When the Milk Runs Dry: Four Simple Things You can do to Increase your Milk Supply

     I was one of those lucky women whose milk supply came in early and abundantly.  I even had to pump for the first few weeks just to get my breasts to the point that D could latch on.  (My boobs were hard and round like bowling balls...well that's not true...baseballs maybe.) However, D is now 10 weeks old, which thankfully means he's sleeping longer.  However, that also means that my body is not getting the signals it needs from him to make more milk.  (Breastfeeding is supposed to be supply and demand.)  Another issue we have with supply and demand is that baby D has a little temper.  Not in a "oh he's frustrated...that's so cute" sort of way.  It's more like "I'm gonna ripped off your nipple as I yank my mouth off, head butt you as hard as I can, and use my talons to scratch your skin and mine or just yank out as much of your hair as I can reach" sort of way.  (Isn't parenting is such a joy?!?)  So, I started asking every mom, doctor, and lactation specialist I could find what to do. Here's the compilation of their collective wisdom.

1: Drink a Beer
     (What seriously?  After nine months of denying myself any alcohol and so many other things, now I have permission to drink?) Yes, drinking a beer can actually help increase your milk supply.  I am no scientist, and I haven't really researched how this works, but I can tell you from experience that having a nightly beer has really helped fill up the boobs.  I hear the wheatier the better, but light beer (@MichelobULTRA) has been working just fine for me.  Cheers!

2: Fenugreek

Fenugreek Seed Supplement, a Great way to Increase Breastmilk Supply

    No, I did not just invent a new explicative.  Fenugreek (seed) is a supplement you can find at your local health food store or pharmacy.  I take 2 capsules a day, but my ARNP said I can take up to 4 doses of 2 capsules daily (I am hoping that I won't need to increase to that much, but saving the extra daily doses as my last resort if my supply decreases again.)  A word of warning...you and your milk will reek like maple syrup, but it's totally worth it to feed your little one and to save yourself from the temper tantrum if your little one is like mine.

3: Baby Wearing
    So, baby wearing is a trendy thing in mommyhood these days.  There are so many benefits to carrying your little one around so close to you.  D loves the Moby and the Baby Bjorn.  I love having him right with me but also being able to use my arms.  The icing on the cake with baby wearing is the way your body will respond (with more of the white stuff) when your little one is so close to you.

4: The Pump
     If all else fails, my ARNP said to pump after each feeding.  This will signal more demand to your body and hopefully increase the supply.  I have yet to try this one as 1-3 are working just great, but if all else fails, break out the breast pump, ladies!

The Three Ways my Perfect Baby wasn't Perfect: What to Look for and How you can Help your Little One

     So every new mom pretty much thinks their kid is the most perfect little bundle of joy, right?  That's how I feel about baby D except that my little man had some physical imperfections.  They really aren't anything to freak out about, but life is so much better for him (and for me) now that we have addressed the issues.  Here's what we did and what you can do too to help your precious baby.

#1: The Butt Dimple
     So, this first one sounds adorable.  Baby butts are cute, and dimples are great, but together they can be a scary thing.  We didn't know until our two week appointment that our son had a butt dimple.  (At this point some of you are asking yourself, "What the heck is a butt dimple? Well, it's a little pucker of skin in the butt crack.  Apparently, it's the last part of the skin to develop, so if your child was early like mine, you may need to watch out for this.) Luckily, baby D's butt dimple was completely closed--meaning no poop could get inside of him.  (That's the scary part!)  He is now 11 weeks old.  He still has the butt dimple, which we have to make sure to clean because it's an extra crevice for poo to get caught in, but we are very thankful it wasn't more serious.  (I was going to include a picture, but I decided against it.  I think D will thank me some day!)

#2: The Lip Tie
     I am an older new mom (getting close to 3-1 here!), so I have the benefit of all the wisdom my friends, who are a bit ahead me, can pass on.  Many of them had babies with tongue or lip tie.  (Again, some of you, like me, have never heard of this.  It's a shame really.  I guess doctors used to check before you even left the hospital because tongue and lip tie can impede your ability to--or at least your comfort in--breastfeeding.  I guess the practice of checking every baby went away when formula became so big.  However, many moms are choosing to breastfed today.  If that's you, be sure to have your pediatrician or lactation consultant check your child.  A tongue or lip tie is really just a little longer flap of skin between either the tongue and bottom of the mouth or top gum and top lip. Here's a picture of D's.)

Lip Tie (Similar to Tongue Tie) a Common Problem with Breastfeeding

Anyways, it's a real simple procedure that your doc can do in office.  Trust me, it's worth having done.  Breastfeeding is a lot more comfortable when your child can get a proper latch.  (Also, a dental hygienist told me that lip tie can lead to a gap between the child's front teeth if it is not properly addressed.  Save yourself the orthodontist bills people!)

#3: The Plugged Tear Duct
     This one is the least serious but also the most common.  (And, frankly the one people will judge you the most for..."Why doesn't that mom clean her kid's eye?!?...I do...CONSTANTLY...and there's still gunk in it, okay?)  D was born with two plugged tear ducts, which meant yucky stuff in both of his eyes.  We have been taking everyone's advice and doing the things we were told.  (Warm compress, circular massage in the corner of the eye, and spraying breastmilk in it...I knew there had to be some reason God allowed my breastmilk to shoot across the room with such force!)  D now has only one plugged tear duct.  We'll keep working on that one.  Hopefully, it will come around soon.  One thing is for sure, I'll never judge another parents by the crusties in their kid's eye.

     I hope our journey can help you on yours.  I'd love to hear about the things you've learned.