Fenugreek?

[love2live]

With my first I never produced enough breast milk. He really hated nursing, so I just figured that was why. He didn't latch, he didn't suck enough, ect. Now with my second I am having the same problem. Only this boy LOVES nursing. He latches really well, and he drains me all the time. I can't bring myself to let him go hungry, and honestly I can't take care of him without getting some sleep, so we do supplement. I've heard that taking fenugreek can help increase my supply. Does anyone have any experience with it?

I am not looking for anyone to tell me how wrong I am to supplement, or that supplementing is the reason I am not producing enough milk. After a week of a hungry little boy and no sleep we decided it was best. He really prefers nursing, and I always nurse first until I am empty, and when he is done with a bottle I have him comfort suck on me rather than giving him a pacifier.

 

[Berri]

I used Fenugreek when my supply dropped around 4 or 6months. I took 2 capsules, 3 times a day (apparently if you smell like maple syrup it's working). Anyway, it really worked for me. DS had been screaming at the breast but within 2 days (max) my supply was up and he was much more content.

 

[scoobydrlp]

Worked for me also, and I took Blessed Thistle along with it. But even more help than either of those was eating steel cut oatmeal. After eating it about 3 days in a row I noticed an increase. I usually eat it every day for a week and then stop and my supply is back to where it should be.

 

[CandyDay]

fenugreek works best if you take blessed thistle as well. And it works best in the early months. There are also lactogenic foods that you can include in your diet to help with production.

https://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-HRMS

https://www.breastfeeding-problems.com/increase-milk-supply.html

 

[Jenster]

Worked for me, really quickly. I have also heard of the oatmeal method too. People making cookies instead of just having porridge. Also a Mothers Milk tea is available if you like your herbal teas. Xx

 

[sevenofnine]

As others have said, Fenugreek works best when combined with a couple other ingredients- mainly Blessed Thistle.

I have chronic low supply, no reason could be found. I was in the hospital for 24 hours when my daughter was about 3 months old, and she had to be weighed after every feed. She was getting about 1.5 - 2 ounces per feed... from both sides, TOTAL! She was getting about 18 - 20 ounces a day, which was obviously NOT enough.

I had two lactation consultants watch her feed and give me advice... but she really fed quite well. One of them recommended a blend of herbs that was supposed to increase supply.

Obviously it doesn't work for everyone, but it worked wonderfully for me. After taking it for four days, my supply increased and she could get 4-6 ounces... a huge increase! I took the supplement as well as ate oatmeal for breakfast and drank Mothers Milk tea. (I love tea and drink it all the time, so I just switched to that!)

She was then eating so much more suddenly that she would get over-full and spit up some of it! Her tummy quickly adjusted, though

The herbs I took were by Motherlove, and are called More Milk Special Blend.

Here is the ingredient list: (goat’s rue herb, fenugreek seed, blessed thistle herb, nettle herb, fennel seed), non-GMO soy lecithin, vegetable cellulose, coconut oil)
All herbs are certified organic.

I personally had NO side effects whatsoever, and neither did my baby. She did plump up, though! After starting the herb at 15 weeks old, she has went from 0.3 percentile to 15th percentile now at about 24 weeks!

It obviously doesn't work for everyone depending on body chemistry, but I really think I would have stopped breastfeeding without it.

 

[love2live]

Thank you all so much! I want to try everything I can to help increase my supply. I know that even the small amount my son is getting now is better than nothing, but I want to know that I tried my best to give him the best nutrition I possibly can. It's nice to know there is more I can try. Right now he will nurse back and forth for about an hour until he has gotten every last drip, and when he gets frustrated because he can't get any more we give him a bottle.

 

[sevenofnine]

Thank you all so much! I want to try everything I can to help increase my supply. I know that even the small amount my son is getting now is better than nothing, but I want to know that I tried my best to give him the best nutrition I possibly can. It's nice to know there is more I can try. Right now he will nurse back and forth for about an hour until he has gotten every last drip, and when he gets frustrated because he can't get any more we give him a bottle.

How old is your LO?

Be careful with bottles before 8 weeks, as they go through quite a few growth spurts and need to increase your supply by suckling (even if it's angry suckling since they're not getting anything out)!

That's the main way to increase your supply and the most effective... tons of boob time! But obviously a bottle here and there shouldn't hurt too much!

During a growth spurt, my LO would nurse for 3 hours straight. There were a couple days around 4 weeks and then 6 weeks where she nursed... no kidding... for 6 hours straight with very minimal breaks...

Now she's 6-8 minutes per side and done!