how to increase pumping output?

elabarr

Hi Ladies-

 

Usually a lurker but hopefully can find some advice! I have had issues with DD breast feeding from the start. We use a shield, I've tried to wean her and she will sometimes take the breast without it, sometimes not. However when she does my nipples are sore for days afterward. She is also leaning more toward wanting bottles it seems like, and sometimes will just scream and refuse to nurse, or she'll nurse like that's the only way she gets milk from me. It's so odd. So I thought, well maybe we'll just pump and give her expressed milk most of the time, and just nurse at night and in the morning. 

Problem is, when I do pump, I sometimes barely get the amount she eats in one feeding, about 3 oz. Also, when I nurse less, I notice I don't get as much when I pump. 

I have been taking fenugreek for a while (I take Nature's Way brand, 9 pills per day) and it hasn't seemed to help. I pump every time she eats or close to it (she eats every 3 hours), and I have been pumping since she was born, and I've always just barely pumped 3 oz per session. It wasn't an issue in the beginning, but now that she eats that much at each feeding our stash has dramatically diminished and I'm basically pumping to replace what she's just eaten, not to add to the stash.

So how do I get more when I pump? Do I need to suck it up and add sessions (which is very difficult to do, I can probably only add a middle of the night one, and that's only on the nights DD STTN), or are there other things I could be doing to help? 

Sorry if you ladies get this all the time, if there's been a post about it point me in that direction! Thank you!

jlsimon56

elabarr:

 I'm basically pumping to replace what she's just eaten, not to add to the stash.

This is actually ideal.  Your body is responding exactly to your LO's needs and making just what she needs.

If you want to pump more at each session, you need to tell your body that your LO needs more - either by nursing more often or pumping more often.  I only pump at work but I pump 4x, every 2 hours, to get enough for my LO's 3 bottles.   

triplenine

I pump 5x per day...I started By doing more, like every 3to4 hrs and at night. Now I pump when I wake up, then three times thought out the day and my last pump is bw 10 and 12. Today I got 11, 7,7,7 oz o far. My stash is huge. I tried the shield with DS and had to EP only when I went back to work. With dd she screamed atthebreast at 2days old so I started EPing right away. My goal is 6 months. I was supplementing formula every third bottle. But now I'm able to just feed expressed milk, with surplus. Just bc your nipples aren't cooperating, you shouldn't give up, breastmilk, no matter the delivery method, s best! Pump away girl!