I want to breastfeed more - Help!!

[anita665]

Because I was ill I had to use formula as well as breastfeeding. Now Peirre has mostly formula with a breast feed at about 5am, 8am (sometimes) and about 7 or 8pm.

To fill him up he has to feed from both breasts.

I really want to cut down on the formula and breast feed more but I don't have the supply. What can I do it increase it? My breasts are almost always soft and they've shrunk loads. In fact they don't even leak much anymore if I've gone a while without feeding.

 

[Margerle]

First clear your calendar for a WEEK. Have him on the breast as much as possible over thse few days. Take those days, have skin to skin contact with him and have him suck even if there isn't anything there. I'm serious when I say as much as possible. If he'll take the breast, have him sucking and draining it! If that is 24 hours of those seven days, then so be it!

ALWAYS feed him from the breast first, then top him off with formula if needed for those normal formula only times. But make sure you are getting a lot of stimulation on those breasts, and that he is draining them ALL THE TIME.

Your production is directly related to the stimulation of baby sucking AND the removal of all milk from your breasts.

At this point you are established enough that you may not feel "engorged' like you did when he was first born. Your breast tissue may not feel 'extremely full' so if you aren't feeling what you typically remember as a 'full breast' don't worry. You're still making milk.

Also leaking isn't an issue this late in the game for many women too... so don't think if you aren't engorged and you aren't leaking, that you aren't making enough!

DIAPERS are your cue. If he's got a good number of wet/dirty diapers in a day (8-10 at that age) then I would assume he's getting plenty of breast nurishment.

You can also take supplemenst like fenugreek (make tea, add to oatmeal etc.)... Whole grains are good supporter of breastmilk production. Good quality granola is a healthy snack and good for the production. Also having an ale will help bring in milk.

Hope that helps! In tandem with this I would contact your local lactation consultant for some hands on help too

 

[luckyme225]

I just wanted to wish you luck!!

 

[Carley]

Good luck hun!

 

[~KACI~]

Try and make sure you feed at night, i tried to explain this but gave in as i couldn't get it to make sense, so i got this explanation of what i meant off net

Prolactin (the milk producing hormone) levels reach a peak in the early hours of the morning. So it is not a good idea to give expressed milk at night. The reason for this is that breastmilk is made on supply and demand and night feeds are an important way of increasing your milk supply.

However, it is okay to do it occasionally. Unfortunately, if you do not breastfeed at all during the night, then your milk supply will be reduced as a result.

Hope that helps x

 

[mickey]

can't add anymore, it's all said!

get the remote control, snacks and drinks and make the sofa your new home!!!

good luck

 

[leeanne]

can't add anymore, it's all said!

get the remote control, snacks and drinks and make the sofa your new home!!!

good luck

You got that right about the sofa! LOL

Good luck Anita!

 

[Serene123]

I'm the same. She is on me once or twice a day but she is never satisfied, even after 5 hours. I didn't know you could increase it! This thread has made me quite happy