Will my body really just give up on me? (long)
aforst
member
I'm worried that my body is quitting on me. I went from pumping ~15oz in 3 pumping sessions at work (10, 1:30, and 4:30) to barely pumping 8oz (this is with pumping for my entire 1 hour lunch break). DS doesn't always nurse in the a.m., and if he does, it usually just on one side. So, I have been pumping when I wake up b/c at least I get ~5oz out of that pump. I need to send 13.5oz of BM to daycare for DS, I'm barely getting that out of 4 pumping sessions.
Last night I tried to nurse DS in the evening, but he seemed very fussy w/ me and would latch and unlatch. I finally just took him off, but he still seemed hungry. I fed him some cereal and applesauce and he ate the entire jar and still seemed like he wanted more. We gave him a bath and about an hour later he seemed hungry again. I tried to nurse him again, but he did the same thing. He seemed very frustrated with me. I ended up giving him 3 oz of frozen BM, he slammed it and fell asleep. (I've never had to do this before.) He did nurse at 4 a.m. w/ no problem.
I realize that many people supplmnt w/ formula or frzn BM. I just feel like I'm failing at this. I'm doing everything I know to do. I eat oatmeal for breakfast every day, I drink nursing tea at least 2x a day, I take Fenugreek (3 pills, 3x's a day), I drink tons of water. I power pumped during lunch everyday last week (and yesterday). Nothing seems to make a difference.
I feel like I keep hearing that your body will provide for what the baby needs, but mine seems to be giving up. I know it's not the end of the world, but I'm having a hard time with this. I wasn't able to BF my first (not for lack of trying) and it was devastating. I was so happy it worked this time, but I was really hoping to make it to a year. Sorry this got so long, thanks for reading if you got this far.
Re: Will my body really just give up on me? (long)
This sounds exactly like what I am going through except my soon is younger than yours (4.5 months) and is actually taking in more BM will we are away during the day (14 to 15 oz). I am doing the same thing except I guess I should increase my fenugreek... I have only been doing 2pills, 2x a day).
We are also dealing with a child that is fussy when nursing especially in the evenings.
I originally wanted to BF for atleast 6 months and I am still hoping to make it that far. I am not sure what else to do except for quit work and nurse all day every day!
Sorry I don't have any advice but wanted to let you know that others are in the same boat as you.
I had this problem about 2 weeks ago. Then I got sick right after. Then it got even worse the last half of last week. I was freaking out because DD was so upset on my boob and was clearly still hungry. I wasn't letting down. I wasn't pumping as much. Then it started to get a little better this weekend. Then I got my first freakin period on Sun night and now it is fine. I'm letting down and I'm pumping enough again. I would have never in a million years thought I'd get my period since I EBF, no solids and she eats every 3 hours, except one 5 hour stretch around the clock. Maybe that's the problem? How long has this been going on?
ETA: Maybe you could try power pumping in the evening after LO goes to bed for a week.
As far as the pumping output, it got worse when I had a bad cold last month. It did rebound, but never back to where it was. It has seemed to have gotten even worse in the past week and 1/2. I have not gotten a period yet. I was kind of hoping that's what this was. I got the Mirena put in at the end of December, so I'm not sure how that will effect things either. If it's my period, I wish it would get here already!! I will probably try the power pumping in the evening. I will try anything at this point!!
our babies are the same age and I'm having the same problem. She went on a nursing strike this weekend, which didn't help my already dwindling supply (been dwindling since I started back to work last month, since I do not respond well to the pump). Also, she's not on solids yet.
Your body isn't giving up, it's just changing, possibly because he's on solids.
I don't know if this is the right advice, but I would say just keep pumping and see what happens, The way I see it, if I can keep my supply where it's at, she'll never need more breastmilk than she does now as she starts getting more calories from solids. So that's my "new normal" goal until she hits one.
Good luck, mama!