discuss about his weight.

 

[aliciaooi]

I should have read this earlier. I was really under-supply... But I would try if I do plan for a 2nd child. Very good thread.