Return To Work and Supply

GerardSyreeta · June 2014

I started back work this week and LO (11 weeks) is at the sitter. I have a freezer stash and started pumping bottles this week (for the next day, that is correct right?). I logged for a week and it looks like LO nursed 6 or 7 times per day. Using the calculator on KellyMom.com says I need 4 oz bottles. He's been getting 3 of those in my absence. Well I've been able to produce that much up until yesterday. Now I am getting 3 oz, 3.5 if I'm lucky. Does that mean my supply is suffering?

Thank you so much for your input.

vvvvvfee · June 2014

how long have you been getting the reduced amount? it could just be a temporary thing- your supply can dip if you are getting sick or recovering from being sick, or if your period is returning.

other things to consider:
-how many times a day are you pumping? for a full workday, you should pump 3x, or ideally to replace each feeding you miss. if you find you are consistently pumping less than your LO needs, you could try adding in a pumping session in the morning before work
-how long are you pumping? you could increase the time by 5 or 10 minutes. some women get a 2nd let-down
-are you able to relax fully while pumping? i had to be distracted or i found it hard to let down- i always brought in a book, magazine, or other entertainment to read, and didn't look at how much i had pumped until the time i had allotted for myself was up.
-are you eating enough and drinking lots of fluids?
-some women find that taking calcium and magnesium supplements helps with their supply. you can also try a mother's milk tea, or eating natural galactagogues like oatmeal, brewer's yeast, and flaxseed.

also, make sure your care provider is familiar with how to bottle-feed a breastfed baby so they do not overfeed. (although 3, 4- or 4 1/2-ounces bottles in a workday is perfectly reasonable IMO)

eggmankate · June 2014

You may notice that your supply decreases slightly as the week wears on. I work M-F and nurse on the weekends and the supply picks up a bit again on Monday after nursing the weekend. Also, it's pretty typical for me to vary 0-2 ounces from day to day. I have yet to figure out why I produce more on some days than others.

ErinO21 · June 2014

I get up at 5 on Saturdays and Sundays and pump. During that pump I get at least 5 ounces, sometimes 6 or 7, which helps with the deficit I will most likely get at some point throughout the week. I also pump every morning an hour before LO gets up, which gets me 5-6 ounces again. Losing that half hour of sleep each day on the weekend is worth not having to stress too much during the week.

GerardSyreeta · June 2014

Wow thank you all so much! I feel a lot better now. I pumped for 20 mins 3x/day M-F. I usually only get one let down/session. I could probably improve on my water intake as well. What about mothers milk tea (I think that's what it's called?)

opheliainwaders · June 2014

Ditto the extra pumping session recommendation, and also water, water water! I pumped after DD went to bed for a long time (including on weekend days), because I was never able to respond as well to the pump as to the baby.

GerardSyreeta · June 2014

Mothers milk tea gave LO gas so that's out! Does fenugreek give babies gas as well?

Want a personalized experience?

Return To Work and Supply

Re: Return To Work and Supply

Choose Another Board

Search Boards