exclusive pumping- should i be concerned?

cocopuff09120 · December 2013

My little guy is one week old today. Unfortunately, regular breast feeding didn't work out for us for quite a few reasons. I decided that it was very important to me

for him to receive breast milk and began pumping. I'm doing my absolute best to produce enough milk. I pump every two hours around the clock, practice best compressions, eat good food, drink lots of water, I'm even trying mother's milk tea. The first few days I noticed huge improvement to my production everyday. Now it's changed. I seem to have hit a plateau and I'm consistently pumping 1 ounce per pumping session. My baby eats 2 ounces every two hours so I am having to supplement HALF of his diet! Am I doing something wrong? Does anyone have tips?

slh6363 · December 2013

I struggle with low supply as well but I can say it definetly has improved overtime so hang in there! The first few weeks I was pumping about 2 oz every 3 hours, but now I am up to about 4 oz every 3 hours. I also tried all the tricks and honestly I don't think anything really helped, besides giving it time and being consistent with it. Is so hard in the beginning bc you feel tied to the pump constantly but it does get better! Now at 12 weeks I can go 6 hours at night and it doesn't affect my supply. I will go 4 during the day if Im out and about and it's so nice not dragging it along all of the time. If Im home I will still pump everytime LO eats which is anywhere from 2-3 hours. The only thing I can think of that you didn't mention is oatmeal, there are some good recipes for oatmeal lactation cookies that might help. But just hang in there and keep doing what you are doing!

kelli&dave · December 2013

Dont get discouraged. Like these 2 said, it gets better. I was in your position about 6 weeks ago. Now my boy is 9 weeks old and nursing like a champ. And even though your EPing, id say itll start smoothing out once your supply regulates. Just keep pumping everytime your baby eats.

cocopuff09120 · December 2013

That's another question I have. When I'm attached to my pump I find caring for baby very difficult. I got a hands free pumping bra and that helps me function at least a bit, but I still can't figure out how to hold him with these awkward things dangling in the way all the time.

katdesear · December 2013

Make sure you continue to pump 5-10 minutes after the flow stops to help stimulate production.

slh6363 · December 2013

If you can feed him while you pump that really helps. I usually sit in a recliner with my legs up and lay him facing me propped up against my thighs. He is to big for that now, so now I use the boppy to prop him up facing me in my lap. But I agree it is much better if DH is home to do the feeding while I pump.

cocopuff09120 · December 2013

Okay, I will give it a try that way. Do you burp them by laying them across your lap on their bellies?

VegasGal1978 · December 2013

I agree with PP's. EP is a hard road but not impossible. It takes time. I've been focusing on supply and have found that I am slowly increasing my output. I highly recommend tracking your sessions. This has helped me see my progress. I use the Milk Maid app for iPad. To help increase supply I have been doing massaging before and after pumping, mothers milk tea, lots of water and Go Lacta (an herbal supplement of Maluggay leaves that is supposed to help with milk production). I am not sure which of these did the trick, but I am seeing much improvement. Hang in there and good luck!

cocopuff09120 · December 2013

We did it! I finally had the chance to pump and feed my LO at the same time! Thanks everyone, I'm ecstatic!

jennypenny* · December 2013

You may want to try cuddling your lo skin to skin, which may help your supply.

Rachelmizrahi · December 2013

I have been taking fenugreek pills 3 times a day and occasionally drinking mothers milk which has fenugreek in it, also keep trying to nurse, if latching is the problem use the nipple shield, after 4 weeks of pumping I am finally able to nurse and it is much easier than pumping. Good luck to you sounds like you are doing a great job.

cocopuff09120 · December 2013

Thank you for the encouraging words. I've been trying about once per day to try from the breast using a nipple shield. Occasionally it works and he'll latch and maybe nurse a bit. Usually it ends with tears from both of us, a very hungry baby, and sore nipples (lo is a biter. He bites me, he bites his bottle, he bites his pacifier... who would have thought that someone with no teeth could actually hurt you?). I talked and visited with a lactation consultant quite a few times, but I never really felt like anyone could tell me anything that I wasn't already doing. It was so frustrating and I cried all the time.pumping is definitely a tough route to go, but I've come to accept that it may just be the best thing for our family. I will keep trying though!

giavanna0712 · December 2013

I was also exclusively pumping and I can tell you what I have found to be true in my case (DS is

4 weeks). At first I was pumping every two hours, or right after he ate. That was all working great and my supply was substantial early on- even making enough to freeze. Well then I hit a plateau and was not producing any more than what he was eating. So I decided to read up on things and decided to do some power pumping in order to increase my supply. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to help me. One night I was so exhausted I didn't pump and just waited till morning.. I was heavily engorged by then, but then that seemed to jump start my supply again. I find that for me personally, waiting 4 or so hours actually gives me a better output. I equate it to being on a diet plan and keeping your body guessing in order to keep your metabolism up and running at top speed... if you do the same thing all the time your body adapts and that is that.. but if you mix it up- the results can be better. Now I am not saying this would work for you, but I found the conventional advice in my case wasn't working. We are getting into our rhythm and I am still mostly pumping, but able to get him (with the use of a shield) to breast feed and that is our nighttime routine now. Do not get discouraged (easy to say I KNOW) but maybe mix it up and go longer between sessions at night and during the day, maybe every two hours at first, then every three.. just something to keep your body guessing.

acrypel1642 · December 2013

Congrats on your decision to feed your baby breastmilk. I, too, am a pumping-only mom. It's more work and it's more dishes, but I've never questioned the decision. All of these tips are good ones. I've found that having 1 beer (even a non-alcoholic beer will do the trick) will help my supply. Make sure, especially with that route, that you stay plenty hydrated. Also, make sure you have the right sized flanges for your pump. With my first daughter, I used the medium sized ones and produced just enough to feed her. Now, with my second, I upped the size and have already frozen about 100oz of milk (she's 7 weeks old) That made a big difference for me. They say that if you use a flange that is too small, it will "pinch" your nipple shut and you won't fully empty your breasts, thereby not creating enough demand for your body to make more. Keep up the good work, though! You are doing the absolute best thing for your baby!

EArmijo · December 2013

Dont get frustrated, I know I sure did. I didnt start producing till my son was a week old. Then I was only producing 1 oz. It took till he was 10 weeks old till I started producing 2oz per breast. Just keep doing what your doing. I supplemented with formula as well. It will come, some of us just take longer for some reason. Good luck!

heritten · December 2013

I also am exclusively pumping (LO is now 7 weeks old) due to flat nipples and her small mouth and recessed chin (she rolls her bottom lip under when she sucks and it hurts! when I can get her to latch on the nipple shield at all). In order to get my supply up I tried everything: oatmeal, mothers milk tea and now finally fenugreek seed pills. My lactation consultant had me start taking the pills one pill three times a day, and I still wasnt getting enough so we upped it to two pills three times a day. (She said you can take up to five pills three times a day, hopefully you wont have to). I stopped the excessive oatmeal eating and sausage smelling tea drinking, and the pills are allowing me to maintain supply. I pump 8 times a day, 15 min during the day, 30 min at night when I wake up with engorged boobs, which also gives me the extra I need when I dont get enough at other times of day. But if you are interested, the best tea is Earth Mama Angel Baby Milkmaid Tea, sweetened with honey ( I like orange blossom honey). I taste tested about four of them to make that call.

insertclevername · December 2013

Talk with an LC about supplements. Morninga and Alfalfa are galactagogues that may help boost supply. Some people also find a combo of Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle effective.

I ep'd with DS1 due to a tongue tie and lip tie. It is very tough and time consuming. Hands free pumping bras, an extra set of pump parts and storing pump parts in the fridge in a Ziploc bag between pumpings so they don't have to be washed after every feeding helped make it a bit easier.

lollipoppoop · December 2013

My DD is ten days old and I get about an ounce per breast sometimes only a 1/2 ounce

cocopuff09120 · December 2013

Thank you everyone for the wonderful and encouraging advice. I wanted to give a quick update on our progress. LO is still not latching, so we have continued with pumping.. I am now making around two ounces per pump (give or take about half an ounce). Everyday I've seen a small amount of improvement which is very encouraging! While I am always running very low on milk in the fridge I am excited to say that LO has had exclusively breast milk since Christmas eve! That's almost a week!

slh6363 · December 2013

Keep up the good work! I just wanted to share that I just made it to my first goal of EPing for 3 months! Now for my next goal of making it til 6!...ideally a year but small steps! I also had low supply in the beginning but it has gotten much better. Everyone tells you how hard it is (and it is) but definetely not impossible.

cocopuff09120 · December 2013

For sure sky6363! Congrats on making your goal and progressing on to a new one! I got very lucky with my LO being born so close to the new year. I'm going to make a new years resolution to go for one year. I'll start with a 6 month goal.

Gleiter4cats · December 2013

Great job everyone! I am also eping due to poor latch by LO, he is 4 weeks today!! Have reached the month mark nod plan to try for 3 months. I am getting about 2oz per puming session but LO has also started to want 2.5oz per feeding. This means that I still am needing to supplement 1-2 feedings. I have been taking Mother Love supplements four times a day to try to increase my supply and I think they have helped. This particular thread has been so helpful, supportive and encouraging to read!

cocopuff09120 · January 2014

Sigh... baby is up to 2.5 to 3 ounces. 2.5 is my absolute max for production right now. I'm just glad that I was able to get about 8 oz frozen before he started eating more! I've been avoiding supplements because I feel like they are a bit pricey but I may have to give in and get some! Can anyone recommend a good, reasonably priced brand?

slh6363 · January 2014

Formula is all pretty pricey from what I have seen. I supplement one bottle a day and use Similac. There are $5 off coupons that I get, not even sure how but they send them. So that brings the price down to about $12. I know a lot of people use the Target brand...not sure of the price.

cocopuff09120 · January 2014

Sorry ladies! I meant supplements or vitamins for me to take to produce more milk! It took me a while to understand why suddenly we were on the topic of formula brands, then I realized I had been very vague and confusing in my last post. Oops!

insertclevername · January 2014

A lot of people have increase with fenugreek. Adding Blessed Thistle can be helpful for some people taking fenugreek. Motherlove More Milk Plus and More Milk Special Blend also seem to be popular supplements.

I take alfalfa, moringa and goats rue. I am having success with those.

cocopuff09120 · January 2014

Good news! I had a bit of a panic moment because I ran out of milk and LO got hungry early. In a moment of desperation I decided to try to nurse. it didn't work, but I tracked down my nipple shield and tried again. he latched and drank up like crazy! Yay!

We'll see if it works next time. Fingers crossed!

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