help! not producing enough milk...

[XenaWP]

looking for advice, pls. Am bf, dd is 19 weeks today (4.5 months) & growing! Am drinking loads of water, eating (loads - another thread...) am expressing 1st thing in morning as dp gives that feed - have loads then, but no so good later in day...
very little left in freezer
help please?
what are top tips for becoming best dairy cow in the herd?

[hercules]

You dont need to drink loads of water or eat loads to produce milk. What makes you think you arent producing milk?

Breast do not feel full now, that is normal. How much you can express has no bearing in how much milk you are producing.

The best way to produce milk is to feed.

[pesme]

what makes you think you don't have enough? mine became abit 'floppy' (tmi?) when dd was this age but she was getting enough. I can no longer express (dd is nine months) but she still seems to get enough. Also they seem to have a big growth spurt at this age, is she always feeding?

[Twiglett]

more often you feed / express .. the more milk you produce

can you maybe stock up on freezer for a while and not let DP feed .. till your supply goes up

[pixiefish]

is dd satisfied? i bet she is. your milk production changes (can't remember when- about 4-6 month point) so that you don't actually get the same 'full' feeling. I'm sure you are making enough you know. Have been told that black eyed beans are good for milk production. Someone else will be along soon with a better answer probably- but if your dd is satisfied don't worry about it. Remember that the more you feed the more milk you make as well

[XenaWP]

sorry - reason don't think is enough being produced is that she keeps squeaking for more when they're both empty...
this happened 1st about 10 days ago, then my boobs seemed to re-adjust, but it's happened again yesterday & today, & I feel like evil mother incarnate as she wriggles more and more & starts crying....
argh
I thought the last growth spurt until 6 months was 16 weeks?? or have I got that completely wrong?

[bundle]

wriggles? has she got wind?

[Socci]

Message withdrawn

[hercules]

Breast are never empty,just nearly.

[XenaWP]

no, it's not really a wind wriggle, more a 'where's the bleedin' milk gone' wriggle as she's only getting drips not a great jet!
pesme, mine are already floppy! but that's not why I'm worried (again, boob lift is subject for another thread...[wink})
and I am feeling absolutely sh*ed after the feeds, maybe just need more rest - but then I think how the hell do you do it with more than 1 child if you're so tired after bf??

[pesme]

Hi xena, i think they can have a growth spurt whenever. dd seemed to feed every 1.5-2 hours at this stage during the day. Sorry not to be more help. bfing is a constantly changing mystery, the minute you get used to one thing it all changes. how long is she feeding for?

[Twiglett]

how the hell do you do it with more than 1 child if you're so tired after bf??

Cbeebies and Disney Videos

[XenaWP]

can be 1/2 hour average I s'pose, sometimes more, sometimes less..

[XenaWP]

thanks all for words of wisdom
off to bed now having expressed 2 & three quarter oz (the 3/4 is v important...)
so sounds like tomorrow I'm gonna bf ALL DAY......

[pesme]

i'm off to bed but good luck with it. you need someone like mears to give you some advice.

[pixiefish]

Have heard it said that if you can perhaps you should take to your bed all day- just you and dd, sleep and feed and eat and drink all day- don't know if that's possible or practical.

[cardigan]

demand & supply with bf - feed for as much as dd wants. Spend a day&night just bf & relaxing if you can. If dd's producing around 8 wet nappies in 24 hrs she's getting enough milk (think it's around 8 could depend also on nappy type). If she's growing in length & head circumference then she's getting enough milk. Good luck with this.

[suedonim]

I'm a fan of the babymoon idea; I used to feed mine every time they so much as opened their mouth. If you can't actually go to bed for a day, then hanging out on the sofa as much as poss (with trashy magazines - an essential ingredient!!) is also good. I never had a lot of milk but when I had a babymoon the increase in supply was apparent within 24-48hrs.

[80sMum]

I agree with suedonim. Breastfeeding is all about playing catch-up. The baby's demand dictates supply, so the more the baby suckles, the more milk you'll produce - but only if you get some rest while your body is doing the work. And of course you're right XenaWP to be eating and drinking more;it does make a difference. After all, where are all the water and calories in the milk going to come from? Breastfeeding is demanding on the body, so take things easy whenever you can. I'm not sure whether it's still available but when I was bfing I had a book called "The experience of Breastfeeding" by Sheila Kitzinger. Would recommend it.

[toddlerbob]

Growth spurts can happen at any time my 20 month old ds has just had one! I thought - "blow me, what the heck is going on here he's a boob junky", and then 2 days later back to normal 2-3 feeds. I seem to also remember one at about the age of your dd also.

[hercules]

You do not need to eat more and drink more than to thirst!

thisisanexcellentwebsite

[XenaWP]

thank you all! am lazing around very happily & plan to do the same tomorrow.... hurrah!

[emz31]

hi! - i also have this prob. DS is 3.5 months old and has recently been emptying both boobs and is still crying for more - he has also started to wake in night hungry again. he's feeding every 2 hours still - although this has been norm since he was born. spoke to my health visitor who informed me boobs could take up t 2 weeks to catch up and could try to top up with formula in meantime - big problem though as DS point blank refuses a bottle with my milk on never mind formula, so i'm just hoping my boobs catch up sooner rather than later!!

[NotQuiteCockney]

I'm not convinced that topping up with formula helps - letting your baby feed more often from you is the best fix.

Once you start with formula, it seems to be a slippery slope. Which is fine, if you want to move to formula feeding, but if you don't, why start with it?

Lots of lying about feeding sounds like the best fix ...

[jenkel]

Your milk seems more plentiful in the morning due to you probably not feeding so much over night. I have 2 dd,s, breastfed the first one until she was 11 months and i found out I was pregnant with no2, still breastfeeding no 2 and she is 7 months old. Its hard bf with a 18 month old running around, couldnt have done it without cbeebies. To be honest, expressing for me always seemed to mess me up, had mastitis twice. And my supply seemed a lot better from just feeding. In my opinion growth spurts happen whenever, no timetable i'm afraid

[helsi]

I switched to formula after 10 days as I couldn't fill dd. Best thing I ever did. I know breast is meant to be best but not in my case. I was soooo less stressted and depressed once I strated on bootle and DH could have much more input to helping me out (making up bottles etc).

DD was fit and healthy and formula did her no harm.

Well done all those who try BF but it is just not for some.

Swap if you feel abetter about it - don't stress your self out over it.