Babies on the Brain
If nothing comes out when you pump
how long do you pump for? I know he can get more than the pump can but when he hasn't eaten I am barely getting a half an ounce. When I pump after he eats I'm not even getting a teaspoon.
I know I have to pump after feeding to increase supply but if nothing is coming out how long do I pump to stimulate milk?
My supply is tanking and I'm really frustrated!
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Re: If nothing comes out when you pump
Where do you get Fenugreek and Mother's Milk. I've looked when I was in Target and didn't see it...did I miss it?
I eat oatmeal...not helping lately.I haven't had hardly any sleep....I'm wondering if that is hindering it maybe?
1.) Oatmeal oatmeal oatmeal!
2.) Are you doing compression while you pump? There are some videos online, but I found that nearly doubles what I would have pumped had I not dont it.
3.) Is it possible you are Oing or about to get AF? Those can cause a sharp drop. Also being sick or super stressed.
DD had a great latch right away but I stuggled the entire time. I somehow made it this far. I'm just now supplimenting with WCM and hoping she will start to wean a little in the near future. GL!
I don't know how well it worked, but I drank it a lot. Also just know that it will make your armpits and pee smell like maple syrup.
Yes and I think they are too big. But every time we go to BRU they don't have any smaller ones and I hate to pay shipping to order online if I buy the wrong size yet again.
That would be great..I don't mind sterilizing them from you!
I was afraid this would happen because of all the supplementing you are doing. When you give formula, you are telling your body you don't need as much milk. In addition, baby learns that getting formula from a bottle, is easier than doing the hard work to get milk from the breast. You are at a critical point in your breastfeeding realtionship. If you really want to continue its going to take a lot of hard work and persistance.
Pump for 15-20 minutes even if nothing comes out. Pump after every feeding. Anything that you pump, use at the next feeding as supplemet instead of formula. If not enough breastmilk, then use formula to make up the difference, until you are getting enough breastmilk.
Take 3 capsules of Fenugreek and 2 of Blessed Thistle, 3 times a day.
Eat steel cut oatmeal every single day at least once.
Make sure you are drinking water to thirst, but don't go crazy. Too much water can actually hurt your supply.
You need to eat however many calories a day your body weight/height needs PLUS 600 a day.
Take your baby to bed with you and have a nursing vacation for 2-3 days. Do nothing but nurse, nap and snack. Leave the housework, bill paying, errands, big cooking. Strip baby to diaper and take your shirt off. Do skin to skin as much as possible.
Go see a lacation consultant and have a pre and post feeding weight done. You need to know how much he is getting. so you know how much to supplement. Formula keeps baby full longer, so now baby nurses less, which once again signals your body to make less milk.
You can ween of the formula if you want to, regardless what your pedi says.
If you don't really care about upping your supply and getting him off the formula, then disregard everything above
Also here is a guide for breast shield fit:
https://www.medela.com/IW/en/breastfeeding/good-to-know/right-size-of-breastshield.html
Photo courtesy of mrs_b
Actually there have been several days in a row where I have not supplemented at all. My supply was increasing, had gotten up to 2 ounces every two hours. I am eating oatmeal, drinking gatoraide and water and milk, taking vitamins, pumping after feedings or if he is sleeping longer than normal. He was eating every two hours and I have seen and talked to lactation consultants multiple times and had him weighed in for feedings.
This week however he is not sleeping, I'm not sleeping, he is wanting to nurse non stop, screaming his head off and I'm getting nothing when I pump anymore. So yea, I've gone back to supplementing with formula to feed my child.
I would love nothing more than to increase my supply which is why I'm asking the questions and doing what I can.
Can you manage a power pumping session? I'd do 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, and repeat 3 or 4 times to make one session. I'd do that at night after Cam went down for her long sleep stretch. It seemed to help a bit. The mother's milk tea is also awesome. The LLL leader of the meetings I used to go to said that any source of soluble fiber is good for your supply, so oatmeal, apple cider (the cloudy kind), anything like that. Also, you could up your sodium a little, which will make you retain more fluid.
Warm compresses, nurse in the tub (the warmth combined with the skin to skin helps increase the hormone that encourages lactation).
I hope you are able to get the results you are hoping for.
ETA: I've also read that you should be getting in at least 8 nursing or pumping sessions within a 24 hour period. They don't have to be evenly spaced though.
Married 11/24/07
Camille Rae 8/21/10
Thea Grace's EDD 5/22/14
Abraham Arthur 2/21/10 // Asher Kendall 11/11/11
I'm sorry you're having a rough time. What did the lactations consultants say? How much is he transfering at a breastfeeding session? How much are you supplementing? I too struggle with supply, so I fully know what a mind fvck it is thinking your child is not getting enough.
It sounds like he is going through a growth spurt, based on the behavior you posted in your last reply. It's completely normal and expected for baby to want to nurse round the clock, and act starving like he is getting nothing from the breast. All that nursing, even if he is not getting anything and just comfort sucking, is going to up your supply more than anything.
To give you a clearer answer on how long you should be pumping- Pump until you get two let downs, and then pump no less than an additional 5 minutes, after the last drop of milk. If you don't get any let downs, or milk, then pump for 20 minutes.
You should also post this on the breastfeeding board. Wonderful ladies over there with a ton of knowledge and experience. You also know where to find me on FB. I am truly trying to help you buck. There is nothing wrong with supplementing with formula, however, it will negatively affect your supply unfortunately. It's a vicious cycle.