With my daughter I had a hard time producing ...

Hi Chelsea,

I had that problem, too but only at first.  So while I was in the hospital...they brought in a breast pumping machine...and I used it to express my milk to get it flowing...and they saved the milk I produced for my baby for when I was asleep...the nurse would go ahead and give it to her.  I thought that was very considerate of them...since I got so little sleep with all the people coming in and out of my room.

After I got home from the hospital...I just kept breastfeeding her.  You know you HAVE to eat enough for two during that time...and the more decent food you eat...the better.  I learned to stay away from cheese <it constipates baby>...onions, anything that gives you gas...will give the baby gas...and stay away from coffee, tea...anything with caffeine...if it keeps you awake...it will keep baby awake...because it's in your breastmilk.  I also had a handheld breast pump thingie for when I would fill up to the point of dripping...I would express a little to keep from leaking.

The pump at the hospital is what I accredit to my being able to breastfeed...which I did for 17 months. 

The sweetest thing in the world is the way the baby looks up at your while it's nursing...don't you agree?

I wish you the best...

Sincerely,

PS...my baby is 17 now...and to this day...loves warm milk at night before she goes to bed.  I assume she associates it with soothing calmness...

How nice that your first experience hasn't made you give up on the idea! You absolutely can help yourself with this problem, and here's how.

For starters,  take fenugreek, it will help immensely. My daughter had a terrible time with nursing her son. In fact, she wasn't able to successfully begin breastfeeding him until he was four months old! Then, once she started she still had production issues which required supplementing, but she eventually conquered that and was able to cease the formula ~ and she nursed her son until he was slightly over the age of two!

In addition to taking the fenugreek, stay hydrated and make sure you're getting enough proper nutrition and try these two websites for support (both were instrumental in contributing to my daughter's ultimate success):

www.breastfeeding.com (Look for Liane, she was a great help.)

www.llli.org

Good luck, hon!

Fenugreek is an excellent herb to increase breaks milk. Many health food stores carry herbal remedies to increase milk.

Make sure your baby is latch correctly because she needs to suck regularly in order for you to continue produce milk.