Increasing supply?

[AnotherOriginalUsername]

Baby is approaching 3 weeks old.

He's never been able to latch so has been bottle fed since about 36 hours old. He's been tried several times at the breast over his three weeks, we spent a week in hospital following birth so had lots of support, seen feeding specialist etc. It just isn't happening. As a result he's fed a combination of expressed milk and formula and is taking both happily. He's a hungry baby, growing rapidly, feeds very well and keeps it all down.

Initially I had a very good supply, the midwives were shocked at how much I was able to express, but complications during labour mean I'm now on medication which I was warned could affect my supply. Add to this a hungry baby and even expressing several times a day, I'm only getting enough in total for one full feed a day and this amount seems to be reducing.

I'm home all day today so going to try "power pumping"

Any other tips/old wives tales/witchcraft to increase supply?

There’s a great article on Kellymom that should help. Have you tried calling one of the BFing Helplines too?

Loads of water if you're not drinking loads already. I mean loads.

Also Neuners nursing tea is worth a try.

I managed to up my supply by drinking loads of water, lots of skin to skin and fenugreek capsules (but it stinks). If you are home all day today literally spend the whole day skin to skin. Also a powerpump lile you have planned should help! Also, I always find i can express more when im holding the baby and thinking about him amd how much i love him lol... i know it sounds corny but when im in a rush and just stick the pump on i never seem to get as much!! Oh and do u massage prior to pumping?

Try and stop start the pumping (if your home) so half as long twice as often. I found I got more going for a five minute walk and coming back than I did pumping continuously.

I found that investing into a double electric pump increased my supply hugely and I am now expressing 30 ounces a day and that is expressing four times a day for 15 minutes. I bought the medela symphony and also use it with a pumping bra so I'm hands free.

I also drink lots of water and have lots of skin to skin.

I forgot to add that initially to increase my supply I also started power pumping for 30 minutes every two hours and that seemed to work for me. I pumped even though nothing was coming out and eventually my supply increased.