Expert: Sally Wendkos Olds - 10/20/2005

Question
Hi,

My name is Sandra. I have a beautiful baby boy, Aidan, whom I breastfeed exclusively. I was able to stay home with him for 2 months and we were a perfect breastfeeding pair. I purchased a Medela Pump in Style double pump and started pumping a couple of weeks before returning to work so I could build up a small stock pile. My stock ran out within a week and a half to two weeks. I am working a full 40 hour week (5- 8 hour days) and I pump 3 times while I am at work. On a good day I can pump 2 oz. from each side for the first morning pump session and maybe 1/2 to 1 1/2 oz. from each side for the next 2 sessions. I have tried taking Fenugreek seed capsules (3 capsules 3 times a day) for 3 weeks but it didnt seem to help. For the past 2 weeks, I have been taking "Lactate Support - Liquid Phyto-Caps" by GAIA HERBS, and again, I havent noticed any difference. Help please! How can I increase my supply? Am I doing something wrong?
Aidan's birth weight was 7 lbs 7 oz and at 10 weeks he weighed about 11 lbs. He is currently 14 weeks old and his Dad says he seems hungry during the day even after he has finished all the milk I have from the day before. He nurses alot when I get home from work but I am worried that he is not getting enough during the day. I dont want to supplement with formula but I dont want to starve my baby either. What can I do? Thank you.

Sandra Galaz

Answer
Dear Sandra,

First, congratulations for giving your son the best start in life by breastfeeding him! Also, you deserve a great deal of credit for continuing to nurse him in spite of your busy work schedule.

It sounds as if both you and your baby are doing well in spite of your decreased amount of pumped milk. I would suggest that you nurse as often as you can and as often as your baby seems to want it when you are home, including during the night, and that you monitor his weight gain and his diapers (enough wet & poopy ones) to be sure he is getting enough to eat. Then if you feel that he is still very hungry during the day and you have not increased the amount of milk you can pump, you may need to give him one or two bottles of formula while you are at work.

I know that some people recommend fenugreek and other herbal remedies, but I have not seen any solid research that shows they do any good in terms of increasing a mother's milk supply.

In my book (see below) I devote one chapter to concerns of the working nursing mother and another chapter to issues around pumping, storing and feeding breast milk. If you can take a look at it, it may answer some of your questions.

Good luck!

Sally

Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters.