Still not making more milk....HELP!

[Ashley8806]

I have been pumping after each feeding, and taking fenugreek, and I'm still not making more milk. I have nothing to give her when I go back to work in December, because pumping is not producing hardly anything after I feed her. I pump for like 10 minutes after the milk stops flowing, sometimes I get a 2nd flow of milk and wait till that ones done too. I'm taking 3 fenugreek 3x a day as recommended by the lactation consultant. I really don't know what I'm doing wrong, or how to get more milk. For the most part she is content after she eats for 2-3 hours, except in evenings I think she has a clusterfeed. Please help me, I'm almost to the point where I feel like I'm going to have to go on formula when I go back to work.

 

[Ashley8806]

anyone??

 

[patch2006uk]

It's not unusual to find it difficult to express. I can't express more than an ounce in total, never have been able to.

Maybe try expressing in between feeds, rather than straight after. Pumps aren't anywhere near as efficient as babies, so they can't get the milk out from higher up the ducts in the way a baby could. That might be why you can't express much after a feed.

Also, remember that when you're back at work, you'll be pumping instead of feeding, so the milk will be more readily available to the pump. If you're struggling to stimulate much of a let down with the pump though, it might be worth building in an extra pumping session while you're at work just in case.

 

[Ashley8806]

well something I found confusing is that when DD was first born and in the NICU, I was pumping 3-4 oz a session, without her eating before because she was being tube fed. Well this morning she ate at 6ish, then DH gave her a bottle of milk I had pumped last night while I was sleeping, so when I woke up I pumped around 9, without feeding first, and didn't even get quite 4 oz. And the mornings are when I feel the fullest. So it's like my body is not producing any more at all.

 

[patch2006uk]

In your first post you said

"For the most part she is content after she eats for 2-3 hours, except in evenings I think she has a clusterfeed."

Evening cluster feeds are totally normal, so all sounds like it's fine regarding your milk supply. It really sounds like a pumping issue rather than a supply one.

Try drinking a big glass of water about half an hour before you try and express. Also remember that lots of little amounts will quite quickly add up to a full feed

 

[cutie4evr01]

well something I found confusing is that when DD was first born and in the NICU, I was pumping 3-4 oz a session, without her eating before because she was being tube fed. Well this morning she ate at 6ish, then DH gave her a bottle of milk I had pumped last night while I was sleeping, so when I woke up I pumped around 9, without feeding first, and didn't even get quite 4 oz. And the mornings are when I feel the fullest. So it's like my body is not producing any more at all.

I agree that you probably won't get too much right after feeding, but when baby hasn't fed for a while, you should be able to get more. Why do think 4oz after 3 hr of not feeding isn't enough? I think for a 3-4 week old baby that sounds right. I pump a lot with this baby, but with DD1 I was only ever able to pump about 4 oz after not feeding for 4 hours. If you think you'll need more than that, try adding in an extra pump session either a couple hours after she goes to bed at night, or a couple hours before she gets up in the morning (whichever is during her longest stretch of sleep). You may not get anything at first, but if you consistently pump 15-20 minutes at that same time every day, you should see the amount increase over time.

 

[MissMamma]

just get LO on the breast as often as you can, her sucking, even if she's not feeding will stimulate your body into producing more milk. i am currently training to become a breastfeeding peer supporter and we have been learning about the production of milk. breast are not tanks that store milk, there is a small area which holds milk but the majority of a feed is produced as the baby sucks. its all about triggering the connection between brain and breast to begin producing the milk. when you are expressing try a bit of hand expressing first or just a bit of breast massage to help trigger those connections. i'm sure if you put it in youtube you will find a video of how to do it keep going hun. i constantly felt like i didnt have enough milk in the early days but i did and my LO has thrived as long as she is putting on weight and is healthy and happy thats what counts..xx

 

[Ashley8806]

well something I found confusing is that when DD was first born and in the NICU, I was pumping 3-4 oz a session, without her eating before because she was being tube fed. Well this morning she ate at 6ish, then DH gave her a bottle of milk I had pumped last night while I was sleeping, so when I woke up I pumped around 9, without feeding first, and didn't even get quite 4 oz. And the mornings are when I feel the fullest. So it's like my body is not producing any more at all.

I agree that you probably won't get too much right after feeding, but when baby hasn't fed for a while, you should be able to get more. Why do think 4oz after 3 hr of not feeding isn't enough? I think for a 3-4 week old baby that sounds right. I pump a lot with this baby, but with DD1 I was only ever able to pump about 4 oz after not feeding for 4 hours. If you think you'll need more than that, try adding in an extra pump session either a couple hours after she goes to bed at night, or a couple hours before she gets up in the morning (whichever is during her longest stretch of sleep). You may not get anything at first, but if you consistently pump 15-20 minutes at that same time every day, you should see the amount increase over time.

The only reason I don't feel that is enough is because that is what I was making from about 4 days post partum, so it seems like with the fenugreek and extra pumping I should be making more.

 

[Ashley8806]

just get LO on the breast as often as you can, her sucking, even if she's not feeding will stimulate your body into producing more milk. i am currently training to become a breastfeeding peer supporter and we have been learning about the production of milk. breast are not tanks that store milk, there is a small area which holds milk but the majority of a feed is produced as the baby sucks. its all about triggering the connection between brain and breast to begin producing the milk. when you are expressing try a bit of hand expressing first or just a bit of breast massage to help trigger those connections. i'm sure if you put it in youtube you will find a video of how to do it keep going hun. i constantly felt like i didnt have enough milk in the early days but i did and my LO has thrived as long as she is putting on weight and is healthy and happy thats what counts..xx

Thanks for all the advice - that is part of the problem, though, is that she is not gaining weight She was 6 lbs 8 oz when she left the NICU, and a week later was only up to 6 lbs 10 oz. She goes back again this week to get weighed, but I have been doing my own weighing at home (not quite accurate, I know), but keeping things consistent as possible and she is not gaining a thing.

 

[MissMamma]

2oz is still a gain!

and refering to your other post, four days post partum is usually around the time your milk 'comes in' so thats probably why it seemed like you were getting so much off it has probably just evened out a bit now

ETA: in fact 2oz is all my LO used to gain in a week at the start

 

[patch2006uk]

How often is she feeding? What are her nappies like? How frequently does she poo?

You can usually express more immediately after your milk comes in, as your boobs go into milk overdrive. As your supply settles, you only make the milk your LO requires, and not the mad surplus of the early days.

I agree with the advice to feed feed feed. Basically the only thing you can do wrong regarding breastfeeding is to stop feeding the baby. If she cries, feed her. Even if only 30 mins have passed since the last feed. Even if your boobs are soft and you think there's no way there can possibly be more milk in there (there always is milk - always!). Even if she's been feeding on and off for 27 hours. As long as the nappies are normal and she's weeing and pooing as expected, all is well.

Don't overthink it. I know going back to work so soon is worrying. However you're best bet for building supply is to keep feeding your LO directly. Remember that you only need enough milk in your freezer for your first day back and a little in reserve. When you're back at work, you'll be expressing instead of feeding LO, so you'll be expressing everything instead of expressing off what LO leaves behind.

 

[Ashley8806]

Yeah they are talking about trying to get me to add formula to her to help her gain weight, but i'm refusing so far. I'm really trying to keep faith with breastfeeding but am having a hard time....

 

[Ashley8806]

I have been putting her on my breast whenever she wants it.... even when she just holds the nipple in her mouth and sleeps lol

 

[MissMamma]

awh hun it will be hard but the worst thing you could do as far as breastfeeding is concerned is to top her up with formula, your supply will diminish because she wont be feeding as often and its a vicious circle. keep going you're doing just great

 

[Ashley8806]

And her diapers seem fine.... lots of weight and poopy ones. So I'm sure she is getting enough I guess I'm just concerned about not having enough when going back to work

 

[MissMamma]

I have been putting her on my breast whenever she wants it.... even when she just holds the nipple in her mouth and sleeps lol

perfect and its a kinda nice excuse to sit down and have a cuddle isnt it!

 

[Ashley8806]

awh hun it will be hard but the worst thing you could do as far as breastfeeding is concerned is to top her up with formula, your supply will diminish because she wont be feeding as often and its a vicious circle. keep going you're doing just great

Thank you - I know, this is why I ended up FF DD1 after 4 months If I had to do it I would know now to pump whenever I gave her a bottle, but I just really dont' want to resort to that

 

[Ashley8806]

I have been putting her on my breast whenever she wants it.... even when she just holds the nipple in her mouth and sleeps lol

perfect and its a kinda nice excuse to sit down and have a cuddle isnt it!

Yes except my 3 year old takes advantage of it and uses this time to act up and do things because she knows I can't get up and stop her

 

[MissMamma]

totally missed the fact you have a toddler! no such thing as a nice quiet sit donw and cuddle then is there!

 

[cheese lover]

I wouldn't worry too much about having frozen milk. I really don't use mine and am having to make an effort to use it so it doesn't go bad. Like Patch said, you only need enough frozen for the first day back and a little extra in reserve. If you're short after pumping at work then work in another pumping session in the evening or during the night. I can only get 2-4 oz per pumping session. The 4 oz comes from the first pumping of the day. At the end of the day I may only get 1 oz. Those are the days where I'll thaw a bag for the next day and so far I've always been able to make it up by the end of the week. I keep a count in my head of the number of frozen bags I've used so I make sure to zero it out every week.