Help with a healthy supply.

[KarniF00l]

Hey all you Breastfeeding mummies,

I know this is very premature but i was hoping you guys could help me out if you could. Firstly i will give you a brief run down..

For over thirteen years I've suffered from Alopecia which is hair loss due to stress ect.. anyway, I've always wanted to breastfeed at least one of my children for more than a week. I have struggled with the other's because the first few days after birth my supply is massive but then after that it plumbits (sp?) drastically which means then i have to change to formula :( which then causes me to stress and then large amounts of hair falls out. I have never done anything about it (in regards to the plumbiting supply) with my other children so this is why I'm seeking help early because i want to breastfeed for as long as i possibly can with this bubba.

I do intend to see my specialist about it this time so i can breastfeed but what i would like to know is what thing's i can do/take to boost up a healthy supply whilst i'm pregnant. Is there anything i can starting taking ?

I really have my heart set on it this time and i hope to join you all when the time arrives.

Anyway, thanks for reading and any information that you can pass on will help massively.

:)

[Tea Lady]

There are some foods that are meant to help (sorry brain on strike - I know there's a recipe for some supply boosting cookies somewhere on bubhub though) and some drugs do too eg Maxolon. I'm sure a specialist would be a bit more coherent than me on the topic but I just wanted to wish you luck!

I"d also be giving the ABA a call before you have the baby to get their advice.

Congratulations on the BFP by the way - how exciting! :D

[the_queen]

Firstly: omg CONGRATULATIONS :party: I didn't realise you are pregnant again! Good for you, what a wonderful blessing :yes:

Secondly: ohh lovey :hugs:

My advice is join the ABA now. Joining now will actually get you a free gift, a book called "Breastfeeding....Naturally" which should be some help. Also, just going to the meetings will help in lots of ways:
* it lets you make friends with other breastfeeders (and IME there's lots of clothies at ABA meetings ;))
* it puts you in contact with experienced and qualified breastfeeding counsellors - so if you do run into problems in those first few days, you don't feel intimidated or nervous about calling a counsellor - you will know her and it will be just like calling a friend for advice.
* every meeting they have a "theme" or a "topic", and by the time this new bubba comes along, you will have learnt so much about breastfeeding - and because the counsellors are always there at the meetings, you can talk to them afterwards about specific questions you have.
* You will have access to all kinds of breastfeeding books/pamphlets/articles, about every kind of breastfeeding issue you can imagine.
* You will be able to hire electric breast pumps, if you need to, after bubby is born.



ABA meetings are not "full of BFing nazi's" or anything like that (as I've sadly heard them described by people who've obviously never been to one) In fact, there's very specific rules at ABA, there is no *****ing, judging, gossipping, etc. Formula feeding mums are very welcome, basically any parent who wants to discuss and learn more about breastfeeding is welcome. You can take your littlies (there'll be other toddlers and babies there too, the kids will have a ball playing with the others) and there's a cuppa and snack after the "official" topic stuff. It is just like a mummies group, except it's breastfeeding-focussed.

Mate, that is what you should do. Join the ABA. The subscription fee is not that much, considering that at the moment you get a free book actually it's not much at all.

{insert more hugs here, stupid 4-smilie limit, hugs hugs hugs hugs hugs hugs} http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au (http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/)

[Percy]

I can recommend the ABA as well. I had 12 weeks or torture with DS before they diagnosed his tongue tie, but the ABA was able to help me right through it. I nursed him until 8 months. He just woke up one day and decided he had had enough:crying:

[Funkychicken]

Congratualtions again Lauren, this is such wonderful news that you are having another bubba.
I'm so sorry you have suffered with alopecia for so long. My closest childhood friend had it and it was so hard to watch her going through the pain and fear at 13 years old. It truly isn't a kind condition to have. :hugs:
I think the _queen has pretty much said it all! (She is so wonderful at choosing the right words :yes: ). It's a huge decision to make after having four babies and not being successful with BF them. You are probably filled with a lot of fear. This is where The ABA will really help you out. And they really are so non-judgemental. In fact they are just a group of women (a bit like Bub Hub eh!) gathering to chat and support one another as mothers. Not so scary at all.
After bub is here, you can take supplements like Fenugreek (I took this on and off for months with Hamish to keep my supply steady) but I don't think it will be of much assistance during preganacy. It's the hormones that come after birth that trigger the milk reflex to start.
If you are looking for a really good book on BF, try Sheila Kitzinger's book called Breastfeeding. It's such a lovely read.

[KarniF00l]

I'm so glad you lot stopped in and posted. So full of wisdom it's incredible. Thank-you :hugs:

I am so determined to breastfeed this baby and there's nothing i want more to kick start his/her life. Heck!.. I'd even give up my nappies and use disposables if i had a minor chance to breastfeed :eek: bet you'd never had thought i would do such a thing as that but this means everything to me. I want to be my babies main nutrition source and bond with it in a different way that i've never had the opportunity to experience for very long. I hope that doesn't sound weird :o

Anyway, so I've subscribed to the ABA for 2 years.. i gather that i will need the support throughout my pregnancy and when bubby is born. There's so much to learn about breastfeed because for me it's not as simple as popping baby on the breast and away we go. I need to learn about my own body and how it functions to make the milk happen and to stay that way. Going to the meetings would be awesome in a lot of ways by the sounds of it so i'll definitely be doing that.

I've had a big talk to DH about it and he's going to support me 110% and try to keep me on track with it all so if i do end up slipping through the cracks he will my rock to push me back up there. He knows how much i want this just as much as i do.

Okay enough of the ramblings. Thank-you again for the help and support, it means a lot :hugs:

[Oscar's mum]

I don't have anything to add in the way of advice as I think everyone else has pretty much said all I could say - but I just want to wish you luck on your breastfeeding journey, stay strong and positive and you can do it:thumbsup:

[KarniF00l]

Thanks Amanda. I'll probably need all the luck in the world ;)

[ikis84]

Great advice ladies! I second OM - good luck! I don't think it's just good luck though - good luck, good support and good information! And by the sounds of it, you are trying to get those, so you are well on your way!

I can't believe you said you would use disposables if it ment you could breastfeed - :eek: You REALLY want it to work, huh! :laughing:

[Funkychicken]

Yay for you, Lauren :yelclap: . That's some fast work joining up today. You will be in good hands. :yes:

[KarniF00l]

Pam - yep i rooooully roooooooully want it to work :p

Thanks Sal. I really do need to start early on this and grasp all the support and information i can possibly get because i don't want to go through the extra stress that's not really needed or wanted again. Of course i could just turn to formula at the start to prevent this all from happening but it's not what i want.

I just realised that this thread should be in the General Breastfeeding section and not the celebrating breastfeeding section, sorry. Move it if you like :thumbsup:

[mum2elouise]

Hey Lauren, i jsut noticed this thread and i was going to recommend ABA - looks like you beat me to it! Good on you for joining up! I'm a member, too, and i find it great having so many other breastfeeding mums to chat to. Good luck with your pregnancy and breastfeeding journey:D

[Funkychicken]

I just realised that this thread should be in the General Breastfeeding section and not the celebrating breastfeeding section, sorry. Move it if you like :thumbsup:
Nope, I think it belongs firmly in the celebrating breastfeeding section because what you are doing is cause for you to celebrate.:yes: And we all love to join in on other's celebrations! :yelclap:

[ikis84]

Well put funkychicken!

[meme]

i just had to jump in with my support and praise for ABA as well. i hope that you enjoy the subscription and find a meeting you enjoy close to you.

as for the clothies, thanks to this site converting me i happily demonstrated some cloth folds at ABA last year.... quite a few would be clothies to convert...:D

i don't know about the alopecia and how that affects the milk supply, as others have mentioned certain hormones are involved in the lactation process, so definately talk to your specialist, but perhaps also find (through your local ABA) a lactation consultant as well who can look into the medical side of things, not all medical specialists are up to date with their breastfeeding knowledge.

after the great job of the birthing hormones on starting supply a lot of breastfeeding revolves around feeding your baby...frequently, this also sets off hormone reactions in the body to regulate milk supply and if your alopecia affects hormone balances (or is affected by), perhaps there is a medication that could help??
some mums do find that prescripton meds are necesssary to keep up their milk supply.

check out the ABA discussion forum too, like an online ABA community.

much support from me too:hugs: .