My friend has an 11 week old baby and is struggling w/ nursing. She went this week to a place to get help. They told her to pump every 2 hours for 11 weeks to increase her supply. She is returning to work on the 13th and won't be able to pump that often. Is there something she can take that will help?
thanks

fenugreek wil help, i believe fennel too..but i bet there are some Lc's on here that can give ou more help than ican...really this is jsut a bump:D

Well...actually encouraging the baby to nurse more, is even more effective than pumping, but I am sure she is pumping to build a stash for work.

Lots of water, rest(really important), and fenugreek tea. There is a Mothers Milk tea she can purchase. I had good luck with fenugreek, nettles, red raspberry leaf, tea. If she doesn't want to do tea-she can purchase a mothers milk tincture(online or in a health food store)...where she puts the drops in water and drinks that. not offensive tasting at all.

Why does she think her supply is low? Is baby growing well? Is she not pumping much volume?

And if she is using an electric pump, I know that moms have really good with the Avent Isis...whcih is a manual, and not too expensive. You pump on one side, while baby nurses on the other. moms let down is more effective when baby is actually nursing.

Also-while she is pumping...if baby isn't nursing at the same time she should be sure that she isn't rushed..need to have privacy, think about baby-or have baby near...etc...

Tell her good luck! And La Leche Leaders are really helpful!!!

I'd skip the tea (not usually strong enough for people with real supply issues) and go right to fenugreek capsules, two caps three times daily. or an herbal tincture. She should notice a maple syrup smell. Dose can be increased to three capsules three times daily if need be. If that doesn't work for her, she could try blessed thistle in the same dose.

Like someone else mentioned, the best way to increase supply is to nurse as often as possible. And have her talk to a local LC or LLLL to make sure that it really is a supply issue, and not just a growth spurt or perceived problem versus a real one.

Thanks ladies, i'm going to forward her your comments. basically she was told he latched on good and then that he wasn't. Her nipples were cracked, they hurt and the LC at the hospital told her to pump exclusively for 1 week to let them heal and then start nursing again. The he didn't seem to want the breast. Her doctors told her to nurse then give a bottle b/c when she pumped she was getting i think 1 oz. I told her to call a LC then b/c i thought the dr's comments would hurt her more than help. She's been trying to nurse then give a bottle but the other day she tried to pump and nothing came out. Oh, they gave her a hospital pump for that week.

If the baby doesn't want to nurse after receiving bottles, I'd quit offering bottles altogether and use another method. There are still health care professionals out there who believe that there is no such thing as "nipple confusion", but anyone who works with breastfeeding mothers knows that it is a real problem.

Cup feeding, syringe feeding, finger feeding, even spoon feeding is better for nipple sensitive babies.

I hope your friend gets all the support she needs! She might want to look for an IBCLC, versus just a lactation nurse if at all possible.

Fenugreek worked for me! And oatmeal. :)