pumping emergency!!

laura.noel

My pumping supply during the day at work has been getting worse and worse. Just now, I pumped, and got less than half of what will be in his bottle at this time of day. I have done everything I can think of to do. I am heartbroken.

And now I will have students coming in at any minute, and I am in tears. I am hoping I can convince them I was having a coughing fit.

hizah05

Sad face! I wish I had advice for you, that's really frustrating. It's crazy to me how hard it is for some of us to get enough milk to feed our babies. It should just be easy!! Good luck!

ALane1128

I'm sorry : ( Has he been eating more solids lately? I've been noticing a dip in my supply even with taking fenugreek. I feel it's because he's been wanting more solids than BM. 

livinginashoe

I've noticed a dip in supply recently, too. It's hard work to make food for another person for this long.

pennyandandy

livinginashoe:

I've noticed a dip in supply recently, too. It's hard work to make food for another person for this long.

This. I've been taking brewer's yeast and I just added fenugreek, but I gave my DCP the okay to supplement with formula, because I just can't keep up. I figured it was better then beating myself up about it.

sooner1981

Agreed.  I am just barely getting enough to satisfy what she wants when I am gone.  I have used all my freezer milk, and now I just hope that everyday I can make enough for the next day.  So far it is working out, but it is a lot of pressure....

preggersINschool25

I am right there with you guys.  I have been able to keep up, but just barely.  I have practically no freezer stash.  I will be on some strong drugs after my surgery and will have to pump and dump.  I am prepared to supplement with formula.  My doctor said I should just ween....  I don't know why he doesn't understand that it isn't just that easy!!

laura.noel

Thanks, ladies, it's a little comforting to know this is normal, at least. I am thinking about sending less milk, since he's eating more solids, but I know that he's still supposed to be getting most of his nutrition from the milk, so I am hesitant to start backing off.

I already take copious amounts of fenugreek and blessed thistle, and drinking mother's milk tea. Brewer's yeast is next on my list to try. The LC has suggested domperidone, but it's hard to get in the US, and I don't know if it's worth it to start with something totally different like that with only 4 months of pumping to go. 

I FOUGHT to have enough milk to BF at all, and was thrilled that I was able to do it as successfully as I have. It just kills me to see my supply start going the other way again so early.  I am determined to make it to a year of pumping (and to nurse when we're home for as long as he wants, or until there's no milk left).

ssimon621

I'm so sorry to hear this!  I am thinking about pumping after she eats on weekends to stimulate more production and pumping after her evening feed and before I go to bed at night to get my body back in the rotation. 

 But as pp's said as they eat more solids it is hard to keep up.  I'm pretty sure DD is taking less while on the breast than she used to and it's signaling my body to make less.  I am determined to make it to one year, even if I have to start introducing WCM at 11 months.  I just don't want to transition from BM, to formula, to WCM in a 3 - 4 month period.

kristin172429

I was struggling with supply a bit and called my pediatrician.  I actually got some pretty good news, so maybe this will help.  

I am making about 7-10 oz less than what he has been eating lately (he drinks about 20-24 oz a day).  I called to ask about supplementing and making sure the formula we wanted to use was good for him (Nature's One Baby's Only Organic Dairy - it's fine).  When I spoke with them, they told me that come his 9 month appointment, they are going to tell us to start feeding solids first and then offer milk.  They said it is very likely that his milk consumption will come down to meet what my supply is providing.  Only time will tell!  

And I don't know if this helps you, but when I started to think I wasn't making enough milk, I kind of freaked out a bit and I think the stress of it impacted my supply.  My H made a good point: with Ben eating solids now, he is getting all sorts of food.  Giving him a bottle or two of formula is not that much different than giving him any of the other new foods he is trying (heck, the kid tried Indian food the other day!).  It is completely up to you, but having the formula on-hand has reduced my stress level greatly.  I know I have something to feed him if I don't make enough milk.  I think it is helping my pumping output already.

So, from someone in a very similar position (minus the working part - I still lost supply being at home!), stop and realize that you have done an AMAZING job providing milk for him all this time.  Instead of feeling bad about it, feel proud about what you have been able to do all this time and remind yourself that you are doing your best and that is all you can do.  And maybe my pediatrician will be right and their milk needs will get lower and catch up to our dips in supply.

Now, if you want to talk about how to even think about stopping pumping and letting go emotionally....well, I'm not there yet!  As much as I can't wait to have my body back completely for me, I get a lump in my throat when I think about putting away the pump and my body no longer making food for my baby.  I'm still working on that part!!! 

laura.noel

ssimon621:

I'm so sorry to hear this!  I am thinking about pumping after she eats on weekends to stimulate more production and pumping after her evening feed and before I go to bed at night to get my body back in the rotation. 

 But as pp's said as they eat more solids it is hard to keep up.  I'm pretty sure DD is taking less while on the breast than she used to and it's signaling my body to make less.  I am determined to make it to one year, even if I have to start introducing WCM at 11 months.  I just don't want to transition from BM, to formula, to WCM in a 3 - 4 month period.

I started pumping after he eats on the weekends this past weekend. I am not sure whether it helped, but it certainly can't hurt. I have been pumping at bedtime since he started STTN, because I sleep better. My LC said I can ask at his 9 mo. about supplementing with cow's milk. I agree, I'd rather do that than transition to formula and transition again. 

NY-allie

laura.noel:

ssimon621:

I'm so sorry to hear this!  I am thinking about pumping after she eats on weekends to stimulate more production and pumping after her evening feed and before I go to bed at night to get my body back in the rotation. 

 But as pp's said as they eat more solids it is hard to keep up.  I'm pretty sure DD is taking less while on the breast than she used to and it's signaling my body to make less.  I am determined to make it to one year, even if I have to start introducing WCM at 11 months.  I just don't want to transition from BM, to formula, to WCM in a 3 - 4 month period.

I started pumping after he eats on the weekends this past weekend. I am not sure whether it helped, but it certainly can't hurt. I have been pumping at bedtime since he started STTN, because I sleep better. My LC said I can ask at his 9 mo. about supplementing with cow's milk. I agree, I'd rather do that than transition to formula and transition again. 

 

I ended up doing this with DS due to supply issues.  He had constant ear infections from 9 months on which affected his eating and my supply.  When-ever the ear infection cleared up some he was hungry, when it was back he wasn't.  I weaned him at about 11.5 months onto formula because I wanted him to have the nutrition of formula.  At 12 months we switched (slowly) to WCM.  DS never had any issues and did great (minus the ear infections which cleared up when he got tubes at 14 months).