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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder if Tiktok is out there, somewhere, in the ether...? (Bf question)

34 replies

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/02/2020 22:52

Has anyone managed to increase their breast milk supply well after it has regulated, eg after 6m or so if exclusive feeding?

OP posts:
user1473878824 · 23/02/2020 22:54

I have no idea but please explain the thread title I feel like I’m missing something really basic!

OytheBumbler · 23/02/2020 22:56

Doesn't it just increase according to how much baby feeds?
TikTok used to help me back in the day 10 years ago so I hope you get a proper answer.

HaveeeeYouMetTed · 23/02/2020 22:57

Also missing the point but I don't understand the title either.
Clickbait? Or am I missing a really obvious point.

Original poster
NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/02/2020 22:57

Tiktok was an old poster who just knew everything about bf and always had good advice.

When I've had various issues in the past and hunted through old threads, they are littered with her comments and what she has written has helped me understand it all SO well.

OP posts:
sleepyhead · 23/02/2020 23:01

Tiktok was THE mn be guru - so kind and helpful.

I hope she's well wherever she is.

Original poster
NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/02/2020 23:03

Oythebumbler

Bf is meant to be supply & demand. But (if i have understood this correctly) for most babies your supply regulates around 3 or 4 months in, and babies don't need ever increasing amounts of breast milk as they get older.

My baby was born prem, and v small. I think my supply ended up at a slightly low level (after a lot of struggle). At 6m after she has tried to cluster feed a lot for weeks, weight gain just slowed, and (for various reasons) i switched to pumping. I am finding I'm 2-3oz short most days (for which I give formula), and her weight gain has shot up since.

Nothing I do seems to really increase my supply.

OP posts:
Original poster
NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/02/2020 23:04

Haveeeeyoumetted
Guilty as charged, massive clickbait title.

OP posts:
Tombakersscarf · 23/02/2020 23:04

Why don't you @ her?
@tiktok

rainylake · 23/02/2020 23:05

Not tiktok but I am a breastfeeding peer supporter... so not a real expert but I know a bit about it

Milk supply is mostly determined in the first few weeks. If your supply isn't properly established then it is very hard to get it up subsequently. However it's usually possible to increase any established supply to some extent, because of the basic rules of supply and demand in bf. Lots of mothers have probably experienced suddenly feeding loads when an older baby is ill and just wants milk, nd then feeling engorged when they are back to normal again. How much you can increase it depends on the individual mother.

HaveeeeYouMetTed · 23/02/2020 23:07

Ohh!! Thank you for clearing that up. My mind jumped straight to that app (or whatever it is) & couldn't logically put the two together!

I hope you find her as she seems very well liked & informative & if not, I hope someone equally as helpful is able to help.

frazzledasarock · 23/02/2020 23:08

She was around three years ago when I was going thro a horrendous time with my baby and desperately looking for advice.

Name739017 · 23/02/2020 23:08

I started milk donation when my baby was 3-4 months and my supply increased loads. Then when I stopped at 6 months it went back down again. It took about 3 days to adjust up or down though.

BeyonceKnows · 23/02/2020 23:11

I've heard before that oats are good for increasing your supply and also fenugreek (I think its herbal) but have never tried either personally. Also, maybe pumping would help increase supply.

Original poster
NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/02/2020 23:13

rainylake
. If your supply isn't properly established then it is very hard to get it up subsequently.

This is what I had suspected & makes a lot of sense to me. DD was so tiny (and tongue tied) in those first 3 or 4 months, I just dont think she demanded quite enough for me to have a stonking good supply. I'm lucky I have some milk, but it's just about 10% shy of what she needs for the catch up growth she needs at the moment.

OP posts:
BookMeOnTheSudExpress · 23/02/2020 23:13

I'm just popping in to say she was my recipient for the Secret Santa appeal a million years ago, and I was so pleased I was sending something to someone so fab!

Original poster
NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/02/2020 23:14

Beyonce

Thanks. I'm pumping like mad, always on the oats. Fenugreek I think does help a bit.

OP posts:
ATowelAndAPotato · 23/02/2020 23:14

I’m sure someone more knowledgeable will be along to correct me, but I found when I switched to expressing only, my milk supply started dropping off.

Apparently something to do with hormones (?) released by the baby during breastfeeding that stimulate milk production. So might be worth trying more time with baby feeding directly, even if you still need to express as well?

Original poster
NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/02/2020 23:15

BookMe

That's pretty cool :)

OP posts:
Original poster
NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/02/2020 23:19

A towel

She is basically a bit crap at feeding..She always has been. I've seen an IBCLC twice (v helpful). Couldn't latch without shields for aged, had tongue tie revised but she has a high palate and just struggles loads.

The reason ive stopped feeding directly is her weight gain plateaud but while bf at all she would not take a bottle.

My supply has stayed v stable, ive just noticed with an extra 2-3oz of formula, her weight gain is fine. I'd like to he able to gradually up my supply so I don't need it..

OP posts:
Original poster
NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/02/2020 23:20

(Fyi she's 6m). I double pump 6 times from 6am to 10pm and once at night, it works well.

OP posts:
tiktok · 24/02/2020 08:17

I’m here 😀 but no longer actively involved in bf support either online or in RL.

I’ll take a look and have a think and reply in a bit 😀

Thanks for nice comments.

IvinghoeBeacon · 24/02/2020 08:21

I have to admit that when I see tiktok thread titles I immediately think of the poster and it took me ages to realise it was an app thing so I was baffled.

OP I hope you find something that helps Flowers

ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings · 24/02/2020 08:30

I used to take brewers yeast - they sell it in tablets at H&B. I never had any actual supply problems, I just took it during the cluster feeding times to try and upregulate my supply faster. I felt like it made a difference but I can't prove it.

My SIL had a serious under supply. She used to take something that her doctor prescribed to increase supply, and also pumped for half an hour after every feed. She was a bloody champion, I don't think I'd have stuck with it in her circumstances!

tiktok · 24/02/2020 08:38

Hi, NoDontWatch.

Yes, supply can increase at any time, with more frequent and effective stimulation (ie removal of milk), by an effectively feeding baby or effective pumping. Yes, volume appears to be effected by the regulating that happens in the early days and weeks (when prolactin receptors in the breast are activated - you can google prolactin receptor theory. Prolactin receptor theory = theory in the sense of ‘coherent explanation’, not ‘mad idea’😀).

Mothers who pump/feed more often do find a difference though it sounds like you’ve been working hard on this already. It might help to do a few days intense extra, even so....remember frequency of milk removal is key, so six sessions of 20 mins is better than two of an hour. Bf at night, too.

Hope this helps 👍 No real evidence for oats, btw; some evidence for fenugreek,but not much. Afaik. I’m less up to date than I was 😀

lanthanum · 24/02/2020 09:34

If she's 6 months, I wouldn't worry at all, as presumably she'll be starting on solids and won't need as much milk.

Mine was "topped up" as she didn't quite get enough from me (prem, took a while to get the hang of things - she did eventually but was quite slow, so even a long feed wasn't quite enough), but we dropped the top-ups as she began on solids. It was quite funny, as we were stopping using a bottle at the same time as other mums were trying to persuade theirs to take a bottle in preparation for returning to work.