Just can't pump enough:

amanda_wahl · November 2012

I think this post is mostly to vent but I'm having a terrible time with accepting the fact that I may need to supplement. I just can't pump enough! When together with lo we are great but I just don't respond well and am running out of freezer stash. I pump 4x at work and even 12 at night. 5 mos now and feeling like a failure....anyone else have this issue and how did you deal with it?

amanda_wahl · November 2012

Forgot to say yes I have tried switching parts, membranes, ect...even tried a new pump!

mcanant · November 2012

I feel for you! my first month back I thought I was going to quit 100 times! I found that adding sessions didn't help me. The only thing that helped save me were lactation cookies and pumping RIGHT after the early AM 3-5a, feed. I let LO feed for 10 on each side then go and pump. I get 5-7 ounces and it is my largest pump of the day. Without it, there would be no way I could get 12 ounces all day. Maybe this can help you? It sounds like you wait to go to work to pump for first time. I am not sure if your LO wakes up in early AM, but maybe that could help. If it does, you could even go to 3x at work maybe?

You are doing great! Don't feel bad for yourself! Any milk is great!

LoriLee14 · November 2012

Just support! Formula is not the worst thing. baby not getting enough is the worst. Formula has come so far these days and it is nutritious for your baby. Keep pumping to give your baby as much breastmilk as you can and as long as it works for you. You are doing a great job! don't let this get you down

Ladiebug710 · November 2012

Have you tried pumping one side while feeding LO? I thought it sounded really strange, but it helped me with my let down so much. I think it got my body "used to the pump" because after I did it a time or two a day for a week I had a much better let down and higher volumes with the pump.

kcircell · November 2012

Both sides of coin here I took it very hard emotionally when we decided to give LO 1 formula bottle a day, but the longer we have been doing it and the more it is just a habit it had allowed me to relax about how much I pump and intern I have am pumping more milk then ever it is a mental thing for me big time the extra that I have been pumping then allows me a little freedom to do some stuff for myself throught out the week. Also the ladies that talk about early morning on MONT pumps are right on. I have a Advent hand pump that I use for that which I respond sooo well too. So I am a single sider but I wake up before LO after her and mine longest stretch of sleep and using the hand pump juice both side and then when she wakes I make her feed off both sides. That 1 pump is my biggest yeild all day

lynniecheer06 · November 2012

Am I reading correctly from your post that your LO is 5 months? have you started solid foods yet? It could be that you can't keep up because she's so hungry. Once I returned to teach in September and LO started getting bottles during the day again, we noticed pretty quickly that she was eating bottles of anywhere from 6-8oz at a time, 3x a day! During the summer, the occasional bottle was about 4oz. Once we started solid foods (she was just shy of 5months), she seemed more satisfied and I was able to keep up with her demand.

Don't feel bad! any milk you can give is great. And I've been there, felt that too!

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