mommas, six ways to increase your milk supply
From the very beginning, I knew I wanted to provide my baby boy with my own milk. But from the very beginning, it was quite a challenge. Establishing my milk supply was tricky and preventing it from dipping was incredibly hard. On top of that, hearing that so many of the mommas around me were producing insane amounts of milk and without much effort, made it even harder sometimes to stick with my goal. I barely had enough milk to get through the week and these mommas had enough stockpiled to feed their baby and all the babies on their block for months!
Somehow I managed to stay committed and in the process, tried many things to improve my production. For all the mommas out there that can relate, I wanted to share what worked for me.
If you’re not ready to give up breastfeeding or pumping just yet but your supply is waning, try these six tips first.
1. Up the H20
This is so important!! Drinking plenty of water is a direct way to increase your milk supply. The Mayo Clinic recommends that lactating women consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day. Make sure that you drink water throughout the day but especially the times when you are breastfeeding or pumping.
It was surprising to me how effective water was even though it’s so obvious why. There is a proven correlation between staying hydrated and one’s milk supply. It’s hard to not get caught up in the day and forget to drink enough, so it’s important to keep track and make sure you’re getting the recommended amount.
I make sure to grab a tall glass of water every time I sit down to pump. One of my friends who is a nurse told me that it’s ok to substitute other beverages on occasion if you get bored with drinking only water. She recommended drinking fresh juices as a healthy alternative. I love water so this wasn’t an issue for me.
2. Find some fenugreek
Fenugreek is a galactagogue. This basically means that it acts as a stimulant, directly affecting a woman’s milk glands so she produces more milk. Fenugreek can be taken in several forms. I tried each of the following.
a. Drinking a tea made of fenugreek. Fenugreek seeds are soaked in water overnight. This water is then boiled for several minutes and then strained to remove seeds, leaving you with a fenugreek tea. I drank this every morning for the first four months.
b. Taking fenugreek seed capsules, for example these FenuTrax supplements. I took the recommended amount which was 2 capsules 3x daily, with food. I took Nature’s Way Fenugreek Capsules.
c. Taking whole fenugreek seeds. I took roughly ½ tablespoon of whole fenugreek seeds directly by swallowing them with water.
I noticed an increase in my milk supply with each of these methods, usually within a 48 hour period; however, taking the fenugreek directly provided the best results for me. I noticed a huge increase almost immediately after taking the fenugreek this way. It usually took less than one day to see a noticeable difference. For me, the least effective was the tea. Not to mention, it wasn’t the most tasty beverage to consume either!
You can purchase whole fenugreek seeds and capsules at health food stores and Indian/Middle Eastern food markets.
Side effects are rare, but women who are allergic to peanuts or chickpeas should avoid fenugreek. If you have any concerns, you should consult your doctor or healthcare provider.
3. Roll out the oats
The lactation consultant I met with told me that oatmeal is rich in iron and there’s a direct link between iron intake and an increase in milk production. Oats are also known to be a lactogenic food or one that increases milk supply. When eaten regularly, it is thought to increase a woman’s milk supply. It totally did for me. An added bonus? Oatmeal is a terrific source of fiber and folic acid which is another awesome benefit especially for mommas.
Once I learned the benefits of oatmeal, I indulged in a big bowl of instant oatmeal (Quaker Oats) for lunch almost everyday for approximately 3 months (stay tuned for my own momma’s very own recipe in a future post). If somehow I skipped it for lunch, then I munched on a few oatmeal cookies instead. Trader Joe’s has these great oatmeal chocolate chips cookies in snack size bags – less than 100 calories per serving too! Oh and I did I mention I never had oatmeal before I became a mom…never. I’m a total oatmeal lover now!
There are no major side effects with oatmeal, but women with sensitive digestive systems may want to consult their physician or healthcare provider before adding oatmeal into their diet.
4. Get more z’s
I know it’s hard to get sleep especially as a new mom. Everyone tells you to sleep when the baby does. We all know this is easier said than done but truthfully, sleep is so essential to production. I noticed that the more sleep I was able get – even short 20 minute power naps here and there, really helped to bump up my volumes.
5. Find your zen
When I pumped, I really tried to maintain a calm, relaxed, peaceful state of mind. I breathed deeply, meditated and let my mind wander into places of happiness. I do believe your mental state has power over your physical state.
Another thing that really helped me initially to stay calm and relaxed was to focus on a picture of my baby while I pumped. Listening to good music was beneficial too. I tried not to focus on how much I was producing or not producing. I refrained from looking down and calculating my volumes as I pumped. This only adds stress into the mix and that is the one thing you have to, NEED to avoid. Stress makes it almost impossible for your body’s letdown reflex to kick in. Keeping your body nice and relaxed using whatever method(s) work for you, definitely helps with achieving a good let down or three.
6. Pump (or breastfeed) away!
The way it was explained to me in my Breastfeeding Basics class, was that a woman’s body creates breast milk due to a very basic “supply and demand” logic. Basically, the more you pump/breastfeed your baby, the more milk your body will produce. You breastfeed/pump out your supply causes a demand in your body. Your body wants to replace what was lost and so you produce more. Initially, I was pumping every 1 1/2 – 2 hours just to establish my supply. Over time, the gap between pumps increased. But that initial routine really worked and was necessary to get everything going. A lot of my breastfeeding friends pumped a solid 10-15 minutes after each breast-feeding session, to help increase their milk supply even more.
So there you have it. Six ways that helped me and are still helping me to keep my supply up. I’m not sure how long I will continue pumping – there is no right or wrong timeframe, you just have to do what works for you – but for now, I plan to stay a hydrated, relaxed, fenugreek takin’, oatmeal lovin’, power nappin’ pumping momma. 😉
Mommas, have you tried any of these methods to help improve your milk supply? What worked the best for you? Did you try anything else?
-Shraddha
0 Comments
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Shraddha
Heidi, I think we had a similar experience. And I agree, exhausting but completely worth it. I know it’s helping Jai in so many ways!! Thanks for the tip with donating milk and fenugreek…very good to know!
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Gurpreet
Hi Shraddha… Really wonderful article especially for first time mom…
My baby is 5 weeks n had latching issue n so I have been pumping. But recently my nipples got sore and my gynae advised not to pump but rather hand express the milk. It takes time n so i have been able to express only 4-5 times a day.. This is reducing my supply. Is there any way i can increase my supply without adding another expressing session as i don’t get time. I have started taking methi seeds 1 tsp both morning and at night but is it ok to take them even in summers?-
Shraddha
Yes definitely!! Keep pumping – dont give up and try your best!
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Patsy
Do you know why they won’t take it if you’re using it?
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Naiya
Great tips! I always tell mommas to start fenugreek before they get pregnant (if possible) and throughout the pregnancy as long as their OB approves it.
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Shraddha
I never thought to start fenugreek before and during the pregnancy. Thanks, Naiya!!
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Neha
Definetly took fenugreek for the first three months of nursing. I didn’t have a problem with supply but I took it anyway. Soaked the seeds in glass of water overnight. I also added ‘ajwain’ seeds to my drink to prevent gas pains.
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Shraddha
Neha, my mom added dill seed water as well. Apparently, that helps with gas too. Thanks for your tip with the ajwain. 🙂
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Bhakti
I drank LOTS of organic mother’s milk tea. Whole Foods carries it. And since I hated the flavor, I threw in a packet of Splenda or some honey and it made it a lot easier to drink.
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Shraddha
I haven’t tried that yet Bhagi…I’ll let you know how it goes for me. Thanks for sharing another tip!!
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Bindhu
Great post! One thing I would love to add that I found extremely important in keeping up my supply and motivation that I did with my second that I didn’t do with my first… Go to breastfeeding support groups. They are free and they really do help. I went twice a week the first month or so and then continue to go once a week for the first 4-5 months.
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Shraddha
That’s a fantastic idea that I’m so glad you brought up, Bindhu. Support groups can be a terrific source of strength and motivation. Thank you. 🙂
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April
I’m from the town that Neesha grew up in and there is a local company that may interest you. There are lots of lactation cookie recipes online… mostly oatmeal based for obvious reasons. There are two moms from here that are aslo local physicians and they both had trouble maintaining their milk supply. They tried several recipes with little success and then just created their own recipe. So they created a cookie company and ship them out from Virginia. Here is the link to their site: http://www.milkin-cookies.com/
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Shraddha
April, this is awesome info for our readers! Thank you so much!!
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Filpa
Yeast from beer helps so try alcohol free beer!! I also drank a lot of chocolate milk. The fenugreek sometimes caused my blood sugar to drop. Mother’s milk tea helped too. I think it’s important for moms to remember that this is not time to diet and they must EAT, EAT, AND EAT!!! I nursed both mine for about a year and I credit their healthy toddler life to it. BREAST IS BEST!
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Shraddha
Hi Filpa…great advice. And yes , breast is best!! But each momma has to do what’s best for her, so there is no right or wrong. 🙂
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Megha
Hi.. Greet post. I wanted to know that did you do all of the above? I wanted to know the dosage for taking only the seeds. Would you please share your knowledge. Thanks!
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Shraddha
Hi Megha! I did all of the above and it worked! For the seeds, I took roughly 4 tsp worth. Hope this helps!
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Megha
Thanks Shraddha for your reply. I am taking everything you have mentioned except oatmeal at the moment. Will start that too. Thanks for the post!
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chaimommas
You’re so welcome, Megha! Let me know how everything works out.
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Akhila
Thanks for the great tips! I have been struggling to get this right. I am really hopeful that these tips will help me. Thanks a lot !
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Shraddha
You’re so welcome, Akhila! I really hope my tips help you. Let me know how it goes. 🙂
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Shraddha
Hi Cai! Thanks…I’m happy that it helped!!
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Megha
Hi Shraddha, thanks again. The oats are helping too.
To all – sorry a little off topic but thought it would help to mention it here. If you are pumping make sure your breast shield is of correct size. I changed to a bigger size and it helped a lot (more supply)!
Thanks!
Megha-
chaimommas
Thanks for sharing the tip on the shield size…SO important!
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Meredith
Great info-thank you! How much and how often to take fenugreek seeds? Did you take the seeds and capsules at the same time?
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Shraddha
Hi Meredith! I took both the capsules and the fenugreek seeds simultaneously. If I remember correctly, I was taking the capsules twice daily (midday and mid afternoon) and then taking the seeds also twice daily (once after waking and once right before bed). The first morning pump was especially high in volume even though I was pumping through the night as well. Hope this helps and try it out – I think you’ll also see results!
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Juliana
Hi Shraddha…can I take only fenugreek seeds directly after soaking them for sometime or do i need to also take capsules….please advice…if i want to take only fenugreek seeds directly how many times do i need to take them in a day….
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Shraddha
Hi Juliana. I used to take the pills in addition to the fenugreek seeds as well. I figured it wouldn’t hurt. And I noticed it helped. The only side effect I noticed was that my pee smelled like maple syrup! Anyways, I took the pills according to the directions on the bottles. I think it was 4 pills several times a day. I took a roughly a tablespoon of unsoaked fenugreek seeds twice a day. Just swallowed them with some water. Hope this helps and best of luck!
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Juliana
Hi Shraddha, sorry to ask you again…i got one more idea….i mean can i just make a powder of the fenugreek seeds and then mix that pdr in milk or water and drink it….may be that will be fine….i cannot take fenugreek seeds just like that….it gives me vomiting sensation….
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Shraddha
Hi Juliana…no worries, love to hear from you all! I think it’s a great idea and def worth trying and if it helps you with taking the fenugreek then it’s worth it for sure. I may try that out this pregnancy too!! Thanks 🙂
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Nina
Did you soak the seeds before eating them?
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Shraddha
Hi Nina…I didn’t soak the . I don’t think it would matter. But I just swallowed roughly one table spoon with water twice a day. Once when I woke up and once before bed. My night time pump would be crazy in terms of amount produced. I think the fenugreek plus getting some rest helped a lot. Best of luck!
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Rajeshree
I’m all about taking Fenugreek, but my MIL keeps telling me that it warms the body and that isn’t good for the baby…anyone have any insights or more info?
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Shraddha
My mother and mother in law were actually the ones who got me to take fenugreek. And I really believed it to help. Even the nurses in the hospital told me about fenugreek capsules that I could purchase at health food stores should I need any help. Trust your gut a d try it out if you can…otherwise, try the other tips in my post….the oatmeal really helped me too and keeping up with water. Goodluck!
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Arsha Manuel
Shraddha, that was really some great tips…! M a new mom for a 5 day old baby and am loosing my baby for dehydration as I couldn’t give enuf breast milk. Was so depressed and irritated too…especially when baby is crying all 24 hours….!! N no sleep w/o knowing what to do… The doc keeps saying take pills and give it time
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Shraddha
Hi Arsha, I know how frustrating it can get. I delivered very prematurely and wasn’t sure if I could produce any milk. But I kept at it and followed these tips and then left it up to my body to do the rest. If you’re not ready to give up, then don’t. And if you are ready to move on b/c of the frustration…then don’t feel bad. Just always remember, you’re making decisions that are best for your baby and yourself and sometimes that means that you’re doing things that weren’t in your original plan. Hang in there!
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Poonam
Hi Shraddha I really loved your article. I was having trouble with nursing my second bub. Although my doctor & midwife kept telling Meyer supple was enough. I still felt an enormous difference from my first child.
I took fenugreek seeds today. And omg it’s made such a difference. I’d usually have to give my bub a small formula top up as he would he unsettled/unsatisfied with his intake. Today he’s so much happier 🙂
I soaked the seeds in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Added a bit of honey for flavor then drank it with the seeds. My breast have felt full all day even after his feeds. Haven’t tried pumping yet. Will try tomorrow and see how much I get.
Thanks for the tips. -
Poonam
Oh one more thing. I’m also having oats daily but I’m using oat milk instead of cows milk. On the days I don’t have oats I do feel a difference. However I definitely think the fenugreek seeds have made a big difference for me today.
Bub is almost 8 weeks old. I’m now really looking forward to breastfeeding him 🙂-
Shraddha
Hi Poonam, this makes me SO happy! I am so glad that the fenugreek is working for you. Soaking in water and adding in the honey, that’s something that I may try this time as well. So thank you for that idea! Happy breast feeding, momma. 🙂
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Shilpa
Hi i want to start consuming the fenugreek seeds can u tell me how much qty should i take , and how many times in a day… als
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Shraddha
Hi Shilpa…I took roughly two tablespoons – once mid morning…and once before bed. I was also doing the other things that I mentioned in the post as well, like the oatmeal, water intake, etc. In the beginning, I also took Fenugreek capsules that you can find at any health food store, according to the suggested dosage on the bottle. I think all of this combined helped. Hope this helps you!!
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Flo
This good info. about fenugreek. Am a breastfeeding mother and want to increase supply since my baby is growing. My bust now is size 36,I DONT want to increase size. I ‘ve heard fenugreek does enlarge breasts. Is it true?
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Puja
Hi Flo,
Here is some info we found from Dr. Weil on it: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400842/Can-Fenugreek-Enlarge-Breasts.html
Basically the answer is there is no evidence that suggests that fenugreek enlarges breasts. Hope this helps and thanks for visiting!
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rajni
my milk supply keeps going up and down. i have tried everything to increase my supply.i have startwd fenugreek. hope it hels.
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Priyanka
Thanks for the info. My baby is 2 months old and I am breast feeding him and supplementing with formula feed ( nan pro 1) as I am not producing enough milk. Just wanted to know is it ok if I only pump and feed him through bottle instead of breast feeding as it hurt my nipples a lot.
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Shraddha
Hi Priyanka!
Of course it’s ok. You are giving your baby breastmilk and that’s awesome. It doesn’t matter how. I also am going through the same issues…I give expressed breastmilk in a bottle. Breastfeeding just has not worked out with this baby. I too was beating myself up about it but realized after a few weeks that I had tried every way possible to breastfeed and that I was doing a great job just by providing him nutrition via my breastmilk. I think we as mothers are too hard on ourselves…no matter what you decide, you are doing great!!
Shraddha
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Ammu
Hi Shraddha, firdt of all your post is really helpful…
I have a different story to tell… msybe someobe can help me 🙁
With my secind baby, I wanted to completely breastfeed her but things turned other way round… she just wouldnt latch 🙁 tge doc kept telling me thwt my nipple size was big and the baby had to get acvustomed to it.. mube was a c section and I was in severe pain + sore breasts with lot of frustration and stress. I kept trying snd feefing her throught the day.. at the hospital, nurses gave her formula as she wouldnt take mine and was very hungry. Came home and even after several days of trying, she just wouldnt latch properly… and if she would the feed would go on for an hr and smtms 2 with she still being hungry more sore breasts for me.. 1 day out of frustration I gave her formula 4 times in a row and didnt offer breasts since it became very painful. I guess that was a very wrong step . The result is she is 2.5 mnths old, and on expressed milk 2 times and rest 4 to 5 times on formula. She prefers expressed bottle milk for obvious reasons than the breasts. She likes breastfeedung but is still hungry after 1 hlhr of feeding. I have tried methi capsules which have helped me kept my supply atleast 3 oz 2 times a dsy… I will definity try oatmeal. Is it same as daliya? Will try other things also.
If there is any thing else I can do to help her feed at least 4 times a day, I’ll be relieved. I didn’t face any of these issues with my older child .. im really dissapointed and disheartened this time. Any help will be appreciated. Pls sugfest.-
Shraddha
Hi Ammu,
Sorry for my late reply first of all. I really think that expressing as often as you can is the key. That plus staying really hydrated. Water is my beverage of choice but you can also drink mother’s milk tea, milk, dill water, etc. I am currently giving my nine week old expressed breast milk up to eight times a day. For me, the key is to stay on a consistent pumping schedule. I strictly pump every 2 -3.5 hours. I have a two year old at home too, so it’s hard sometimes to get it timed exactly at every two hours as I was doing in the very beginning…but I deifintely try. Please don’t give up!! But also don’t beat yourself up about this. You are doing everything right and the best you can, momma. Sending you lots of positive energy to get your production up!!
Shraddha
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Tulika
Hi Shraddha,
I gather that you only gave expressed milk to your baby? What kind of pump did you use? I have a 7 week old and am only able to pump around 12 ounces a day. This is after a week of pumping 8times a day. Right now his diet is 50% formula and 50% expressed milk. I’ve tried a lot, but my milk supply just isn’t increasing. I eat oatmeal and take fenugreek seeds as well.-
Shraddha
Hi Tulika! I used a medela symphony – hospital grade rental pump. Works great, using this time too!! Are you drinking enough water? Keep pumping frequently but dont go more than 20min unless milk is actively coming out. Youre doing great by taking fenugreek and oatmeal. Also try to relax…meditate while pumping…try hot compresses before as well. Yore doing great!!!!
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Michelle D'Souza
Shraddha thanks for your post. I hv a 4 week baby and suddenly I feel my supply has gone low as breasts are softer n baby is unsatisfied n cries despite a long feed. I will try taking 2 teaspoons of unsoaked fenugreek seeds with water twice daily n hope it works. My mom also will prepare methi vegetable. Have to increase oats n water intake too. Praying n hoping…. Got my first monthly ped visit next week.
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Shraddha
Goodluck Michelle!! Let me know how it works out.
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Michelle D'Souza
Sorry but forgot to add shraddha.. is it ok to bottle feed a 4 week the expressed milk? Will he avoid my breasts if I give him the pumped milk? Have not tried pumping yet so asking… Lk fwd to your response. Thnx.
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chaimommas
Hi Michelle!! I am sorry I didnt get a chance to reply before! I hope you were able to work out pumping and feeding. 🙂
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Narmadha
Hi Shradha, Thanks for the information… Will taking fenugreek have any side affects in the baby ?
I am concerned about that, also will long term use of fenugreek seed cause any side affects or will I get addicted to it ? that is without it my milk supply will dip ?-
Shraddha
Hi there!! I have not noticed any side effects. And I don’t believe there’s any addiction factor with this herb either. If you have concerns though, I recommend talking to your doctor to be safe. Goodluck!
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flo
I Tried Fenugeek N milk supply increased But Then Shortly b4 one week was over, I Started feeling pain as I was urinating. Then I stopped taking , after that I was ok ( no pain while on short-call). After three days I took fenugrrek once more and same problem occurred all over again. Now I know this is not for me. So stressing. Is there a substitute, that is safe for my baby and i? or what to do
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Nicole
Is is ok to take fenugreek long term? I have 3 month old and I’ve been taking fenugreek for about 11 weeks. I plan to continue taking it until my baby is one. When I cutback on the dosage my supply drops. Anyone have experience taking this long term?
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Shraddha
Hi Nicole…yes it is from what I’ve read. Personally, I only took it for around 6 months the first time and about two the second time. Just consult your OBGYN if you have questions but I think it is ok from all the research I’ve done. Goodluck momma!
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nazish
Hi, very helpful blog, my son is 5 mon and I am seeing a dip in supply, I M able to pump about 3 oz every 3 hrs, how much fenugreek seeds to take? Can I take it straight with just water?
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Shraddha
Hi there. I used to take roughly a tablespoon twice a day with only water. Once in the morning and one before bed. Hope this helps!!
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lakshmi
Hi shraddha .I have one month old boy baby.initially my milk supply was enormous. But now my breast becomes softer and I don’t know whether my baby is getting enough supply or not.he is not latching properly.can I take raw fenugreek seeds in the empty stomach with water?I have back pain also.I request you to suggest best breast feeding position for me.thank you.
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chaimommas
Hi Lakshmi…I’ll email you at your gmail account!! Thanks!
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Arthi
Hi, i need ur guidance. I am mother of 6 weeks old boy. I have retarted nipples due to which he would not latch on. So i tried shield, the quatity of milk was not suffiecient f
or him. So i have completely shifted to pumpimg. My doc says i.have good secretion , But i m able to pump hardly an oz a time due to which m forsed to give formula milk. Can mybreast milk be increased. Please help!-
Shraddha
arthi!! so sorry for my late reply. i hope your milk production is going well. please email directly at shraddha@chaimommas.com if you still need guidance. thanks!!
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Shraddha
Hi Shraddha , I am taking shatavari kalp and it was helping me till date , any idea if I can take fenugreek seeds when m taking shatavari ?
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Shraddha
hi shraddha!! sorry getting back to you so late!! i have no idea on shatavari as i never took it. although taking fenugreek worked wonders for me as well as oatmeal!! i hope you are doing well!!
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Suvarna vyankatesh
Hi Shraddha, I delivered just 13days before. Am pumping regularly but there are variations in my milk volume.. Read ur Fenugreek tip, could u pls tell me how many times u had seeds directly with water? Am also going to buy supplements.
Thanks
Suvarna -
sana
Hi shradha!! Great post.I have 4 weeks old baby girl, this is my second child.i have low milk supply as my baby cant satisfy even after an hour of nursing.i had same problem with my first child.going to try fenugreek seeds today.i hope it works.
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sana
Hi shradha!first of all thanks for sharing such a wonderful blog.i have 4weeks old daughter and i cant be able to satisfy her even after an hour of nursing as i have low milk supply.i had same problem with my first child.now i dont want to suffer myself and my child.going to try fenugreek seeds to increase milk supply.i hope it works for me.fingers crossed
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Dimple
Does the above remedies work if you stop breastfeeding for a month and you want to start back.. Will it help to get to producing milk again?? Also I starting having fenugreek last few weeks of pregnancy to get the supply going ahead of time but I ended up getting a really bad heat rash and it was unbearable because it was burning and itchy. I guess it depends on time of the year and your body type. My was summer month.
Thanks!!
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Puja
Hi Dimple, yes anything you stop breastfeeding, your supply goes down, so it totally depends on your body and how “down” it goes, plus if you are producing after again, you can definitely try to use these to bring it back up, but remember actually nursing your child is the true way to keep a constant supply! Also these remedies are totally for currently nursing mommas, anything you take during pregnancy prior to nursing should be discussed with and consulted with your doctor. Hope you feel better after that rash!
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ruby
Can low milk supply herited? Suggestions please
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Shraddha
Ruby, I’m not sure I understand your question. Can you please reply with more info?
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ruby
I have 4 months old baby girl.this is my second child.both the times i had low milk supply.i cant satisfy her hunger even after an hour of nursing.ibam using formula.relatives say that my mother also experienced low milk supply.plz someone tell me what to do.
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Tina
Hi Shraddha,
Thanks for this post! My bsby is 4 month old and I had to supplement him right from the beginning. In between I had stopped and his weight dropped in the 0.5 percentile. So, I started giving him formula again. He even refused my breast because of low supply. . I’m using Shatavari powder since 2 weeks and it has helped but I need more! Now he takes my breasts but I still need to supement. I pump after feeding him for 10-15 min. The pediatrician told me to feed my baby only for 25 min else he might be tired and not ask for supement which is needed. I’ve evfb tried fenugreek seeds, oatmeal and drink lots of water. Please suggest what I can do to ensure more supply. thanks!-
Shraddha
Tina, drink lots of water. Stay hydrated. That’s the number one thing. Rest is also good -but I know that’s hard for all of us moms. Low stress. Have you tried mothers milk tea? It works pretty well too. Sabudhana khichdi and mochi also worked for me. Some swear by non alcoholic beer too. You’re ding all the right things. Just keep at it…dont give up until you’re absolutely ready. Remember, more stimulation increases milk too…so keep feeding and pumping.
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Warda
Hi shradha
My baby is about 7 months old.she is on formula.i breast feed her but i have low milk supply.i cant use fenugreek seeds because i have a little asthma problem.someone said that use of fenugreek seeds can increase the problem.i keep hydrated.i am a busy mom so cant have enough time to pump.plz give me some suggestions.i am waiting-
Shraddha
Hi Warda,
Have you tried mother’s milk tea? You can also eat oatmeal…even tapioca (sabudhana khichdhi) should help as well. I think the best thing is to stay hydrated and don’t stress. Keep pumping and feeding the baby on a consistent schedule. Don’t worry…just keep at it and if you need to, you can always supplement with formula. Just stay heathy, happy and dont worry!! You’re doing GREAT!
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Warda
I am from Rahim yar khan pakistan.mothers milk tea is not available here but i will definitely try sabudhana khichri.thanks alot dear for your suggestions.
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laxmi
Hi shradda, Thankyou very much for your posts. I am also like one of the nursing mother who noticed that there is a dip in my breast milk. After reading your post I took methi seeds seeds 3 times daily for one week and I stopped. But, when I stopped my milk production went down. Can I take this for long run? Quick response much appreciated! Thank you
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Shraddha
I took it for the long run. I don’t think it hurts – at least for me, there were no negative side effects. I think if it’s working, then stick with it. Is there a reason yo stopped taking it?
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Meenakshi
hi Shraddha,
My baby is 3 months old and could never latch her or pump properly as lactation says pump for 8times a day.
I need to understand how much fenugreek is fine, do I need to take raw or poured in water one, I’ve tried fenugreek tea that didnt help me, I am eating oatmeal with milk every morning, though I found fenugreek make my throat dry and I keep on coghing, need to understand if I am not taking in right way, was taking 3 capsules 4x times in 24 hours but that leads to throat dryness and coughing. could you plz help me in letting know how should I take this. Also if you dont mind could you plz let me know how many pumping sessions you were doing and how long and what were the suction and speed, I am using medela breast pump in style in advance.thanks for your help.. also can I get your contact number if possible to understand properly?
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Shraddha
Hey there! Sorry for the late reply. I used to take two spoonfuls twice a day. Roughly half a tablespoon. Are you sure the coughing is secondary to the fenugreek? Can you pleae contact me directly at shraddha@chaimommas.com? Thanks!!
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Anne
Hi Shradha,
Thanks for the informative post and all the support. I have a question for you. Do I need to chew the fenugreek seeds or can I just swallow them? Am now drinking water boiled with fenugreek seeds. I want to take in seeds to increase the supply. Please help.
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Shraddha
Hi Anne!!
Sorry for the late reply – I used to swallow them whole. Take one regular spoonful twice a day. I took it right before bed and first thing when I woke up. It helped…GOODLUCK! xoxo.
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Sankee
Hi shradha… That’s very useful info… Got a doubt.. Were you only pumping or breast feeding too … And I started taking seeds as well as powder.. For the first three days my breast were full , later again the milk wasn’t sufficient.. Dunno y.. Inspire of taking the same amount like previous quantity
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Imari
Did you only take fenugreek seeds for one day?
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Shraddha
Hi Imari! No, I took fenugreek several times a day (roughly a tablespoon) for many months during the time I was trying to build my milk supply and keep it going when it started to dip. Please let me know if you need more information!! And best wishes and good luck!
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renee skoyles
I’m struggling right now and on week 3 post partum. I’ve had to supplement with formula plus pump and breastfeed. But I’m still trying to hang in there
Heidi W.
I’m a firm believer in pump, pump, pumping to increase your supply. My baby didn’t want to BF and it took a good three months for her to really be able to feed full time. In the meantime, I had a huge stockpile from pumping immediately after feeding for 15-30 mins. Up until she was about 9 or 10 mos. I still pumped right before bed for at least 15 mins. it was all exhausting but so worth it.
Side note on Fenugreek…because I had such a huge stockpile, I tried to donate some of my milk. The couple places I found and called wouldn’t take donated breast milk because of the Fenugreek. So, if anyone is looking to donate, you may want to quit the herb. 🙂