My friend is losing her milk, Please help

[JoyofBirth]

Here's the background, the baby is almost 6 months old. She is on a 3-hour nursing schedule, though not a strict schedule, it's mostly self-imposed by the baby and encourage by the parents. If she gets hungry before hand, they try to distract her, but will feed her if that doesn't work. The mom works 4 hours a day and doesn't have anywhere to pump, soshe goes withtout. Sorry I'm naking. I ttold her t o throw thte schedule out the window for now, pump every couple hours and take fenugreek. How often should she nurse the baby? Shouold she try every hour? ANy other advice or tips to get her m,ilk up?" Anybody BTDT and have some success tips? She's really bummed, please help me help her. Thanks.

[noteworthy]

Is the baby eating solids? that is a major consideration or is the baby receiving supplements?

• supply and demand... try switch nursing... 5 mins on one side, 5 on the other then back again...can help increase supply
• feed on demand
• add a pumping session in once or twice a day
• lots of rest, fluids and fenugreek does help, so does oatmeal.

Check out Kellymom.com and have a nursing holiday... stay in bed and nurse skin to skin all day and just eat and drink to satisfaction. That always worked for me.
HTH
Good luck!

[peilover010202]

If she could work in a pumping session at work, that would be ideal plus adding in a morning pumping session before work (pump on one side and nurse babe on the other.)

Eats lots of oatmeal (maybe every morning for breakfast)?

Drink enough water and avoid caffienated drinks.

Fenugreek

over the weekend, and at other times when with babe, offer the breast every 2 hours. Nursing holiday is always a great idea too.

[veganf]

How did she determine that her supply is waning? Is her baby still hungry? Is she pumping and not getting much? (pumping is NOT a good indicator of how much milk is being produced).

[noteworthy]

Originally Posted by veganf

How did she determine that her supply is waning? Is her baby still hungry? Is she pumping and not getting much? (pumping is NOT a good indicator of how much milk is being produced).

Great point!
I forgot about that!

[JoyofBirth]

She says the baby is still hungry after nursing. Like she cries and keeps coming off.

[veganf]

I doubt it has anything to do with a loss of supply then. And if she doesn't keep nursing more often or pump, then her supply will begin to decrease. I would advise her to go to a LLL meeting or call an IBCLC and set up an appointment.

My new little guy does the same "crying and coming off" thing, but believe me I have a tremendous supply. And sometimes an oversupply can cause the same result. He prefers to nurse after I've pumped because there isn't a forceful letdown (and I really don't mind, since it means he's getting more yummy hindmilk). Not to mention my guy just prefers to get most of his calories at night; he's almost 4 months old and the world is just too distracting to bother with eating during the daytime!

[Momtwice]

She should nurse the baby whenever the baby shows signs of being hungry such as rooting, sucking, crying...not delay the baby. (When they are together that is. At work I understand pumping has to be on a schedule.)

Even formula fed babies should not be put on a parent-directed schedule. The American Academy of Pediatrics has put out a warning that feeding babies (whether breast or bottle) on a parent-directed schedule can lead to dehydration.

I agree that fussing at the breast does not *ITSELF* mean there is a supply problem.

Also is she familiar with growth spurts, where a baby nurses very often and may fuss?

I agree about talking to a LLL leader and or lactation consultant. And there is a ton of help at http://www.kellymom.com

It doesn't sound like her schedule is extremely severe...but some babies get so upset from being delayed and hungry that they dont' feed well. And yes she should lose the schedule.

[Momtwice]

I thought of something else. If she has limited access to a pump during the day,

a) she could learn hand expression or
b) she could sleep with the baby and let the baby nurse a lot at night and while home...this "reverse cycle nursing" is something some babies fall into themselves when separated from mom during the day.