Lower milk supply when travelling / working?? Why?

[ChocolateC]

Hi,
I have a 4-month-old and I've been exclusively breastfeeding. I've never had a huge milk supply, but it's always been enough, and I could usually pump one feed's worth every day (about 4 ounces), sometimes a little more. Well, this past 2 weeks I traveled with baby and DH because I had a great work opportunity for 1 month, so we're all in it together. But now that I need to pump more than ever so I can work on my project during the day, I can't do it!! I get a few drops, sometimes NOTHING. It makes me SO stressed out, sometimes I'm almost crying. I've tried to pump in my office, when I get home, in the middle of the night, in the early morning, EVERYTHING. It works best in the night but then I'm exhausted the next day. DD doesn't sleep through the night yet, so I'm up at night feeding her, pumping afterwards, then trying to do good work in the daytime.
It makes me feel shitty. DH took time off so we could take this adventure together with our baby, and he's AMAZING taking care of her during the day, but it's so hard. We'll make appointments to meet when I take a "coffee break" to breastfeed her during the day, because I can't pump enough for him to have a full bottle. She's drinking more now, like 5-6 ounces at once, and there's NO WAY I can get that much unless I save every pumped-out drop for many days.
Argh! What's going on with me?? Why aren't my boobs cooperating? When I was on full-time leave and didn't HAVE to pump, it was better. Now that I have to, it's impossible. I don't want to "dry up" this early!

 

[Rymel12]

I'm having similar issues. While I don't know exactly what is causing the problem I have read that if you are more relaxed you will make more milk. I pump at work also (which always feels awkward)and that's always the worst pump of the day (I pump exclusively to feed my LO). So maybe that's part of it for you? My Los daycare was feeding her more breast milk than I was and my stash I worked weeks on disappeared pretty fast and there's no way I can catch up while working so she is now on a mix of BM and formula. I feel your pain.

 

[sept2010]

Stress and not being around lo can affect milk supply i have heard? Maybe your work is takin its toll on your milk supply...u seem pretty stressed out. Hope it gets sorted for u soon

 

[Marythefairy]

Sorry to hear how stressed you are. Have u tried pumping one side while feeding on the other. I had to master this when I went back to work last time and it's when I got my most milk. The let down was better And I think having my baby there really helped. This meant I only needed to pump once a dat at work as I would get 6oz before and after work. Hope you find something that works for you.

 

[ChocolateC]

Sorry to hear how stressed you are. Have u tried pumping one side while feeding on the other. I had to master this when I went back to work last time and it's when I got my most milk. The let down was better And I think having my baby there really helped. This meant I only needed to pump once a dat at work as I would get 6oz before and after work. Hope you find something that works for you.

Thanks, that sounds amazing if you can get 6 oz AND feed your baby at the same time! Wow!
Yeah, stress is probably taking its toll, and it's ironic that the more I want to pump the less it works.