Working Moms

Hi....I have been breastfeeding for 7 months now. I am also a working mother. I find that my milk supplying is reducing. Would like to continue breastfeeding until the baby is at least 12 months old. How do I maintain my milk supply?

Hi Meing Chaan,

Basically your milk supply works on demand & supply ie the more you take out the more you will make. When you are working there are sometimes restrictions on how long or how often you can express your milk & if you are not able to express frequently enough the milk supply will reduce. Also expressing is not as effective as a baby suckling at the breast.

To increase the milk supply you may like to try the following:

If possible increase the frequency of expressing while at work.
Try to relax while you are expressing.If you are stressed it will affect the actual milk flow.
If you are pumping one breast at a time try double pumping.
Increase direct breastfeeding with your baby when you are at home.
At week-ends, revert to full breastfeeding & only express on work days.
Check that you are taking a well balanced diet (while you are breastfeeding you should be taking extra calories & plenty of good quality unrefined carbohydrates).
If the milk supply doesn't increase to meet your baby's needs you may want to consider taking Fenugreek. The capsules are not always easy to obtain but you can enquire at GNC shops. Other wise buy the fenugreek seeds. You can make a drink by adding approx 8 oz boiling water to a heaped teaspoon of fenugreek seeds. Let this steep for a few minutes & then drink the liquid. You can repeat this approx 3 x per day.If you like the taste of the seeds you can also eat the softened seeds.
If you have any medical conditions you may want to check with your doctor before doing this.
Alternatively there are medications your doctor can prescribe if the milk supply is very low.

Over the next few months your baby will gradually take more solid food & will require less of your milk but up to one year your milk is still your baby's staple food.

Comments & tips from other working moms would be very welcome.