increase?

My daughter is only 5 weeks, and I have been breastfeeding and pumping, but as of yesterday my supply is practically none existent, what should I do? I want to keep breastfeeding my daughter...

[Estee_Marie]

You can take Fenugreek or Mother's Milk tea and it helps increase your supply.  Also, try to have the baby on the breast as much as possible.  After the baby feeds, pump.  Sometimes nothing will come out but you have to keep trying.  My friend was on the pump once for 30 minutes before anything came out.  Keep trying!  Good luck!

[DoulaSummer]

Get yourself a GOOD pump, not just a cheap pump.  Medela is an awesome pump that will give you the best results.  You can easily get used ones for cheaper on craigslist, rent them, or ebay.  You HAVE to buy new tubing and that because you do not want to use anything that was used by another mother.

I agree with the previous poster, but also realize not everyone can pump.  There are moms who cannot get anything out when they are full or engorged even.  I would suggest that you feed on one breasts and pump the other for the whole feeding and about 10 minutes after.  Even if nothing is coming out, you are stimulating your breasts.  Pump the other breast for 10 minutes as well.  During the next feeding, pump the breasts you last nursed on and nurse on the other breast.

Oatmeal is a great supply booster as well.  Not the instant or quick stuff, the real stuff that you actually have to cook on the stove.  Check out kellymom website (org).  It is an amazing resource for breastfeeding mothers with lots of information and support.

Feel free to private message me if you need more support.

[tiredbuthappy]

how do you know your supply is almost gone? if you pump after nursing, you probably won't get much. if you have a cheap pump you may not get much. And for some women, pumping isn't much of a indicator of how much she actually makes because the baby is much more efficient than the pump.

the best way to boost supply is to nurse as much as possible. nurse on demand and not on a schedule- if the baby needs more he'll boost your supply by nursing longer. if you feel you must supplement, then always nurse before offering a bottle. And then pump to stimulate your breasts further. drink plenty of water and i also find oatmeal helps.

many women think they don't have enough milk when they actually do. If the baby nurses frequently, it's because that's what breastfed babies do naturally- their feeding schedule is very different than formula-fed babies.

To give yourself peace of mind and to get an idea of what the baby gets in a nursing session, you can have a lactation consultant or ped weigh the baby before and after a feed. A LC could also help you figure out what's going on.

[feather2e]

Are you eating well and drinking plenty of fluids? I found when I was losing weight my milk supply started to diminish a little and you really need alot of fluids when you breastfeed. Also if your baby is not nursing properly that can also be a reason your supply is diminishing.Try nursing first and pumping 5-10 min after s/he feeds to make sure your breasts are emptying. You can also call your doctor. I do believe there is a medication they can give you, but I would rule out other things first. Like if you are run down or getting sick.