Share your tips please

I'm an old/new nurse (<1yr experience). I was just offered a job at the local hospital on the medical unit instead of going through the residency in which I interviewed for. This now changes my shift hours from days to nights. I'm ready yet nervous. I'm a new mom and since I haven't worked my husband who works about 12hours each day as well will be home with the baby. I also exclusively breastfeed. If anyone has tips, advice or just words of encouragement I would greatly appreciate them. TIA
Get to pumping and stockpile.

Quote from celtchick68Get to pumping and stockpile.

Talk to your OB about how to keep up your suply...mine had me take Fenugreek supplements and eat oatmeal. Not sure if it actually helped, but I managed to exclusively breastfeed for nine months and he didn't wean completely until 15 months. I also pumped while nursing and had suportive co-workers who would shoo me off to pump when I started looking like Pamela Anderson.

Quote from mama_dTalk to your OB about how to keep up your suply...mine had me take Fenugreek supplements and eat oatmeal. Not sure if it actually helped, but I managed to exclusively breastfeed for nine months and he didn't wean completely until 15 months. I also pumped while nursing and had suportive co-workers who would shoo me off to pump when I started looking like Pamela Anderson.

I took Mother's Milk Plus (Google it) with ok results. My coworkers are great about my pumping. They call me the Jersey Cow and I joke that I'm headed to the barn. Kudos to you for doing what's best for your son. Above all, rest up as much as you can and push fluids. That will improve things dramatically so far as production.Pm me if you want ...my baby's 14 weeks old, so I'm right there with you.

My supply took a nose dive at about 4 months pp. could barely pump 3pz while I was at work, barely enough when I was home. Fenugreek did nothing but make me smell like maple syrup. I worked with a naturopathic physician at the time and she wrote me a script for a tincture with 6-8 ingredients. Plumped me up in no time! I pumped 17oz in one day! I realize that isn't a lot for some people, but for me it was a miracle!!! Now at almost 17months old, I can't keep my son away from my boobs. So I guess we will reevaluate at 2yrs ;-)

Cranberry sauce can also help with supply. (And yes, fenugreek capsules are available OTC just about anyplace that sells supplements, including health food stores.)I tried taking Reglan to increase my supply, but it had pretty extreme side effects for me -- complete insomnia (which I *never* have issues with) every time I tried to lie down and sleep, but severe drowsiness when I was up and about (almost fell asleep standing up!). I eventually felt unsafe in caring for my baby, I was so sleep-deprived! So save that for a "worst case scenario" -- the last thing a mom-and-nurse needs is to be even MORE sleep deprived!If your son is sleeping through the night, I recommend setting an alarm and pumping in the middle of the night, too. If you have trouble finding time for enough pumping breaks at work, your body's supply-and-demand is going to think the demand has decreased. That middle of the night pumping session can help make up for that. You can also pump right before you leave work (after you're punched out), then BF your son as soon as you get home -- he's a much more effective pump, and will still get more even though you just pumped half an hour previous.