Why your milk may decrease & how to boost it back up!

This past Thursday we talked supply....again.

I think it is important to understand why and how your supply can decrease in an effort to control & manage it.

We talked about emptying your breast. Pumping after each feed, if you feel that the baby did not finish. Example: baby falling asleep or too distracted during a feed. We talked about hormonal issues that cause milk supply to diminish or be low from the start such as: high estrogen, testosterone, thyroid issues and PCOS.
(There are plenty more issues that can affect supply)

Breast tissue damage & scarring is another issue to be aware of.
Nipple piercing, reductions and biopsies can cause decreases, to name a few.
There are anti-galactofuges that cause milk reduction.
Such as peppermints, parsley and thyme...to name a few!
Birth control, and medicines that dry up nasal/sinus issues and alcohol and tobacco use.

On the bright side there are numerous ways to boost back and make supply!

Water and diet, first and foremost.

If tissue damage has occurred, Motherlove has Goat's Rue that helps restore and build tissue. This product can even help for adoptive moms to lactate.
Oats. Oatmeal, oat tea or oat bread!
Motherlove has the number one selling product for supplements. More Milk Plus. I prefer the capsules to the liquid.
Herbal Galactofuges. Such as fenugreek, blessed thistle and many more.

(This is a recap of the #BfCafe as I remembered it while typing this post from my phone!)

For more information click on any of the links above that will direct you to the Motherlove website.

Introducing: Motherlove this week's #BfCafe sponsor

The number one topic on the minds of breastfeeding moms is supply. It is really hard to trust ourselves and what we cannot see.
As a new or even experienced mom, we stress about the ability to produce the amount of milk our child needs.
I mean, everywhere we turn, TV, random people at the mall and EVEN our doctors are telling us that formula is the way to go. Jandice? Formula. Lower side of the growth chart? Formula. Baby needs to eat while you are shopping? Formula. Commercials say closest to breast and actresses are bottle feeding on TV and movies....so why should we trust our self?
Because you know. Deep down no matter why or how, you know that breast is best and that with the proper support you can and WILL do it!

So, you feel like you need to boost your supply?

Have you tried Motherlove?

I have purchased their products before when I was nursing Zealand and pregnant with Kingsley. Motherlove makes products for all kinds of supplement needs.

Motherlove is organic, holistic, herbal remedies that help moms and moms to be in their journey of a nurturing life.

Motherlove Herbal Company is a member of the following organizations:

• American Botanical Council (ABC)
• American Herbalists Guild (AHG)
• American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)
• Better Business Bureau
• Herb Research Foundation (HRF)
• Organic Trade Association(OTA)
• United Plant Savers (UpS)

Motherlove has numerous products and this Thursday we will talk about the More Milk Plus capsules that I received and am currently taking to help with my own supply.

We will talk about what causes low milk supply and of course how Motherlove can fix it!

So bring your questions and definitely RSVP to win some Motherlove products!
(Must be present during chat to win from RSVP list)




If you want MORE ways to win and/or you can't make it to the chat here is additional ways to enter to win...just leave a comment per additional entry:

Subscribe to Motherlove's blog
Follow @motherloveherb on twitter
Like Motherlove on facebook
Like #BfCafe on facebook

Lopsided boobs?

Undercover Mama was our sponsor and we gave out three tanks!
She also sent out a very generous coupon code "CAFE" that will give you 20% off your order!
These ingenious tanks attach to whatever bra you have on, instantly making it a nursing tank! *love this idea*

We talked about milk.
How in the beginning while preggo and until you deliver your placenta that milk is a given. That it is not supply and demand made but instead hormonally made. If you are preggo and you have a baby, you will most likely (unless you are the 2%) make milk.
30-72 hours after you deliver the placenta, your breasts will feel fuller and your milk has officially "come in".

Supply and demand is how you will build and maintain your supply from now on.
With each emptying if the breast, more milk will fill. The MORE empty the breast, the faster it will fill. if you do not completely empty the breast, your body will not feel the instant need to fill it, and this will affect your supply. Empty more and empty more frequently. Nursing on demand (not every 3 hours like the hospital tells you) will ensure that you make exactly what your baby needs. Pumping will ensure that you have MORE of a supply however, you may end up with an oversupply that can be harmful to the relationship down the line.

The size of your breasts does not necessarily equal the amount you are able to store.
With that being said, if you do have smaller breasts that has a smaller fullness, you will need to feed even more frequently to keep up with the supply and demand. Kellymom.com compares it to drinking from a cup. You can drink from a large or a small cup and still drink the same amount by the end of the day....BUT you will have to refill that small cup more often.

We also talked about lopsided breasts. WHY?
Well as a nursing mom, certainly you have your favorite side, as much as your nursing baby does. The smaller side is the side less taken, the side less emptied therefore the side less filled. IF the lopsidedness is an issue there are 4 ways that kellymom.com recommends & should help withing 4 days!

*offer smaller side 1st (more vigorous sucking)
*nurse preferred side until letdown then switch to smaller (try to avoid moving baby)
*pump smaller side 5-10 minutes AFTER each session
*pump smaller side in between feedings

Next week we have Motherlove supplements!
**I know we ALL love to talk about BUILDING our supply**

Recap of last week's BfCafe

I've literally just realized that some of my readers might not tweet! So, from now on (hopefully the day after) I will provide details, info and facts from the previous chat. I will from now on, chose a winner from the comments to the #BfCafe RSVP post to win one of the products being given away, in case there is a reader who does not have access to twitter.

This week we talked about pumping. Simple Wishes was our sponsor and she provided 3 bras to the participants.

Our first topic was how much baby needs when you leave her/him behind.
I was even surprised by the numbers that I found on Kellymom.com. I have always told my peers that it was an ounce per hour and that breastmilk changes to the baby's needs. This is true. However, I did not know that between 7-11 months babies are actually eating about 30 oz. (Maybe because they are getting so active?) Babies between 11 months and 2 years only consume/need 14-19 ounces!!! Only 10-12 oz per day for a 2-3 year old!
Kellymom..com offers a pumping calculator to determine how much milk to leave behind, but I can assure you, an ounce per hour the first year of life, should be fine for your baby.
Make sure your caregiver knows the importance of using super slow flow nipples, Stopping often to burp, avoiding using bottle the instant a baby seems upset and have them try to soothe other ways besides giving a bottle of milk.

We switched topics to pumping and dumping. New research shows that it is not necessary. Pumping and dumping does not fasten the amount of time that alcohol will leave your body. If you are sober enough to drive and neurologically normal. Consuming two or more drinks may inhibit a let-down and could inhibit milk production and volume. We didn't really touch on medications and breastfeeding but kellymom.com has a chart of all approved medications.

We moved into how to use pumping as a way to increase supply. We talked about power pumping, weekend nurse ins and breast massage.
We suggested pumping early in the morning when hormone levels are the highest. Possibly checking tubing and flange size. I also pumped one breast while feeding Z on the other. I had it set up on the ottoman in his room, ready to go.

Our last topic was about oversupply and how to donate. Lots of moms during the chat have donated to friends and I can't tell you how much my heart sang! I didn't hear from any moms that jumped through the hoops of having their blood checked. Here is a link to information about milk banks.

Next week we will have Under Cover Mama as our sponsor....I was sent her product and I must say I REALLY like it!