How to boost milk supply?

[Strix]

Baby is 1 week old. Previous 2 babies were not hugely successful on the Breastfeeding front. So, can anyone remind me of all of the things I should/could be doing to boost supply.

I thought milk thistle was meant to help. But, I just went to the health food / supplement store and she convinced me to buy Blackthorn Elixir instead. And I seem to remember hearing something about fennel, but I may have that wrong too.

Also, baby is slightly jaundiced and I am so far resisting temptation to give him formula. So, what I need is more milk ASAP.

It's amazing how much I have forgotten between last baby (5 1/2 years ago) and this one.

Strix, congratulations on your new LO.

What is making you think you have low supply? Also, if your baby is jaundiced the best thing you can do is bf.

Past experience tells me I'm not inclined to produce lots of milk. It is going okay this time. He seem not quite satisfied sometimes (not always) but I just want to check that I'm doing all I can. Supplements? Diet? Any changes I can make to encourage supply really.

Have a read of this on Kellymom Strix, particularly the bit about "is your supply really low". It can be very easy to doubt yourself when actually all is normal.

Have you spoken to a Bfing Counsellor yet or called one of the Bfing Helplines?

Are you getting plenty of wet and dirty nappies?

i only express mine, and to increase supply i just pump every 2-3 hours for 24 hours and i get loads. Also i think Motilium tablets can increase it.

the quickest way to boost your supply is to feed your baby more, and if he is slightly jaundiced then it will help that too

Loads of skin to skin

Bath and bed with baby

Offer breast at every squeak

IIRC feeding at night is important for supply

Thanks for the link. That was interesting. He does have wet and poo nappies, but the poo is often just a tiny bit. But, as you say, he is obviously getting milk from me as he has been offered nothing else since birth.

I do have a stock of formula on hand just in case, but fortunately haven't needed to turn to it.

Although, I seem to recall from DS1 (who was also jaundices and a bit more so than this one) that formula does a better job of clearing jaundice than breast milk. However, this one's jaundice is very little (eyes are still white, just a bit of a yellowish undertone to his skin colour, and he does wake for feeds) so I'm not at all of the point to turning to formula. I just want to make sure I don't get there if at all avoidable.

Thanks everyone for your time and advice!

What rubyslippers said. Co-sleeping would probably help.

If you do still feel worried, I'd definitely call one of the helplines to speak to someone IRL.

I got told the crucial time is between midnight and six am and to try and feed twice or feed and express during this time. My milk supply seems to have gone up since I started doing it so I'd guess it works

Congratulations on you baby btw :)

My HV suggested fennel seeds steeped in warm milk with a bit of honey. Not sure if it worked or not but it's absolutely delicious!

My milk wasn't that abundant at 1 week but I was soon waking up in milk saturated sheets. Good luck.

strix can you give any more background as to what's happened before, and also do you have any ideas as to what caused the problems?

Just to say, the midwife told me all babies are slightly jaundiced in first week or so after birth.

strix there is some interesting information on Jaundice here.

Plenty of wet and dirty nappies is a really good sign, even if you think that there isn't much poo. He wouldn't have stuff coming out if he wasn't getting enough in the other end

Thanks again for the advice. Sorry it has taken me a while to come back.

I have no idea what has coused problems in past. I just figure I'm biologically less inclined to abundant milk supplies that other women. A bit but seems the case.

I have turned to motillium for supply help -- both with DS1 (5 years ago) and now with DS2. It is probably what has given me enough supply to manage to continue.

We do:
co-sleep (have always been really opposed to this in past due to possibility of rolling over onto baby, but I have have given it a go this time oddly this baby sleeps through the night unless I wake him up I'm not sure if this makes me the object of all new mum envy or if it is cause for concern)
skin to skin / hang out together for hours.
feed every 2-3 hours during day and every 4-5 during night (I have to wake him).

So, there's all the information I can think of just now.

Oh, midwife came round yesterday and he has returned to birth weight of 3.39 at 11 days post birth, so that's good.

Thank you , everyone, again. I am obviously not a pro at breastfeeding but hopeful I will manage this time. So any advice is most welcome.

Strix

I would say you need to feed more often during the night every 4-5 hours is quite a big gap for this age. Night time is when the hormones are at their optimum for milk production could you try waking him every 3 hours for the next few nights and see if this helps? Fenugreek capsules also work well.

Get lots of food, liquids and rest yourself.

get blood tests - thyroid and iron both can impact on milk supply.

What was it that made you think you had a supply problem with your last baby?

My ds was very jaundiced and sleepy at first too, he slept 6 hours the first night home from the hospital and when I told the midwife she was I woke him to feed every 2 hours day and night for the first fortnight I think, by which time he'd regained his birthweight and generally perked up a bit so I started demand feeding then.