What can I do to produce more breast milk?

From the beggining I wanted to breastfeed my son is 19 days old. My baby didn't want to latch on so I just used a breast pump and I wasn't producing enough milk. I started giving him formula (enfimil lipil) but ever since I started giving him formula about a week ago he started spitting up a lot and throwing up. I had to take him to the emergency room bc he spit up while he was asleep and stopped breathing. They told me it's reflux but he never spit up or threw up when he was drinking breast milk. I think he's allergic to the formula. I started breastfeeding him and his latching on but I'm not producing enough milk to feed him every 2 hours. What can I take or do to produce more breastmilk?! Please help I hate to see my baby spit up an throw up every time I give him formula.  

[DoulaSummer]

What type of pump do you have?  What you have going for you is your baby is still able to nurse at the breast and doesn't seem to have nipple confusion.  The problem with exclusively pumping is you have to pump a lot more than the baby would actually eat on the breast because babies tend to over eat from bottles and with pumping you are not getting the enzymes from baby's saliva to influence more production.

I suggest you get a good pump and feed on demand and start pumping after each feeding to give more stimulation.  You can even pump between feedings as well to increase your supply.  If you can, feed on demand and see how often you need to feed.  If you stop supplementing and nurse on the breasts only, it will amaze you how fast your supply will begin to grow in a few days.  He will feed very often in the beginning, but that is what you need for your supply to build.

Things to help you boost your supply:  Mother's milk tea, oatmeal (the real stuff, not instant), fenugreek, alfalfa, blessed thistle.  I would try the oatmeal first and then fenugreek second.

[jESiAhSmOMMy]

I use a The First Years Mi pump. Which formula do you think is the best to give him as a suplement for when I can't breastfeed him???

[DoulaSummer]

formula is a hard thing to predict.  If he is allergic to one he is likely allergic to others and should also avoid milk products for 18 months.  You can try soy formula, but I would really use it as a VERY last resort because it contains hormones naturally that are not good for infants.

Your breast never stop producing milk, even during feedings.  If you can try to go 2 days with no supplementing at all and nurse nurse nurse.  Your son is only 19 days old, so does not require massive amounts of milk, so your supply can increase quickly enough to feed him.  After feedings, pump for 10 minutes even if you do not get anything out.  The point it to stimulate your breast to encourage your body to make more milk.

[jaydensmommy10]

my baby is 2 months old. the first 2 weeks he was born i breastfed him too. it hurted so i felt like i wanted to stop. but then i just decided to use the pump only because i didnt want to give him formula. i pumped for about a week and a half then finally decided to try the breast again, he latched on GREAT this time with no pain. i felt a little empty the first couple days but then i filled up again. YOU MAY FEEL EMPTY BUT YOUR BABY IS STILL ABLE TO GET MILK AT FEEDING. if your baby is not getting milk they will def. let you know!

[chinmay32]

I think you must take a pill...it will increase the quantity of milk in your breasts

[luvkayln]

I just started taking Reglan, (Prescription) maybe you can try that if the fenugreek doesn't work?? Also, your baby may not be allergic to the formula. My daughter did the same thing at first when I tried to introduce formula to supplement when I didn't have enough milk. She never threw up until the formula. Her doctor said the formula is much harder on their tummy's b/c it's harder to digest. So what I did is mixed formula w/ my breastmilk. It definately helped!