increasing breast milk - help!

11 replies

pad · 20/12/2005 20:52

My milk supply has decreased recently due to a lot of stress. My ds is 6 months and i really want to carry on. Does anyone know if expressing by hand is as good as pumping because that is what i have always done. I was really lucky with my milk supply but it is not so good right now. Should I just let him keep suckling?

OP posts:

ChunkerXmasCake · 20/12/2005 20:53

Why do you think it's decreased?

followthestarlover · 20/12/2005 20:53

just keep feeding him! your boobs will make as much as he needs.

Original poster

pad · 20/12/2005 20:58

He was very constipated for a long time and i worried myself sick over it and i have also had quite a lot of stress recently.He is fine now but i got so upset about my milk supply and having to give him formula.My boobs stopped making as much as he needs and it really scared me because i felt like i could not feed him.

OP posts:

ChunkerXmasCake · 20/12/2005 20:59

When you say constipated, was this before you gave him formula? And do you mean small, hard stools that were painful for him to pass, or just infrequent bowel movements?

Original poster

pad · 20/12/2005 21:03

No this was before the formula. I think it was because he started on solids. I gave him lots of fluid and prunes and he was fine after that.He does not seem to be constipated from the formula.

OP posts:

Original poster

pad · 20/12/2005 21:04

He did not go for 10 days which is really unusual for him - that is what i mean by constipated!

OP posts:

followthestarlover · 20/12/2005 21:05

that's normal in a breastfed baby.
because SO much of it is digested and used there is much less waste... and bf babies very often can go over a week without doing a poo!

Original poster

pad · 20/12/2005 21:10

Do you know whether the hand method of expressing helps or do I need suction on the breast?

OP posts:

ChunkerXmasCake · 20/12/2005 21:12

Just feed him, honestly. Don't bother mucking about with expressing if you can be there to feed him.

PranSerahndDancer · 20/12/2005 21:35

Go with the advice here - just keep feeding! Chunker is an experienced breastfeeder. Your supply will right itself purely through feeding.

However, if you do need to express at any point for any other reason, hand expressing is far more efficient than pump expressing in my experience.

tiktok · 21/12/2005 10:22

pad: stress does not affect milk supply. Doesn't sound as if your baby was constipated. Giving formula reduces milk supply.

My guess is you had plenty of milk but your baby started to feed more often and/or become unsettled for reasons unconnected with your supply. Responding with formula then made an apparent (but not actual) problem with supply into a real one...but you can turn it round simply by feeding lots. No need to bother with expressing....just feed

Flip