trouble with breastfeeding

lmj8284 · January 2013

I'm so depressed. I've never been able to produce enough milk for my daughter and we've always had to supplement a little with formula. I really enjoy nursing so I didn't mind taking the extra time to give her a bottle of formula too.

lately it seems like my milk production getting lower and lower. I pump 3 times a day at work for 30 minutes each time. I can barely get 2 ounces combined each time.

I guzzle water all day. I've tried oatmeal. Brewers Yeast. Mothers Milk tea. Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc supplements. Nothing seems to boost my supply! I've also had my pump checked by a lactation consultant and I've replaced membranes.

It's so depressing when I pump for 30 minutes and get less than an ounce from each side. I feel like I'm just wasting my time.

Mentally and emotionally I'm not ready to give this up yet but my body doesn't seem to be agreeing with me.

Any advice or helpful hints for me?

mierasm1 · January 2013

Stop! I went through the exact same thing and stopped once I introduced solids. I was constantly stressed and I pumped every 2 hours and did everything I could to increase my supply and I always got less then 3 oz combined and my LO ate 7 oz bottles. I am so happy now and feel so relieved to not constantly be pumping and stressed out!

KatFCo · January 2013

I know how you feel. I've never been able to get more than 2 or 3 ounces at a time (other than mornings, when I get 4). I'm still pumping, but down to 3 times a day. I want to go as long as possible, but I know the end is near.

The decision you face is entirely up to you. If you're not ready to give up, keep going and know that your LO is still getting some milk.

Have you tried power pumping? It helped me.

babycooke2012 · January 2013

I get more pumping when I do manual breast compressions at the same time. I think how often you pump affects supply even more than how long each session is... I get less on days that I wait 3-4 hrs but keep up nicely every 2 to 2.5 hrs. Also stress, not enough sleep and dieting are definite supply killers, bummer! Good luck with whatever you do.

laurenhankey · January 2013

I was in your boat and when I stopped and my hormones leveled out I was much happier. I was sad to stop in a way, I loved the bond BF has with baby but for my own sanity I needed to stop. I am much happier for it and therefore she is happier too

henrytviii · January 2013

Sorry, I know how frustrating this is. It seems like you have tried a lot. You don't mention diet. Are you eating enough, this is the only thing that seems to correlate with pumping production for me, water doesn't matter. I am not hungry much but when I eat more anyway its seems to help.

Could you cut the pumping sessions down and try to nurse a lot at home to keep supply up? I went from 3 x 30 to 2 x 20 a month ago and I still get the same exact amount of milk and its less stressful. Not enough milk to avoid formula but 3x30 maybe gave me 1 ounce more so I don't think iits affecting nursing at home. I am "lucky" that we get 4 nursing sessions in overnight so my supply though not good is helped by that.

hopefulmom81 · January 2013

mierasm1:
Stop! I went through the exact same thing and stopped once I introduced solids. I was constantly stressed and I pumped every 2 hours and did everything I could to increase my supply and I always got less then 3 oz combined and my LO ate 7 oz bottles. I am so happy now and feel so relieved to not constantly be pumping and stressed out!

This! You have made it a long time. You should be super proud of your accomplishment!!

brennarobbie · January 2013

Same boat here too...I hardly ever get more than 2 oz combined when I pump unless it's first thing in the morning and I get 5-6 oz combined. We have to supplement too...that was hard, but I'm better with it now.

Completely by accident, I figured out that apple juice helps boost my supply. Only by an extra ounce or two, but I can tell a difference! ) Instead of a beer each night, I drink a Michelob Ultra Lite Cider every night. I also drink 1 part apple juice to 4 parts water instead of just plain water.

I tried everything too - power pumping, fenugreek, blessed thistle, mother's milk, brewer's yeast in lactation cookies, oatmeal, I always drink tons of water and eat healthy. The only thing I didn't try was the regland (can't remember how to spell it) because I'm worried about the side effects- my midwife prescribed me domperidone, but the only pharmacy in town that used to make it said that the supplier is completely shut off. That you can't even get it from Canada anymore. (

Anyway, good luck! Whatever you decide will be the right thing for you and your sweet baby. Thinking of you!

sadie706 · January 2013

Thank you for everyone's responses! These boards can be so supportive:). I'm not sure what ill do yet but I just don't feel ready to give up yet. I have a friend that bought mother love milk plus capsuls and didn't use them. I'm going to give those a shot and also call my pedi's office and talk to a lactation nurse.

Just noticed this is a different username! I guess I forgot I had this one.

mierasm1 · January 2013

I also went on reglan 2 times and it helped while I took it but my supply got low again immediately after I stopped which stressed me out more. Just a FYI. I'm so happy now and I had a very hard time stopping. I had to keep reminding myself that my lo deserved a happy momma not a stressed one and time with my pump was time away from him. Good luck in whatever decision you make!

tjkdlhb · January 2013

Have you posted this on the breastfeeding board? There are lots of ladies there who have issues with supply and they may be able to give you good advice.

I know that there are some prescriptions that can help, but I know nothing much beyond that. Oatmeal, skin-to-skin time, lots of water. It seems from your post that you are looking more for ideas for help rather than "quit". Also check out the kellymom website for resources and ideas. IF you are ready to stop, then that is totally fine and a respectable decision. But if you are not ready to stop then there are resources available to help.

Personally, I am very fortunate that I have had a good supply so far and BF has been a positive experience, (I really enjoy it) but I am thankful that options such as formula exist if BF wasn't feasible for us for whatever reason.

lmj8284 · January 2013

tjkdlhb:

Have you posted this on the breastfeeding board? There are lots of ladies there who have issues with supply and they may be able to give you good advice.

I know that there are some prescriptions that can help, but I know nothing much beyond that. Oatmeal, skin-to-skin time, lots of water. It seems from your post that you are looking more for ideas for help rather than "quit". Also check out the kellymom website for resources and ideas. IF you are ready to stop, then that is totally fine and a respectable decision. But if you are not ready to stop then there are resources available to help.

Personally, I am very fortunate that I have had a good supply so far and BF has been a positive experience, (I really enjoy it) but I am thankful that options such as formula exist if BF wasn't feasible for us for whatever reason.

Yes I did post on the breastfeeding board as well. I forgot to mention that I did try Reglan when lo was about 6 weeks old. i didn't notice a difference there. I do consider myself on a healthy diet and try to get more calories in everyday. I'm just not sure what the problem is.

My mom didn't breastfeed her children and my sister tried with hers but she would pump everytime her lo ate and only got 3 oz in a 24 hour period! I'm not sure if these problems are hereditary?!

Anyway, I plan on trying MotherLove Milk Plus and hopefully that will help. Thank you much everyone! Even though I'm not ready to give up yet you all made me feel really great that if I do decide to stop it's nothing to be ashamed about. THANK YOU!

SunAndRain · January 2013

Your and my stories are nearly identical.

You have put up an AMAZING fight to BF for this long! So be very proud of your accomplishment and know that you have made it much farther than most moms who have also struggled with BF'ing and supply issues.

You have BF'ed through the most critical months and now it is time to reassess priorities. You need to take care of you too. So stop driving yourself crazy trying to up your supply. Your body is doing the best it can and your sanity needs to be protected too.

I have learned to accept that my body can only do what it can do, and despite all my efforts and the fact working SO hard for something and being UNABLE to reach my goal is completely unchartered territory for me, that some things are just out of my control. I was pumping 3 times at work for 45 minutes each and producing 8 ozs total on a good day.

We've done the best we can and frankly we've done an awesome job considering all we've been up against.

My plan is to let my body gradually reduce production and gradually wean DD. Now I only pump twice per day. I feel like I'm on vacation

KDR1979 · January 2013

I have also seriously struggled with supply. I went to a breastfeeding clinic 3 x in the first 6 weeks after birth and the last time I went the doc pretty much said that there was nothing else she could do.

I got sick with HELLP syndrome in the end and was pretty anemic after delivery, so I think that is part of my problem + my 36 wks twins didn't learn how to latch until they were 10 & 14 weeks old! I also pumped every 2-4 hours and the most I ever produced was 20 ounces/day. I considered taking Reglan or domperidone, but just decided that it wasn't worth any of the possible serious side effects.

So, I had no choice but to supplement. I took an extended leave from work and didn't go back until they were 28 wks old. I can only pump once during my work day and quit daytime pumping after ~4 wks back at work...it was just impossible with my crazy work day. Now, I nurse after work, before bed, MOTN and morning, so the babies still get some breastmilk, but have gotten mostly formula for awhile now. You could try doing that for a little while longer so you don't have to keep killing yourself at work!

You've done great so far with what you have been able to give your baby!

mierasm1 · January 2013

I had HELLP and Eclampsia as well and I was told that both of those afffect your supply tremendously to be happy if you got any milk.

DiveFrog · January 2013

mierasm1:
I had HELLP and Eclampsia as well and I was told that both of those afffect your supply tremendously to be happy if you got any milk.

I believe this is true. I didn't have HELLP or Eclampsia, but I did have a fairly bad case of pre-eclampsia and had to deliver 4weeks early via c-section. I struggled hard and long in the beginning to get BF established with my milk coming in late, a DD with Jaundice and difficulty latching. Still, when we are together and nursing I have always produced enough. Pumping is a whole different ball game. The most I have ever been able to pump in a session is 4-5oz. and usually only around 3oz.

After introducing solids a few weeks ago my pumping output has tanked even further. I am only pumping about 2-2.5 ounces per session at work. So far I haven't had to supplement since I have pumped over the weekeds since I went back to work. The freezer stash is dwindling though and it is only a matter of time. I was hoping to make it formula free until 10-11months and see if DD (8months) started to drop her needs a bit based on solids intake, but I don't think we are going to make it.

I console myself with the fact that we will still continue to nurse when I am with her as long as I keep making something and she continues to want to BF. So she will get some BM until she is at least a year old.

anonsouthernbell · January 2013

If you can try pumping 1x in the MOTN (or have LO nurse) as prolactin levels are highest in the body. I think it's from 2-6 but I'd double check on the hours.

alexandrineblanc · January 2013

Are you pregnant? Maybe that's why you don't have much milk now.

Luvmy2sons · January 2013

KDR1979:

I have also seriously struggled with supply. I went to a breastfeeding clinic 3 x in the first 6 weeks after birth and the last time I went the doc pretty much said that there was nothing else she could do.

I got sick with HELLP syndrome in the end and was pretty anemic after delivery, so I think that is part of my problem + my 36 wks twins didn't learn how to latch until they were 10 & 14 weeks old! I also pumped every 2-4 hours and the most I ever produced was 20 ounces/day. I considered taking Reglan or domperidone, but just decided that it wasn't worth any of the possible serious side effects.

So, I had no choice but to supplement. I took an extended leave from work and didn't go back until they were 28 wks old. I can only pump once during my work day and quit daytime pumping after ~4 wks back at work...it was just impossible with my crazy work day. Now, I nurse after work, before bed, MOTN and morning, so the babies still get some breastmilk, but have gotten mostly formula for awhile now. You could try doing that for a little while longer so you don't have to keep killing yourself at work!

You've done great so far with what you have been able to give your baby!

I'm new to this board, but wanted to say I am this exactly. I have slowly dwindled down to 2x a day nursning, and I feel like today or this week is really it for me. I'm very sad, because of the bonding, and DD is my 3rd... so no more nursing babies for me. But DD is a slow gainer, and I am over obsessed with her weight and I think that totally killed my supply completely. I have some freezer stash I am going to use, which will probably last a month. I think the hardest part for me is i feel like i'm giving up on her. I know it's dumb, but I do! I do consider myself very lucky however because I could only BF my other kids for 3/4 months. TO have gone this far was a major goal for me. I started out wanting to make it to 6 months, so i definitely surpassed that! just wanted to chime in too

TobbynS · January 2013

Golacta is a great herbal supplement to try if Mothers milk doesn't work for you. You might have your thyroid tested. Abnormal thyroid levels can really affect supply. Good luck!

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