re: [ breastfeeding question ]...

Quoting Mel. Kaidyn's Mummy:“ what are they exactly? and do you have to go to the doctors to get them?”

nope i got some at a maternity store.
they come in pill or liquid.
i took pills and they worked so good! i noticed an increase after a few days.

i have pills that i take sometime called "more milk plus" completely natural herbal supplement that you can find at health food stores. it works...and youare supposed to drink lots of water with it. also, you may be pumping out less since your body is adjusting to how much sophia eats. but really, everyone's milk supply is different!

I buy my fenugreek from Puritan's Pride (www.puritan.com). They're so much cheaper there than anywhere else because they are both the manufacturer and the distributor. There's always a great sale, and when I bought mine it was 8 cent shipping. So I got 5 bottles for $9 after tax and shipping. One bottle at the grocery store was $6. Forget that. I'm all about more for less.  

Some women's bodies simply don't respond to pumping, as far as actual output. The way a baby nurses and the way a pump extracts milk are not the same.

this happened to me too. So, i started supplementing with formula. That just made my supply decrease even more! Now i cant breastfeed at all! It suckkss.

i have been having BF problems too and i have to give him formula. He gets 90% BreastMilk and 10% Formula. I do all breast from morning until he goes to sleep. I give him formula 2-3 times from like 12am to 7am depends on how many times he wakes up it's usually 2 times. I give him the Enfamil Lipil w/Iron and it's cheaper at walmart like $2-$3 less than at the regular store. I tried Similac but it made him sick. You can take that Fenugreek stuff i'm going to start taking them today.

Quoting mrs.pinder:“ nope i got some at a maternity store. they come in pill or liquid. i took pills and they worked so good! i noticed an increase after a few days.”

hmm i googled it and i just saw herbs?
haha
but ill hav to try

Did you try a beer? It really does work. You dont have to drink a ton, but just one will do it. That and drink A LOT of water. If you get dehyrdrated, your boobs get dehydrated.

Since you are breastfeeding exclusively, you know that breastfeeding is supply and demand ( duh! I know...). We always remember that when it comes to the baby needing more. But, also, your supply decreases on demand as well. Your baby probably isn't requiring as much milk as you were thinking which is why you aren't pumping as much as you were before.

Breastmilk isn't the same as formula so 6 ounces of formula may be equvilant to 3 ounces of BM. So, when you are pumping, try not to think about the ounces as much. Your body is making what your daugher needs.

If you still feel the need to up your supply, you can try Fenugreek. I don't think it really works that well though if you are already making enough for your baby.

Does she seem to be hungry still after you nurse her or is it just that you aren't getting as much when you pump?  Lydia is four months old and still only eats 3-4 ounce of breast milk per feeding when she is baby sat by others.  We breast feed exclusively and she has grown exactly the way she should.  Right on the growth curve.  Don't worry about what you're getting out when you pump.  Rather, go by what she seems to be needing directly from  your breast.  Is she satisfied or acting like she didn't get enough?  Is she having enough wet and poopy diapers?  These are the things to look at, not how much a pump will get out.  A pump is much less effective at getting milk out than baby.  Also your milk supply is probably just regulated, not necessarily too little.  At first your body makes a ton, in case you have a very hungry baby or twins or more.  Then as baby nurses, your body begins to decrease it's supply to make only what baby needs.  It's the whole supply and demand thing that HollsSN was talking about.  

The following tend to decrease my supply for my pumping (but Lydia is still getting enough):
Not drinking enough water.  
Distraction (if I am doing ten things at once, I hardly get anything out)
Time since last feeding.  (if you are still at home with her and not away from her, then I am assuming she is getting all her feedings from the breast and not bottle, so you're not missing a feeding and having to pump between).  If it's not time for Lydia to eat again, I don't get half as much out as I would at a feeding time.  I also get more out of the breast that we used two feedings ago, than the one used most recently (we have to do one per session because of oversupply)

I hope all my ramblings make sense, I am running on little sleep since the baby had a tummy ache and slept in our bed last night.  

are you soley pumping? If not then it is just your supply regulating itself. If you are, you can try the fenugreek, or doctors can perscribe regulan, or dopamine (Sp) Also oatmeal will help your supply..( It really does! )

Good Luck! I know how you feel about not wanting to have to supplement.

Quoting Megan♥ baby Lydia:“ Does she seem to be hungry still after you nurse her or is it just that you aren't getting as much when ... [snip!] ... all my ramblings make sense, I am running on little sleep since the baby had a tummy ache and slept in our bed last night. ”

thank you for all the help. i appreciate it!! =D

Quoting jamils_mommy:“ are you soley pumping? If not then it is just your supply regulating itself. If you are, you can try ... [snip!] ... oatmeal will help your supply..( It really does! ) Good Luck! I know how you feel about not wanting to have to supplement.”

yea, i only pump. i rarely put her directly on the breast (unless she is just ext fussy and NEEDS to eat right then and there). it just hurts way to bad for me. but i still feel good knowing that shes still getting breast milk whether it be from a bottle or my breast.

but yea ill try some of the things you mentioned.

today i pumped over 10 oz from both breast together. i was really happy about that.

and i feel more coming in right now   yay i hope it stays this way

Quoting Ashley [Sophia's Mama]:“ yea, i only pump. i rarely put her directly on the breast (unless she is just ext fussy and NEEDS to ... [snip!] ... both breast together. i was really happy about that. and i feel more coming in right now   yay i hope it stays this way”

I didn't realize that you solely pumped.  My input was more for if you were nursing and pumping just for storage sake.  But, as long as she's not screaming for more when she finishes,  you guys should be fine, still.  It does take less breast milk to fill a baby than formula like HollsSN said.  Hope it all works out for you guys.