how to tell if breast milk supply is low

Ok so a week ago I got really sick, throwing up and diareaha. I lost alot fluids that night and I'm breastfeeding. Well since then my milk has been very low. I have been trying to pump after each feeding to make sure I empty the breast to stimulate more milk, but it's not. I have been drinking alot of fluids, eating well. I've had to supplement almost every night with formula or with pumped milk.

My baby was in the nicu and got used to using bottles and gets too frustrated to wait for my milk when breast feeding so he pulls away so I just pump and feed him using bottles but throughout the day my output is low and my stock in the fridge is running low, what can I do to quickly boost my supply?

I want to start pumping more often to increase my supply so that way if i go somewhere i have milk put aside. Tonight i plan on having a few drinks and already have enough milk pumped for that. I find i dont get much when i pump, maybe 3 oz total from both boobs. I almost exclusively bf. How can i increase the amount im pumping? Any tips to help with pumping? Best times to pump?

But do remember that even just a little bit of breast milk is way better than them never having it. So if you have to stop or just aren't producing enough that little bit of time doing it was super helpful. I was only able to EBF my first for 3 months but since she was 5lbs at birth and she was a crazy super chunky thing at 3 months I know the BM did it's job while it could.

I second responses. If you are concerned, formula can be given, but don't be worried, baby will be fine as long as you religiously latch him/her on a schedule this way it gets the milk supply going. It will be uncomfortable at first and I probably cried for a week BC my nipples were raw, but it is worth it... Don't give up... Breast milk is so much better and cheaper!!!!

All I know is the more they feed off you the more milk your body makes. Its their suckling that stimulates the milk supply. I found pumping milk very hard esp in first few weeks.

Your body is probably adjusting to the amount of milk your baby needs. Mine never felt hard even in the beginning. But if you want to try and up your supply make some lactation cookies.. Just Google a recipe for them. I know sounds silly but they help with milk supply. Also drinking milk helps and lots of water!!

Most likely the problem should be a fairly simple fix. If your low milk supply cannot be increased by changing how often you breastfeed or how you breastfeed then they may suggest a herbal supplement or prescription drug to help. There are a few different herbal remedies you can use to help increase your production of breast milk. One popular supplement that has been approved as a safe supplement is Fenugreek. Fenugreek is used both as an herb and as a spice.

t the right forum but I feel more comfortable asking questions here...I had my daughter on the 9th and at first I had a really good milk supply where my breast would become engorged every two hours if I didn't pump or feed regularly....and I was pumping 2/3 ounces from each breast every time.....now I can hardly get an half an ounce :(....I try to have my daughter on my breast every two hours but it seems like she gets so irritated because nothing is coming out....

A good indicator of a low supply is not enough wet and dirty diapers, if she is having plebty then she is getting enough.

Or they hit a slump at around the three-or six-month mark. A low milk supply is not inevitable. But if your supply does dip, here are some possible reasons why and how to bring your supply back up.

The best way to build your supply is to continue to let baby nurse at your breast as long as THEY want to nurse. So get comfy and grab your Boppy and put in a movie marathon. You do not need to supplement with formula. This does not sound like a supply issue but what is termed "cluster feeding". Baby needs to nurse at LEAST 15 minutes on each side at this age so wake baby up (tickle their feet, undress him, change his diaper, etc.) and keep him at the breast.

Yup thats it!! Some woman leak quite alot while others don't. Whether you do or you don't, won't determine your milk supply. Keep putting baby on the breast to help stimulate the flow. Yehh I'm sure you'll be fine!

Anytime you think baby is hungry put baby to breast. If baby is peeing and pooping enough then you know baby is getting what they need. Stay away from bottle and pacifies as much as possible until you get your supply going. 3.) should breastfeeding hurt? Last time it hurt my nipples so bad, I could barely stand it. they were raw. is that normal? Your nipples may be a little sore in the beginning but it does get better. You need to buy Lanolin cream, that may help with the soreness.

My first day after he was born I had to work very hard for a few drops but as the days went on I made more and more until I was able to fill 2oz containers each time I pumped. Now that my son is up to 35cc of milk in a bottle plus 15-20 minutes breast feeding every 3 hours, my milk supply has plummeted. I thought the more he fed and the more I pumped the more milk I would produce. But it's the opposite. Now I'm barely making 20-25cc each time I pump. It's stressing me out.

BUT he is more content on breast milk. So i am wondering if there is a way that i can figure out if my breast milk fatty enough, or inadiquate in anyway. I want to desperatly breast feed but if i need to put my ego aside and supplement for my babies sake i will do it. But how do i know? any suggestions?

Thank you ladies. And thanks to God my little man is home with mommy. And at first i had a lot of breastmilk and now it's low. But thank you ladies, i will try. And im confused the lady at wic told me to drink a lot of milk. But i will surely drink more water. Thank you both.

I breast fed my daughter and I always had extra to put in the fridge. I just had to pump at the time she usually had to feed and I kept producing alot of milk.

i believe it is possible to get pregnant while breast feeding, it is not as good a contraceptive as tales would have us believe...as for your milk, i have no idea i'm afraid as i never produced any at all with either of my children (i did try for a week with each but simply had 2 hungry babies and was so frazzled i had to give in!!) so couldnt even say how long it takes to dry up after birth!

I've heard that breastfeeding regularly works better than the pump to improve supply. It's still early, keep trying. Your milk supply should kick in soon. Some women also take a supplement called milky which supposedly helps.

When I stopped breast feeding my son (who is now 3) I stretched it out over about a month, but you can definitely do it faster if you wish. Feed him only from the breast (or pump) when you are very full, like you said you were doing. Let only a little bit of milk out, just to relieve the fullness, but do not completely drain your breasts. Continue to do this until your breasts are no longer producing milk.

def dont suppliment, it will be a growth spurt, just put him to breast as often as he wants and your milk supply will increase to his demands, also you shouldnt feel engorged anymore as your milk supply will be regulated by how much your bub is having :)

Any new moms having problems with breastfeeding? My daughter is 2 weeks old and my milk supply is still low when I pump it's only 1oz from both breast sometimes less so I had to put her on formula which breaks my heart because I wanted to exclusively breastfeed for 3 months and then do both when I go back to work but I had no choice.

You have to do what is right for you. If trying to maintain milk supply is stressful for you, its going to hinder your progress. Your baby will get everything s/he needs whether you opt for formula or breast. If I were in this situation, I would opt for breast and see how it works, changing over to formula is easy enough. Good luck, just keep in mind that breast or bottle everything will work out.

How to tell if breast milk supply is low

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