Breastfeeding tips for desperate mommas!

I’ve had five kids and breastfeeding has never come easy for me. Over the years I’ve listened to women talk about all the extra milk they make and how they love breastfeeding because it practically sucks their fat away. Hmm… not my experience, but I certainly wish it was. To be honest, my experience is completely opposite. After my fifth, I did a lot of research, talked to a bunch of moms and things went much better. I thought I’d share what I learned for any moms out there needing an extra boost in their milk supply.

Background – so you know where I’m coming from.
Breastfeeding Preslee, my oldest went alright, I still had to supplement about a bottle a day and nursed for 8 months until I dried up.

Ledger came and after a couple months I threw in the towel. It was a nightmare and I kept getting mastitis. Later down the road I learned he couldn’t breathe through his nose and the first question the ENT asked was, “Did he struggle breastfeeding?”

I never produced enough for the twins. I’ve since learned I don’t produce as much pumping, and that my boys were tongue tied. But I kept trying and worked with a lactation consultant until my sweet husband sat me down and told me it just wasn’t working, and that it was okay. I told him I felt so much pressure, probably because the first question people often asked me was, “Are you breastfeeding both?”  Life became much more doable for me once I turned to the bottle.

When it came to Oaklee I did a lot of research beforehand and decided I was going to give it my best effort. (She couldn’t have breathing or tongue issues, right?) I was able to nurse her for 11 months and this time it went 100 times better! I still didn’t overproduce and it took a lot of effort, but it was a much better experience due to the things shared below.

Ways to Increase Your Milk Supply

1. EAT! I don’t tend to lose weight while breastfeeding, (I’ve since learned many others don’t either!) so my natural reaction was to count calories. But this time around, I ate… a lot! I made sure most of it was healthy and I saw results. I could definitely tell a difference in my milk supply if I wasn’t eating enough calories during the day. I had to mentally remind myself I’ll drop the weight in the end.
2. Water, water, water! I bought this tumbler here, (If you don’t have one, it will change your life!) and made sure to get at least 100 oz. in every day. Make sure to drink, drink, drink! It will make a world of difference.
   
3. Oatmeal for Breakfast. I ate oatmeal nearly every day for the first six months. After six months, my body didn’t seem to need as much help. Many times I’d throw in a little ground flax seed as well. (Flaxseed is known to help with breastfeeding)
4. Supplements. I took Fenugreek daily for months. Many people suggested Milkflow instead of fenugreek, but my supply actually went down. After reading the comments I think I may be the minority, but I’d still recommend giving it try. Another great supplement to try is Mother's Milk, it’s a tea and many swear by it.
5. Booby Bites! When I was low I’d make some of these energy bites, (aka booby bites as my friend called them). I swear by these healthy little treats, they tasted great, and I snacked on them regularly. (Recipe below)
6. Smoothie. When I got sick of oatmeal, I’d replace it with this laction smoothie recipe. (Recipe below)
7. Mastitis? I feel ya, it’s the absolute worst! I got it one time with Oaklee, and a friend shared that she immediately takes Lecithin as soon as soon as she felt symptoms. The next time I felt it coming on, I immediately took it and it seriously worked! Why hadn’t anyone shared this stuff with me before? I’d have these babies on hand at all times while nursing. If you’re prone to mastitis, get some!
8. Ouch! As I was leaving the hospital, my nurse heard me talking about how sore I already was from breastfeeding. She ran and grabbed some Black Tea Bags and instructed me to place them in as hot of water as I could stand and then place them over my nipples. I gave it a try and it worked wonders, even better than the Lansinoh cream I was given. It needs to be black tea, and be careful, because they stain a little bit.

It seems like a lot of work, doesn’t it? But I felt it was definitely worth it, especially since Oaklee gave the binky and bottle up after a couple of months. But if it doesn’t work out, I promise that it’s okay. Don’t let the pressure get to you like it did me with my twins. As long as you are doing what’s best for you and your baby, that’s what matters. For me, that included bottle feeding twice.

Do you have any other tips that I missed? If so, please leave a comment below!

Booby Bites
1 cup of old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup of honey
1/2 tablespoon Brewer's Yeast
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1.  Combine and mix the dry ingredients - oatmeal, coconut, chocolate chips, Brewer’s Yeast, and flax seed.
2.  Add the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla and mix together.
3.  Refrigerate mixture for at least one hour.
4.  Remove from the refrigerator and roll mixture into small balls.

These are addicting! My boys loved them, too :)

Lactation Smoothie
1 banana
1/3 cup rolled oats
2 TBS honey
1 TBS peanut butter
1 TBS brewer’s yeast
1 TBS flax seed
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Toss ingredients in a blender along with some ice. Blend well.