how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

DD is 2 1/2 weeks old and cluster feeding. when she's awake she wants to eat every hour. however i feel like i dont have enough BM because she's nursing so frequently. how do i increase my supply???
i dont know about this whole supply and demand thing because for the amount she's nursing i should be making more than enough milk. i'm having to supplement with formula ( 2oz day, 2 oz at night) because i'm completely empty and she's still hungry.

ugh. this can be frustrating. i really want to BF her and did not have troubles like this with my first DD.

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

More Milk Plus-unbelievable results for me.

Water-LOTS
Make sure you are getting enough food-when I ate less I pumped less
stare at your baby while you nurse and try to get very emotional-that increases your supply-once you do that a few times it should increase the supply. I wa an exclusive pumper but I made a slideshow of my twins and would pump 4-6 oz more when I watched it then when I didn;yt

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

if you are not pumping, why do you feel you do not have enough?? At 2.5 weeks it is completely normal to want to feed 1.5- 2 hrs around the clock...I felt like this settled down at the 6 week mark! They start spacing out a little...

You body will never empty completely. Your DD might also just want to suck bec it is how they feel most comfortable and how they soothe themselves! (my kids were high need suckers and a binkie also did wonders in between feeds) The best thing you can do is watch for wet diapers if you are getting at least 5 a day then that is all you can ask for!

I would just be careful with the supplementing esp so early on for 2 reasons 1) you body works on a supply and demand and if you are skipping a feeding ESP so early on you are telling your body not to make and that defeats the purpose and 2) your baby may start to prefer it bec it is a lot easier and not take to the breast

A BF baby will rarely deny a bottle even if they just ate and are satisfied bec it is that much easier so why deny it...virtually no work!

just make sure to drink PLENTY of water...when you think you are drinking a lot..drink more....and others have had luck with oatmeal

I also took fenugreek 3 pills 3 times a day to up my supply (when it started to dip when my AF returned) but i kept it up until a year with both kids!


HTH! Good luck!

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

More Milk Plus
Fenugreek
Mothers Milk tea

I also ate oatmeal and drank tons and tons of water.

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

thanks everyone. i think i will start with drinking more water. since i gave birth i have not been as diligent with drinking water because i am so busy taking care of a newborn and toddler that i forget to take care of myself.
i'll break out the "pregnancy" jug and start filling it up again to make sure i'm getting enough.

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

More milk plus and mothers milk tea helped me out a lot!

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

You can also make these cookies with Oatmeal and brewer's yeast.

You can get brewer's yeast at GNC.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies
This recipe is great for mothers who are breastfeeding. It helps to keep your milk supply up or increase your milk supply. Use more brewers yeast and oatmeal if you are wanting to increase your milk supply. You can use more chocolate chips if you like or any kind of chips.

SERVES 54 , 4 1/2 dozen

Ingredients

* 1 cup butter
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons water
* 2 tablespoons flax seed meal
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups oats
* 1 cup chocolate chips
* 2-4 tablespoons brewer's yeast

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350°.
2.Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
3.Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well.
4.Add eggs and mix well.
5.Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well.
6.Sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt.
7.Add dry ingredients to butter mix.
8. Stir in oats and chips.
9.Scoop onto baking sheet.
10.Bake for 12 minutes.
11.Let set for a couple minutes then remove from tray.

Message edited 5/24/2010 3:15:27 PM.

Re: how to increase my BM supply???? i'm not pumping

I dont know much about increasing milk supply, but i agree with a PP about the pacifier. My DS used me as a human pacifier in the beginning and we gave him the binks the day we came home from the hospital. My ped also said that he shouldnt be nursing more than 15 mins on each side and if he was, it was just for sucking purposes. If i still hear him swallowing, I will go to 20 mins, but no more. I rarely have to break the latch anymore. HTH!