HELP how can i increase my milk supply!!

[mumma100]

Im after some advice please! my son is 3 weeks old - we initially had trouble with breastfeeding but with now he is latching on well and its not painful-hurrah! however, in the last week and a half my milk supply has really dropped, when feeding, bub will do about 7 swallows and thats it-ive been feeding twice on each breast, im on domperidone, and blessed thistle/fenugreek supplements and nothing is happening - ive been using a breast pump after feeding and only one drop will come out! has anyone got any advice/tips on how i can increase my milk?? will it ever come back to normal?

[headoverfeet]

What makes you think he is not getting enough milk? The 7 swallows you hear are probably the initial letdown followed by silent swallowing, are his ear lobes moving when he is feeding? How much you express is not a good indication of how much milk he is getting, healthy babies are very effective at removing milk, much better than a pump. Maybe have a look at the kellymom (search for 'not enough milk?') website or the aba.

[headoverfeet]

Oh and here on bubhub in the breastfeeding section there is a sticky thread called hinderances to a healthy milk supply

[headoverfeet]

Sorry...

Woohoo for being pain free

[BabyPaparazzi]

The gulping sound it just from letdown, they get a bit of a gush and tend to gulp until it slows down again, otherwise feeding is silent. The rest of the time the are sucking you wont hear or feel anything. Usually if you are out of milk they will pull, cry, come on and off etc.

Pumping is hard and a lot of woman never successful get much. Its definitely no indication that you are low on milk. Bubs is just way more efficient at getting it. Pumping takes some practice and it may take some time to get the hang of it. Hardest part is getting a letdown pumping.

Because you are pumping after after a feed it will be even harder. As your supply calms down it will get to the point where what you supply will equal the demand, so they adjust to the amount bub is taking and it doesn't leave much left at the end of a feed. To increase supply you need to pump more often, this tells you b00bies that the demand is more and they will start to produce more. But there is really no need to do this. When your supply also regulates you will no longer feel engorged, or heavy or full, its normal for this to happen. Eventually you can even stop leaking, or getting engorged is he skips feeds and can even go back to your normal bra size etc. All completely normal, just means you body is doing its job.

Use bubs behavior as more of an indication to whether your supply is okay, is he happy, feeding well, plenty of wet nappies in a 24 hr period? You can never really tell how much they are getting, you just need to trust in your body that its providing you baby with what they need, and watch their behaviour and output. Genuine supply issues are rare, its usually a misconception.

If you can contact the ABA, they have great advice, and maybe see a local bf clinic or lc.