Milk supply | Mumsnet

Olivia012 · 2025-03-13T21:44:20+00:00

Hi my baby is 5 weeks old and i have been breastfeeding her and also i have been pumping since i was 36 weeks pregnant to collect colostrum. I was expressing about 8 or more oz each time when i was doing so but more recently i can’t seem to get that, i get around 4oz from both breasts together and because i’ve seen the numbers go down i’ve felt discouraged so i barely express now but it made me so happy when i was. Does anybody know what i can do to make my supply go up or have any tips that help/helped them. thanks x

Dellspoem · 13/03/2025 21:53

I’ve been breastfeeding for the last 2.5 years - my older daughter and now my newborn.
Fennel tea, drinking lots of milk, keep all your fluids up, lots of fresh fruit and veg. Make sure everything you eat has some sort of water in it.
There’s a tea called mothers milk, I got some from holland and barret.
I find that pumping gets less out than the actual baby so don’t worry
I put baby on little and often and it keeps it flowing
Bonding, eye contact, etc. releases oxytocin.
Calling the national breastfeeding hotline and crying to the lovely lady is something I have done, often.

Original poster

Olivia012 · 13/03/2025 21:55

Dellspoem · 13/03/2025 21:53

I’ve been breastfeeding for the last 2.5 years - my older daughter and now my newborn.
Fennel tea, drinking lots of milk, keep all your fluids up, lots of fresh fruit and veg. Make sure everything you eat has some sort of water in it.
There’s a tea called mothers milk, I got some from holland and barret.
I find that pumping gets less out than the actual baby so don’t worry
I put baby on little and often and it keeps it flowing
Bonding, eye contact, etc. releases oxytocin.
Calling the national breastfeeding hotline and crying to the lovely lady is something I have done, often.

Thankyou i have been searching online on what can help but i feel like i need to speak to mums who actually breastfeed and know more than me aha x

OP posts:

Dellspoem · 13/03/2025 22:43

It’s not easy, but just remember your baby is 100% getting what she needs from your milk. The more you put her on you the more will come. Also your milk will properly come in at some point - with my first it came in at about 8 weeks and second it came in at about 3 weeks.

Another thing I just thought of - I used to pump a lot using a medela pump but nothing would come, but when I changed to a bigger nipple that made a difference. I have an elvie wearable pump now. For me that’s way better. But obviously everyone is different.

Also do have a think about calling the breastfeeding helpline https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding/help-and-support/

Oh and lastly, it’s fine to not breastfeed. Fed is best. My second is mixed fed and it works perfectly for me and him. Just do what feels right for you at the end of the day xx

pitterypattery00 · 13/03/2025 22:54

I was told by feeding specialist midwife that the amount you express doesn't reflect the amount baby gets when feeding. Some people are able to express large amounts, others not much. And which group you fall into can change over time. I didn't express at all beyond the early weeks as just wasn't worry the effort for the few ml I got, but successfully breastfed til 15 mths.

It takes a good 6-8 weeks for breastfeeding to be established. Feeding (or expressing) overnight is the key to this for hormonal reasons - think of it as putting in your milk order for the following day.

Original poster

Olivia012 · 13/03/2025 23:00

Dellspoem · 13/03/2025 22:43

It’s not easy, but just remember your baby is 100% getting what she needs from your milk. The more you put her on you the more will come. Also your milk will properly come in at some point - with my first it came in at about 8 weeks and second it came in at about 3 weeks.

Another thing I just thought of - I used to pump a lot using a medela pump but nothing would come, but when I changed to a bigger nipple that made a difference. I have an elvie wearable pump now. For me that’s way better. But obviously everyone is different.

Also do have a think about calling the breastfeeding helpline https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding/help-and-support/

Oh and lastly, it’s fine to not breastfeed. Fed is best. My second is mixed fed and it works perfectly for me and him. Just do what feels right for you at the end of the day xx

thankyou for the reassurance and your time it means a lot, i might try a bigger size with my pump too. she’s my first and i’m only 18 so i feel a lot better after speaking to someone with experience. I will definitely call the breastfeeding helpline as i will probably worry again. xx

OP posts:

Original poster

Olivia012 · 14/03/2025 09:39

pitterypattery00 · 13/03/2025 22:54

I was told by feeding specialist midwife that the amount you express doesn't reflect the amount baby gets when feeding. Some people are able to express large amounts, others not much. And which group you fall into can change over time. I didn't express at all beyond the early weeks as just wasn't worry the effort for the few ml I got, but successfully breastfed til 15 mths.

It takes a good 6-8 weeks for breastfeeding to be established. Feeding (or expressing) overnight is the key to this for hormonal reasons - think of it as putting in your milk order for the following day.

thankyou i put her on me in the night but im going to start pumping in the night too see if that makes a difference xx

OP posts:

Original poster

Olivia012 · 14/03/2025 09:40

pitterypattery00 · 13/03/2025 22:54

I was told by feeding specialist midwife that the amount you express doesn't reflect the amount baby gets when feeding. Some people are able to express large amounts, others not much. And which group you fall into can change over time. I didn't express at all beyond the early weeks as just wasn't worry the effort for the few ml I got, but successfully breastfed til 15 mths.

It takes a good 6-8 weeks for breastfeeding to be established. Feeding (or expressing) overnight is the key to this for hormonal reasons - think of it as putting in your milk order for the following day.

i hope i can feed for that long x

OP posts:

Didntask · 14/03/2025 09:43

I could barely express 3oz in a day over several sessions, but ds was successfully ebf - some weeks over the first few months he was gaining .5kg in a week. Finally stopped when he was nearly 4yo.

pitterypattery00 · 14/03/2025 15:17

Is there a reason you want to pump? Is it to have a supply of breast milk to feed from a bottle? Completely understandable that you might want to use a bottle sometimes, but if breast feeding is going well for you then from my experience I think you'd make your life a lot easier if you exclusively breast fed until about 8 weeks and your supply is established. If you then want to pump to build up a milk supply then you will have more time between feeds to do so.

Breastfeeding is a full time job in the early weeks so unless there's a reason you have to pump, I wouldn't. I speak from experience - my own baby was tongue tied, couldn't be treated for weeks due to pandemic, and I ended up in a nightmare of breastfeeding, expressing, and bottle feeding (expressed breast milk and formula). It's too much - well it was for me.

Original poster

Olivia012 · 14/03/2025 19:24

pitterypattery00 · 14/03/2025 15:17

Is there a reason you want to pump? Is it to have a supply of breast milk to feed from a bottle? Completely understandable that you might want to use a bottle sometimes, but if breast feeding is going well for you then from my experience I think you'd make your life a lot easier if you exclusively breast fed until about 8 weeks and your supply is established. If you then want to pump to build up a milk supply then you will have more time between feeds to do so.

Breastfeeding is a full time job in the early weeks so unless there's a reason you have to pump, I wouldn't. I speak from experience - my own baby was tongue tied, couldn't be treated for weeks due to pandemic, and I ended up in a nightmare of breastfeeding, expressing, and bottle feeding (expressed breast milk and formula). It's too much - well it was for me.

Shes nearly 6 weeks now the only reason i pumped was to have the option for my partner to feed her too whilst i got showers ect but now i find it easier to just put her on me i think i will pump now and then and then properly pump when she is 8 weeks and has more of a routine to go off so i can pump when shes not feeding x

OP posts:

Dellspoem · 14/03/2025 21:52

Olivia012 · 13/03/2025 23:00

thankyou for the reassurance and your time it means a lot, i might try a bigger size with my pump too. she’s my first and i’m only 18 so i feel a lot better after speaking to someone with experience. I will definitely call the breastfeeding helpline as i will probably worry again. xx

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aww bless you sweetie, you’re doing a great job xx