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Dah lama nak post an entry pasal breastfeeding ni. Asik tertangguh-tanguh je. So, now ade masa lapang skit nak type panjang… hehe..

Masa dalam pantang after 2 weeks giving birth to Umar, barulah dapat fully breastfeed Umar. Tapi tu pun dok bising-bising kat husband yang my milk supply tak banyak. I always think that my milk production is low and not enough for him. Which is so negative of me, sebab berpikiran macam tu

I tried so many ways to increase my milk supply; orang kata makan lobak putih (Parsnips) – hari-hari dok makan but still the same je. Lepas tu makan sawi lah, pegaga lah, daun kucai lah… basically, dah try makan everything lah, lepas tu minum susu and milo twice daily. Still, sama je. But, Lil Umar tak nangis pun after each feeding, maybe my milk supply is already enough for him (?). Sebab our milk production pun depends on demand jugak kan. Kalau demand sikit je, takde lah nak keluar banyak pun. Sebab tulah ramai orang kata pump lepas habis feed baby, nanti susu lagi banyak.

Lama-lama tu, I become more positive dan tak mau stress pasal ni. Husband pun cakap, kalau stress nanti lagi sikit. Memang betul pun. So, now I am one happy mother! Eventho I don’t stock up much masa nak start keja and I have to give FM to my babysitter, am still happy. Memang tak sempat pun nak pump and stock up 2 weeks before tu, and some more masa tu pun still dok try this and that to increase my milk production. Sampaikan rasa penat sangat and ada rasa macam mau give up je, bcos at one time I can only pump tak sampai 1oz pn. Jadi, macam mana nak stock susu kalau everytime pump keluar tak sampai 1oz? So, I said to myself, that’s it… naik keja nanti baru lah start stock up susu dengan jayanya. So, Alhamdulilah… 1st day at work I manage to pump close to 10oz!

Speaking of pump, I used 3 pumps actually. Masa mula-mula guna manual (given by my SIL), memang penat la weh. Lenguh tangan-tangan ni. Pulak tu yang keluar sikit. So I stop using manual, I used my own hand instead. Keluar lagi banyak dari pakai pump. Wahh… suka! Suka! Then bila dah lama-lama sikit, pakai electric pump (given by my SIL jugak). Eh, seronoknya… keluar lagi banyak. Masa ni belum try guna Swing lagi. Then, bila try guna Swing… jadi pelik pulak kenapa it took longer than electric pump. Rupa-rupanya, I took out the membrane yang sepatutunya tak perlu dicabut. Ahahahaa… Nasib baik lah, jumpa Afzan, yang kebetulan ada training juga di INTAN – same place as my husband attended his training. I have to ask my husband to set a lunch date with her, semata-mata nak tengok her pump. (Eh, bukan tengok dia pumping milk. TAKKK! Tengok Swing dia je). Thanks ye, Afzan! Mujur lah Afzan tunjuk kene letak membrane tu And now, am in love with my Swing!

Here are 35 ways to boost your milk supply:

1. Breastfeed frequently. Frequent breastfeeding is the number one key to boosting your milk supply. (I have no problem at all, since Umar sangat-sangat kerap menyusu. Sampai nak pump pun tak sempat )
2. Offer both breasts during feedings.
3. Make sure baby nurses long enough to empty your breast when she nurses.
4. Don’t schedule feedings. Follow your baby’s hunger cues for feeding.
5. Allow your baby to cluster feed. Cluster feeding is when a baby breastfeeds several times during a short period of time. Babies often cluster feed in the evenings before they go to sleep.
6. Try switch nursing. Nurse on one breast, if baby gets tired of nursing switch to the other breast, and continue switching breasts until both breasts are empty or baby will no longer suck.
7. Use breast compression when you nurse. Breast compression involves massaging your breast and squeezing extra milk out as your baby nurses. (I used to massage my breast masa Umar menyusu – masa awal-awal dulu la. Time milk production low. And it helps!)
8. Breastfeed at night. Night feedings are great for boosting milk supply.
9. Pump after nursing. Usually pumping after nursing will help empty the breast. If you find that you are not pumping anything after nursing you can try pumping before nursing. Babies are much more efficient at emptying the breast than a pump so this may work better for some moms. (I have to pump before feed Umar. Sebabnya, kalau dah feed Umar dlu baru pump, nanti dapat sikittt ja. The max I can get about 1oz for each pumping session)
10. If your supply is low or baby is not gaining weight see a lactation consultant for help.
11. Make sure baby is latching on well. Try more than one technique to get your baby latched on. (Nasib baik masa pegi antenatal class dah belajar how to make sure baby latching well. Kalau tak betul, nanti kita yang sakit )
12. Get support from breastfeeding moms.
13. Pump while you nurse. Pump on one side and nurse on the other. Then switch sides and let baby empty the breast that you pumped. (Tak retilah. Kene ade orang tolong baru boleh.)
14. Get lots of skin to skin contact with baby.
15. Nurse in bed. Lying down in bed may help you relax and allow baby to nurse for longer periods of time.
16. Don’t sleep on your stomach at night. This may compress your breasts and hinder your supply.
17. Let your baby comfort nurse even if you don’t hear her swallowing.
18. Try babywearing. Carry your baby in a sling or try nursing her in the sling.
19. Avoid pacifiers and artificial nipples ( Yang ini Umar sendiri tak reti mahu isap pacifier. Some people suggest to us, to use pacifier sbb Umar suke mengempeng. Tapi Umar tak reti lah nak isap. Kelakarlah, sebab dia asik keluarkan lidah dia je…macam nak menjilat )
20. Avoid taking birth control pills while you are breastfeeding if possible.
21. Don’t smoke.
22. Drink plenty of water, especially right before you nurse. (Yeah, right!! Minumlah banyak-banyak air suam, especially. Dalam 3-4litre daily, memang boleh banyak susu. Biarlah ulang-alik ke toilet thousand times daily pun takpe… – kata nak kuruskan, itu salah satu exercise dah tu, haha!)
23. Limit how much caffeine you drink.
24. Try to relax when you nurse and not rush.
25. Avoid supplementing if at all possible.
26. Eat a healthy diet with plenty of protein.
27. If your baby needs to supplement, consider using a supplemental nursing system or lactation aid so that your baby can nurse at the breast while you supplement.
28. Take a nursing vacation. Spend a weekend in bed with your baby and nurse her as much as possible.
29. Try taking fenugreek or blessed thistle. Both our herbs that have been used to help improve milk supply. (I’ve been consuming fenugreek pills,and it does boost up my milk supply! You can get it from BabySnowDrop )
30. Try drinking mother’s milk tea. Mother’s milk tea can be found at most health stores. (Haaa… yang ini saya pun ada cuba. Rasa dia lebih kurang fenugreek jugak. Eh, ada sapa-sapa mahu try rasa tak? I can give it for free. PM me for more details )
31. Don’t diet while you are breastfeeding. (True. Nanti tak cukup susu pulak. That’s whylah saya ini ada lagi berbaki 5kilo yang perlu dibuangkan. Mungkin bulan puasa boleh turun sikit. My target to get back my pre-pregnancy weight is within 4months. Slow and steady. Harap-harap raya nanti saya tak makan banyak! Heh)
32. Eat a bowl of oatmeal. Some moms believe oatmeal helps boost milk supply.
33. Talk to your doctor about prescription medication like Reglan to boost your milk supply.
34. Avoid decongestants and antihistamines as these may decrease milk supply.
35. Remember that any amount of breast milk your baby gets from you is good for her.

Source: here

So, now rasanya I dont have to worry pasal milk supply nih. For now, still enough for my baby as I constantly eating fenugreek tu. My ex-boss and my colleague always said (since sebelum saya bersalin lagi diorang sudah berpesan, actually!), it’s all on your mind. Kene set betul-betul yang kite memang nak breastfeed, insyaAllah… adalah susu untuk baby tu. Ada banyak lagi tips lain yang other people share. Ade sorang tu bagi tau, time pumping tu, tengok gambar baby… it helps to simulate.

Korang ade any other tip(s) on this? Do share!