Feeling discouraged - need to hear something positive re: pumping

margauxa1 · March 2011

and I'm BACK!

So for the last week while pumping at work, my supply is dwindling. This seems to only happen while I pump at work. DD started drinking a bit more in her bottles at daycare so I added a fourth pump to my day.

I used to get 5-7 ounces out in my morning pump., and then 3-5 with my other pumps and it would all work out. I did this for about a week and then my supply started to tank and I sometimes only get 4 ounces in my morning pump and then 2-5 (five is if I'm very very lucky in my afternoon pump). I had to start supplementing from my freezer supply which I hate doing and think it might contribute to my dip in supply but I feel totally trapped.

Was this caused by DD's six month growth spurt? Everyone (that works full time) that I've talked to keeps telling me that they stopped nursing between 6-8 months. I need to hear some stories where working moms made it past a year pumping and nursing. Please encourage me - it is starting to break my heart.

Yes, I am dramatic.

thanks.

mag2point0 · March 2011

I don't have the experience yet to offer anything tangible. But, I wanted to say that you are not being dramatic. I'd feel the exact same way.

hugs

Meg41208 · March 2011

AF returned for me around 7 months and from that point I had a very difficult time pumping enough for bottles. We plowed through the freezer stash really quickly and then we started supplementing with formula. I never had any issues with supply when she was actually nursing, just pumping. I continued pumping until just after 11 months when I decided it was no longer worth the effort but I continued to nurse until DD self-weaned at 13 months.

ETA: So this really isn't encouraging in regards to pumping, but hopefully it can give you some in continuing nursing.

Have you tried any supplements (Fenugreek) etc?

sprads · March 2011

I pumped past 1 year. There were rough times and depressing moments wondering if I was just failing at it all, but I stuck with it and made it through. DD turned 1 end of October and then I cut down my pumping and during Christmas break I was done. I continued to just nurse her in the morning and night and quit that sometime between 18 and 24 months. I didn't write it down and have since forgot. I just promised DH that she wouldn't still be nursing herself to sleep (last one to go) when she turned 2.

1. Drink lots of water or something to keep you hydrated.

2. Don't overthink it and stress yourself out.

3. Try oatmeal for a snack each day.

hugs

Jessica&Brett · March 2011

I have no experience - but I would suggest adding in Oatmeal for breakfast (the steel cut worked well for me), LOTS of water, and Mother's Milk tea. Hopefully that helps!

If I drink less than 96 ounces of water a day, I would notice a drop in how much I was pumping when I was pumping.

Good luck!

jerseygirl81 · March 2011

More water, make sure you're eating and drinking enough. Pumping more is always an option, too, create more demand.

I EPed for a year, so that's a little different. Good luck!

notguilty · March 2011

I'm no inspiration or help here because I had to quit just shy of 7 months. I had an insane work schedule that was not conducive to pumping at work. On the other hand, I did experience reduction due to AF around month 4. I drank Mother of Milk Tea (totally disgusting, but works); took around 11 Fenugreek pills a day; massaged my breasts while I pumped, looked at a picture of DD while I pumped, and tried to relax during my pumping sessions rather than continuing to work (easier said than done). I also eventually supplemented with formula the last couple weeks.

I was so proud of myself for making it as long as I did. You need to cut yourself a break. You can only do so much to control the situation when you're a working mom. It sucks, but it's reality. I wish you the best of luck. I completely understand that it's an important personal goal, but try not to stress and remember that formula-fed only babies are doing just fine.

notguilty · March 2011

One more thing....you're not being dramatic. It's so tough. Hang in there.

l.m.k. · March 2011

I'm in the exact same position! For a few weeks I had to use some freezer stash, but the past two weeks I've caught up and been ahead because I've pumped once each day on the weekends, and therefore I'm 2-3 bottles ahead when I start the week.

You CAN make it!

Can your daycare provider start feeding DD some oatmeal cereal during the day so she's not as hungry for BM?

johnandkristin · March 2011

You're not dramatic at all. I'm not any help because I only made it 2 months, but I think you're doing such a great job. I envy you for sticking with it and making it almost 7 months. That's such an accomplishment!

margauxa1 · March 2011

Thanks everyone - I love that I can post here and get positive vibes when I start to get freaked out. It really calms me down and I worry a lot less -

I think that I get really sad when I start to think about the end of nursing because I (selfishly) am not ready to stop. Meg41208, I 'think' I have the same issue because almost every time I pump I can squeeze milk out manually. The pump just isn't getting it! I hope that if I start to have to supplement with formula that my supply stays the same for evening and morning nursing. Were you able to nurse completely on the weekends or did you have to make bottles then?

I drink about 80 ounces of water while at work (it's harder to count when I get home b/c I don't have bottles), but haven't tried fenugreek or mother's milk. Anything is worth a try at this point.

AF made an appearance way back in December - maybe she's coming again but this has been going on for about 10 days so I just don't know.

Not Guilty - I like your point about not doing work during pumps which I probably could do but then I do feel really bad like I'm not being productive (even though I technically am being very productive).

Thanks everyone for making me feel better. I guess I think I'm being dramatic because I can tell that DH is tired of hearing me freak out and whine all the time about this.

Meg41208 · March 2011

margauxa1:

I think that I get really sad when I start to think about the end of nursing because I (selfishly) am not ready to stop. Meg41208, I 'think' I have the same issue because almost every time I pump I can squeeze milk out manually. The pump just isn't getting it! I hope that if I start to have to supplement with formula that my supply stays the same for evening and morning nursing. Were you able to nurse completely on the weekends or did you have to make bottles then?

I nursed exclusively on the weekends. I think you should continue to pump while at work so your body doesn't get used to not producing milk, but not to get discouraged about having a crappy output as long as you're still nursing fine.

For me, I hated pumping so much that I didn't want to add extra pumping sessions to try to get all the extra milk I needed especially because I was still getting up a few times a night to feed DD.

Have you changed your membranes on your pump and ruled out any other mechanical problems that could be the cause of the decreased milk production?

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