Trouble banking breast milk. Please help!

[lotuspetals]

Hi ladies-

My son is 5 months old and I have been breastfeeding him as well as started giving him some rice cereal at night along with a bottle of milk I pumped during the day. The problem is that I cannot seem to bank extra milk for date nights out with the husband, or an occasional night away. I am worried because I have a two-day camping trip coming up in a couple of months and, at this rate, am not sure if I will be able to provide him with enough milk while I'm away. I had a surplus in the beginning that I froze, but it's down to only about 7 five ounce bottles now.

I thought I would try giving him formula every other night so I could bank the bottle I'm able to pump, but he HATES formula. Will not take it. I've even tried mixing it with my milk. He won't have any of it.

Here's the skinny....

I pump about every other feed (right after feeding).
I take fenugreek.
I take a multi-vitamin and fish oil.
I eat oatmeal EVERY DAY.
I drink lots of water, eat a healthy diet, and exercise daily.
After I give him his nighttime bottle, I usually nurse him to sleep and pump again before bed.
I am planning to start him on some solids over the next month, but that will probably not be the answer to my problem.

What can I do to increase my milk supply or otherwise bank milk for him, so I can have extra when I need it?

Tonight my husband is going to try to give him formula and I will step out of sight...maybe he will take it then if he knows I'm not around...and maybe that will mean he will take it when someone else (i.e. Grandma) gives it to him when I'm on a date or camping, etc. ...but I have a feeling it's not going to work.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I am running out of ideas and kind of freaking out!

 

[Marythefairy]

Have you tried pumping whilst feeding. I always got more if did one boob while dd fed off the other. I built my stash up once dd fed less at night I used to get up and pump but it wasn't ideal. In the end I stopped giving her a bottke everyday and just bf. Saving my expressed milk for when I really needed it.

 

[missk1989]

You could try pumping more often. Or like pp said stop feeding lo bottles and save the milk for when you need it.

 

[lotuspetals]

Thanks for the suggestions. I haven't really been able to pump and feed at the same time...but maybe I could break out the electric and see if it works that way (been using manual).

Also, yes, maybe I'll just feed him from the breast at night...but it seems like my supply is pretty low at that time and he doesn't sleep through the night when I do.

Hubby fed him formula last night and I left the room. It worked, so maybe I will think about that too. Thanks again!

 

[Marythefairy]

I used a medela swing to pump whilst feeding. If you think your supply is low in the evenings you might be better feeding than expressing as baby will.be more effective at getting milk out.