7 months in - supply issues

engrgrl · July 2014

Hey girls!
I don't think I've ever posted on this particular board before, but I'd love to get some input. I've been pumping 3x/day at work since I returned in March. Over the last few weeks my supply has slowly decreased, and I wasn't paying enough attention to my freezer staff level that I ended up having to supplement (1/2 and 1/2 bottle) and add an extra pump at night. I figured it might have been because I was sick and the return of AF, so I started drinking Mothers Milk tea, which helped a bit last week. With the holiday weekend I didn't pump Fri-Mon b/c I was with DS...but yesterday and today I'm low again...
Does anyone have any advice on if this means my supply is officially dwindling? Or can I get it back? Any other ideas? I'm glad I went 7 months without supplementing and I know I've done well for him, but I'm disappointed I can't seem to keep up any more (he drinks about 15 oz a day, give or take).

TIA

engrgrl · July 2014

I should also note that the past 2 days I've dropped from 10 oz to 8 (a few weeks ago I was at 12, 15 when I started)

vvvvvfee · July 2014

i had a supply drop around 7/8 months when my DS starting eating some solids. i wasn't getting enough from that 3rd pump to make it worthwhile, so i dropped down to 2 pumps. i was getting enough for 2 bottles, plus sometimes i'd have an ounce or two extra that i'd mix with frozen milk to make up the 3rd bottle. after a while, DS stopped finishing the 3rd bottle or wouldn't take it at all, and that was when i started sending some solids to daycare with him along with the 2 bottles.

so, you could either a) add in additional pumping sessions in the morning or evening if you are trying to make enough for the 3rd bottle, or, b) if you have started your LO on solids, you could just send solids instead of the 3rd bottle. so long as you are nursing on demand when you are home, i would not worry about your supply. it will adjust to meet your LO's needs.

eggmankate · July 2014

DD just turned 7 months today and 2 days ago out of nowhere I had a noticeable supply drop. I at first thought maybe it was arrival of AF or ovulation, but then this morning I decided to check pump parts and realized that the tuving attached to the actual pump wasn't pushed in all if the way (Lactina pump). That made all of the difference. Double check that your parts are in working order! You can almost always boost your supply, but the question is if its necessary/worth it.

engrgrl · July 2014

vvvvvfee said:

i had a supply drop around 7/8 months when my DS starting eating some solids. i wasn't getting enough from that 3rd pump to make it worthwhile, so i dropped down to 2 pumps. i was getting enough for 2 bottles, plus sometimes i'd have an ounce or two extra that i'd mix with frozen milk to make up the 3rd bottle. after a while, DS stopped finishing the 3rd bottle or wouldn't take it at all, and that was when i started sending some solids to daycare with him along with the 2 bottles.

so, you could either a) add in additional pumping sessions in the morning or evening if you are trying to make enough for the 3rd bottle, or, b) if you have started your LO on solids, you could just send solids instead of the 3rd bottle. so long as you are nursing on demand when you are home, i would not worry about your supply. it will adjust to meet your LO's needs.

This bring up another question. I send DS to day care with breakfast (fruit and cereal), and he sometimes STILL has 15 oz of milk (not always, but usually 12). I give him dinner at home - when do you think it's approprate to add lunch? I believe my pediatrician said by 9 months he should be at 3 meals...
Either way, since I'm still pumping 3x/day, you'd think my supply would stay the same...and if DS starts taking less than that's just extra to freeze...

engrgrl · July 2014

eggmankate said:

DD just turned 7 months today and 2 days ago out of nowhere I had a noticeable supply drop. I at first thought maybe it was arrival of AF or ovulation, but then this morning I decided to check pump parts and realized that the tuving attached to the actual pump wasn't pushed in all if the way (Lactina pump). That made all of the difference. Double check that your parts are in working order! You can almost always boost your supply, but the question is if its necessary/worth it.

Meaning putting in a ton of effort to get 3 bottles may not be worth it, so just supplement? Sometimes I feel that way...

engrgrl · July 2014

casey78 said:

I hear you.

Have you checked membranes and tubing on your pump?

Also, maybe try power pumping ones a day for an hour. Do at the same time every day even if it seems you are getting nothing. It took 4 days for me to see an increase, but the increase stayed with me. Option 1: pump 20, rest 10, pump 10, rest 10, pump 10. Option 2: watch an hour-long tv show. Pump. WHen show is on, rest during commercials.

I have not recently, thanks for the reminder and tip!

vvvvvfee · July 2014

engrgrl said:

This bring up another question. I send DS to day care with breakfast (fruit and cereal), and he sometimes STILL has 15 oz of milk (not always, but usually 12). I give him dinner at home - when do you think it's approprate to add lunch? I believe my pediatrician said by 9 months he should be at 3 meals...
Either way, since I'm still pumping 3x/day, you'd think my supply would stay the same...and if DS starts taking less than that's just extra to freeze...

i think 15 ounces a day is pretty much on the high end of what your LO should be taking at this age. it depends on how much he is nursing when he is home with you. i would not be in a hurry to add lunch. if you introduce too many solids too early, it can lead to early weaning. kellymom has a good guide to introducing solids and balancing solids/BM consumption: https://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-how/

it all depends on whether you want to do the extra work of continuing to pump 3x a day, or if you are willing to go down to 2x a day. (remember, many people stop pumping at work at 1 year, so at some point you will need to transition down to 2x a day, and then down to 1x a day, before stopping completely.)

eggmankate · July 2014

engrgrl said:

eggmankate said:

DD just turned 7 months today and 2 days ago out of nowhere I had a noticeable supply drop. I at first thought maybe it was arrival of AF or ovulation, but then this morning I decided to check pump parts and realized that the tuving attached to the actual pump wasn't pushed in all if the way (Lactina pump). That made all of the difference. Double check that your parts are in working order! You can almost always boost your supply, but the question is if its necessary/worth it.

Meaning putting in a ton of effort to get 3 bottles may not be worth it, so just supplement? Sometimes I feel that way...

I would think that as baby gets older and starts eating more solids that it would naturally reduce your supply. The "under 1 just for fun" confuses me because I hear all the time that as babies approach one year they space out feedings, drop feedings and take in less breastmilk. Seems to be the case for VVVV?

engrgrl · July 2014

vvvvvfee said:

..
i think 15 ounces a day is pretty much on the high end of what your LO should be taking at this age. it depends on how much he is nursing when he is home with you. i would not be in a hurry to add lunch. if you introduce too many solids too early, it can lead to early weaning. kellymom has a good guide to introducing solids and balancing solids/BM consumption: https://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-how/

it all depends on whether you want to do the extra work of continuing to pump 3x a day, or if you are willing to go down to 2x a day. (remember, many people stop pumping at work at 1 year, so at some point you will need to transition down to 2x a day, and then down to 1x a day, before stopping completely.)

Thanks for that link, it was very helpful because I realized I may be contributing to the problem. At day care DS gets a bottle at 8:30 and then solids at 10. He used to nurse as soon as we got home, but now he has his last bottle around 3, and solids around 5:30. Nurse again at 6:30 and then get read for bed. It seemed like nursing him first was too early (usually feedings are about 3 hrs apart). Maybe I should switch the food and nursing?

engrgrl · July 2014

eggmankate said:

engrgrl said:

eggmankate said:

DD just turned 7 months today and 2 days ago out of nowhere I had a noticeable supply drop. I at first thought maybe it was arrival of AF or ovulation, but then this morning I decided to check pump parts and realized that the tuving attached to the actual pump wasn't pushed in all if the way (Lactina pump). That made all of the difference. Double check that your parts are in working order! You can almost always boost your supply, but the question is if its necessary/worth it.

Meaning putting in a ton of effort to get 3 bottles may not be worth it, so just supplement? Sometimes I feel that way...

I would think that as baby gets older and starts eating more solids that it would naturally reduce your supply. The "under 1 just for fun" confuses me because I hear all the time that as babies approach one year they space out feedings, drop feedinghins and take in less breastmilk. Seems to be the case for VVVV?

That always confused me too, it's not like once they turn 1 there's a magical switch! There has to be build up. I forget where I read it, but I saw a general idea is ~25 oz milk under 6 months, then something like 15-25 from 7-9, and then 10-15 after that. DS did drink all 15 today, plus nursed this morning and will nurse before bed. Then once in the MOTN, usually.

vvvvvfee · July 2014

engrgrl said

Thanks for that link, it was very helpful because I realized I may be contributing to the problem. At day care DS gets a bottle at 8:30 and then solids at 10. He used to nurse as soon as we got home, but now he has his last bottle around 3, and solids around 5:30. Nurse again at 6:30 and then get read for bed. It seemed like nursing him first was too early (usually feedings are about 3 hrs apart). Maybe I should switch the food and nursing?

yes, at this age, i would always nurse first, then offer solids after. and i would try to squeeze in as many nursing sessions as you can- so nurse him right before you leave for work and as soon as you get home. my DS definitely did some reverse-cycling (eating less during the day and more when he was with me), and that was fine with me. IMO it was easier to nurse him in at home or even in the middle of the night (we bedshared, so it wasn't a big deal) than it was to add in extra pumping sessions during the day.

engrgrl · July 2014

yes, at this age, i would always nurse first, then offer solids after. and i would try to squeeze in as many nursing sessions as you can- so nurse him right before you leave for work and as soon as you get home. my DS definitely did some reverse-cycling (eating less during the day and more when he was with me), and that was fine with me. IMO it was easier to nurse him in at home or even in the middle of the night (we bedshared, so it wasn't a big deal) than it was to add in extra pumping sessions during the day.

Thanks again! I will try adjusting my nursing.

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