Breast milk supply just dropped

[Nimmanu]

I started eating raw a few days ago, and my breast milk supply has taken a hardcore nosedive. I've asked someplace else about things that will bump it up, but it all requires cooking. :(

Any suggestions, because this a very serious issue to me, I do NOT want to supplement her with formula!!!

[adrienne]

There are a couple of things I can think of, hope they help
1. fluids, fluids, fluids esp. water
2. green smoothies with TONS of dark leafy greens, drink as much of these as possible
3. don't feed your baby anything but breastmilk (if possible obviously) so there is a supply and demand. also if possible, take to the bed with baby and rest and nurse
4. don't panic! when my daughter was 9 mo. she stopped nursing for a few days (the opposite from you) and i was in a complete panic that my supply would dry up and the stress made it so much worse. my supply was fine even though she didn't really nurse for a few days
5. if you are open to tea - there is a mother's milk tea you can get at the market, it is organic (i can't remember the maker but the name of the actual tea is 'mother's milk') and maybe camomille to relax. use 3 tea bags for each cup of tea for theraputic effect
6. there are a few acupuncture points you can use:
one point is at the very lateral corner of your pinky finger nail (on the skin) and the other is if you make a fist there is a little fold of skin that jets out on the lateral side of your knuckles (so like at the bottom of the lateral knuckle but on the side of your hand) rub or press on these points, they stimulate breastmilk production. one more point is on your back in the middle of your scapula - have your partner or a friend rub in the center - pretty firmly if you can take it
Good luck and don't worry!!!!

[Nimmanu]

I have some mother's milk tea. I assumed that teas aren't raw?

[Pailani]

I have some mother's milk tea. I assumed that teas aren't raw?

Technically, they aren't. But if it won't cause you to lose your resolve to eat raw and you don't mind using it, you could try it. Fenugreek capsules will help, too. In my experience, fenugreek works even better than the Mother's Milk tea - I would use both if it was me. the capsules probably aren't raw, but I'd rather compromise on my raw diet than supplement with formula.

[Nimmanu]

Yeah, I won't supplement with formula unless it dries up. I've got a stash, but I hope that I won't have to tap it, as it's pre-raw.

I still think it's better than formula, though!

[Noix_coco]

Hi Nimmanu

How do you know you have less milk? Are you pumping it? Because for me after 8 or 9 months, my breast suddenly returned to its normal state, which means I thought it was empty but in fact it was now on tracks and industrialised!
If you are sure you got less milk, the only thing that LLL recommends in addition to rest is fenugrec.

Take care
Helene, mum to Anouk, 2.5 yo and still on mum's milk...

[Nimmanu]

Yes, I pump part-time because I work.

Also, she was still hungry even after "cleaning them out" to where they were super soft.

I used the Mother's Milk Tea, and it seems to be much better today.

Although, even though I'm told my detox won't effect her, she has been screaming nonstop for hours and is totally inconsolable. It's as if I ate dairy, which I know I didn't.

I can't tolerate this for long, how long do detox effects last?

[gazel70]

Actually if you go 100% raw right away some of the toxins your body is getting rid of will come out through the milk. I am also bfeeding my 18mth old baby girl and I transitioned into raw foods. I am 100% raw now but when I started one thing that helped me a lot was drinking fresh juices like adrienne suggested. Lots of greens, carrot, orange juice and nut milks along with insane amounts of water (at least 3L a day). Doing this helped me a lot if I deviated, even for a day, my milk supply would drop. Now I don't have to be so conscious about it since I do not have to feed her so often any more.
Good luck and I hope this helps. :)