has anyone tried tigers milk to boost supply?

[sprite25]

DD is 12 days old and for various reasons am having to top up bf with formula cup feeds. Despite feeling like all I do is have DD on me, I dont feel like I am keeping up with the demand, in one boob DD doesn't latch as well and expressing from that 1 shows it doesn't have as much as the other 1. MW suggested tigers milk ( full fat milk, bananas and brewers yeast all mixed together) to boost supply. Has anyone tried it? Does it work?

never heard of it, but kellymom has lots of helpful advice for milk. The only one I remember was oats - so porridge and lots of flapjack; and my midwife last year recommended alcohol free becks blue.

Expressing is not the same as a baby so doesn't necessarily reflect the actual milk the baby can get on her own, so try not to worry too much just keep offering.

Congratulations on your DD and keep persevering - the first bit is hard but once your supply is up and she gets bigger and more efficient it gets so much easier!

Red bush tea worked really well for me. It's caffeine free and two cups a day helped. Also cheap and easy to get- most supermarkets have it but it can be called Rooibush. You can put milk in it and I quite like it.

Fenugreek and fennel tea have worked for me this time. Oh and yes I've heard the oats and beer ones too. Never heard of tigers milk but what's the harm in giving it a go as well?

YY to what pp said about expressing. It's no indicator of supply.

Have you got a plan in place to improve the latch on that one side?

Right - this is going to sound really patronising, but it's meant in the best way. The vast majority of women, if they feed on both sides regularly, will not have problems with supply. Women think they have problems with supply when baby cluster feeds or fusses at the breast. Might this be the case? (Sorry if you know this and have been through all options and you're one of the few, but it's worth dispelling the myths sometimes!)

I've heard of people reporting success with fenugreek though.

Oh, and being trapped under baby is what the first4-6 weeks look like. This is the best way to both learn how to do it and to sure up your supply for later. Do you have a DP to bring you tea, cake, snacks, water etc?

I know those growth spurts are a killer though! DC2 is 9 weeks and is very hungry this week!

And congatulations!

Brewers yeast is in many lactation cookie recipes but according to baby centre it's just fennel and fenugreek that have evidence supporting them (or domperidone but that's prescription and comes with side effects). I liked the way fenugreek made my skin smell but it tastes vile.