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Originally published 05/2016 on my retired blog, Frugal Nesting.
So many moms struggle with supply issues, particularly after going back to work. It was the same for me.
I found myself “Google-ing” things like “Increased milk supply fast” or “Increased milk supply overnight” and ultimately came across a Pinterest post that caught my eye.
What I read changed the success of my pumping, and really our nursing relationship for good.
I just gave birth to my beautiful boy, Logan, in December. I am now the mother of two incredible boys!
And, of course, I wanted to give my little man the best start I could possibly give him. Among other things, breastfeeding was a priority for me.
Breastfeeding
Like many moms, I struggled in the beginning, even though this wasn’t my first rodeo. His latch wasn’t the problem; it was the ever-elusive question, “Am I making enough milk?”
The worst part of that is the early weight gain [or lack thereof] and the pressure to supplement. But I will save that story for another post.
Ultimately, little Logi and I cultivated a beautiful and solid nursing relationship.
I have a number of tips on what got us to that point that you can find HERE as well. I really wish I’d had access to an online lactation course like Milkology back then. It would have saved me a lot of grief!
Anyhoo…all was going swimmingly until I had to face going back to work. Ugh! Bring on a whole new set of challenges.
Aside from bottle refusal, I had to resign myself to hooking myself back up to the machine again… PUMPING. {sad face} Now everyone who pumps knows how much pumping SUCKS!
And I send a big shout-out to those exclusively pumping moms. That is a level of dedication that deserves special acknowledgment.
Definitely, put that one on your resume…I don’t know if I’d have the stamina!
RELATED READING
3 Successful Breastfeeding Tips for Nursing Moms
Pumping At Work: The Ultimate Guide for the Working Mother
Bottle Refusal Solutions for Breastfed Babies
10 Best Lactation Aids to Increase Milk Supply Quickly
PUMPING
So a few weeks before I had to go back I hooked up to the machine one evening and pumped for an hour. Yes, you read that correctly…an hour. (More on the multiple mistakes that I made in that one sentence alone later.) And I panicked. I got nuthin’!
Like literally, drops. It didn’t even cover the full bottom of the bottle. It was like an old man’s head with wrap-around hair and a bald spot in the middle.
So I began to frantically seek out advice online and learned so much. I learned the basics as well as some tips and tricks that you can read about here.
Anyway, I ended up putting myself on a pumping schedule and wound up with a very limited freezer stock, mostly because I hate pumping and only pumped the bare minimum so I could spend most of my time actually nursing before I had to go back.
And then my time was up and I had to leave my precious baby and go back to work. Then the real games began…
At home, when nursing, my little one seemed satisfied and happy and maintained his typical output. However, we had serious issues regulating his intake when I was away at work. Once he finally decided to accept a bottle, he was guzzling milk like it was water instead of liquid gold.
One afternoon the nanny recorded him drinking 23 ounces in 12 hours…what?!?! My sanity & supply could not keep up! (Read about our struggle with bottle refusal and then our subsequent search for the best bottle here!)
INCREASED MILK SUPPLY
So back to the internet to find the best ways to increase milk supply and pace feedings to help balance his intake. Here comes the good stuff:
Let me start by telling you that I am in no way affiliated with Mrs. Patel’s and am in no way compensated for my opinion. In fact, they don’t even know who I am, but OMG do these work! [See Update Below] If you need to increase your supply fast, you need these bars!
Just go and order them now and then come back to read the rest of this post. You guys can get 20% OFF your order with code “FIRSTORDER“, please note this code doesn’t combine with any other offers.
I’ve tried a bunch of different things. Teas, bread, cookies, granola, pills, etc. Mrs. Patel’s fenugreek bars cannot be beat
They look like cookie bars, but, though they are good, you probably won’t have to worry about your family getting into and devouring them! But who cares? They work!
Eat one bar before going to sleep, and you will pump a TON more the next day. I swear! You may get even better results if you eat them in the morning, as they recommend. I just eat mine at night due to a medication I take in the AM.
I take these in conjunction with supplements for the best results so far. When I get home from work, I take the Vitanica Lactation Blend and NOW Alfalfa. Then for my dessert, before going to bed, I eat one of Mrs.Patel’s bars.
I recommend the chocolate bars smothered in peanut butter with a large bottle of iced water. The next day, over the course of 3 pumping sessions, at work my supply increased by almost 70%.
Increased milk supply overnight, you say? Yes…for real! I tried these after reading someone else’s rave review while browsing on Pinterest. I ordered them thinking I might see marginal results, but I was amazed! You will be too!
Oh, and don’t let yourself run out! I made that mistake, and boy did my supply pay for it! My new order just arrived today, and I couldn’t be more relieved!
And now that you will have an increased milk supply, you should build yourself a freezer stash and plan a few hours out with your love for a much-needed date night to get back into the swing of things!
We recently went on our first date night since my honey bun was born and believe me I was not prepared for all the little things that I should have planned for. Check out my recent post on the 3 Things You Need To Do BEFORE Date Night as a New Mom to learn from my mistakes.
And if you’re looking for more in-depth breastfeeding advice, you seriously need to check out Stacey Stewart’s new online breastfeeding course. It’s called Milkology: The Ultimate Breastfeeding Class. And it will teach you how to breastfeed like a BOSS within 90 minutes!
Just follow the 5 actionable steps to crush your breastfeeding goals. And there are some killer bonuses too! Even better, it’s SUPER affordable!! Click HERE to find out more!!
Don’t be a stranger! Follow me for updates on some exciting tips and tricks that I share exclusively with my tribe! Just click below to subscribe and get access to all the good stuff! Happy nursing + pumping mama!!
UPDATE
I was a Mrs. Patel’s Brand Ambassador for the month of July 2016, but I was not when I wrote this post back in May 2016. Everything noted in this post is what I feel from my heart and is in no way impacted by this month-long relationship. I just wanted to be upfront and transparent with you gals! Hugs!