Fenugreek

[Mammy2myboy]

Hi everyone,

Has anyone taken fenugreek to increase milk supply? I started taking it last night and my boys had some pretty impressive nappies today! Just wondered if this is normal.

Hello, no experience, but would love to know if you find it increases supply. I have a good supply for feeding but am going back to work so am expressing but struggling with volume. Thanks, and good luck

I did and found it made a massive difference, I had to cut down the quantity I was taking as I was producing too much.

I was expressing so could see how much of a difference there was. I wasn't expecting much tbh which was why I went for the maximum dosage at first.

Hi katy75, I've noticed a difference in my supply, I only took it for 2 and a half days. I expressed last night and managed 5oz! My baby seems a bit more satisfied too. (We had a hospital admission where I had to express all his feeds and my supply started to reduce). I got the capsules from Holland and Barrett. A word of warning- you will stink... i noticed it through the night mainly and my pee also smelt shortly after taking them!

Hello, thanks so much for the update. 5oz would be amazing! What's the smell like? I read maple syrup and Indian food....

It's bizarre... you can cope with it - I think I just found it strange because it was coming from me. I didn't really think it was like maple syrup , to me that's sweet. It's like celery... the beauty is that you only need to take them until your supply increase and then you can maintain your supply by pumping etc. For me that's just been 3 full days of taking them.

Oh brilliant (that you only need to take until you increase supply, so smelliness is limited) - thank you! Am ordering now!!

Did the smell put baby off? I had planned c-section, so knew when baby would arrive, and would not eat garlic the day before so I did not smell bad to her

Haha, no it didn't put my boy off. I've read reports that it could make babies either windy or constipated... as most things probably could do either! I'd just mention to your hv that you're taking it. Mine was fine about taking it. I started taking 2 tablets 3 x per day. Let me know how you get on! X

Ps the impressive nappies stopped after the 1st day so I'm not convinced it was the fenugreek x

Hi ladies,

I am trying to re-lactate after a gal in breastfeeding, I've read lots of good things about fenugreek and I'm heading to holland and Barrett now ha! I really hope it works, I'm desperate to be able to breastfeed again !!!

That should say gap not gal !!

I'm really pleased with the effects. As i say i only took it for a few days and it's made a difference. Keep us posted!

I will do, I'm struggling with getting her to latch for long enough - I know the more she goes on the more supply I will get but at the moment because there isn't anything really there she obviously feels like it's pointless sucking so comes straight off - I'm not sure how to convince her to stay on long enough even though she's not getting anything out of it

Campbell was like this when we first came out of hospital. I tried swapping breasts quite often and also sat him up until he showed feeding cues again. Have you got a support group you can go to? Hopefully more of a supply may encourage her to stay on. X

I'm hoping to find a support group I can go to although I'm not sure how to go about it. I've tried lots of different positions etc I think she'll get there she just has to get used to it again, I'm trying to pump every few hrs for at least 15mins as well but it's bloody painful !!

Made a huge difference to my supply a few years ago. The smell was awful for me though- I felt like I constantly stank of sweaty maple syrup boobs!

Laura, where i am there's a breastfeeding clinic ran by the hospital and local breastfeeding groups in the gp surgeries. Your hv should have info on this. Failing that, on the la leche league website you can see where they have local groups. There may be one close to you. I haven't accessed their support but I hear its excellent.
I had lots of appts with the breastfeeding clinics due to our many issues! (Severe mastitis and being treated for sepsis being one of them...) and each time I came away feeling like it was well worth the visit. I'm not someone who is into accessing lots of different groups but I don't think I'd have been able to continue otherwise. It even changed my mindset.... I used to get up in the middle of the night dreading the next feed and getting anxious but now I look forward to it (as much as you can welcome sleep deprivation...) I really think you should try to get some form of support if you can, if not though I hope the fenugreek makes a big difference for you.

Cheekyandfreaky- I agree it isn't pleasant but thankfully I didn't have to endure it too long !

Also what pump do you use?

Thank you so much Mammy - I've joined a La leche league Facebook group that's near where I live and I'm going to ring my HV on Monday and see what advice she can give me. My pump is a manual one which I've read isn't really ideal x

Hope you're getting on well with your group Laurak, Did you get anywhere with your hv? I use a Tommy tippee pump which does the job. I get 3oz in about 20 min at 9.30pm. If I express through the night its quite a lot more. When I was in hospital I used a medela which was fab!

Hi Mammy,

I posted in the group and although no-one had any direct experience I got lots of lovely replies and lots of helpful links/websites.

Yesterday I rented a medela pump from my local hospital for 2 weeks - and I'm still taking the fenugreek 2-3 capsules 3 times a day.

I've been pumping so much last night and this morning and at the moment I'm only getting a the odd drop 😰 It's really thick as well and I've got a few sort of crystals too - I've literally just got milk on the brain and I'm crossing everything that the fenugreek and constant pumping works !!

Thanks so much for your lovely comments xx

I'll keep everything crossed for you! When I'd started the fenugreek, maybe after 2 or 3 days I pumped about 9pm and then again at 2am. At the 2am session I expressed 5oz I'd never expressed that much before but before I expressed my boobs started to feel solid. I know you're not meant to let yourself become engorged but it seemed to be after this that my supply picked up. X

I'm going to have to set my alarm to pump in the night as she sleeps through pretty much now, she's 11weeks tomorrow so I'm really hoping I haven't left it too late.

I've requested a call back from my gp as well to see if there's anything they can prescribe that might help - I've read online there are prescription medications that can help - in literally willing to try anything !! Xx

@Laurak I had issues with supply and was expressing 8 times in 24hrs to increase supply as well as fenugreek and oats. The thing that made the biggest difference to me was using compressions whilst expressing. It was the only way I could get milk out. Be warned it's painful and I still have cramps in my hands 2 months after stopping it, but, it worked!

Watch the Video below... also check out the website lowmilksupply.org

med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding/maximizing-milk-production.html

First rounder - thank you, I'll look into both of those now 🙂

I've just spoken to my gp to see if there was anything they could give me to help and the dr (female) basically told me that what I'm trying to do is pretty much impossible but to "give it a go anyway but don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work" I feel so disheartened and like I could cry, I want so much for this to work