breastfeeding... need to increase milk production

[Nitenites]

All great advice! The only thing I would add is advise her to drink Mothers Milk Tea. It has fenugreek & blessed thistle, which complement each other and trigger your body to make more milk. I've found it at Whole Foods & Kroger.

Is she concerned because she's not pumping enough? If so, what kind of pump is she using?

[elizabethhouts]

I second (third? fourth?) fenugreek. Seriously that stuff worked AMAZINGLY for me! I had been formula feeding and decided when my son had been fed only formula for a week that I wanted to breastfeed. (I was so emotional, haha. I was on the phone with LLL bawling. Kinda embarassing now but I swear my son *knew* he was supposed to nurse. He would try to latch on through my clothes!! And I had never even nursed him.) I did supplemental formula until he was like a month old because I was still sore and I couldn't get him to latch on when there was nothing there. Literally within 24 hours or so I was exclusively bf. I will sing the praises of fenugreek to whomever will listen!

[momzoo7]

not for me... for a friend.

She has been nursing for 3 mos. just fine but her milk production is getting realllly low since she has gone back to work.

We know the typical things to do but wondering if anyone has any TRICKS to share.

TIA

i always have a ton the best thing is she needs to pump every 2 hours at work and the law states her boss has to allow it. but is she pumps every 2 hours and 5 min each side at home before baby nurses it will increase and babies can get milk even when most pumps can't so that why she needs to pump first.

[kktl32]

I pumped 2x a day and drank well over a gallon of water a day.hth

[CW&M Mom]

Also have her stay away from these

• Black Walnut
• Chickweed
• Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
• Lemon Balm
• Oregano
• Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
• Peppermint (Mentha piperita)/Menthol

• Periwinkle Herb (Vinca minor)
• Sage (Salvia officinalis)
• Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)
• Spearmint
• Thyme
• Yarrow

Especially the Sage. These can be used to help dry up your milk.

[Sculpture Widow]

nurse, nurse, nurse..... (as others have already said).....

the more OFTEN your friend nurses will increase the milk supply. meaning, if she nurses her baby every hour for 5-10 minutes, that should increase the supply more than if she nursed every 3 hours for a 1/2 hour.

this worked for me.....once I would get my supply up, then i could go back to "normal".

Fenugreek and increasing my calorie intake also helped me. Also just relaxing and not running around a bunch (errands, caring for other child) also helped.

I recommend a good support group for someone who wants to breastfeed and get positive influences to help them. I did not have this and it's VERY difficult to stick it out on your own when you feel all alone and others are telling you to give up.

Sadly, if your friend is pumping her supply might decrease b/c pumping just IS NOT as efficient as a baby nursing. Also, there is not the physical connection to keep that milk flowing. Many women find this is the time when they quit nursing, if they go back to work. Again, a good support group and supportive family will really help.

I have a friend that went back to work full-time after the normal 6-week-off thing. She nursed her daughter A LOT when she was home, and ended up breastfeeding her for over 2 years.

[tinabohio]

When I pumped for my first I would almost put myself into a trace. Chanting in my head encouragement for my breasts. (My body makes milk to feed my baby, I feel the milk being made in my breasts, I will pump the milk for my baby- like that, it worked!)
I also noticed the age of 4 months now, which is another growth spurt time and baby totally needs to be on mommy more to increase the production. My eldest ended up reverse cycling for quite a while during and after growth spurts. I ended up pumping way more than she needed after my body and brain got used to the pump, but kid prefered straight from the tap and would take in as little as possible during the day when she was growing!

Your friend can do it! I did it under extreme stress and pressure (worked in a parts department used bosses office and everyone could hear the pump. Nothing like the sounds of air guns and lifts while you're trying to pump!). It can be tough, but the cost savings alone made me oh so happy.
I also would sip on Mothers Milk Tea while pumping. And I avoided caffiene.