I have personally struggled with keeping up a healthy and rich milk production for my babies. I have battled with discouragement and failure when not able to satisfy my child’s need. The Lord has done a good work in my heart, calling me to trust Him that He will provide my child with the nourishment required to grow healthy and strong. My responsibility is to do my best in eating nutritionally, nursing as frequently as my son needs it to increase my supply, but ultimately God is in control, to which I am thankful.
Here are a few resources and recipes I have found helpful in the journey of nourishing my babies…
I am currently studying herbology in my spare time, which I have found truly fascinating. There are many available herbs in creation that are galactagogues, herbs that increase breast milk supply. Once again, I am amazed at God’s glorious provisions for us. Thank you Lord!
There are several varieties of Mother’s Milk tea that include these herbs available on the market. I have tried and enjoyed Tropical Medicinals Mother’s Milk Tea and Earth Mama Angel Baby Milkmaid Tea. Milkmaid Tea is superior in flavor and effectiveness, although more expensive than Tropical Medicinals. Overall, I favor the frugal and fresher alternative in a homemade variety. I have been making my own Mother’s Milk tea for the last few weeks and have been encouraged with the results. These herbs are not only good for milk production, but also will encourage and strengthen your entire body, keeping it healthy and strong. All these herbs are available in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs, which offers the best herbs that are either organic or cultivated without chemicals.
Mother’s Milk Tea
1/2 cup nettle leaf, dried (a vitamin factory, high in calcium, iron, potassium, etc. -strengthens and tones entire system)
1/2 cup red raspberry leaf, dried (nourishing tonic for the reproductive system, high in calcium)
1/4 cup alfalfa leaf, dried (a superlative restorative tonic, rebuilding vitality and boosting milk supply)
1/4 cup dandelion leaf, dried (beneficial for all conditions due to the wonderful source of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and micronutrients)
1/4 cup fennel seed (Increase milk production and tone the digestive system, curtailing colic and indigestion) – you could also substitute fennel with any of these seeds: anise, cumin, caraway, coriander or dill
1/4 cup blessed thistle, dried (Stimulates the milk flow and helps restore vitality to weary mothers)
ground cinnamon, to flavor
You can make as little or as much as you desire. I choose to make a larger batch at once and used 1/4 cup as my 1 part measurement, but you could cut the recipe in half as desired. This produced about 1 quart full of dried herbs. Combine herbs well and cover securely with a lid. Store in a dark cupboard as light will cause nutrition lose. Use about 1 tablespoon herbs per cup of boiling water. Allow to steep covered for 15 minutes before consuming. Best results if you consumed 3-5 cups per day. You can change this recipe as desired, if you do not have access to all these herbs. The best galactic herbs are nettle, alfalfa, blessed thistle, and red raspberry leaf. The other herbs add wonderful nutrition and are healing to the body. The herbs can be rather bland and grassy tasting on their own, so I added cinnamon (about 1-2 tsp for this quantity), which provided a delightful flavoring. You could try chamomile or lemon balm as an alternative. A teaspoon of honey tops it off for a refreshing tea beverage. I use my french press for this recipe with perfect results.
Other methods of increasing milk supply include:
Oatmeal- a good bowl of oatmeal daily is an excellent means of increasing your milk supply.
Bump Up the Calcium – Loading up on calcium is very valuable.
Water – drink lots of water!
Rest – when the body is weary, it will not be so inclined to produce milk.
Fenugreek – I have been taking a fenugreek supplement in capsule form for its helpful benefits of increasing milk supply. Fenugreek can also be added to the mother’s milk tea listed above.
Here are a few tips from A Wise Woman’s Herbal for the Childbearing Years (page 85):
Apricots, asparagus, green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, pecans and all leafy greens such a beet greens, Parsley, Watercress, and Dandelion leaves are considered helpful in increasing and sustaining lactation.
Borage leaves – The leaves of this herb are highly regarded as a tea for increasing milk flow. Half a cupful of borage tea at each nursing insures an abundant supply of milk, acts as a mild laxative, and soothes jangled nerves.
Fennel/Barley Water - Prepare barley water by soaking 1/2 cup pearled (regular) barley in 3 cups cold water overnight or by boiling for 25 minutes. Strain out barley and discard or add to a soup. Heat a cup or two of the barley water to boiling as needed, store the rest in the refrigerator. Pour 1 cup boiling barley water over 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and steep for no longer than 30 minutes. The combination not only increases the breast milk, but eases after-pains and settles the digestion of mom and babe.
What if none of these recommendations work? Here are a few resources for the safest and healthiest supplementation:
GMO-Free Infant Formula – great article on increasing your milk supply and safe infant formula alternatives.
Recipe for Homemade Baby Formula – the best alternative if you cannot produce your own milk supply.
It works for me!
Any tips to share for naturally increasing your milk supply?
Please, please, please do not feed raw milk to your babies (or drink while pregnant). This website suggests you get milk from ‘cows certified free of disease’ – there is no such thing, and it’s not the cow’s diseases you should worry about – it’s the bacteria in the environment in which they live. They can KILL infants without sturdy immune systems, as well as pregnant mothers. So unless you think you would be okay with letting your baby suckle from a cow’s teat that’s just been dragged in manure that came out of her hind end, I would not recommend letting them drink raw milk! (PS – I have a doctorate in veterinary medicine, a PhD in bovine mastitis, a two year-old who is still nursing (even though I had limited supply) and one on the way, and I have been studying this topic for more than 10 years, so I know of what I speak!)
Hi
I am interested in making the tea but how many oz does it take? I don’t know how much to buy of each ingredient. Thank u
Thank you so much for posting this. I had to stop pumping and breastfeeding my son due to my diabates. I wasnt sure if breastfeeding was messing it up so I stopped doing all for a little less then a month when I relaized I could safely give my son all the benefits of my milk. However because I stopped for a month my flow was not good at all anymore. I talked to some of my friends who told me about the mothers milk tea and its already helping my flow come back so much however I need to make my own due to price and I currently have no working car to get to the store to buy it. Making my own is great and I appericate you posting this for new mothers like myself.
Thank you for this recipe. It has helped me and I have been trying to get my supply up for months. I hope it continues to build my milk and I can get my daughter off of formula!!!!!!
Thank you so much for posting this. I was able to find everything I needed to make a huge batch between a local herb shop and Mountain Rose. However, I just made a pot and it is unbearably bitter. I’ve enjoyed the Traditional Medicinals before, even unsweetened, and I’me wondering what I did wrong. I mean I can’t even handle another swallow because the bitterness is sitting in the back of my throat. Help! I want to salvage this batch.
Hi there. Thank you for all your info. I just discovered your site a few days ago and I love it. I just thought I’d add to this posting about breast feeding that cabbage leaves work great for engorged breasts. Yes, that’s the opposite problem, but I thought it might be helpful to some. My sister used to have engorged breasts all the time, mostly in the morning, because she had such an overwhelming milk supply. She would put cabbage leaves in her bra overnight, and in the morning she would be drenched…and not engorged. Something about the cabbage releases the milk. (I don’t know if it also helps to increase milk supply or if just releases the milk without creating more demand…) but it worked wonders for her. I rarely had the problem myself, but there were a few times I was in terrible pain because of how engorged I was. I put the cabbage leaves in my bra overnight, and problem solved. I just wanted to pass that info along.
Thank you again for all your recipes, and for your faithfulness to the Lord’s leading in your life!
AnnaMichelle
One more thing not mentioned, which was a standby of my Grandma who had 10 children, and that is to take Brewer’s Yeast each day. (I don’t know dose, but am guessing 1 TB or so to start) My Mom and sister swear by it, and say it works wonders. Good luck!
Fenugreek worked for me through feeding 2 babies.
Ladies, if your reading this in april/may, GO OUTSIDE!!! There are nettles growing everywhere right now! I picked a huge bag full on my last hike !
Lindsay, do you do any scheduling with your baby’s feeds? Or limit nursing at night? From what I’ve read, in order to boost your milk supply it can be helpful to wake your baby 2-3 times at night to nurse if he/she naturally sleeps through the night and of course feed on demand all day. I have been a doula for nearly 4 years and am recently a new mom, and this advice has been very helpful for several of my “ladies” who were struggling with low milk supply. All your herbal/lifestyle advice is awesome also! I pray that you have no trouble maintaining a healthy milk supply for your newest little one.
Blessings,
Jessica
Try AmeriHerb 800 267 6141. I got powdered buffered Vit C from them. My sister in law orders from them regularly.
Jodi – I’m obviously not Lindsay, but… ;O)
I had a hard time finding nettle too. I believe I eventually found some on eBay. Several sellers there sell bulk herbs at reasonable prices. Hope you can get some easily. The tea worked WONDERS for my supply, and I constantly struggle to make enough milk for my babies.
Hope that helps!!
Lindsey- I know that you wrote this post a long time ago but I am hoping you still get this question. I am getting ready to have a baby within the next month and I am having an extremely hard time finding Nettle Leaf. I even checked at the place (BulkHerb) and they are out of stock as well. Any idea where I can find this herb?
Hi Jodi
Try Mountain Rose Herbs here: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/search/search.php?refine=y&keywords=Nettle+Leaf
I order from them quite often (at Lindsey’s recommendation) and their herbs are great!
I always order from either Mountain Rose Herbs or from Bulk Herbs. Mountain Rose Herbs have a great ORGANIC selection of herbs, but if I can’t find it there I order at Bulk Herbs.
Congratulations on your baby. I just had my 4th 3 wks ago. Our first boy!
-soccy
I order mine from SanFransisco herb Co. they are online and have a great selection of hard to find herbs!
I’m just 9 weeks pregnant and I”m wondering when I should start drinking a tea like this.
Lindsay, thank you so much for your blog, it’s the only one I read regularly, such a wonderful resource!!
I also just wanted to add that I really wish I could have come and listened to you at the Selah Conference, I went to George Fox for 4 years and of course graduated the year before you spoke, bummer! Anyway, I’d love any input you have, thanks!!
Michelle
I would recommend you wait until you actually give birth. Some of these herbs are not suitable during pregnancy but are perfectly safe once you have your baby. You can start consuming immediately after you give birth.
HI! i know this is an older post, but i just read this post and found it extremely helpful! I am pregnant, due in february, and i have been doing some research on building milk supply and overall care for the postnatal period. I want to have some supplies ready for when I deliver! I wanted to mention that my herbalist has told me to avoid parsley and sage as these two herbs decrease your milk supply. Just an FYI!
This is an older post, but just in case someone finds this helpful…
I found brewing three cups a day to be nearly impossible. Some days I’d only manage to make one cup, or none at all, and my milk supply suffered. Here’s my solution:
Every morning, I put three Tablespoons of Lindsay’s MM Tea in a large glass jar (I use an old applesauce jar with a metal lid), along with one cinnamon stick. Then I fill the jar with boiling water, seal the lid, and leave it on the counter all day like sun tea. As soon as it cools a bit, I pour a bit through a strainer into my cup, leaving the rest of the tea in the jar. It’s so easy to do it this way throughout the day! Every evening I rinse out the jar and save my cinnamon stick somewhere dry for the next day’s tea. I go through about one cinnamon stick a week.
Sushi-grade seaweed was a blessing to me from my birth doula. It was used similarly to the witch hazel solution on the perineum after my episiotomy – when dampened it was soothing and I think helped me heal quickly. Just thought I’d offer that tid bit.
I don’t know if anyone else had tried clicking on the homemade baby formula link, but it looks like the link was moved on the other site….
Here is the updated link!
http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/319-recipes-for-homemade-baby-formula.html
Please, please, please do not feed raw milk to your babies (or drink while pregnant). This website suggests you get milk from ‘cows certified free of disease’ – there is no such thing, and it’s not the cow’s diseases you should worry about – it’s the bacteria in the environment in which they live. They can KILL infants without sturdy immune systems, as well as pregnant mothers. So unless you think you would be okay with letting your baby suckle from a cow’s teat that’s just been dragged in manure that came out of her hind end, I would not recommend letting them drink raw milk! (PS – I have a doctorate in veterinary medicine, a PhD in bovine mastitis, a two year-old who is still nursing (even though I had limited supply) and one on the way, and I have been studying this topic for more than 10 years, so I know of what I speak!)
Im off to the store to buy the herbs, but I was wondering if you have a copy of the formula recipe you mentioned above- the link is no longer valid & I’d love to have it.
Thanks for the info.
Finding this recipe is truly a blessing! A couple weeks ago we visited my parents in a particularly high and dry part of the Colorado mountains, and my milk supply plummeted. Since then we’ve used up all my backup frozen pumped milk trying to keep our five-month-old fed, and it’s been an all-around disaster. I bought Mother’s Milk Tea, but it’s incredibly expensive when I’m using three tea-bags every day! Our local health food store has all these dried herbs in bulk, and I already have red raspberry leaf from pregnancy, so I’m going to try this out! So thankful I stumbled across your site.
Hello wonderful Mommas,
Have any of you hear of hypoplasia or IGT (Insufficient Glandular Tissue). I have a 3 month old and have struggled with milk supply since he was 1 week old. What have you tried to increase your milk supply. This has been so incredibly difficult for me as Breastfeeding exclusively has always been my hearts desire and what I thought was Gods best. But I know the Lord loves me and will take care of my baby. As of now…he nurses…..has a bottle of formula…and then I pump. I can usually pump 4-5oz per day and give him that as his last bottle of the day.
Thank you for any encouragement you can provide!
Jen
Hi, Lindsay. I’m making my own supply-boosting tea, and I got all my herbs in the mail today. I got both fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds, but I’m not sure if I should grind them before I put them in the tea or leave them whole. How do you do it?
You combine all the herbs and seeds in their whole form, no grinding necessary.
I too have struggled to produce enough milk for my baby. I have grieved much yet praise God that in his good, kind and perfect wisdom he has chosen this for us as a part of his good purposes.
Fenugreek helped to build my supply a bit and I added more feeds to my 6 month old’s day yet still my milk would be gone before my daughter was satisfied. In my desperation and research I came across a book review on the La Leche League website. Then I saw on Amazon that many recommended this book because the information in it helped them to increase their milk supply. There were no negative reviews. After reading it I too would like to recommend this book for anyone who is struggling with milk production:
“Mother Food” by Hilary Jacobson.
It is a wonderful resource that looks at traditional herbs and foods and galactogogues and lactogenic foods from all over the world. Personally, I have tried a combination of 3 things that have helped me so far (I’m not sure if just one of these things is the culprit or all 3 because I tried them all at the same time): Perhaps I was drinking too much water (about a gallon/4 litres a day). I’ve limited myself to about 2.5-3 litres a day. I enjoyed an almost daily habit of one coffee and a piece of dark chocolate a day as a catch up time with my husband. I’ve stopped having chocolate and am having at least one caffeine free day a week. I’ve also stopped my daily habit of chewing gum. Praise the Lord because these 3 actions have abundantly increased my milk – and I haven’t even tried all of the other more important ideas and suggestions in the book! (If you try these things, expect a headache for a day or two).
I hope this information helps those who would like to learn about ways they could increase their milk supply. The book is about $17 plus postage from Amazon and it’s is one of the best discoveries I’ve made. Thank you, Lord:)
Hi Jenni,
I just came across your post and wanted to congratulate you on understanding so well the concept of “anti-lactogenic” foods and behavior, how some moms might be caffeine-sensitive, or have to avoid aspartame (in gum and elsewhere) because of the way it may affect the chemistry of milk production in those mothers. I’m thrilled that you found simple suggestions that made such a big difference for your breastfeeding experience.
I have a facebook page where I “plan” to become more active in updating information about Mother Food.
Thanks for sharing!
How is drinking too much water a day a bad thing for milk production?
I have tried fenugreek to build my milk supply but it did not work, I later found out from another mother that RASBERRIES help out to build milk supply. And it worked. I pump and give my twins breast milk in bottles and my let down comes way faster than usual from just eating like 5 rasberries a day. rasberries really work.
I just wanted to let all of you moms who have had supply issues know that there is also another way to give you child breastmilk. It doesn’t have to be your own! I personally have donated breastmilk while breastfeeding both of my children. There are many ways to find it if you have exhausted all resources and still truly don’t want to use anything but mama’s milk. With my son I donated over 500oz. to the National Milk Bank, and with my daughter I found my own recipients (I liked how personal this type of donation/recievership was) and still donated 280oz. to one family and about 300oz. to the other, who came to my home to raid my freezer, lol! It was such a blessing to see the babies who would be drinking my own milk and growing off of it, and hearing their own mothers’ stories. If you wish to find a personal donor of breastmilk for your baby when all other efforts fail, please join the Yahoo group Milkshare at this address! http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MilkShare/
If you are a donor it is free to join, if you wish to be a recipient there is a marginal $15 fee. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed. It’s all about priorities right?
thank you so much for this post…i too have struggled and have found it an isolating struggle b/c not many women seem to identify that i speak with. my kids pediatrician just told me that she thinks women with less period signs (cramps, soreness of breasts, etc.) seem to struggle most with producing milk, which was the first correlation i could find and identify with(i have very mild periods). anyway, thank you so much!!
You know, you can get these herbs at Limbo’s at 39th and Holgate here in Oregon. They have a huge ‘wall of herbs’ where I pick up stuff for my teas.
Good to know! Thanks for sharing! I was just wondering this the other day but couldn’t locate a local source.
I struggled with my milk supply with my last baby, which I attribute mostly to the fact that life was particularly stressful when he was born and so my body wasn’t able to rest and take the time to establish a really good supply. As a result, I had to work really hard to keep my supply up, though eventually I was able to get it to stabilize and continued to nurse him until he was 19 mths.
Lindsay, I followed a routine like you do- wake, nurse, awake, sleep, begin the cycle again. I also prefer that to demand feeding, and it seems to help establish a lot of peace and stability in the routine for both the baby, and myself (and the rest of the household, actually).
When my milk was low during those feeds, though, I would finish up the feed as usual even though I knew it wasn’t enough. Then I would go and have a snack (preferably including protein), have a large glass of water or two, try to sit and rest for a bit, and then 30-45 minutes later, I would try again, even though it was not on schedule. It seemed to be long enough to allow more milk to build up and to be able to finish filling up baby’s tummy, without waiting so long that it totally threw off our schedule. I could still put baby down shortly after that, sticking to the routine.
For me, one of the most important things was to stop and rest when my milk was low. Something I found very difficult, for sure, but it really seemed to make a huge difference!
My condolences to all who have had trouble breastfeeding. I do have a question, how do you know when you are dry?? Do you try to express and nothing comes out or do you just feel empty?? I am confused because I have the opposite problem I keep reading “when baby finishes with the first breast..” For me it seems like I can NEVER run out of milk. Even during growth spurts, I feel emptier but I can still squirt my husband from across the room.
I am now donating milk to the Mother’s Milk Bank of California. I really wish I had started earlier when my son was gag of milk, I was flooding the bedding and leaving puddles on the floor….
After a long fight (work and pumping dried me up), I gave in to making formula (WPF recipe), but I was so concerned since I am not a nutritionist that it wasn’t the right amounts of everything or too much of some things, so I gave in to buying her formula. We went with Baby’s Only toddler formula (they don’t have infant formula). The nutritional info is almost identical to more popular(and less healthy) formulas , but without Martek DHA and ARA. I found it the least expensive on this site, but it was a couple years ago… http://www.naturesone.com/dairy.php
But I will stand with you in trusting God to increase your supply without having to turn to alternatives.
I also want to encourage all those breastfeeding, especially those with difficulties. It can be hard, but worth it!
A little note, that the mint family reduces milk as well, so avoid mint teas if trying to increase supply.
I just want to encourage anyone that’s having a hard time with breastfeeding to keep up the good work. My daughter is almost six months old now and I had a horrible time in the beginning. Her blood sugar dropped after she was born so we supplemented with cow’s milk, finally, because it was easier to bottle feed at the time and things went downhill from there. I almost gave up but I decided to give it one more try and, after a month was finally able to get to the place where I didn’t need to supplement at all. But my baby’s so healthy and the pain was so worth it. She’s never gotten sick. Just hang in there. Also, for the first six weeks of life you should feed as often as possible. After that, you can get on a schedule and things should be okay. Of course it’s different for everyone but I’m a firm believer that anyone can breastfeed and make it work.
Thanks for this post and the homemade tea recipe! Just as a sidenote, since I didn’t see it anywhere else on here, for the mothers who are still pregnant, and preparing to breastfeed, particularly if you struggled with BF’ing previous children, my herbalist friend at my local natural foods store told me expressly that lactation teas are NOT to be consumed while still pregnant!
That said, I have had a heartbreaking and unsuccessful BF experience with both children so far. Every single tip and trick and galactagogue in the book…you name it, I’ve tried it. My lactation consultant with my last child told me that she thinks that I’m the only woman she has ever seen who truly medically could not breastfeed.
I’m still hopeful, because God is still sovereign over our bodies, and I’ll continue to attempt to breastfeed each time our family grows!
Has anyone ever heard of Maxi-Milk? I saw it on Mountain Meadow Herbs; it’s a liquid tincture that you dissolve in a glass of water. I would love to hear some “real-life” testimonials of its efficacy.
I’ve done a lot of reading about breastfeeding issues since my first daughter wouldn’t latch on for 6 months and I had to pump and bottle feed her til she finally decided that the boob wasn’t so bad!! lol Thankfully I never had supply problems, on the contrary I have overabundance, but one thing I have heard overwhelmingly helps boost milk supply and health is chlorophyll.
The Now brand is what I use, as it’s triple strength so it lasts longer!! It is so helpful for cleansing the blood gently, and from what I’ve read about women who have milk production difficulties, boosts milk supply.
Hope that helps!!
Lindsay,
That’s hard. Breastfeeding problems are so hard to deal with and I’ve had my own to deal with too! Good job in looking for some resources to help you! Here’s what helped me.
For Faith, we were told by many different sources that the very best way to make more milk is to pump or nurse when you have no milk left. This is sending a strong message to your body that it isn’t producing enough. At least for me, it was very effective. When pumping (by the way, I have a nice pump you can borrow if you need one), I would pump an extra five minutes after I was empty. Did wonders! With Elena, there were several times my milk supply went down (though for the most part I dealt with an over supply which has it’s own problems). Each time that happened, if I let her nurse, even when my milk was gone, or I had barely “filled up” again, I would soon get my milk supply up again. The most important part for me was to nurse more…..more…..and more! And yes, nursing at different times, took up way too much of my time (day and night), but I was blessed with the result of having plenty of milk.
However, I know that it’s very hard to do schedule wise. I know that it can be a problem to get out of your routine and that’s not fun. But if you really needed to up your supply, it could be quite helpful.
One last point, I find it strange that it was recommended to eat parsley to up your breast milk in the Wise Woman’s Herbal book because I actually used it to reduce mine! My lactation consultant had me eat fresh parsley every hour when I was terribly engorged and it helped a lot……so I am not sure what it would be recommended as something to take to help with lactation! Like others mentioned, Cabbage is also very effective in reducing milk supply, so watch out for that too! Sage is another herb to watch out for as it also reduces the milk supply.
Well, hope that helps a little and good luck and God’s blessing on you.
I have been loving your website since I found it through a friend’s blog a few months back. I was curious if your study in herbology has been from books or websites? I have been trying to find some good books to read but don’t know which ones to buy, there are so many out there!
I am currently taking a correspondence course in herbology but also have found a few excellent books on the topic that I would highly recommend. My all time favorite is Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health. It is by far the easiest to understand and thorough. I also really like Herbal Home Remedies as a fun easy intro to herbology. I was planning on doing some reviews of these books and others in an upcoming post.
Pumping can be a great way to boost your milk production if done at the right time. I have four children and with most of them I would pump in the evening, right before bed and my husband would feed the baby a bottle of expressed breast milk. It is a great way to involve dad’s(sometimes they feel a bit left out of the nursing bond)This NEVER harmed by baby’s desire to nurse and I was able to pump up to 10 or 12 oz at a time and use some for the next evenings feeding and store the rest in the freezer. Which was great as I have been able to use that milk on 2 separate occasions to help out other babies who needed it.
I’ve really enjoyed the tea blends from the bulk herb store. I’ve started drinking the “Mama’s Red Raspberry Brew”, and in a few months, when our fifth child is born, I will begin drinking the “Mama’s Milk Tea”. I’m not sure how the price compares to mixing your own, but the cost is much more reasonable than the tea bags from my local health food store.
http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Premixed_Remedies?id=gYIcna5U
I got very sick after my son was born and was hosptalized. I was so ill my milk never came in so we used the formula in Nourshing Traditons. We used it for about a month and a half to two months. We loved it! He did sooo well on it. I would recommend it for sure! I also know another lady that due to her son’s health issues was unable to nurse and also used the formula with great sucess. I was able to start nursing after I got home and got to feeling better. While I was trying to build my milk supply up I used More Milk Plus by Motherlove, nursing constantly and letting him pacify himself at the breast instead of using a pacifier. My supply went from nothing while I was sick to more than enough. My milk didn’t come in until about 4 weeks postpatrum if I remember right. It was a slow process getting it built up but God was good and I was able to! Hang in there ladies!
Hi Lindsay,
I am due with my 4th baby girl in a few weeks and have never successfully breastfed. For me the reason wasn’t milk supply, but the fact that my nipples would crack and bleed by the second or third day regardless of latching on techniques. i also have c-sections, which makes it harder. I am really struggling with what to do right now- I know breastfeeding is the best thing I could do, I’m just afraid it won’t work out. I went ahead and ordered milk boosting herbs from bulkherbstore.com to take as soon as baby is born so the milk will come in quicker (usually takes 5 days) and some special herbal healing balm in case the cracked/bleeding nipples occur.
Did you experience soreness with breastfeeding and if so, how did you cope?
Hi Jessica,
) pat your breasts dry with your towel, but try to let your nipples dry completely in the air before you put your bra on. Hope some of that helps when you experience this the next time. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
I am due with my 3rd baby in September. My first two, I had terribly sore and cracked nipples through the first week of nursing also regardless to latching on technique, I had a lactation consultant to help me each time and they both said the latch was correct. To the point where I was sitting there moving my legs and feet because it was so painful when the babies would latch on. After the baby is done nursing I sit there a little longer and leave my breasts uncovered so the nipple dries completely and then I used the Lansinoh creme each time when they were dry. I also bought the breast shields that you can cool in the fridge and put those in my bra each time I got up when I was done nursing. I had two sets so I always had a cold set in the fridge! After a week or so, it really did get better each time. My daughter nursed until she was a year and my son almost a year. The other thing is, after your shower each day (if you can manage to get one each day, right!?
Dana [email protected]
Jessica,
The first week is the worst. I remember my toes curling up and gritting my teeth each time he latched on. After the first week or two it gets a little better, just really tender. I have a few tips to try. I used the Lansinoh or Medula cream for the first month and now I don’t need it anymore. DO NOT put soap on your breast, that will definitely dry your nipples and cause cracking. Just rinse your breasts with water and pat dry. Also, I sleep at night on a towel with no shirt on so that my nipples can get plenty of air. I have been breatfeeding for three months now, and have no pain at all when my son nurses.
SO great to see you being proactive in this area, Lindsay! Concern for their milk supply issues are something it seems like more moms struggle with than we realize. I had just a few suggestions, although there are some great ideas being added to your well researched post already. I am nursing our fourth baby right now, and it seems I only really started to get the hang of it with our last one! I’m a slow learner! I struggled with keeping my supply up with all the last three. But nursing has gotten better with each one. I know for my body, I have the best supply when I let my baby nurse as much as he needs at night because I am the most relaxed and have the most time to really have a great nurse. Although it is important to let them nurse long enough to get a good amount of hindmilk, nursing less frequently does not store it up, and nursing more frequently definitely increases production. This is how mom’s can nurse twins! Supply and demand really works. My baby’s have gained really well when I nurse whenever they root pretty much. I always offer anyway, and they refuse if they really are full. I figured this out by default because with our second, nursing sessions were interuppted to discipline my first or get her something etc. so I felt like I was nursing my son so much more to finish where we were, but my milk really started picking up then. Also… La leche league is a great resource locally and online! http://www.llli.org
Hi everyone,
I also struggled with a low milk supply – i nursed all day and night yet my son just cried. I told my midwives who assured me that this was all normal, and he was doing just fine. Five days later he developed major jaundice and had to spend 3 days in the neonatal intensive care unit. Turns out he was crying because he was hungry. It’s sad that the midwives who i put my trust in lacked the knowledge to advise me that i had a problem with low milk supply.
In any event, he’s doing great now, but since he was 5 days old i had to supplement nursing with formula. I also tried herbs/fenugreek, but nothing worked for me except a medication called Dom Peridone. This helped me greatly with my milk supply.
My greatest frustration through the whole experience was the research i did on the internet, and in books, reading quotes such as “with few exceptions, all women can make enough milk for their baby – even for twins.” It made me feel like a huge failure that I was unable to provide this basic necessity for my little boy. From reading this post, it looks like low milk supply is quite common. I wish I had known that when i first started out – it would have helped me with my feelings of inadequacy.
Lindsay – good on you for perservering with nursing and not giving up!
My heart goes out to you! It was a 24-hour job to get my son to nurse and it never really took off. I tried Everything! I’ve been reading through the entire Bible in this pregnancy to encourage myself before I need it for #2 coming soon, and now will keep this post in mind too. I’m hoping breastfeeding is no problem for #2, but know that it’s not everything in terms of the best care either. Anyway, my son is now one of the healthiest eaters in our playgroup! So no tips here, just camaraderie!
Hi All-
I too struggled with my milk supply after my daughter was born. One thing I found really helpful was to have a glass of wine or a glass of beer with dinner. Obviously, if you’ve ever struggled with an addiction in this area, beware. And notice, ONE glass. At any rate, this not only helped to relax my “new mom nerves,” but it totally boosted my milk supply which was low due to a tongue-tied baby with an awful latch mixed with Raynaud’s Syndrome in my nipples! Hope this helps!
Yes, hops is another great milk booster!
I struggled with getting a full supply as well. I took fenugreek capsules, 4 caps 4 times a day to get the best results. I really needed to increase my supply significantly to be able to exclusively breastfeed. Many of the suggested dosages (on the bottle of capsules, etc) did very little for me, but on a forum I was on (affiliated with the LaLeche League) I found out that you could go up to 16 caps per day. I tried that, and the very next morning I woke up engorged with milk. Worked incredibly well!
I have also heard the herbal supplement Shatavari works wonders for increasing milk supplies, as well as overall women’s reproductive health.
Aw! So glad you posted on this Lindsay! Great way to share what you’ve been learning! Well-I’m off to slather on some more shea butter on my tummy-it’s beginning to itch a wee bit;)
The human body is an amazing thing! I don’t enjoy breastfeeding at all but am successfully breastfeeding baby #4. When I don’t get enough water or rest I notice my supply going down and the only thing that has ever worked to fix that is pumping after every feeding. It always works in less than a day but I think I might have to try the tea since I enjoy drinking tea but don’t enjoy pumping
Thanks for the recipe!
oh – thought of a bit more as i was rocking and nursing my sweet boy! have you considered pumping for a few minutes following feedings? while not terribly convenient, it is a pretty gentle way of asking your body for, “more please!”. an added benefit is being able to store that milk for later when it is time to start cereal!
it sounds to me like you have been doing a fabulous job researching the best ways to increase your supply, and you are putting them into practice. oatmeal certainly seems to help me when i’m feeling as though my supply isn’t keeping up with my little one’s demand. i like to put a little bit of peanut butter in mine, to add some protein. of course, i very much enjoy peanut butter, though! a great way to sneak in the rest that is so elusive but necessary is to lay down to nurse a couple of times each day. gatorade also seems to be helpful to me. the suggestion to try to get your son to nurse for full meals and not just snacks is a good one, so that he gets plenty of hind milk.
i hope this helps. i have just recently come across your blog and have been enjoying it so much. i appreciate your heart, and am thankful for the inspiration!
Hi Lindsay! I used my electric breast pump everday, and that really helped. I also drank mother’s milk tea, and made sure my fluids were up & that I ate healthy.
This actually made me kind of sad to read, only because I know of so many people who have been paranoid that their milk supply is low and they started supplementing (which creates a milk supply problem even if there isn’t one) or stopped nursing because of it. I would encourage anyone who thinks they might struggle with this to read this article on kelly mom http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html#supply. And make sure you have a pediatrician who is knowledgeable and supportive of breastfeeding as breastfed only babies grow on a different curve then formula fed babies.
Also, I read the homemade formula recipe and I have to say it really concerns me that it has cow’s milk in it since I know of so many babies who have had milk protein intolerance, particularly if it runs on either side of the family at all. http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/food-sensitivity.html#dairy
I always enjoy reading your blog! May God supply what each of our babies need!! Blessings!
Raw cow’s milk is a whole different story when it comes to the homemade milk formula. Goat’s milk is also a good alternative.
There is also a liver and broth formula that has no dairy. Yum!
I used fenugreek with my past two children, and wow does that work!
Finally something I may be able to help you with. I have three children (two nursing right now) and have no problems with making milk. I attribute this to my mother who let it all hang out (literally) so that we would be comfortable with nursing. It worked for me! She also taught that letting your children suck all they want. Until they either spit it out or I have to do something around the house(but not too much when they are little) would encourage milk production. Also, as selfless mothers we tend to forget ourselves, so be certain to drink plenty of water and take a multivitamin.
From what I can see you run a wonderful home (and blog) in His name. God bless you, and your walk with Jesus.
Don’t give up with the nursing it is so wonderful for your children! Promotes great face shape (sucking), proper pallet formation for singing later on, and of course if your diet is adequate all the vitamins and nutrients they are getting!! Also pulls fat off you body!
I hope this encourages you!
Thanks for the info! Do you know anything about increasing the richness of your milk? I have had an adequate supply (I actually had oversupply issues), but my milk is pretty low calorie (I had it tested at a lactation consultant). I have been researching a ton on how to increase the richness/calorie content of my milk, but have not come up with much. I have increased the healthy fats in my diet (butter, eggs, cod liver oil, coconut oil, olive oil) and eat pretty close to the nourishing traditions lifestyle (except milk). My daughter has continued to lack in weight gain. Anyways, just thought I would ask if you knew anything!
Meredith,
This may not be an option for you, but I ate ice cream and whole milk every day and my milk has a very thick layer of cream on top when it has been refrigerated. I notice when I eat very healthy (just vegetables, nuts), there is less cream. So I am trying to find a healthy balance with organic vegetarian meals and blue bell for a snack. Also, with all that fat, I’m still losing weight!
Undiagnosed hypoglycemia is a big culprit in milk supply issues. I dealt with it while nursing my last two babies, and man, was it hard to make sure they got enough (even with a lot of herbal aids, like the ones you mention here). I’ve found that maca root really helps to stabilize my blood sugar, and eating only complex carbs, veggies and lean meat served to keep my system from socking away everything I ate (before it could be turned into milk).
Thanks for the great info!
Really?? This is so helpful to me, because I have to be very careful about balancing protein and carbs throughout the day or else my blood sugar will plummet. I had no idea that this problem could contribute to decrease in milk production. THANK YOU!
I am nursing my 7-week old daughter and would like to increase my supply so that I can pump and store my milk so she can have an occasional bottle. I have a bag of fenugreek seed that I ground in my coffee grinder and mixed in with some juice. It tasted awful, but I am willing to do it if it will boost my milk. I just took my first dose this afternoon, so it will be a couple of days until I see if it works for me. Any suggestions on how to mask the taste better?
Take it in capsule form!
I just thought I’d mention… When I was nursing our first baby, my milk dried up in a week when I began drinking mint tea “to help his digestion” … I didn’t know any better, but I certainly do now! I avoided it when nursing our second and never had a problem. I did supplement with a nursing tea that I mixed up myself (using the Traditional Medicinal tea as a guide).
And to Melody – it’s definitely worth doing bulk herbs rather than tea bags. A) cost is MUCH less, B) the herbs are usually processed less, and C) you can add more of a particular ingredient as you desire (I added extra milk thistle and fennel).
Fenugreek is amazing. When my son was born I drank fenugreek tea which consisted of some fenugreek seeds in a teapot filled with boiling water and left to steep. Good luck!
I have also had a hard time keeping up a good supply for my babies. It is so frustrating when you work so hard to take good care of your body and it fails you. I have been in contact with an herbologist and trying different herbal remedies. She said the tea needs to steep at least 4 hours to pull out all the constituents, thought you might want to try that.
The thing that has worked the best for me with my milk supply is eating 2 cups of quinoa everyday, it is truly amazing.
Thank you for all the great information you have on here. I made the processed food to whole food transformation about 7 years ago, I have applied more and more throughout the years and am getting to the point where I am ready to seek out the best of whole foods (which seems to be the area you are currently mastering. I have been using agave nectar to sweeten things here and there and as I was reading through my copy of Nourishing Traditions realize Ms. Fallon is not so keen on fructose, but couldn’t find the base of her feeling. Do you happen to know the explanation behind the ill effects of fructose and where agave nectar falls in?
You may find some further information on natural sweeteners in my post here.
Amy, where did you find the lactation cookie recipe? It sounds really interesting!
I thought I’d point you to an article by the nourishing gourmet. Kimi mentioned one of her friends was having low milk supply and it was because she was eating a lot of cabbage. Just in case you have been enjoying a lot of that delicious homemade sauerkraut.
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/07/should-we-eat-raw-crucifers.html
Just wanted to mention that cabbage (raw or cooked) lowers milk production. I don’t know for sure about anything else that might lower it, but with all the cabbage plentiful in CSA’s and farmers markets during the summer (at least around here) it’s good to know. I always make sure to space out my use of our CSA’s cabbage enough so that it doesn’t affect me too badly.
Thank you so much for sharing that. I put up a lot of cabbage this summer and will definitely not eat it until I stop breastfeeding!
Luckily, I have not had any supply issues while nursing. My daughter is one now and still nursing but I found the best way for me was to eat oatmeal daily, but I got tired of eating the same thing everyday. So I found a recipe for Oatmeal Lactation Cookies that made a nice treat and had some extra ingredients like brewer’s yeast for lactation. My husband even liked them too!
“Oatmeal Lactation Cookies” – I LOVE it! What a great reason to satisfy my sweet tooth. I’m definitely looking into this as my pregnancy (#3) gets further along.
What is the recipe for Oatmeal Lactation Cookies?
A liquid B Vitamin supplement taken once or twice a day will work very well. Within two days I noticed a dramatic improvement in my milk supply.
Also trying to make sure baby gets full “meals” at each nursing instead of just little “snacks” seems to help also.
Thanks for your post! I’m due to have another baby in just a few weeks, and have had milk supply issues with my other two children.
In the past, I’ve used the Traditional Medicinal tea with decent results (along with taking Fenugreek capsules). I also tried the Yogi Nursing Mom tea but didn’t care for it as well. The only thing is that to get the best results from the TM tea, I ended up drinking a gallon a day! Great for the water consumption aspect, but not so great on the pocketbook. That tea added up quickly.
If you don’t mind my asking, how does the price compare to buy the herbs in bulk compared to buying the TM bags? I don’t mind spending more up front to buy the bulk herbs, especially if it will result in a greater amount of tea.
I spent about $20 (w/shipping) for all the herbs listed above. That was for about 4 oz of each. This will make a couple quarts of dried herbs (say about 3 quarts – making about 64 cups of tea per quart using 1 Tbsp per cup of water=192 cups of tea). A huge savings when you consider that a box of mother milk tea costs $5 for 20 tea bags (or 20 cups). Buying in bulk is also far more fresh and effective. You can buy in larger quantities (up to 1 lb) from MRH and save even more.
Thank you so much! That is a MUCH bigger savings than I anticipated – even buying by the case like I did still costs over twice as much.
Thanks again!
thank you for your research and suggestions. this is something i have struggled with as well, but have learned much from your info here. thanks!
I wish I would have known this 5 years ago. It did not work to breastfeed my last child. It just wasn’t there for him. He ended up with excema which has been traced to non-breastfed babies. What a struggle it was. I’m glad you put this information out for everyone.
I was just planning ahead for baby #5 and reading about this. I don’t endorse this site in it’s entirety, but she provides some good information on postpartum herbs:
http://herbalistpath.blogspot.com/2008/02/must-have-herbs-for-postpartum.html
I’ve been done nursing for a long time now, but it took awhile for my milk to dry up. I learned I had to avoid certain things while I was trying to stop producing milk (I had nursed children for awhile, so it took quite awhile to stop). So I would assume they are foods that would increase a milk supply in someone who desires it. The ones I noticed were almonds and oils like olive oil, fish oil (basically any extra healthy oils I used to supplement my diet, they always boosted my supply). Also oatmeal, like you mentioned did the same thing. All my best to the nursing mamas out there.
I don’t have children yet, but I subscribe to The Medical News via RSS feed, and this article was posted the other day. I obviously have no experience with this, but maybe others will find it helpful.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090716/New-breast-pumping-technique-helps-preemiese28099-moms-to-improve-milk-supply.aspx
this is a very informative and beneficial post for me. I have had trouble with both of my children, supply decreasing around the 3-4 month mark. I am really interested in trying these ideas whenever #3 comes along. Thanks for this information! Do you do ALL of these suggestions on a daily basis???
I guess this is more of a question of how frequently you would feed a new born child. My friend just had a baby last week
and when I went to visit if seemed as thought she fed the baby almost 7 times and I was only there for about 2 hours. I have no children of my own yet so I am a bit naive the feeding schedule of a child. I was under the impression that you are to feed every two hours. She was feeding him every time he made the gestures he was hungry. Are you supposed to feed whenever your baby tells you? Or should you have some kind of schedule? Does feeding more frequently increase your milk production?
I understand that you should feed your baby roughly every 2 hours or else they are just snacking all the time and not getting good full feedings. I don’t hold to any sort of firm schedule, but that is my guideline. I usually nurse my baby, give him a bit of waketime, and when he gets fussy, I put him down for a nap. When he wakes up and expresses a desire to eat we begin the cycle again. That is my routine and it works very well. Sometimes feeding more frequently can increase your milk supply, but in my case my body needs time to build up my supply again.
I think nursing on demand can be very beneficial…it has been known to encourage milk supply, and aid in bonding…
The concern/problem with nursing on demand, comes when a your baby “snacks” constantly. In “Snacking” they are probably only getting the fore milk, which can cause tummy upset, due to the high amounts of lactose (milk sugar) it contains…Hinds milk provides the very necessary high fat content, and helps balance the lactose, as well as aid in healthy weight gain!
All in all, the most important thing, is doing what works for you and your baby!
Thank you Lindsay for posting this! I am excited to try your recipe for the Mother’s Milk Tea! Once again, God has used you at just the right time, as I just recently bought my first box of “Traditional Medicinals”.
To avoid the difficulty with fore/hind milk, Dr. Newman teaches to nurse on one side, through different feedings if need be, until that one breast is finished before switching to the other side, rather than switching breasts every time. If a baby just nurses for short time, then they will still get the hind milk.
and also, how often a baby nurses depends on how old they are. Newborns have a very small stomach so they nurse short and frequently, and as they get older nurse for longer at a time and at longer intervals. With both my daughters, the first few weeks it felt like I was constantly nursing, but it evened out after a while.
I think there are some differing theories on this … my MIL learned from La Leche League back in the early 80′s that feeding on demand is best … so whenever baby fusses, try to feed. This really did not work for me, for several reasons. Like Lindsay, I just don’t produce that much milk. My daughter is healthy and thriving (actually well above average in height and weight!), but I just don’t have any extra milk and sometimes I don’t have enough by the end of the day. When she was little, I nursed approximately every two hours. I found out pretty quickly that my little one was a natural “snacker,” and that more often than not she cried from boredom rather than actual hunger. Sometimes she just wanted a change of view or a walk in the stroller. She was a fussy eater and putting her on a regular schedule helped her to eat more at each feeding. Personally, I think it’s more practical and efficient to nurse every two hours or so, but like I said, I think that there’s a range of opinions on what is best.
Anna,
I have been breastfeeding for 3 months and it is going wonderfully. I feed ‘on cue’ which is about every two to three hours more or less for my baby. He ate much more often the first month becuase his stomach was so small that he could not eat much. He is gradually going longer between meals, but I have found that the best way to increase my milk (besides rest and eating well of course) is to pump whenever possible immediatly after or between feedings. You may only get half an ounce at first, but the more you pump what the baby does not eat, the more milk your body makes to replace it. Also, make sure that your friend drinks LOTS of water. I normally drink about 80 ounces or more in a day and make much less milk when I forget. Hope this helps.
Do you nurse on cue from birth on and still have trouble? I didn’t realize this was an issue for people unless they did schedule feeding. Learn something new everyday!
Have you read the new book Making More Milk http://www.makingmoremilk.com/
Have you ever tried the homemade formula? I would consider it for an adoptive baby. I’ve seen some talks about it on mothering.com
Hola from NM! I love your blog and have learned about a whole new way to incorporate my grain storage into our daily routine -thanks!
Anyway, my mid-wife made a similar tea for me only she added fenugreek which seems to be that special herb that really gets the milk to increase. Good luck and God bless!