Hink Milk and pumping

[SarahEiley]

Hi mamas,

I have very low supply and now I'm wondering if DD's (4 months) slow weight gain has also been due to an imbalance of foremilk/hindmilk? I have to supplement with about 6-10 oz of formula a day.
My question: when your pumped milk settles in the fridge and the fatty hindmilk rises to the top, what's the general ratio of hindmilk to foremilk? Is it about half and half? Or is there usually a lot less hindmilk than foremilk? For me, In a bottle of about 2 ounces, I only see a thin layer (like maybe an 1/8 of an inch thick or so?) of hindmilk. Is that normal/enough??

How do I get more hindmilk? I've tried breast massage/ compressions ala Dr. Newman, but it doesn't seem to make a big difference. I know DD would have watery green poops if she didn't get enough hindmilk, but since she gets the formula as well I can't go by poops!

Any suggestions/ comments would be very helpful!!!

[mama24-7]

Human milk doesn't have much fat so it's not surprising you say you don't see much. That's why babies need to nurse so frequently.

You said you are supplementing. Are you still nursing? If so, you could try pumping after a feeding or two to get more hindmilk and also stimulate your breasts further. You may not get much milk doing this (because your dd will likely have gotten most of what's there & since a pump isn't as good at stimulating your breasts as she is, there may only be drops) but it will stimulate them.

Also if you haven't tried herbs or prescriptions to try to increase your supply, you may want to consider that.

You said your dd is gaining slowly - how slowly? If the charts are being used to state that she's gaining slowly, remember that the charts represent the spectrum of babies & may be for BF & FF or only FF'd babies. They may not represent your daughter. Is she growing, meeting milestones, happy, wetting & pooping? IF so, then her weight gain may be normal for her. Are either you or your dh small? If so, that will play a part.

HTH,
Sus

[MaryJaneLouise]

The stuff at the top isn't really hindmilk, it's more like "cream" Even in cow's milk (which has higher fat that human milk) full fat is only 3% milkfat. So I doubt that you have a hindmilk/foremilk imbalance. If you are low supply, it's probably that.

Have you looked at the stickie at the top of this forum for suggestions to increase your supply? Domperidone is especially helpful for a lot of people.