Hmmm. I took Fenugreek when my supply was already well established (8months!) and took on and off. Still do. When my supply feels low and out of sync with DS's demands, I take it for a 3 days to a week. Sometimes I take it for much longer periods (months) but that was when I was severely anemic, so I guess that's why I had a dropoff everytime I stopped taking it.
So. I'd guess at taking it for 3 days at least to increase your supply. Once increased, your babe and the expressing should be able to keep the demand for it up so pills not needed. But that's my guess.
Hopefully some other Mamas will have advice too.
Here are some other ideas on increasing supply:
Things that you can do to increase your supply:
*First and foremost - your lo! Nothing will stimulate your supply like your baby so key here is to nurse, nurse, and nurse some more
*Skin to skin contact - as much as you can - strip yourself off - strip lo off and climb into bed. Play, cuddle, nurse etc. Spend the whole day in bed if you can. Failing that, make sure the house is nice and warm and strip your lo off and yourself and just play like that all day. Bathing together etc... This will increase teh level of oxytocin (one of the primary milk producing hormones) and therefore help a LOT
*switch nursing: when lo has finished with the first side, offer the second. When done with the second, offer the first. When finished with the first for a second time, offer the second again. This will normally stimulate a further let down with each switch and tells your body to make more milk.
*Pumping directly after the feed preferably for at least 15 mins per side although anything is better than nothing. You can also "switch pump" which is basically going back and forth between the breasts when the milk stops coming...
Things you can consume to help:
*Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle, Mothers Milk Tea & Brewers Yeast are all things you can buy at your local health food store that can be really great for helping to boost supply. With the fenugreek, it's arguably the most effective but unless you are smelling like savoury maple syrup (and I mean everything - your urine, your sweat, you!), you're not taking enough haha!
*Oatmeal/porridge. This can be great for some - I personally notice a difference with this When I've been low in the past, I've had it for breakfast and for lunch - you can also eat tons of flapjack or oatmeal cookies ~~~ porridge is great for me: porridge, milk, cinnamon, pinch of ground cloves, drop of vanilla essense and fresh berries - really helps my supply everyday. Also, oatmilk available from healthfood stores and some UK supermarkets - even do chocolate flavour
*make sure you're getting plenty of water - this really can be a major factor for many! In those early months (up to 6 months or so), I'd drink a large glass of water or milk during / or with each BF. All other drinks during the day I saw as drinks / hydration for me.
*make sure you're eating properly - well balanced diet, with enough calories, enough dairy fats and health fats (such as are found in seeds and nuts etc). Up until 9 months or so, I ate an awful lot. I viewed main meals as nutrition for me, and then additional meals and snacks as feeding the boy...so I'd have breakfast and then toast an hour or so later... lots of healthy, carby nutritious snacks all day. It helped me make sure I was taking on enough to feed us both.
HTH
Charlotte
