Question about Fenugreek?

JessAnnEngland

Hello all! Its been a while since Ive been on Pregly. Gabriel and I are doing good, managing his acid reflux with Prilosec and he is 7 weeks old today! Anyway, so I am breastfeeding, well..pumping for now untill I get my milk up again..and I was wondering if any other breastfeeding mama's tried or are trying Fenugreek to help your milk? I started it about 2 days ago as a desperate attempt to keep my milk after not pumping for about a week because we have a latch issue and I just wasnt producing enough. Also, my left breast always had more milk than my right and when I would pump, my right side barely had anything come out. Maybe a half ounce, sometimes not even that. So, does anyone have any comments, advice or just an experience to share with me in this? Id really appreciate it! Thanks! I am a FTM by the way

alilboulding

I'm currently taking fenugreek. You gotta keep up with it. 3pills 3x a day. Another thing to help boost it is to pump immediately after nursing. The extra pumping tells your body to make more milk. My lactation consultant said "more milk plus" works good, so I'm gonna switch to that to see if I get even more milk than the fenugreek.

alilboulding

The fenugreek is working tho. I'm pumping at work n just want to be able to build a supply

debs

My son is seven months I'm taking 4 pills 3x a day it does work make sure your drinking enough and eat good meals don't let the pumping discourage you I couldn't get that much milk out when pumping but my son had all the wet diapers he was suppose to. I tried with my first to breast feed and didn't get that much when pumping so I got scared and gave her formula

myHEARTZx3

My daughter has a stride? Meaning she breathes noisily while feeding so the lactation consultant wanted me to take mothers milk plus or more milk plus..or fenugreek so that my milk comes out more easily for her. More milk plus costs 30$ sbd I already had fenugreek I bought it in case I needed it a while ago lol so I just bought blessed thistle to take with it and I noticed after a few days of taking it my boobs were full one morning but my mistake was not emptying out my breasts fully...because that was more milk then my baby needed lol. For it to work u need to keep emptying ur breasts. I will take it again when I really need more milk. But I know I have a little bit more milk now. Just enough for her I guess lol

Oh and I did ask the consultant which was better she says it would be better if I could find more milk plus.

JessAnnEngland

Thank you ladies! Anyone know how much "more milk plus" is? Im taking the fenugreek 3-5 pills 3x a day and noticed a very small increse but ive only been taking it for a few days and the reviews said it could take up to 2 weeks Im pumping and barely anything is coming out. I was getting more before I quit for the 5 days but not enough to breastfeed. I wasnt to try and latch him even if he gets nothing out just so he could trigger my letdown? Idk what to do. Ive hand expressed a little on each side but still not much comes out. I really dont want to quit and dont see it as an option so Im really really counting in the fenugreek. When i was getting more before i quit i couldnt breastfeed because i developed a crack on my right nipple from pumping. I guess from doing it too often. I was doing it 8x a day and i think all i needed was about 4-5x a day. Thats what im doing now. I have a breastfeeding support line i can call through my WIC program so I think Ill try that also. Trying not to get discouraged but cant help feeling like a failure, ya know?

JessAnnEngland

@myHEARTZx3 my son also makes gasping noises when feeding! I am so worried about this and my pediatrition has said its normal and hasnt said anytjing about a stride. Ive never even heard of that term. Does it go away? I was so worried he had asthma (i do) but they chalked it up to acid reflux because he has a pretty bad case of it. He had to have surgery January 2nd for pyloric stenosis which is very common among first born males. Its where your stomach doesnt empty properly into your small intestines.

heyitsme

My soon to be bil is an acupunctureist (sp?) and he told me if I have supply problems come to him. he does this thing with seeds idk if they are plant seeds or just things they call seeds lol but there's a spot on your ear that it gets taped to. he did it for his wife when their son was under a year and her supply was low and now she's goin on 15 months bf

JessAnnEngland

@debs thank you! I am giving him formula also. I didnt want to even introduce it but i didnt have a choice at the hospital when he was born. He had fluid on his lungs and had trouble "transitioning" and had a tube down his throat and i couldnt breatfeed yet cause my milk wasnt in so they had to give him enfamil. If i were adequate enough i would stricly breastfeed him which that is my goal. I want to do it untill hes at least 6 months old because they start making their own antibodies at 3 months.

JessAnnEngland

@heyitsme wow that sounds crazy! But hey, if it works! Im willing to try anything right now

heyitsme

I thought it sounded crazy too but she said the next morning after it was done she was engorged and leaking

JessAnnEngland

@alilboulding thanks for the advice. I wish i could fully breastfeed but havent been able to yet but once i get my supply up again im going to try and latch him. That was the major issue in the beginning was his latch wasnt good and he hurt me. I also didnt have very good nurses to help me understand either. They were mean and made me feel like a failure:/

JessAnnEngland

@heyitsme wow shes lucky, i only wish i was engorged, its kinda painful but at least id be able to express a little then breastfeed him.

heyitsme

You should try and latch him a few times a day. the baby can get way more out than you can just pumping. I know its painful but if you want to bf then you gotta push through it! the first 3 weeks were excruciating for me and I almost gave up many times but pushed through and we are now 4 months and still going strong. good luck!

alilboulding

Amazon has more milk plus for $28. Try reaching out to your local la Leche league rep. They're extremely supportive!

myHEARTZx3

Well since birth I noticed she was a noisy breather..she's always making noises not only when she's eating but she sounds like a lil piggy sometimes haha. At my 2 week appt the pediatrician said she was congested but I didn't think so because she sounded like that since birth. So while I was at my lactation appt they asked if she was always that noisy while I fed her..so she called another pediatrician and she said that my daughter had a collapsed vocal chord, a stride there's a long name but I forgot what it was. They said not to worry and she will grow out of it but it usually gets bad around 6 months or something do they want me to keep an eye on it.

myHEARTZx3

Ah so sorry ur lil man has been having some problems hope surgery helped. I also thought my daughter had asthma but they said no it was the collapsed vocal chord.

JessAnnEngland

@heyitsme well hes latched right now and it doesnt hurt at all! He fell asleep at the boob lol. I will def try and latch him a couple times a day. Im currently using the nipple sheilds also. They help alot because I guess I have a "flat nipple." Yes Ive also heard the baby gets more than the pump ever could so Im really hoping this works. Hes swallowed a few times so I know he got some.

JessAnnEngland

@alilboulding thanks! Ill have my fiance get it for me if i need it.

JessAnnEngland

@myHEARTZx3 wow that kinda sucks. I can totally relate though, my little one does the same thing. He sounds excited when he eats and sometimes even chokes. I hope she gets better!

JessAnnEngland

@myHEARTZx3 thank you. The docs said the babies always recover quickly and the problem gets fixed and all he'll have is a tiny half moon shaped scar right over his belly button. It looks really good and you cant even tell

heyitsme

Awesome! so glad you could get him latched. how old is he?

JessAnnEngland

7 weeks!