Taking Fenugreek while pregnant to build supplyl

[SamuraiMom]

I am about 8 months or so on baby #5, I noticed last time around that my milk supply was much lower than it had been in the past. In fact I never became engorged at any time, even when away from my LO for a many hours at a time, so I am wondering if I should start taking something now to maybe boost my supply before or when baby comes. I mean, I don't think I am making anything as it is now and DS is still nursing to nap. I just can't believe the difference as I am getting older. I remember being so full of milk... A few years ago, when away on a trip w/ DH when #3 was 10 months old, I was so engorged that the pump was not enough! Needless to say, my DH lost all interest in mama's milk after that weekend! So, should I starts something now, or wait until he comes?

[PatioGardener]

I don't think fenugreek is recommended in pregnancy. http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milks...html#pregnancy

Did you have supply issues that resulted in a problem for your 4th baby? (decreased weight gain, low poops and pees etc?) Do you know why you had issues (baby tongue-ties? etc) Problems with breastfeeding your other babies? If not, I personally would wait until baby arrives. They are all so different, and you may have no issues at all with this one!

[4JMJ]

As said in the PP, I would hold off until the baby is born...herbs like fenugreek and blessed thistle are not recommended during pregnancy.

[SamuraiMom]

Actually, he never had any issue w/ my supply, he did very well, I am just worrying that I will have even less this time around. But I will wait until baby comes, thank you.

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by SamuraiMom

Actually, he never had any issue w/ my supply, he did very well, I am just worrying that I will have even less this time around. But I will wait until baby comes, thank you.

With each pregnancy, you grow more milk ducts (or tissue? I forget exactly how it works), so if you didn't have an issue with your supply last time, you probably won't this time either.

Best of luck!

[boobs4milk]

fenugreek is a uterine stimulant. when i first started taking it, i got af within 2 days and had mega cramps. every baby and pg and nursing relationship is different, but you should discuss your concerns with your hcp so you can be prepared.

[buttercups.nest]

With my first I was dry as a bone until day 8. Things were different with her than with babe #2 but I was still convinced I had supply issues. So with babe #2 I was taking Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle almost the minute he was born. I don't remember how much of each pill but it was 3 pills 3x a day. I would say day 4 I was rock hard. I hurt....I could just touch my boob with a feather and I'd squirt you from 20ft away.

3, almost 4 months later, I am finally just starting to get my oversupply issues under control. It has been a little bit stressful...I started pumping a bit and then syringe feeding to get the edge off and my little guy ended up really liking the syringe :s Then I was thinking he was lactose intolerant because he was acting a lot like my little girl did (she was on lactose free formula)...my friend (also a LLL leader) showed me an article....if babe gets too much foremilk in his system then his body can't keep up with the lactose and digest it quickly enough so it will be like lactose intolerance. I don't know if this is just with my babe (he cluster feeds a lot) or oversupply in general.

With second baby I had a drug free labor, and did skin to skin as soon as he was born. He was also on me for the next couple of days (wouldn't let me put him down) so I was able to notice his cues etc.

Good luck!

[Youngfrankenstein]

My son was 6 months when I got pregnant with ds #2. He ate a fair amount of solids in the next several months and did quite well. I know the milk decreased but never went away. It never occured to me to suppliment...

[Peony]

Originally Posted by Bokonon

With each pregnancy, you grow more milk ducts (or tissue? I forget exactly how it works), so if you didn't have an issue with your supply last time, you probably won't this time either.

Best of luck!

Close! You do build glandular tissue during pg, but that isn't what is going on here. You build prolactin receptor sites during the first few weeks of breastfeeding a baby. These awesome little things boost the effectiveness of prolactin so you actually make less prolactin then you did before in the first few days of breastfeeding but it goes farther. Now even after a woman weans, these sites hang around for a while, years really. Some die off, but if you are getting pg within a couple years, you are still going to have some, you will make more, but you have a headstart.

It is common for moms to report that the more children they have= the more efficient their breasts are. Maybe you were dripping milk everywhere with baby #2, but nothing like that with baby #3, it isn't that there is a supply problem but that these receptor sites by this baby, know exactly how much milk to make.

[PatioGardener]

Thanks for that Peony! Very interesting!

[SamuraiMom]

Ahhh, that makes sense! I am making what I need. Thank you Peony!