Tips to help increase milk supply?

[Tabs]

DD is now 2 weeks old, and we're getting on well with breastfeeding. She's a big hungry baby though, and is having what I can only assume is a growth spurt at the moment, as she seems to want to be on the breast all the time that she's awake. I'm a bit worried that there isn't enough milk for her in the evenings/at night, as she is spending hours at a time feeding, seemingly without getting full. If I try to express at any time of day other than first thing in the morning I get nothing or next to nothing out, whereas first thing in the morning I can express 3-4 oz from whichever breast she's not feeding from.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can increase the supply at this time of day?

Will pumping when she's asleep in the evening stimulate demand and thus supply?

I know we are supposed to drink loads of water whilst breastfeeding - could this have an effect on supply if I'm not drinking enough?

Anything else that I can do to help myself?

All tips gratefully received - forgive me if I don't respond straight away - depends how demanding DD is as to how frequently I can check in!

Tabs - not sure if you're against it...but how about saving morning milk and giving in a bottle when you are low. Then instead of feeding - express every last drop at that time, until the supply increases. It worked for me, but I know that some people do not like using bottles. best of luck to you.

Feeding lots is the best thing to do to increase your supply. She's better at getting milk out than any machine, and even when you pump and get nothing, she can still get lots.

Are you exclusively breastfeeding? Is she feeding lots in the night? Are you cosleeping?

At two weeks, your supply is still establishing itself, and feeding binges are entirely normal. This will pass.

You need to drink when thirsty. You don't need to drink more than that. Unless you're seriously dehydrated, your water intake will not affect supply.

Hi goreousgirl (should that be gorgeousgirl?!) - I'm not anti-bottle - have found variflow teats closest to my nipple shape (advice from baby whisperer) and used these with bottle to top up last night. Was just hoping to find a way not to use up all morning milk in same day so that I can build up supply in freezer on off chance that I get a social life back some time!

Drinking fennel tea and eating halva (you can get it in health food shops) help. Both acquired tastes but they did help me.

Thanks NQC - that's reassuring to hear that she can get milk even when pump can't.

We're exclusively bf yes. She is feeding lots in the night, but will eventually settle for about 3 hours in one stint. Not co-sleeping - she's in moses basket next to bed.

Ooh - I tend to like obscure teas, so will look for fennel one next time I'm in town. Is there some science behind that, or just 'one of those things'?

Just keep letting her suckle. NCQ is exactly right, your baby is better than any pump.

I was concerned my little fatman (said with love!) who was 9lb when born didn't seem to be getting enoough and I tried topping him up with bottles, it was soon given up on though as it really messed my supply up! He is now a very hefty 21 lb 8 month old! So don't worry, just keep doing what your doing, you sound well established with the BFing!

I had exactly the same thing. It was the first thing I asked the hv when she came to call on day 14. Her advice (which I ignored since my boobs weren't going to survive it) was to allow "baby" to feed for as long as it took to satisfy him and keep alternating boobs (i.e. 3-4 hours!).

I actually turned to Gina Ford for help following a friend's advice. I don't have the books any more, but she recommended expressing milk either before or after feeding db (can't remember which) to up the amount of milk you produce. I have a feeling this was at certain times of the day - one of them may have been first thing, which was when I always had lots of milk and was therefore quite easy to do. Then when I felt that I had nothing left to give to ds I would give him the milk I'd expressed earlier using a vented bottle (apparently very similar to sucking action required for breastmilk so therefore supposedly doesn't confuse them so much). I warn you it was a lot of faffing about - sterilising etc.

To start with I still had to use formula to top that up, but over a few days that became unnecessary and within a couple of weeks the situation had sorted itself out.

Each time ds went through a growth spurt I would repeat the process.

I found that the amount I drank and ate didn't really affect the amount of milk I had - I was just worn out by that time of day (no chance of a nap for me since ds never slept when he was tiny - but that's a different story).

Hope this helps - it does get easier

A midwife told me about both things when I was having problems feeding.