Fenugreek... how much?

[EmmetnLindley]

I purchased tablets of Fenugreek (500 mg each) today in an effort to help increase my supply. How many should I take for it to be effective? Bottle says 2 tablets 1 to 3 times per day but it isn't specifically for increasing milk.

[mamamelia]

i had to take 9000mg daily for a difference in milk output to happen (i was able to pump out 35oz a day thanks to the fenugreek).

very high doses like that can make your baby fussy though. it certainly did for mine and i had to stop taking it. i can't take any less fenugreek as it was ineffective at lower doses for me. every person will respond differently though.

the usual reccomended dosage is 3 capsules 3x daily, or until you smell of maple syrup. i'd say go with that and work your way up if you need to.

[RootSnort]

So THAT'S where that maple smell was coming from! I kept telling DH that DS smelled like a pancake! He was making me hungry!

The LC told me 3 Fenugreek capsules three times daily and 3 blessed thistle capsules three times daily. I am lucky if I remember to take 3 of each once a day, but it has helped!

[ashley1972]

Just want to add that I took 3 capsules 3x/daily WITH Blessed Thistle on the advice of my LC - within half a day my baby was pulling away and crying on the breast and by the next day outright refusing to nurse. My urine smelled VERY strong.

Could be that my son is very picky but I wanted to mention it is possible that your child reacts negatively to them.

[pyzia]

I take 9000mg of fenugreek a day and because of it I can pump 42 to 48 ounces per day!!

[lollith]

Hi!

My pediatrician Paul Fleiss (an author, bf advocate and expert )- had me take 12 capsules (at once) for the first dose and then follow bottle directions each day until my supply was increased.

lollith

[ZachsMom]

For those who took large amounts of Fenugreek -- how long did it take for you to notice a difference? I've taken 9000 mg for 2 days now and increased the number of times I pump during the day, however see a very slight increase when pumping and feeding my daughter. I now know not to base my supply on what I see come out of the pump, however I do see a decrease (3 weeks ago would be able to get 6 oz in 10 minutes and now barely get 3).

Thanks!

[rainbowfairymomma]

I've been taking it for 2 months now about 3500 mg and when I spoke to someone about it (a LLL leader) she said that was plenty and I should take any more? Is it really ok to take more?

[sweetsadie77]

The protocol from Jack Newman's website is this:
3 capsules 3 times a day (9 in total regarless of strength). It goes on to say that if you don't smell like fenugreek it isn't enough.
They also say it works better if taken in conjunction with blessed thistle (same amount three capsules three times a day).
A difference should be noticed in three or four days, if you don't see a difference fairly quickly then it might not be the right thing for you.
Here's a link to the info;
http://www.drjacknewman.com/index.ph...d=38&itemid=68
Good luck

[ZachsMom]

Thanks for the info. Shortly after posting, I stopped taking fenugreek, blessed thistle and marshmallow root because they didn't seem to be helping as they had with my first baby. I'm working on relaxing more while pumping and I'm starting to see an improvement without the herbs. It truly helps to have the support out there. =)