Funugreek - should I increase the dose?

[maldivemoment]

Currently taking 2x600mg three times a day but not noticing much of a change. Should I increase the amount I am taking? And if so, to what?

Many thanks

I know nowt about fenugreek, except it's a galactagogue, yes?

What problems are you having? How do you know you have supply issues?

What else are you doing? Apologies if you've already been through this on here.

Generally feel that I am not satisfying my baby (16 weeks). Have posted about this in the past.

He wakes up happy and content but generally it goes downhill as the day progresses and I've put that down to him not getting enough milk from yours truly! He still feeds every 2 hours in the day but does not feed for long at all - sometimes just 5 mins and that's both sides. He seems to enjoy using me more as a comfort that a source of nutrition!

We give him a top up of formula with his final feed at night (11ish) and this seems to do him until 6/7am.

I never leak breastmilk and my baby never has that lovely 'drunk' look that I hear others speak of! Also he never comes off the breast by himself. I have to take him off when he has stopped sucking and is using me for comfort. He then becomes very cross at me for doing so! I wind him and put him back on but again he just sucks for comfort. He cannot possibly be feeding well with 5 min feeds, can he? If it were up to him he would be attached to me all day!

Have mentioned to husband that perhaps he would be a happier baby on formula and then I would know for sure he would be getting enough milk. This would be a last resort for me and husband thinks we should continue with breastfeeding.

I desperately want to continue as I have not found breastfeeding easy and I am rather proud of myself to have got this far! So, fenugreek is Plan B!!!

Sorry for long-winded post!

Does the comfort sucking hurt? If not, can you just let him suck? It will still increase your supply. And ... what's wrong with him having comfort?

Have you tried breast compression? (Look at Jack Newman's site for info) That might get him sucking well again, when he slows down.

Some babies don't look drunk. Some mums don't leak.

How many oz do you give him as a supplement? Since when? How is his weight gain?

To be honest, feeding more, and ideally, feeding him at night, at least once, would do more for your supply than any fenugreek.

Feeding more??? More that every 2 hours? There are days when he seems a bit cross that I feed him every hour!

But you're not feeding him between 11pm and 6am. Night feeds do the most for increasing milk supply, because of hormone levels. And of course if he was taking more milk from you (and less formula) that would also increase your supply.

And you're limiting how long he feeds for. Babies do suck hard for a while, then suck gently for a while, then suck hard again, when another letdown happens.

Yes, at this age, especially during periods of fast growth, it's the night feeds that are most effective at increasing supply.

Is your baby gaining weight? Weeing? Pooing? Are there any physical signs of supply issues in your baby?

At 16 weeks my dd fed every 2hrs day and night. I never leaked. She also comfort sucked a lot. Babies do suck for comfort. It's not 'wrong' or 'bad'.

If 5 minute feeds are sustaining growth and your baby is healthy then this is usually more indicative of efficient feeding than prolonged sessions where a baby is not gaining weight and showing physical signs of low supply.

What does your health visitor say? Or a breastfeeding counsellor? Have you seen anybody?

A hungry baby (even with a single formula top up) wouldn't sleep all night.

It's so tough. I constantly worried dd wasn't getting enough. But she was a frequent feeder/snacker and gained a lot of weight. It's just the way she was. She's the same as a toddler. Snacks little and often.