bogus pump yield

groovylocks

So i went back to work today - no, i don't want to talk about it other than to say coming home from work and seeing Olive was the best moment of my life so far. 

But here's the problem. 

I can't pump anymore. 

I'm getting 2 oz from the low-yield, slow-letdown boob. And only 1 oz from the historically flush, crazy-fast letdown boob. Wtf?

I pumped twice today and netted about 6oz. I'd typically net that in one 15 minute-per-boob pump session. 

Olive is eating like normal and not cluster feeding so I assume she's still able to draw it out. 

groovylocks

UPDATE: SOrry guys i had this question answered in the breastfeeding questions forum - TB didn't show a number of new posts beside it so i thought nobody was reading the thread. Suggestions so far have been valves, membranes and batteries (we use a plug on mine)

ANy other thoughts?

rzaremba

I have yet to go back to work, but I've heard it really helps to look at pics and videos of baby during pumping at work...I think it helps with relaxation and hormones or something scientific-ish. 

rmarie13

Can you bring something of hers with you to work? Like a pinning blanket that smells like her or maybe one of her socks. That is of course if all that technical stuff doesn't work. Sometimes my let down is triggered when I'm folding DD's clothes.

ATolentino89

rzaremba said:

I have yet to go back to work, but I've heard it really helps to look at pics and videos of baby during pumping at work...I think it helps with relaxation and hormones or something scientific-ish. 

This. Also stress is a factor. I have to tune out and watch Netflix or something to zone out. I had a blanket for a week stashed in my bag for about a week. 

breezypip

I've never been responded great to the pump, but I'm back at work this week and trying my best to keep up. I have to pump 3 times there and 2 of the sessions for close to half hour to break even with DD, and I also add a small session at night or in the morning. I've tried the breast compressions and that helps me a lot. I also watch videos of DD or look at photos. And drink a TON of water. I have a feeling I'll end up supplementing, but I'm giving it my best shot. I haven't been able to add to my measly freezer stash either. This is just another reason maternity leave needs to be longer.

dmendo01

Not sure what time of day you're pumping but I pump in the morning (7am) if DD is still asleep and get about 7 ounces then I pump at 10 and get 5 ounces and then I pump at 1 and get 4 ounces, and at 4 I get 5 ounces. Almost like clockwork (no pun intended ha). My DD is offered 4-5 ounces every 2-3 hours. So if you're LO is only taking 3 ounces per feeding maybe at certain times of the day your pumping supply isn't as high? No idea if that's what happens but that's definitely been the case for me. 

but, I do work in a pediatric clinic...so I get letdown all day (annoyingly) so maybe that helps idk. 

Court11152325

I have to say that I also have to tune out when I pump. If I watch, less comes out. But if I do work on my computer or browse the internet I have more let downs.

groovylocks

ATolentino89 said:

rzaremba said:

I have yet to go back to work, but I've heard it really helps to look at pics and videos of baby during pumping at work...I think it helps with relaxation and hormones or something scientific-ish. 

This. Also stress is a factor. I have to tune out and watch Netflix or something to zone out. I had a blanket for a week stashed in my bag for about a week. 

Stress likely played a major factor today. It was my first day away from her and i described the feeling like the feeling you get when you've just been dumped. I felt all day like somebody had punched me in the chest. I didn't want to eat. I didn't want to engage with anybody. I was sad. It might have something to do with that. 

Plus i was reading kellymom and apparently i'm actually producing a lot for a mother who is exclusively breastfeeding. Kellymom said the norm is usually 1-2 oz across both breasts per pump session. I pump both breasts, 15 minutes each and yield 3 oz. It just freaked me out because the last time i pumped before going back to work, I yielded my typical 6 oz. 

I started taking fenugreek again. I took it once before and had a massive increase in supply. I realize i'm playing with fire and once the supply increases, it's going to suck. But Olive could use a weight gain anyway.. 

thatgirlree24

Court11152325 said:

I have to say that I also have to tune out when I pump. If I watch, less comes out. But if I do work on my computer or browse the internet I have more let downs.

This. I swear this is true. When I'm not paying attention, more comes out then when I am!

thatgirlree24

First day back at work, I pumped a total of 16oz. Second day was 20. Third day was 17oz and today was 12oz. However my pumping time today was limited so if I had more time I probably could've pumped more. First three days my pumping sessions were 20min each about 2 1/2-3 hrs apart. I'm gone probably 10hrs a day and LO eats 12-15oz during that time period. 

candace4erich

Are you using a hands free bra? If you are, make sure it's not too tight. That got me when I first started pumping. It also got me the other day when I got a new hands free bra. It felt comfortable, but was actually squishing me a bit. Luckily I realized it before I got a clog from it! Also, compressions definitely help, as does focused breathing (breathing in for, say, four counts and out for eight). The breathing especially helps because it reduces stress hormones in the body and allows for better let down.

groovylocks

thatgirlree24 said:

Court11152325 said:

I have to say that I also have to tune out when I pump. If I watch, less comes out. But if I do work on my computer or browse the internet I have more let downs.

This. I swear this is true. When I'm not paying attention, more comes out then when I am!

yeah this worked today so far

Kaysquared2

I find warm compresses help if I'm not letting down.  The lansinoh ones only take 30 seconds to warm up in the microwave.  I also find eating a small snack, drinking some water and relaxing instead of staring at the ounceage helps.  Oh and I found a bra on dairy fairy that is a pumping and nursing bra. It looks great under clothes and eliminates the need for a hands free pumping bra.  It cuts a good minute to 2 minutes off my set up for pumping meaning I get an extra minute or 2 to pump!

MaMinette13

I find that doing what I normally do when I breastfeed LO helped me get more.  For our night time feeding before bed, which tends to be a lot longer, I watch Scrubs on Netflix (random, I know), but at work I put Scrubs on my phone while I pumped, and got significantly more than when I am doing other things (on the Bump, etc.).  I think it was like positive association or something for me.

dmendo01

Kaysquared2 said:

I find warm compresses help if I'm not letting down.  The lansinoh ones only take 30 seconds to warm up in the microwave.  I also find eating a small snack, drinking some water and relaxing instead of staring at the ounceage helps.  Oh and I found a bra on dairy fairy that is a pumping and nursing bra. It looks great under clothes and eliminates the need for a hands free pumping bra.  It cuts a good minute to 2 minutes off my set up for pumping meaning I get an extra minute or 2 to pump!

I need to get this bra!! I always have to put on my pumping bra and it would save me so much time! 

tetchy

Which type of pumping bra did you get from the dairy fairy?  Does it seem SUPPORTIVE?

*edit* work browser hates TB and won't let me reply to a previous post 

MomofEv+1

It could be that you were stressed about going to work. It really can affect supply so don't give up yet. Also I suggest googling hands on pumping. 

Also I just want to say that I feel for you. I struggled hard with going back to work after my 4 year old was born. It gets better. 

groovylocks

So here's what was happening. 

I just started my period the other day. And it seems my supply drops as it's coming on, as happens to a lot of women. Too bad. I had started drinking beer, eating oatmeal and popping fenugreek so now i'm out to here and Olive is choking and spluttering when she tries to eat. Pump is not yielding the 6oz per session it used to but apparently if you're EBF, a 6 oz pump yield isn't normal anyway.

Kaysquared2

I have the Arden.  It seems fairly supportive but I don't really dress up for work.  It's not the most comfortable bra but it works.  I want to try the Ayla just not sure if the lace is going to be itchy.  I wish the Arden had drop down cups for when I'm nursing before/after work. 

groovylocks

MomofEv+1 said:

It could be that you were stressed about going to work. It really can affect supply so don't give up yet. Also I suggest googling hands on pumping. 

Also I just want to say that I feel for you. I struggled hard with going back to work after my 4 year old was born. It gets better. 

Thank you. That first day was awful. I felt like I'd been dumped. You know the feeling when you break up. You're ok if you don't think about it. The second you think about it, you feel like you've been punched in the chest. That first day, Olive didn't understand how bottles worked so my husband drove her in at lunchtime. Holding her in the mother's room was both amazing and heartbreaking. Showing her off was great. Then she left and i watched them walk away and watched her get smaller and smaller as they went further and further. It sucked. It was our long term plan for her to come into my office, then for me to go home in the afternoon, until her bottle confusion eased up. But it turned ou she wasn't confused. Just stubborn. She took a bottle that afternoon. 

So those first few days of having to pump felt lonely. The second day, i started watching "Cooked" on netflix while i pumped (as opposed to trying to work or think about Olive - something i was sure would create a huge yield) Watching cooked kept me really calm and happy - and my supply started increasing. 

Now that my period is well underway, i should hopefully get better results tomorrow.