is it worth it to keep pumping?

SmrBrd2012 · August 2015

My supply is dwindling so much lately that it is making me quite sad. In a four hour period, I'm now only producing 3oz for my morning work pump and then 2 oz for my afternoon pump, so barely 1 feeding for the 10 hours I'm gone. Just a week ago I was producing 9 total. I know only I can decide when I should just throw in the towel but I'm wondering what you low supply mamas have done. I'm missing 40 min of work to just get 5 oz now. I have no idea what LO is getting when he nurses. Since I'm working and get such few precious hours with him before it's bedtime, I don't particularly want to spend it pumping after he eats. I still try to feed him when I get home, at bedtime, and then when he wakes up for his MOTN feeding. He has often been taking awhile to go back to sleep afterwards, and I'm wondering if maybe he's not getting enough. The whole process is just making me sad. I don't want to give up and I worked so hard to get the supply I had but now with work, I don't know if it's feasible to keep on keeping on. Would love to hear some experiences of low supply/formula feeding moms.

rileysmama2007 · August 2015

I went through low supply with my first. I went through trying to EBF to exclusively pumping to formula feeding. He spit up all the time from formula and was an extremely fussy baby until he started solids. I wish I would have seen a lactation consultant and tried every possible thing under the sun to keep breastfeeding because now, seeing how happy and healthy my second is breastfeeding, I feel awful for throwing in the towel with my first.

michellemybelle915 · August 2015

My supply started dipping when I started work so I started eating oatmeal everyday, drinking Milkflow, and got appropriate sized flanges for my pump. Now I get almost 15 oz in two pumps at work (whereas before I was getting 6 oz between the two pumps)

kales0719 · August 2015

Can you find Milkflow in stores?

michellemybelle915 · August 2015

@kales0719 honestly do not know.. I've been ordering it through amazon prime

mars8k · August 2015

How about if you wake up before LO to pump in the morning? That's when i get the most milk. I would say do your best but don't pressure yourself, motherhood is more than just food and you're doing great

jessmaydvm · August 2015

I pump in the car on the way to work right after I have fed my LO...adding in that extra pumping seemed to help my supply. Also it helped my supply when I started offering the breast more frequently when I was home. Another thought would be to change the membranes on your pump, check your flanges to make sure they are the right sizes, maybe borrow a friend's pump to see if you do better with a different pump?

I completely understand not wanting to pump after each feeding at home. I thankfully have still managed to pump just enough for the following day, but I have no stash at all. Don't feel badly if you have to quit, but I would encourage you not to quit on your worst day...talk to a good lactation consultant, maybe find a LaLecheLeague leader to troubleshoot with. If you have exhausted what you can do and you have to quit, don't feel guilty! You have to do what works for your family and your body. And any breast milk is still more than your LO would have had otherwise.

MrsElizabethPlano · August 2015

I was low supply with my first, a hectic schedule and stress probably didn't help, and the more you stress the lower your supply may get. I supplemented with formula after about a month, then wound up only formula by month 4. I didn't know about all the help out there so you should def see consultants if you think it's worth it. There are benefits of breast milk, but by the time the kid's an adult you probably won't notice a difference between formula fed and breast milk fed. I was miserable for a while at not being able to feed my own baby, but in the end it put a lot of stress off me.

SmrBrd2012 · August 2015

Thanks all. I had stopped taking a lot of my breast milk producing supplements (fenugreek because it made me smell bad, shatavari because I didn't think it was working. That coincided with me being back at work after 2 weeks, and also stressing about a medical issue I have so maybe everything combined is not helping. I can't pump on the way to work because I take the train (awkward, LOL). I could do a morning pump, but LO nurses around 1am and 4am and I get up at 6 so my sleep time is precious now

Also, sometimes LO gets up that early any way. I try to nurse him before I go to work, pump at 10:30a and 2:30p, and then nurse when I get home. I think I'm going to try changing my hours and then add a 3rd pump session for lunch. Also waiting for my supplements to be delivered thru Amazon. If none of that helps, I may let it go. My goal is to at least keep it up until LO starts daycare in a month. I've already been supplementing with formula quite a bit but for the month before work, I was almost back at not having to give LO any formula a day! That was exciting while it lasted

The advice to not quit on my worst day is probably the best I can receive! I really appreciate the responses ladies. I know at the end of the day, it's not the end of the world if I have to eventually go to 100% formula. I do so much enjoy our nursing sessions though.

JanelleRubs · August 2015

It's so funny that I read this post because this is literally what I am going thru at the moment. Once I went back to work my supply diminished quite a bit. I have tried EVERYTHING, from lactation cookies, lactation boosting supplements, milk teas, fenugreek etc. and nothing seemed to make a dramatic improvement. As of last week I keep having the conversation in my mind whether if its worth the worry and effort or whether I should just give up. I completely understand when you say you want to spend the little time we have with our babies in the evenings cuddling and not stuck to a pump because you know that if you dont pump baby will not have enough milk the next day. So in an effort to give it one more chance I began having oatmeal with Brewer's Yeast each morning this week. I'm only on day 4 and I have to say that I finally saw a bit of increase in my supply

!!!! As of yesterday I thought maybe just maybe this will work itself up and I could continue feeding my baby and this morning I woke up to this article. The article is mind blowing and gave me the lift that I needed to continue on this battle of trying to feed my baby nothing but breastmilk. It was godsent, I really hope you get the reassurance you need. Best of luck you and your precious little one.

https://www.thestranger.com/features/feature/2015/08/26/22755273/the-more-i-learn-about-breast-milk-the-more-amazed-i-am

SmrBrd2012 · August 2015

I saw that on our fb group÷

so cool! I so wish I could EBF but I guess it's better than nothing. I'm going to keep doing the best I can for now! I've been eating more oatmeal again too but forgot that I had brewers yeast so I'll def have to add that to the mix too. Good luck with your supply as well!

ali0608 · August 2015

I would agree not to quit on your worst day. Decide how much this means to you and give yourself a time line. If you aren't happier about it in that time, start weaning off.

I pumped with my first. And I was so much happier and less stressed and a better mom once I stopped. For me, it was the right choice to use formula. But like you said, only you can decide for yourself.

kkokey · August 2015

I just returned to work three weeks ago and was having the same issues until this week. I pumped three times at the office (~9am, 12pm, 3pm), and was getting about 7 oz total.

For the past week, I make sure to pump for at least 15 minutes each session (even if only getting drops), and added a pump session before I go to bed. Yesterday and today, I've been getting 11 oz total for the three sessions at the office, which is plenty for the 9 hours that my daughter is at daycare.

The 15 minutes and extra pump session at night seems to help increase my supply. Perhaps you can try something like that.

freshie723 · September 2015

The first few days after going back to work i was pumping 3 oz per session. I would pump every 4 hours. This is week 4 of being back at work and im pumping 5 or 6 oz of milk per session. I get more in the morning session than i do in the afternoon. Dont give up. Eat oatmeal and lots of water!!

DMEL · September 2015

Don't let anyone guilt you into continuing if it's too much for you. I gather from your post that you're looking for a solution to your pumping issues or permission to give up. I give you permission. There is nothing wrong with formula. Nothing. Do what works for you and your baby. You're doing great

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