well i'm not sure if there are anymore breastfeeding moms on here or maybe pregnant girls who will be breastfeeding when baby comes so i thought i would start a thread for us. for anyone that needs information, support, tips, tricks, advice and so on. i have breastfed 4 kids and have taken lactation support classes so i am here to help you. if this thread gets lost way back in the posts feel free to email me also if you have any questions or just want someone to listen who understands the joys and challenges of breastfeeding.

i'm right there with you...i nursed all four of mine, my last one until she was over four.

here's a link to a HUGE forum just on nursing...

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=23

Hi.... does anyone know if there is a secret to increasing your milk supply????? besides the fenugreek... which made my stomach a reck
Thanks,
Laura

there's no one secret...but several methods which help.

first, feed OFTEN. every hour to two hours...preferably skin to skin. if possible, do not supplement (don't have quite enough information from you to go further on that one).

after your little one has taken a full feeding, pump. even if you aren't getting any milk, you are stimulating the nipple, which provides more milk for later.

avoid caffeine and alcohol. eat oatmeal. drink lots of water.

fenugreek can be taken as tablets...not sure if that would still mess with your stomach. blessed thistle tablets and brewer's yeast as supplements...as well as magnesium and calcium.

barley soup and ovaltine. red raspberry leaf and nettle.

there's also medications...domperidone (generic is motillium, and it's available over the counter) and reglan both are available by prescription and will increase supply...your OB or ped can prescribe it for you.

a proper latch is VERY important.

when breastfeeding your body responds to supply and demand, the more u nurse the more milk u will make, that is why it sometimes seems that baby goes thru periods of time of nonstop nursing, just means baby is growing and needs more supply. never go more than 2 hours between nursings until your baby is at least 4 mos old and never ever supplement with formula and only leave baby w a bottle of pumped breastmilk if u absolutely cant nurse in person. ie. at work or something.

Is it OK to let dad have a little, once in awhile?

Hell,grab the Oreo's Sage!

No, No, Oreo's leave crumbs.

Lulu am I correct, when I say that breastfeeding was a great way to keep your weight down? I was thin anyway (21yoa), but it seemed that my weight dissipated faster, because I was breastfeeding.I really enjoyed the bonding between me and my children during this time.

Breastfeeding was so benificial, both mom and baby. I enjoyed breastfeeding mine. I tried to convince my daughter to continue to reast feed her child, but it did not work out for her. This daughter I breastfed for seven month because she had skin prpoblems and it (breastfeeding) helped a lot.

absolutely correct.

breastfeeding requires 300-500 calories, so if you're eating your normal amount, your extra pregnancy weight should melt off at a safe pace.

nursing also releases endorphins and oxytocin into your bloodstream...the endorphins help keep post-partum depression at bay, and the oxytocin contracts the uterus, helping it to return to its pre-pregnancy size more quickly.

Thanks for the advise!

Lulu... how do you know so much? and what is or where can I find red raspberry leaf and nettle?

The unfortunate thing is that I (regretably) already started supplementing... and now want to go back... my ped said for me "not to bother" nursing anymore as the baby probably isn't getting enough. I wish I would have not given that first bottle!!!!!! But, we nurse a couple of times a day (despite the dr) and I hope that one day we can go back!

Thank you so much!
Laura

hon you absolutely have to get a new pediatrician one that supports breastfeeding. formula is HIGHLY inferior to breastmilk. its easy to go back simply refuse the bottle if using formula also you can pump for a few days and put that in the bottle for a few days to slowly wean the baby to fewer and fewer bottle feedings so the baby is at least getting breast milk and not yucky formula. your nipples have little bumps around them called montgomerys tubercules what these do is as your baby suckels and germs, bacteria or viruses that may be in your babys saliva goes into your blood stream and your body creates antibodies in your milk for them which is then passed on to your baby. how wonderful that mother nature has provided this for you. breastmilk will keep your baby from many colds and flus that a formula fed baby would get. find a new dr.!

you should be able to find both raspberry leaf and nettle at natural health food stores. raspberry leaf is the just the leaves from the raspberry plant...they are good sources of iron, calcium, magnesium, and b vitamins and such. you might even find the tea at wal-mart. nettle is a plant that is also supposed to boost supply...

there's a supplement called "more milk plus" that several people i know swear by...here's a link: http://www.motherlove.com/pressrelease-2004-07-01.php

heather's right...it's sad that all pediatricians aren't on the same page. breastmilk is natural, normal, and what is SUPPOSED to be for your babe...all else is inferior. you might just need a new one, that's a bit more supportive.

relactation is completely possible, and rewarding. how you go about it depends on how MUCH you are supplementing now...how many ounces your little one is taking of formula. a good way to start is by cutting back an ounce per day of formula, or every other day...and nursing AT LEAST every two hours. get a high-power pump such as a pump-in-style, or, even better, a medical-grade one. pump AFTER you nurse...and anytime you can't be near your babe. pumping after nursing gives your breasts valuable stimulation that will trigger you to make more milk.

have you contacted a lactation consultant or your local la leche league? LLL may have meetings near you, where they can give you invaluable support.

if you're really serious, and not opposed to medications, studies have shown that reglan really increases supply.

also, have you looked into an SNS (supplemental nursing system)? this can definitely help with supply...your baby takes it's formula through a tube WHILE THEY NURSE. you nurse first, and when you are empty...if the little one is still hungry...use the supplementer. this gives your breasts the best stimulation possible, plus it keeps your child from drinking out of a bottle.

this is a subject that is very important to me...with my last one, i had to feed her entirely from expressed milk for several months.

lulu thk u for your valuable support to this thread

*grins* i wish we could get this stuff out to all women...

great thread, heather.

thank u this is an issue very dear to my heart.

If ya need any vollenteers to pracice on Im avalible!!! ( sorry ladies, I know this is your thread on a serious topic, but I couldnt resist!!)

i could have used this info when my son was born. (he just turned 10 yesterday! ) i had problems breastfeeding and had to stop after 5 days. i couldnt get him to latch properly and even when he did, i dont think i was producing enough milk. (found that out years after the fact when other mommies were discussing "let down" and how i never experienced it.) instead of the drs. and nurses helping me out, i was made to feel like a complete and total worthless mom b/c i was unable to nurse!

unfortunately there are still moronic drs around like that. the formula companies give hospitals money and samples to promote their product. its disgusting. and winnie you are a wonderful mom. a baby growing up feel loved and nurtured is far more important than the means by wich they recieved their food. when the mom simply did the best she could.