Did fenugreek increase your supply?

[hollowtree]

I'd like to feed DD exclusively BM but I'm struggling with my supply. She was EMCS and I'm suffering with PTSD as birth was very traumatic. She never latched, getting upset and fighting at the breast from the minute she arrived. The midwives were fantastic but we just couldn't get a latch. Instead I was given the electric pump to use every 2 hours which I did. With just the pump my milk never 'came in' and I have never experienced real 'let down' so we had to use formula which is not what I wanted. I am in no way judging, it just wasn't what I wanted for me and her.

I still pump every 2 hours and for a while my supply was enough to feed 50:50 BM and formula. However, since the return of my period, my supply is less and less everyday.

Has anyone had any luck with fenugreek? I am desperate to increase my supply. We still try to BF and have been advised that more milk may help encourage her to latch and feed as there is more of a reward for her.

What worked for you?

I also wake up soaked . Let down hurts for about 10 secs. Like someone tearing your nipple. Fine after that though.

Hollow, you may never get a feeling of fullness or noticeable let down. I've found as I've had more babies the let down became more obvious, almost painful on my last baby with a feeling of achy fizziness.

If your baby is feeding well and putting your breasts under pressure to make more, you may not get that fullness feeling at all except when baby oversleeps the norm. Some people never feel it except when feeding is very well established and they skip a feed, then you'll know all about engorgement.

Try not to worry about the details too much, just keep feeding on demand till things even out and establish themselves. Assuming baby is putting on weight of course.

chick She is 8 weeks and yes we have been to breastfeeding clinics at our midwife centre and see the GP and health visitor for help and support latching. Next step is La Leche League. She was checked for tongue tie at birth but a friend has recently told me they can miss it and it's good to be checked again.

We have got a latch about 5 times in these 8 weeks but she gets upset and fights at the breast because it is not enough, I'm hoping a better supply will encourage this to change over time.

kitty Yes she is gaining weight well! She only lost 3% of her birthweight at her first weighing (usually they lose 8-11%) so no problems there! She's a hungry little thing!

Midwives missed the tt and the HV assured me there wasn't one. DS used to fight and push away too. It was a LLL lactation consultant who diagnosed it.

Hollow, you're doing great then! Bf is very frustrating and you spend a LOT of time worrying about whether they're getting enough or why they are so miserable etc. but that's just babies and at 8 weeks you will soon be out of the worst of it.

Ps. Although I don't believe in Fenugreek on all 3 of my last bf babies I bought it and drank it daily😂 Along with flapjacks (oats also 'supposedly' help). It made me feel like I was doing something to help my miserable, cluster feeding, babies while I stressed every day about my empty boobs.

karate that sounds just like me! I get so stressed about my squishy boobs! I want the fullness I was promised and feel like I'm missing out at weighing clinics when the mum's are all laughing together about their 'rock hard boulders' and the like!

flavia that is so helpful to know, I'm definitely calling them today

Rick hard boulders are not necessarily a good sign. Deflated boobs are the sign of an efficient baby!

Oh yeah, KarateKitten I had to reduce the dose as it was very uncomfortable and no matter how much I pumped it didn't seem to make a difference for long...

So what dose do you recommend to start off with? I know I eventually need to smell of syrup as a sign it is the right dosage for me! Do you start off slow and work up? Or go straight in with an RDA and adjust after that?

I started off on the max dose, I don't think I'd recommend it! Maybe half the dose?

Right ok, why would you not recommend it? Do you mind me asking what happened?

Just that it worked too well and was very uncomfortable for a couple of days! I'd be concerned that oversupply could lead to blocked ducts as I had to just keep pumping to stay comfortable.

Ahh right ok. What was your supply like before fenugreek? Was it a bit like me where you never experienced fullness or did you have a good supply already and it just increased with the fenugreek?

I never really felt any fullness after about 6 to 8 weeks of EBF. Not all women do. Some do not 'feel' the let down either.

Be careful with fenugreek as it can cause bloating and tummy upsets! (Made my tummy gurgle a lot!) I used it in and off with all 3 of mine but never sure if it did work or whether I just thought it did at the time (didn't pump so never measured).

Fennel tea is meant to increase your let down reflex. You may want to look into that too.

Thanks mint I'll give that a go! I'm SO hoping fenugreek will work for me. Eagerly awaiting the Holland and Barrett delivery and desperate to start seeing a difference!

So I've taken 4 x 2 capsules throughout the day, I'm so hoping it works!!!

It made a big difference for me, overnight. I take a blend by a brand called Mother Love, I don't know if you can get it over there (I'm in Canada and it's a Canadian brand) but if you can, I recommend it. This is what I take: www.motherlove.com/product/more-milk-special-blend-capsules

That's amazing mybreastsarentbest thank you so much! I've just bought some mother's milk so going to start drinking that tonight... slight increase in milk already with the fenugreek! My boobs are starting to ache, especially at the sides. Hope that's a good sign!