Supply Issues

[Teri7489]

I found the manual pump meant I wasn't restricted with position so maybe that's helping? plus you have full control of suction ando release so can do what's comfortable. Hopefully you will have another great night and get a good supply again xxx

 

[Teri7489]

How you getting on? Xx

 

[lenorajoy]

It's been a bit rough going for a few nights because DD and I are both sick. I got to pump after she went down for the night, but she woke up enough times I didn't really have a chance to pump after that. I did pump 2 more oz than I normally do yesterday, though! It feels great to actually be able to send enough breast milk with her that we won't need to supplement! I'm hoping it won't be long and I'll actually be able to put some in the freezer again.

I've all but given up on the electric pump. I haven't even used it in a few days because it takes FOREVER to pump. My manual pumping sessions have gotten shorter with the same amount of output, so I'm hoping soon I'll be getting more output in the same amount of time! I wish I'd had the manual pump when I was home with her. I may have been in a much better position going back to work!

 

[Teri7489]

awe sorry to hear you guys are sick! but mummies milk must be helping her get better so she's needing it. Hopefully you'll be feeling better soon and will be able to get milk a little easier and quicker x

 

[lenorajoy]

She seems to be getting better already without it really getting bad, so my milk must be helping! She seems perfectly fine except first thing in the morning when the mucus has built up overnight and I have to suction it out with those bulb syringes. Of course, she HATES it, poor baby. It's one of the biggest reasons I want to breastfeed as much and for as long as possible. My husband's family kind of have terrible immune systems, so I want to give her the best start possible there.

I didn't pump as much quantity last night for some reason. Maybe didn't drink enough water yesterday.

 

[Teri7489]

Every day she has your milk you have helping her system so it's all good �� hope you are both better now. I used to drink wound 3l of water a day, any less and nice didn't notice a decline. Hope you got more last night x

 

[lenorajoy]

Pumping has been better since then, so I'm not sure, may have been dehydration.

Thankfully we're both feeling better, though not 100% yet.

I woke at nearly 3 am and DD was still sleeping! She went to bed around 9 I think, so she slept around 6 hours. I was engorged by then, so I got up and started pumping. She woke up around 15 minutes in, so I had a good amount pumped from one side by then! Now she's back to sleep, back to pumping!

 

[Teri7489]

Good stuff. Sounds like you are really getting there xxx

 

[lenorajoy]

I literally just spilled 3 out of the 5 oz I pumped today... I'm officially crying over spilled milk!

I soaked at least 3 paper towels with breastmilk. I'm devastated.

I'm still only pumping 6-8 oz per day despite all my efforts. Still clinging to hope that something will work. At some point it has to, right?

 

[Teri7489]

6-8oz is still great when your are bf! What's your routine? Are you managing to pump after her feeds and at night still? That's the important times to encourage your body in to making more than before xxx

As for the spilled milk, I would cry too. My husband tipped a 9oz bottle out once by accident. He thought it was one that had been sitting out to long when it was actually one I had just expressed and was about to put in the fridge. Could have smacked him silly!

 

[lenorajoy]

OMG. I would have died!

I would think I should be capable of pumping what she eats during the day. She's with the sitter for 9 hours, so I really need to be pumping at least 10-14 oz. She always eats at least 10 oz and most days it's 12-14. Otherwise she has to have formula and my body isn't getting the signal she needs more than that.

I'm still pumping at night when I get the chance. Some nights I only get to pump after I first put her to bed, but I try to pump after each feeding. I'm going to try to pump after feedings during the day on weekends, too.

 

[Left wonderin]

I have a 13 month old ebf baby and the pump never worked for me ! Ever .... So no bottles no nothing ... When I returned to work when she was 10 months , she was on solids and she switched her days to nights so lots of night time feeding for us . My supply was never and still isn't an issue . I just never ever got any letdown with the pump .

 

[Teri7489]

The pumping needs to be consistent in order to build up a supply. So you need to feed her before her bed then pump, even if you get very little out. It's just to trick your body. Then pump middle of the night whether it's after her feeding or without her feeding then again during the day whether it's again ammeter her feeding or not. Doing that consistently for a week or so will boost your supply as it is you tricking your body into telling it to make more as your baby needs it. If you don't do it every day your body won't make more as it won't think it needs more. It's hard work but it's worth it if you stick to it for a short burst of time. You might sit pumping for half an hour and get 4oz and feel it's not a lot but if you keep doing it that will increase. Don't do it for a shorter time next time, but aim for more in that time not the same amount in less time xxx

 

[Teri7489]

hey, how's things going?

 

[lenorajoy]

Pretty well! No huge increase in supply, but I've been able to pump 9-10 oz since last Friday! I'm hoping maybe I'll be pumping around this much for a little while then see another increase. When I started back to work I was only getting 5-6 oz, then eventually made it to 6-8 and was stuck around 8 for a while. I've been pumping every 2.5 hours and making sure I pump after her bedtime feed at the very least. Things haven't worked out lately for me to pump after her night feed, but I'm hoping things will work out again soon. I'd really like to send her with another 1-2 oz! I've just been getting so little sleep that I haven't been able to stay awake to pump.

 

[Teri7489]

That's great! Yeah it's pretty exhausting so I'm not surprised but glad you are getting more. How's she doing in her Bassinet? x

 

[lenorajoy]

Pretty well when I actually put her in it! The reason I've not pumped after her night feeding is because I'm falling asleep in the chair feeding her and waking up hours later, so she never makes it back into the bassinet! I'm hoping to start getting her to bed earlier so I can get more than 3-5 hours of sleep a night. Then maybe I can function well enough to get her back to bed, pump, and then function properly through the work day and not risk falling asleep at the wheel. That's become an issue this week, so I have to do something.

 

[Teri7489]

awe poor you! 5 hours max a night isn't nice I used to go to bed at 7pm sometimes (even now I do if I've had bad days) just to make sure I get a stretch of rest, even if it's not sleep. x

 

[kajastarlight]

Last week I skiped my night pump in favor of some extra zzzzs and then power pump the next two nights and I have gotten 4 more oz a day! Maybe a little extra sleep have my body what it needed to make more.

 

[lenorajoy]

I have read that sleep deprivation can affect milk supply, so hopefully if we can get into an early bedtime routine that will help! I had a bit of a low supply day yesterday for some reason. I don't think anything was different from any other day, so I'm not sure what happened. I only managed to pump just under 7 oz.