Hi, My son Hunter was born 7 weeks premature and then had the misfortune of catching meningitis in the NICU - needless to say, a long hospital stay upon his arrival into the world. He won't b/f full-time, but occasionally he'll nurse, mostly for the comfort of the cuddling I think, and the occasional slurp of milk. I pump pretty much exclusively for him. When my supply began to go down, I started to supplement his daily diet with a couple of meals of formula. THen I started to research milk supply and thought the herbs would be worth trying. My local health food store recommended making tea out of fenugreek & fennel seeds. IT WORKED!!!! my supply is way up! Here is my recipe: 2 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp fenugreek seeds 2 cups boiling water * Steep for 5-10 minutes, stir, pour the tea through a strainer, and drink tea. "Enjoy" this beverage two times a day. I use the word "enjoy" somewhat sarcastically. While it isn't HORRIBLE, it definitely isn't pleasant (for my tastebuds anyhow). Then I read that taking capsules of these herbs may be more potent and effective than tea. So I bought a bottle of each today. Does anyone have experience with the capsules? Have they worked for you? What dosage did you follow? As per the bottle indicates? Curious.....
I'm sorry to hear about the challenges your son Hunter faced early on, but it's great that you're finding ways to provide him with the nourishment he needs. I don't have personal experience with the capsules, but many moms have found them to be effective in increasing milk supply. It's best to follow the dosage instructions on the bottle and consult with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns. Every person's body may respond differently, so it's important to find what works best for your son.
