Baby poop smells like a movie theater in a bad neighborhood. (or how I got my milk supply back)

A week ago, I had a little bit of a scare when my milk supply plummeted mostly due (I believe) to the fact that I accidentally went a whole day without eating. I went from being able to pump 3 or 4 oz. a session to a measly 1.5 a session. This unfortunately coincided with a spike in the baby’s appetite. I spent several days panicked and anxious before decided to do something about it. This entailed going HAM on breast supply increase supplements and anecdotal methods from the internet.

But it worked! Within ~24 hours, I was pumping as much as ever. Here’s what I did in that 24 hour period:

• 9PM: Just before bed, I power-pumped for a full hour: 10 minutes on each breast, 10 minute break, 10 minutes on rightie, 10 minutes on leftie, 10 minutes on rightie again, and 10 minutes on leftie again.
• Prime Now’d a bottle of Gaia Herbs, Lactation Support Phyto and took one (of three recommended daily doses) first thing in the AM
• 8AM: Nursed baby and pumped out basically nothing afterward
• 8:30AM: Ate one package of Milkmakers Lactation Cookie Bites, Oatmeal Raisin, along with a big breakfast of Chinese steamed egg and pork (thanks mom!) and matcha milk tea
• 11AM: Nursed baby again and again pumped out basically nothing afterward
• 12PM: Power-pumped for a full hour again right before work (same as the evening before)
• Went to work
• 1PM: Had a regular pumping session (~10 mins per side) as soon as I got to work and took supplement pill 2
• 1:30PM: Ate a huge lunch of Peking duck (with pancakes, veggies, hoisin sauce, etc.)
• 3PM: Regular pumping session followed by a Blueberry Boobiebar (they taste vile but I suppose they work)
• 5PM: Power-pumped for yet another full hour. This time I started seeing a marginal increase in the amount I was pumping out and my breast was feeling a little fuller just before
• 6:30PM: Ate a massive dinner of Xi’an Famous Foods oxtail noodle soup and a big bottle of soy milk
• 7PM: Took final supplement pill 3
• 8PM: Power-pumped for another full hour. Pumped out a little more this time, which felt great!

The only thing I wish I could have done during this period was nurse the baby more. Unfortunately it was a long work day followed by D&D so I couldn’t, but I do believe the four whole power-pumping sessions in a 24 hour period helped make up for only being able to nurse twice.

I’m hoping to never have to experience a supply drop again (or another clogged duct), but if I do, I’ll definitely try all of above again.