https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 03 May 2026 16:09:04 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805523 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 22:37:49 +0000 jhd 2805523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: good idea! Thank you! I really should get in touch with a professional for some help before baby comes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805518 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 22:03:44 +0000 Kemma 2805518@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just a thought but have you considered getting in touch with an IBCLC before your baby arrives? A good IBCLC should be able to help you troubleshoot your last experience and help you put a plan in place to help meet your feeding goals.</p> <p>Also, is it an option for your to do some antenatal hand expression so you have some colostrum on hand when baby arrives? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805480 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 20:00:00 +0000 jhd 2805480@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: you always have such helpful advice! Thank you! Sounds like I may need to pay attention to how certain foods affect me. Definitely going to have Gatorade and MM tea on hand. I barely had any colostrum with Lo1. He was born Monday night and it was Sat am before I had any pumped milk to bring to him in NICU. Glad to hear your milk came in quicker the second time. Gives me hope!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805465 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 17:44:40 +0000 gingerbebe 2805465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>First of all, I did not have a great supply with DS1 and we were basically almost exclusively pumping by 6 weeks old.<br /> Milk didn't come in for 7 days with him and I swear I made no colostrum. But with DS2, I could see colostrum by the end of my pregnancy, I knew I was producing it, and my milk started coming in on Day 4. My supply with DS2 was MUCH better and I didn't do anything all that different. So it may just be better overall by coincidence now that your body has gone through it once before.</p> <p>Beef and Gatorade always boosted my supply within a day. It worked for me better than oatmeal or whatever. Also, chicken with skin and bone on it - I don't know if it was the fat or collagen/gelatin in the meat, but it made my milk richer with a bigger creamline when I ate wings.</p> <p>I took blessed thistle, brewer's yeast tablets, and fenugreek, along with sunflower lecithin 3x a day (at each meal). I also drank 1-3 cups of the mother's milk teas during the day. The lecithin helped against clogged ducts by keeping the milk thinner, so I felt also I got more volume that way (instead of it being thicker milk).</p> <p>I stopped pumping overnight (last pump was 1030pm) around 8 weeks with DS2 and 12 weeks with DS1 (but that's because they were sleeping through the night at that point). One thing that really helped me with DS2 was to wear a looser sleeping bra but use a cloth diaper folded up inside as a nursing pad. That way nothing was binding my breasts so they could fill up, but I didn't have to worry about nursing pads shifting around and just sleep comfortably in any position. With DS1, I remember the pads would shift so I would wear tighter bras because of it.</p> <p>I focused on nursing or pumping every 3 hours the first 6 weeks at least (plus clusterfeeding). With DS2, I also did a power pumping session every few weeks while watching TV before bed because I wanted to be prepared for the next inevitable growth spurts at 3 weeks and 6 weeks and 12 weeks. My milk levels were pretty stable and static at 12 weeks and remained constant until I weaned. With DS1 I produced enough in a day for all but 1 bottle of milk and with DS2 I was technically able to produce 100% but chose to supplement 1-2 bottles of formula a day and stashed the rest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805434 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 14:31:23 +0000 jhd 2805434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mama Bird: thanks that’s good to keep in mind! Definitely need to make sure I’m eating and drinking enough. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805433 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 14:29:50 +0000 jhd 2805433@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: I’m so glad to hear this! I’m really hoping like you said my body will remember what to do and do it a little better this time. Congrats on making it a whole year! That’s awesome! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805418 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 13:32:13 +0000 Mama Bird 2805418@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No supplements, but I made sure to eat a lot more and to avoid feeding schedules for the first few weeks... I'm not sure how this would work with pumping though, it's so hard to increase pumping frequency while taking care of the baby! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805399 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 12:47:42 +0000 nana87 2805399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't EP, but had low supply issues and had to combo-feed lo1, but with lo2 I have had zero issues! She just turned 1 last week and still going strong with nursing. I didn't really do anything differently, except I did eat some lactation cookies early on, and ate a lot of oatmeal. I just feel like my body knew what to do more easily this time around. It was still hard for the first month or so, but much, MUCH easier than with lo1 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805201 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 13:28:45 +0000 jhd 2805201@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@peachykeen: definitely good to keep in mind the importance of night time pumps! I will likely have access to the hospital grade Medela at the hospital but I have heard such great things about the Spectra I bought it rather than try to deal with Insurance for a hospital grade rental! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805196 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 12:36:14 +0000 peachykeen 2805196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I EP'ed with DD1 but not with DD2, so not sure how helpful this will be. The main mistake I think I made with DD1 was dropping night time pumps too early. I dropped them around 7-8 weeks and I really think I needed to go to at least 12 weeks with the "night wakings" and maybe even still do one middle of the night pump after that.</p> <p>I have used Spectra with both babies and I agree that it is the best if you don't have access to the Medela hospital pumps!</p> <p>Good luck - I know it is not easy no matter what you do! :goodluck: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805193 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 12:19:37 +0000 jhd 2805193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: thanks! I will check them out! I did more milk plus last time. Definitely want to see if there are other supplements that might be better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805159 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 11:19:03 +0000 snowjewelz 2805159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Legendiary Milk!! I only found out about them for #2, and while I didn't have crazy results like some people post, I was able to EBF till 1 (and still nursing at 14 mo). I dried up with my 1st at 9 months! That and the silicone pump that you attach to 1 boob while feeding on the other (not helpful for you if you pump) but I saved so much letdown milk without any extra work! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805089 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 22:39:40 +0000 jhd 2805089@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Revel: thank you! I ordered a Spectra. I’m glad to hear it’s working better for you than the Medela! And I’m definitely going to try to get in more pumping sessions right from the start. Really hoping this will work out better the second time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805079 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 21:41:39 +0000 Revel 2805079@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did not EP but I was a "just enougher" with my pumping for full time WOH with my first, and struggled to keep up with her. It's been somewhat easier with my second so far, 6 months in. Things I did:</p> <p>-Spectra pump - I think this is the main driver, I get way more milk with it than my Medela, so maybe trying other pumps for EP?<br /> -pumping earlier - I started from the beginning with this LO. Someone told me the first 6 ish weeks are when your body is developing milk receptors so perhaps more pumping sessions, if you are EP?<br /> - eating a lot - I don't focus on certain foods but I am not eating to lose weight. I decided to prioritize milk supply over weight loss, at least for 6-8 months.</p> <p>Good luck! I've heard that it is often easier the second time around and that supply is often better for subsequent babies so hopefully that will be true for you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-better-supply-with-lo2#post-2805062 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 19:29:13 +0000 jhd 2805062@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We anticipate that LO2 may have similar medical concerns as LO1 which will necessitate exclusive pumping. I really want to do all I can to try to establish a good supply this time around. If you had low supply with your first did you do anything early on with LO2 such as supplements etc? </p>