how do I increase my milk supply

My son is now 7 1/2 months old and over the past couple of months my milk supply is decreasing.  I am working full time and am worried that I might have to start supplementing formula.  When I first went back to work I was able to fill two 6 oz bottles, easily....now I am luck if I get 5 oz.   At the end of the day I sometimes am only able to pump 8 oz.  About a month ago I started taking the herb fenugreek (not sure of the spelling) and unfortunately it isn't helping much....I also start pumping more frequently, but again not helping.  So I am looking for any suggestions or help with this...thanks ladies

[tiredbuthappy]

Some people's supply does start to drop after a while, especially if you are juggling work, stress, etc... But here are some things to start with:

How long ago did you increase pumps? It can take up to 2 weeks to see the effects of change in routine. Many, many people swear by power pumping to boost supply. I never tried it, but read about it frequently on another forum. You can do a search for specifics, but the idea is to mimic a growth spurt/ cluster feeds. If your baby were nursing directly from the breast, your supply would be getting this additional stimulation from time to time. There are many ways to do it- here are 2 links:

http://www.lowmilksupply.org/powerpumping.shtml
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Breastfeeding-1764/2008/5/Power-pumping.htm

another possible reason for a drop in supply is if your period is about to return.

Other important things to check-
~have you changed the little round white flaps on your pump recently? They should be changed regularly and can severely affect effectiveness of the pump.
~have you tried playing around with the speed of the pump?
~are you doing compressions while you pump?
~ does your pump feel like it's still good? Sometimes the motors go. Mine never did, but I know of several people who called Medela when their suction decreased and Medela immediately sent them a new faceplate free of charge. (Medela's customer service is outstanding- if you ever have problems with your pump, don't hesitate to call them).
~ you can also try different sized horns for a more comfortable fit- this can affect supply as well.

[hkenny]

you can buy breastfeeding tea at health food stores to incease your supply, my sister used it and it worked wonders.

[kands]

Milk thistle is another herb that is supposed to help increase milk supply.  

I have done power pumping, and the way I did it was 10 minutes on, ten minutes off for as long as I could stand it (sometimes up to five hours).  Obviously you couldn't do that and work, but the best thing to do is to pump as often as you can to simulate cluster feedings and convince your body that your little one needs more.

You can also try renting a hospital grade pump.  I loved the Medela Symphony and it seemed much stronger than my (brand new) Pump In Style.

[prevatt77]

Try "Mother's Milk Tea"  It works very well for me.

[bigmommylove]

This has happened to me. I exclusively pump, and my milk supply kept dropping. I was pretty puzzled because I was pumping every 2 to 3 hours and not skipping. I found out from a lactation consultant that this happens a lot to pumping moms, and she recommended Breastea from http://www.breastea.com. It has helped my milk supply a lot. I'm now making about 5 ounces per pumping compared to the 1/2 ounce I was making before.

[Caralea]

I have a medela symphony (rented) it works great.. I have to pump every 2.5 hrs at work and I work 4x 10hr shifts. so I am pumping 16x/week. I have had trouble since the begining with supply and most pumpings I am lucky to get 2-4oz. I have tried fenugreek & special blend, it works short term. I have just accepted we are using about 1-2cans of formula per month, but the Dr also recommended it for weight gain. My baby is almost 8mos and weighs 15lbs.

[mature_enough]

There are many ways to increase your milk supply.
Skin-to-Skin Contact
Drink plenty of water
FENUGREEK
ROOT BEER
Some women have found that the stomach medicine REGLAN helps (needs to be prescribed, ask your dr. about this option to increase milk supply)

More importantly than removing milk often is efficiently removing the milk from your breasts… Pump AFTER feedings until you see the last drop and 2 minutes thereafter (to make sure you don’t have another let down and to tell your body “I need more, make more!”) And better yet, hand expression has been found to remove 80% more milk than most pumps. First try massaging your breasts. Next, try finding the “sweet spot” by feeling around the areola starting about an inch from the outside, and working your way in… You want to feel for what seems like a bag of peas… once you feel where those “peas” end (aveoli) is where you want to place your fingers in a C hold…  press back towards the rib cage (press), pull your fingers and your thumb together (compress), and then release (repeat until you don’t see any more milk coming out and then continue for two more minutes just to make certain.  Keep doing this after pumping to make sure you efficiently remove the milk. The more your baby, hand, or pump demand, the more you will make.

Good luck sister! :)