I want to nurse my baby, twice before I had to supplement.Is there something I can do before birth to help me?

Congratualations on the previous success! Sounds like you did an excellent job!

To increase your success rate have you thought of attending La Leche League?

They are great for lending support!

I am sure that you know that milk supply is based on milk demand. So if you ever feel you need more milk just nurse more often! But really getting your milk supply established really well at the begenning has alot to do with how much milk you make later too! So get started nursing as soon after birth as possible and nurse frequently around the clock.

Some mothers do not get engorged and leak all over the place and that is perfectly fne provided that your baby is having plenty of wet and dirty diapers.

You can also try a herb called fenugreek 3 capsuls 3 times a day. It will help increase your milk supply. Many mothes really like it. ONLY AFTER THE BIRTH THOUGH.

Check out web sites dedicated to breastfeeding such as:

www.kellymom.com

www.breastfeedingonline.com

www.askdrsears.com

Why do you think you were not successful? If your babies grew up and developed well for 6 months and more just on your breast milk, that sounds pretty successful to me. I started supplementing on the first week (basically on my mom's insistence) and now that I am pregnant again, I am determined to try not to supplement as long as I can. If I can go for 6 months without baby formula, I will be really happy. But what I found out about sucessful breastfeeding is that you just have to keep your baby awake while nursing or it will never get enough quantity and you have to nurse more often - every 2 hours or less if necessary. You can also test your breatsmilk to check how nutritious it is.

Stress and not enough rest can contribute to a decreased milk supply, so avoid both as best you can. Also, I was told that eating oatmeal can help boost your milk production.

The more your stimulate your breasts the more milk your mind will tell your body to make. I made more milk than my son needed by pumping. I did this because I returned to work but wanted him to have my milk. I was making 2 additional bottles a day that he didn't need, but that way I could store them and save for later. Then when I did stop nursing (slowly) I had almost 1 whole month of milk on reserve! The point of this mini story was that I made more than enough milk because I pumped and I could pump as often as I wanted, not waiting until the baby was hungry.

Good luck!

Milk supply various from women to women. I didn't even get a real supply until the 2nd day after giving birth. I have heard that stimulating your breasts before giving birth helps. My midwife also gave me this nursing tea (fennel seed, anise seed, goat's rue herb, blessed thistle herb and red raspberry leaf). You can go to a health food store or herbalist to get it. Once I started drinking the tea I filled up really well. I did find my baby closer to the 6 month mark always seemed to want more than my body was willing to produce and I was eating and drinking water more than when I was pregnant. All you can do is wait and see. There are so many nursing zealots out there who will say nurse for years but I think as long as you can manage it is fine. My 8 month old didn't seem to really care when I was nursing and now formula feeding. His teeth started coming in at 5 months and I just couldn't get him to stop bitting me. Now wherever the food is coming from is okay by him. He can suck back a 7oz. bottle in 5 - 10 min. Part of me misses nursing him but now that he eats a variety of solid foods and gets a whole wake of nutrients from the organic formula I buy I have no guilt and you shouldn't either no matter what happens with your 3rd child.

grace,

ppeople will give you all kinds of advice and none of them will work

the only thing that makes more milk is drinking plenty of fluids eating and nursing and pumping

you could try to pump more frequently like nurse the baby and then go sit at the pump for 10 minutes on each breast

if you do this from the start then it will increase your milk supply but its diffrent for every one

and each child

I never got past the 6 months mark because thats when the teeth come and food is introduced. so between biting my breast and giving him foods it slowly decreased, and it was just easier to supplement with some formula

This happens to many women,

I tried continuing to nurse and then feeding after i nursed and it worked better i nursed til 8 1/2 months but again they need more foods and juice and water and then before you know it they are off the boob

Good luck

Meg

mom of 3 boys

every woman is different, just drink plenty of water after your milk comes in, if the baby doesn't drink enough then you can pump the milk to keep the flow going. there is really nothing you can do to prepare it is just you body will produce the milk. Don't be upset if you cannot nurse, some women just can't.