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Encouraging milk production (also in Pregnancy)

I wasn't successful in BFing my daughter but am going to try again with this one. My main issue with her was just next to no milk (I am on meds for high BP which I later read can suppress milk production). I am just wondering whether anyone has any tips for encouraging milk production? Are there some herbal remedies or something I can take in the run up to the birth?



Thanks! x

Replies

  • The best thing to do, is once baby is born, make sure they have unrestricted time at the breast, nurse every opportunity you get, and lots of skin to skin in the other times. If this is tricky with your other lo, try wearing the new baby in a sling.



    Keep them near you and just feed feed feed. The first few weeks are most important. My son couldn't latch for the first few days, but I stayed in hospital, had 1hours skin to skin every 3 hours and expressed into a syringe to feed every 3 hours too, it was hard work, but when my milk came in it got easier, and at 7 months I've got an excellent supply.



    Remember engorged breasts are not good, it means baby isn't effectively emptying the breast, soft boobs are better. Though you may well have slight engorgement when the milk first comes in, which could be between 3-5 days after birth, this is normal, don't worry if it's not in on day 3.



    Try not to supplement at all, either breast milk or formula for the first few weeks, as this will interfere with supply too, breast milk production works on supply and demand, if baby isn't feeding from you, your body doesn't know it needs to make milk. This also means no dummys until a few weeks either, the comfort sucking baby does at the end of a feed helps increase your supply too.





    Best thing to do is to find a good breastfeeding group before birth so you have the support system in place for when you need it.





    Hope this helps
  • I had massive problems with supply and i was prescribed domperidone on the advice of the lactation consultant, it's actually a tablet that deals with gastric problems but it has the side effect of increasing prolactin, and i found that my supply was plentiful after just a few days. I tried all the natural things going (breast compressions, switch feeding etc) but in the end this was the only thing that worked and helped me BF until 9 months x
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