Drying up after a sickness - help!

QUESTION: 3 weeks ago I was sick with a very bad chest cold, at that time I noticed that my breast milk volume had lessened. Prior to illness I produced around 3 oz in my right breast and 2 oz in my left every feeding(4 hours). During and since my cold, I've only been able to produce around 4 oz total every 8 hours. I'm afraid that I'm going to dry up &/or that I won't ever be able to increase my milk volume. I've had to supplement formula more often than I would have liked, due to this & on top of it all Cara is having some kind of growth spurt...she's eating between 4-8oz every feed (4 hours) & that's more than I produced even before getting ill. Help me please! What exactly can I do to produce enough milk for my daughter?

 

Are you breastfeeding, or just pumping? If you are just pumping, you must be on a hospital quality double pump or your milk volume will keep decreasing! Can you take your daughter to bed with you for a day and just nurse long and often? That will increase your milk. Taking an herb called fenugreek will also help increase your milk. Take 3 capsules, 3 times a day. You can find it at a health food store. That is 9 capsules per day. Did you take cold medicine when you were ill? That helps to dry secretions and your milk! Are you taking birth control pills or the depro provera shot? That can also decrease your milk.

Good Luck,

Denise G Hewson RN IBCLC

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