Increasing milk supply.

[Loispeggymae1]

I stopped breast feeding when I had to go back to hospital a week after having my little girl. I’m trying to breast feed again after my milk supply had dried up. My girl is a month old now and I find it hard but not impossible to get her to latch. I have a double breast pump and after every bottle feed (currently formula fed) I use the pump for 15 mins. I’m barely getting 25ml all together for every pumping session. How can I increase my milk supply by alot!!!???? I did have a goal to have her exclusively breast feeding by my sisters wedding next Friday but it’s looking a bit impossible atm!

Drink loads of water and eat lots of oats and more generally make sure you're eating well.

Drink water while you express. You could try expressing directly after a hot shower or use a warm compress on the boob just before you express.

I remember feeling deflated at the small amounts I got expressing (first couple of weeks I was barely getting 15ml in 40 minutes (single pump). It did pick up though and a few weeks down the line I could get 100ml in a session (still not loads by other women's standards but I was happy with it).

Good luck. It's not easy but determination does often pay off with milk supply.

I think it’s really positive that baby will latch and you are getting sone milk when you pump. Try not to focus too much on getting LO fully BF by next Thursday. I’ve read of others who have successfully relactate afterxa rocky start but I don’t think it’s a quick process. I’m not trained though so not sure but putting extra pressure on yourself can’t be good?

Are you getting help too? All the women I know who’ve relactate have done it with the help of a BFC. See if there’s a LLL group on your area or ring one of the BFing Helplines and ask if there’s a BFC near to you.

Kellymom have some information on relactating here which you may find useful.

Try to take a decent vitamin and mineral supplement and relax too if you can

Fenugreek, oats and there are prescription medications that help boost supply. I never found anything much made a difference with me but keep pumping. I tended to find that when I pumped I got some initial milk relatively quickly then after more than 15 minutes I'd get a second wave come in so try for long enough to see if that happens. I hired the hospital grade double pump from the midwives and that was so much better than the one I'd been using. Good luck

I would latch her and keep her on the breast as much as possible. Lots of water and food for you, a bowl or two of oats a day. Babies are much more efficient than a pump, so the fact you’re getting 25ml with the pump is fantastic.

Can you take the baby to the wedding? I had a wedding to go to and I breastfed. I was very nervous about it but in the end it was fine - just wore a v neck dress that I could pull down, and because I didn't want pictures with me in the background with breasts out; took an extra t shirt with me; which I wore on top of the dress when it was time to breastfeed. Good luck!