going back to work but low supply

[monro84]

I will be going back to work next Monday. I ebf up until he had his 2 day check up because my nipples were so sore and bleeding from his lach he had formula the day of the apt so born on sunday formula and appt on wed. The LC told me since he was close to 10% loosing pump while i nurse and then give him pumped milk. I pumped and nursed at same time and was at about1.5 to 2 oz each pumping. He was always hungry right after nursing or 10 to 30 min after so I would give him the pumped milk. By the time his 2 week appt came around he was an oz away from his birth weight so gaining good. The dr told me to nurse exclusively and pump to releave but when I went to work pump to releave pain and pressure then give the care giver pumped milk then she could supplement with formula till I picked him up and got home. and nurse when I was at home night and mornings. So I ebf for 2 weeks but he was so fussy and hungry and sometimes he would nurse an hr and the put him down and 10 to 30 min later he was hungry. My supply also went down in those 2 weeks two which was really odd.

My 2 yr old had a dr appt and the baby was 5 weeks almost. I asked them to weigh him and they said he was only 8 lbs 4 oz (he was 7 lbs 13 oz at birth and 7 lbs 12 oz at 2 week apt.) They said he was not malnurishrd but he was underweight. So she told me to nurse him and then supplement after. So I started back pumping. I was only getting 1/2 oz to 1 oz at most. I have now been pumping a week again and nursing and now I am getting anywhere from 1 to 1.5 oz average per session but it still goes to him and he has been getting formula also. Is it possible to begin getting a supply up now and when I am at work next week. I could probably pump 2x maybe 3 but more realistic is 2x a day at work or is there no hope in increasing supply enough to be able to create a stash. I would like to continue bf till 6 months but if I can get a stash possibly till 9 or 10 months.
I am taking fenugreek 3 pills 3x a day. Drinking 80 to 100 oz of water a day, eating boobie bites lactation recipe (it has flax seed and brewers yeast in it). I am eating a good bit a day more than I normally do. Eating almonds, asperagus, spinach, carrots, garlic, not sure what else I can do to increase. I have seen a small increase from when I started back so some is working but not enough to start storing. I was getting my hair cut last Fri and it took 2 days to get a supply of 15 Oz (so dh could watch him) cause I had to give him some every now and then.

Sorry so long

 

[kajastarlight]

I have no good advise for you other then to let you know I am kinda in the same boat. I was not able to get a good stash before returning to work and I can only pump enough so he gets probably 70% breastmilk and 30% formula. I would love 100% breast milk but this is all I can do. In order to maintain my meeger supply I:
1 - power pump 7min on 7min off durring my 45 min drive to work
2 - pump at both my 15 min breaks and my lunch break
3 - If I have to suppliment in the evenings (and I usually do) I power pump for an hour to let my body know it is not off the hook and it needs to make more. (it rarely listenes!)
4 - If I can't get Ian to wake in the middle of the night I pump in the middle of the night for about 10 min.

I take more milk plus and eat lactation cookies
I tried Metformin to reverse the effects of PCOS may be putting on my low supply but had to stop because it gave me migraines
I am currently trying Regalan but so far (1 week) do not see any results

sometimes we can only do what we can do!! My LO is 5 months old. 6 more months to go!! (I will let him self wean, I just don't see him wanting to nurse long past 1. We shall see!)

 

[monro84]

Thank you that is amazing that your able to get 70% to him. I wish I could I would say half and half now maybe a little more but as soon as Monday come I would say 70% supplement and 30 breast milk. I really didn't think of milk I drank some this evening. I will start doing more of that.

 

[kajastarlight]

oh, clarification- "More Milk Plus" is the name of a supplement I take. But, as long as your baby is not sensitive to you eating dairy, drinking milk does provide a good mix of protein and carbohydrates that will help your body keep up the energy it needs to produce!