Hello:

Here is my situation. I am the mother of an 8 week old baby boy. He was born at 37 weeks and was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for a week. I lost a lot of blood at the time of delivery (vaginal with forceps), and was told that my iron count was low. I started pumping with a hospital grade double pump (rented from the hospital) from the next day of his birth. I did not get anything when I pumped while I was in the hospital. So, he was fed formula at the NICU. Whenever I visited him, I used to put him at my breast. He used to latch on, but since I did not have any milk, he used to get frustrated and get off my breast after about a minute. After bringing him home, I continued pumping more frequently and also putting him at my breast (he does not stay for longer than a minute). After a few days, I started getting 1 - 2 drops of colostrum. But my milk never came in, though I continued my pumping. Even at six weeks, the 2 -3 drops that I got when I pumped looked like colostrum. I have been consulting the Lactation Center at the Hospital about this problem. They advised me to take Fenugreek for a week. It did not help in increasing my milk supply. They said that my problem may be due to the blood loss that I had at the time of delivery, and that they do not have any more ideas. Everyone in my family had plenty of milk; so, no one has had this problem. My doctor checked my thyroid levels a few days back and said that they are fine.

We now feed him on formula. I want very much to establish my milk supply and feed him my milk. I have now gone back to work (so renting a hospital grade pump and pumping is not an option now). I would appreciate very much any suggestions you can give me regarding this. I live in USA. I am mostly a vegetarian. I do not have any medical problems.

I contacted several other Lactation consultants but I did not get any constructive help. Somebody suggested that the herb Shatavari used in Ayurveda is good. Has anyone tried that? Does it help?

Thank you,

Jaya

ags replied. hello jaya,
Nice to know that you want to breast feed your baby. To increase the milk supply ,
(1)Take lots of Garlic.Just saute the peeled garlic in little oil perferably gingely oil with little
salt & turmeric.Store it in airtight container & keep it in the fridge.You must take atleast 125gms of garlic per day.
(2) Palm-Jaggery increases milk very much.You can make 'Urad dal kali with jaggery' & also prepare keer with rice,urad dal,
jaggery,grated coconut.
(3)Have rusk with milk
(4) If you are a non-vegetarian I will suggest both fresh fish(king fish) & dry fish (netthili).It produces lots of milk.

Best of luck. Swati replied. Hi Jaya,

Kerala may not be the best place to look for the medicine unless you are in a bigger town like for eg. Cochin etc. I dunno but Kerala is a little laid back! I am married to a Keralite!

We are in Bangalore and mebbe if you have some one in B'lore then you could ask or if your sis is going to be here ......etc.Otherwise if she can have it collected then I will have it picked up at a chemist out here for you ! Swati replied. Kudos Jaya, I am proud of you and your wil to breast feed your baby. I am sure it will prove to you that your baby grows healthier when he is on your milk. It happened with my baby. There was never any problem with her till she was on my milk and then came a host of problems and they just go on multiplying! All the Best and keep up your efforts. Did you get the Leptaden? Also Coconut is very good too!Have you tried Greens? Swati replied. It has to be taken after your food and water is good enuff to be taken with and also introduce the garlic already and the green veggies! The effects of Leptaden will show in the first 7 hours itself.....But I strongly believe that you must keep your baby attached to your breasts so that he has a feel of feeding other than from the bottle. Also as the saying goes Breast milk will increase only with the demand for it! As much as your baby suckles so much more will be produced! The supply meets the demand many times over so it is important for your baby to suckle on you! Leptaden is only going to get you started and established .....you and your baby have to take over from there!

All the best and let me know how you are doing! Swati replied. Jaya there are so many moms asking abt breast milk and how to increse their supply and there are so many messages posted here on this board have you been thru them?

Anyway Here I go again becos' I strongly believe that a baby must be breast fed. Introduce Lots of Garlic in your food. It does not matter abt the smells It works. Ask your relatives in India to scour the chemists stores here and send you atleast two Bottles of Leptaden..This is an Ayurvedic medicine but available in any chemist store. It works wonders. The dosage I was advised by my doc was - Two Tabs Thrice a day for the 1st one week and Two tabs twice a day after that till you finish One month of eating the medicine! I have posted this message on so many such boards I wish someone would make use of them. Ok Lots of Green Leafy veggies and NO meat! Meat is not the most helthy tho' Most people would advice it! The green veggies klike Palak will aslo bring up your haemoglobin levels. My Haemoglobin had fallen to 5 but palak soup twicwe a day and in 2 weeks I had a count of 9! Also to increase you haemoglobin levels soak two dry figs overnite and eat the figs the next morning and drink the water also. This is direct heamoglobin and it worked for me as well!

All the Best tell me about your progress