Increasing Supply

[Katrina18]

My LO is 5 months old and I've been back at work about a month and a half. Before returning, I built up a nice little freezer stash which now, unfortunately it almost gone. I pump three times a day at work for 15 minutes and nurse exclusively when I get home up until I leave in the morning.
Well, I can only get maybe 7 ounces total when I pump (total for all day), but my LO is eating 3.5 ounces 3 times a day while I am gone. No matter how hard I try, I can't keep up and I only have maybe another week worth of freezer stash left. I make sure I am fully hydrated, try to not stress and have even tried lactation cookies and nothing seems to help. I am currently going through a rough time here at work (trying to find something else), so I know that stress doesn't help, but can it be making that big of a difference?

Any advice on how to increase my supply would be great. I'm even trying to pump at home in between feedings, but even then I'm not making enough to keep up. I really don't want to have to supplement, but it looks like it's going that way.

 

[susannah14]

Are you able to pump for longer? Some women are slow pumpers. After 15 minutes I usually only have an ounce from each boob, but after 35 minutes I have as much as 4-5 oz each boob. Do you have a double electric pump? Are you able to hit the let down button again after milk stops flowing?

I'd also recommend mother's milk tea or fenugreek or something. Haven't needed to use them but maybe others can tell you more about Good luck, don't give up.

 

[seaweed eater]

How long is LO gone? 10.5 oz sounds like a lot unless your work day is long. The rule of thumb is 1-1.25 oz per hour you're apart. Even if LO would take more than that, sending only that much encourages her to get more of her calories from nursing.

Are you able to pump in the morning after your first feed of the day? What about in the car on the way to work? As painful as it sounds, could you add a MOTN/early morning pump before LO wakes up?

What kind of pump are you using? I agree with Susannah about pumping for longer. Do your breasts feel empty when you're done pumping? Are you using compressions? Do you notice multiple letdowns? Are you sure that you have the right size flanges? Are you lubricating with olive or coconut oil? You could also consider buying Pumpin Pals flanges -- some women notice an increase in supply with those.

 

[Katrina18]

I'm trying to pump for at least 20 minutes now, but going any longer than that and I'm going to have some problems with my employer (one of many reasons why I'm trying to get out of here). I have a Medela Double Electric, but it does not have a let down button unfortunately.
Currently I leave the house around 6:45 and I'm home around 4:45, so about 10 hours. (So sounds about right based off of the 1-1.25 every hour). Her doctor said I can give her 4-5 oz., but in my opinion, she's good with the 3.5!
Pumping in the morning sounds like a good option or even in the middle of the night if I have to! My breasts do feel pretty empty, but if I try to manually express them afterwards, I still end up getting a good amount out of them. I only sometimes notice multiple let downs though. As far as the flanges, I pretty much have every size that you can buy and I'm still not positive which is right for me! (I've done some research, but I don't feel that I fully understand which one is doing the best job).
I will definitely try lubricating as I have not tried that yet! Thank you ladies for your help. I planned to EBF for at least a year and it's just getting hard!

 

[seaweed eater]

My understanding is that, with flange size, it doesn't matter what's "correct," more about what doesn't irritate your nipples and is the most comfortable/yields the most. If you're planning to pump long term and don't feel happy with the Medela ones, I really would recommend looking into pumpin pals. I wish I'd known about them earlier -- I could have gotten so much more use out of mine!

Can you adjust the speed/suction on your pump? The letdown phase is just faster speed and lower suction. But hand expressing to get a letdown is probably even better if that works well for you!

I hope lubricating helps. Good luck

 

[Katrina18]

Thanks so much! I'm definitely looking into the pumping pals. .I've never heard of them, but after seeing their website it totally makes sense how they would help!

 

[Here_we_go]

I always try to chug the water down (I'm a water drinking person though ). I still take a prenatal vitamin with an omega 3 pill. I eat cinnamon oatmeal every morning. I nurse on demand.

I think if you were able to pump more frequently while compressing your boob, moving the milk down towards your nipple might help. I squeeze different sides of my boob while pumping starting from close to the armpit and/or top and working my way towards the nipple. I usually pump 15 on each side and then go back and repeat the process all over and sometimes even manage to have another letdown. I try to empty as completely as I can when I pump because my neurosurgeon is a 4 hr trip away and I just CANNOT pump while hubby is driving down the interstate.
I have the lansinoh manual pump

Sometimes I have to adjust, readjust and readjust again to get my nipple JUST right while I pump, watching to see if I hit "the spot". Once I've got the compression spot, the nipple in the right area, milk flows right away and a letdown isn't too far behind.

A FB friend shared this with me https://www.freemie.com/

A person could pump without it being so noticeable if it worked well. It's a neat idea anyway.

Good luck

 

[Katrina18]

I am a water drinking person also and constantly drink it throughout the day. I also take a prenatal vitamin, but am going to look into the omega 3 as well as the oatmeal!
I will try to do some compressions while I pump and hopefully this helps. I wish I had the ability to pump longer than around 20 minutes, but it's just not possible at work unfortunately.
Good call on adjusting until I hit the "spot"..I am just going to have to try everything and see what works!
Oh wow..those are crazy! What an awesome idea if you really can't tell! I might be too paranoid sitting at my cube wondering if people can tell though

 

[Here_we_go]

Yeah, I'd definately be selfconscious while using one of those things. Probably just sitting there red as a beet waiting for someone to notice and say something

I seriously wouldn't be able to get as much out at all if I didn't do the compression. I know this is crazy but think like you're milking a cow ( ) and you have to mooooove the milk down towards the end to get it out.

I also think it's something you just get better at after time and practice. Your boobs respond better and everything.

When I first got my manual pump, I remember proudly calling hubby excitedly telling him about the 2oz I got out after 30min. I never could get anything out with the pump I had while my son was a baby! Had to hand express and still only avg about 2-3oz after a Looooooooooong period of time (I didn't look at the clock, too depressing )

After learning my pump, using compressions, and learning I guess "technique" I usually avg about 4-6oz in 15min after about the 2nd or 3rd month of pumping (I was working on freezer stash for surgery & hospital stay). Relax, don't think about only have 15min, think of your sweet baby, imagine her face, imagine your milk flowing.

EDIT: also, get the algae pills, not the fish oil. The fish oil makes your milk taste fishy, baby may not like the different taste. DD didn't seem to mind but while I was in hospital I hated to pump and dump so I thought "well, cancer patients drink it, I've just had brain surgery, what the hey?" . It was some fishy tasting milk, not like the melted ice cream taste it usually has (yeah, I've tried it before )