Boosting Milk Supply While Pumping

I pumped exclusively for 22 months for my son, so I know what you are going through. My milk would seem to start slowing down and I would panic. The key is to make sure you pump every 3 hours. It can be burdensome, but it is necessary for your body to keep producing it. Also, in the beginning it can be tricky for a bit so just give it time. If you pump religiously every three hours and you are going to be able to keep up with it, your milk should come. Also, you have to make sure you are eating enough and drinking. Not trying to repeat myself, but it was imperitive for me to pump every 3 hours or it would start to dry up. You even need to pump like that in the night, unfortunely, until your milk supply is ample. Once you have a good supply coming you can typically go 6-8 hours overnight. I did get all of this advice from a licenced laction nurse, so I'm not just making numbers up. Good luck, it's very hard. I had to take my pump everywhere for 22 months so I can sympathize. I even pumped in the back of the car all of the time. Every three is hard but doable if you can fit it in.

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The breastfeeding clinic where I delivered helped a lot. Anyway, one thing they told me to do was eat a lot of oatmeal. Why, they didn't even really know, but they said that many people had had success increasing milk when eating oatmeal. Not sure if it helped, or if mine just kicked in. Also, make sure you're eating & drinking enough. Don't give up. It's the best thing ever. My last baby is 4 and I miss that time, especially before bed and first thing in am, those were the best times.

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I had a similar issue with my daughter - and pumped for her as well. I tried the nipple shields, but my daughter would not nurse from them. I pumped every time she took a bottle, so my body would produce as much as she took. My supply still decreased though. My doc finally prescribed a medication that really boosted production. I think it was metaclopromide or something like that. I had no side effects from it. I ate oatmeal every morning and was sure to drink plenty of water and milk. I still had to supplement some with formula, but we were happy she was getting at least some breast milk. Some is better than none. Wish you the best!

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When breast feeding my daughter pumping was an easier solution for me however my milk supply was dwindling fast, to boost it for me I ate more protein and more often and pumped a little more often and a little longer each time to encourage the milk flow. For me this seemed to work beautifully and I was never without. Hopefully this will work for you as well:) Good Luck!

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I highly recommend Kangaroo Kids in Glendale:
http://kangarookidsonline.com/

They are a breastfeeding support center, and are really helpful.

A.

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There are some herbal teas to help increase the milk production that I used just to keep it going once it leveled off. AND with inverted nipples myself with only my first daughter for some reason?? I consulted a lactation consultant from the hospital and she gave me what was called a "nipple shield" I believe and it worked AWESOME until Jess and I got in the groove and we learned what to do and how to do it, and for whatever reason the invertedness took care of itself in time. I pumped continually though just so that I would not get engorged and so Maybe try to contact someone or go to the health food store in your area and see about getting a shield on your own somehow. Or drugstore maybe?
Good Luck and great job Mom for really putting forth the effort into Breastfeeding. It is MY belief my kids are so articulate because of that experience we were able to share. But it doesn't work for just everyone either so GOOD JOB for keeping it up! You can do it. I did it and she nursed for 2 1/2 years and like I said, I started out with inverted nipples also!

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I had the same problem when nursing my first baby. The issue tends to correct itself in a very short amount of time. If you want to increase your supply, your best bet is to put the babe to the breast as often as you possibly can. Oatmeal is another way to increase supply, but you have to eat a lot of it, and not the instant kind either or fenugreek tablets, 3 in the morning, 3 at lunch, and 4 at dinner. Good luck, try not to get frustrated, the baby will do better at the breast if you keep trying and stay relaxed.

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Don't worry! The more you pump (and try to breast feed) the more milk supply you will have. The key is to relax and find what lets your milk down, especially when pumping-- looking at your baby, laying down, etc-- and just do it as if it were a normal thing. I had inverted nipples, too, and when I started pumping regularly it actually pulled them out, so there's still hope!
Good luck, you are doing the right thing!
A.

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Drink extra fluids and pump til you are dry then pump 5-10 more. You body while think the baby is not being satified and compensate by producing more

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Your local La Leche League will be a great resource, support and encouragement!

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You should try nipple shields. You wear them in your bra and they fit comfortably over your nipple. They are designed to remedy your exact problem. You can get them at target. I used them for a week and was fine after that. Then you wouldn't need to rely on the pumping. Your milk supply will not be as great as in the beginning. You are engorged when your milk first comes in and then your body adjusts to the needs of your baby after that. I don't know how much you are able to pump but newborns aren't going to drink but 2 oz of breastmilk. BF babies are different than formula babies. They feed more frequently and don't take in as much typically. Breast milk digests faster so just feed on demand and try not to stress. If your baby is gaining weight and peeing then you are fine. One final tip, when you are pumping you can have more than 1 let down reflex. So just keep the pump on and try a different position and see if you can get any more milk.

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I too pumpmed for and extended time due to our son being premature with multiple issues- he was not able to nurse untill he was about a month old. Another tip that i found helpful (from a lacation nurse) is that if you are having problems with the let-down to massaage your breasts from top to bottom (especially on the top and sides). This is also very helpfull when you think you are empty and the end of your pumping session and then continue pumping for an extra 2-3 minutes. This will help with emptying oyur breasts all the way and also with increasing your production.

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Breast feeding is one of the worlds first examples of "supply and demand"....the more you demand...the more you supply!!! Pump each time that your baby nurses, drink plenty of water, check into those herbal teas that have been mentioned. I would also suggest a meeting with a lactation consultant, or attending La Leche League meetings, you will get some great advice.
The biggest thing is to RELAX....stress is going to reduce your milk supply.
Congratulations on your new little one!!
R. Ann

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You've gotten some great advice... btw, I checked out the kangaroo kare website, and I wish we had something like that where I live (Kansas City). I think that would be a great resource for you.

Anyway, I'm just throwing in some support here. I didn't have inverted nipples, but I did have a harder time breastfeeding than I expected. It took several weeks for my baby girl to get her latch down. We just never quit. I got scared & cried, got angry & determined... and now I'm still nursing her at 2 years. When my supply seemed like it would decrease, I drank mother's milk tea and lots of water, which did the trick for me. I've known other moms with inverted nipples who had to use nipple shields for a while, which has been suggested by others. To me, the most important thing is to get help in person. Whether a LLL meeting, or seeing a lactation consultant or going to a nursing moms support group.

Congratulations on your baby boy-
Alyssa

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I had to exclusively pump for my 3rd being that she would not latch. I felt defeated as well - especially since I had done it twice before with no problem! I pumped every 2-3 hrs for the first couple of months - it was hard but I was determined. I established a GREAT milk supply and never supplemented for over 13 mos. I ate oatmeal often and would even drink 1/2 a beer at night if I felt like my supply was slowing and both of those REALLY helped. Many will say you cannot pump and keep up or that only a baby effectively empties your breast or that "your body knows the difference" - it's all hogwash! It's a simple matter of supply and demand, the more you pump (10-15 min. per breast every 2-3 hrs. to start was my goal) the more you will produce. I had to buy a deep freeze to store all mine! Be proud of yourself for trying and if it comes down to needing formula then so be it. Millions of healthy babies are out there that never had breastmilk - in the end you've got to do whatever it takes to keep them fed and healthy. Best wishes!! **BTW - I used the Medela Pump In Style as well and LOVED it! I'm dusting it off yet again for my 4th!

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Go to the La Leche League website to find a group near you. Call or email hte leader & ask for help. They are a group to support breastfeeding mothers & are VERY knowledgeable. Their website is http://www.llli.org/WebUS.html
They can help you meet your goal! You will get sound advice.

J.

I only saw one person mention it, but Fenugreek really worked for me! I was prescribed Reglan by my doc, but I don't recommend that!!! After I was on it and got myself off of it, I found out that a lot of people have trouble with it. I would stick with Fenugreek, you can get it at any health food store or even Whole Foods sells it I think. There is a weird side-effect though, it makes you smell like maple syrup! It is seriously weird, but it's better than it could be, I guess! ;) I pumped for 4 months for my daughter and it was hard. Your milk supply will dwindle, so just keep with it as long as you can and don't feel bad for trying to help your baby.

I had the same problem when I breastfeed my daughter. I got nipple shields by Medela (sold at Babies R Us). They come in different sizes and help to draw your nipple out when the baby sucks, and its super easy for the baby to latch on to the shield. They also help with some of the pain associated with nursing - I never experienced any while using the shields. Hope that helps, and stick with it!

i have nursed 2 children and discovered the more you attempt to nurse to more your milk glands are stimulated. so keep trying to get him latched on. and also go to one of those natural foods stores and get some mothers milk tea or some fennel seed tea, they help in milk production. but the most important thing you can do it not give up, keep trying to get him latched on. your body know the difference between your son touching and latching on and a plastic pump on ur breast lol.

I think they have covers to go over your nipple to help with the whole process, ask your Dr or nurse, they can help

Take fenugreek for sure! You can get it at health food store or organic sections on most grocery stores. It was amazing! my son went through a few nursing strikes and my supply quickly dropped, but one day taking this, my supply was right back up. Take as much as the bottle allows you to. There is also fenugreek tea, I made it and chilled it into iced tea. DO both of these, and you will be sure to have plenty. Good luck!

Fenugreek, blessed thistle, and lot of fluids. The health food store is a great place to find the herbal supplements, and you can get them in different forms (fenugreek, for example, has a very unique taste, so many moms prefer the tablet form). Also, the more the baby nurses, the more you will produce. Consult a lactation consultant for those inverted nipples, and get him back "on the boob." ;-) Many moms have more problems pumping than nursing, so that will probably help your supply issue.

Best of luck!

I know it's already been recommended, but I wanted to let you know that Fenugreek worked for me too! Make sure you have a good pump as well. Also, even if your baby can't nurse with the nipple sheild, I think just wearing them inside your bra will help draw out your nipples. Good luck!

Try the nipple shields, and pump a few minutes longer after milk stops coming out...especially first thing in the morning.

Have you considered contacting La Leche League or even getting a lactation consultant? If nothing else, they can give you daily encouragement. I had a similar problem with my third child, and it was very frustrating. Sometimes, you just need a little extra encouragement to get over those first few weeks. It should get easier. If it doesn't, then you can re-evaluate. I'm sure he'll be fine.

I had inverted too! I would reccommend trying to use a nipple shield. I did for a few months, maybe 3 and then slowly switched over, the baby was bigger and able to take care of the problem herself by then. To switch off, I would start on that, let her get a little milk, the unlatch her, take it off and put her back to breast. I think the actual act is much easier than pumping, so please do give this a try. They had these at Target, there are Medela (like the pump) brand. If you don't have target, call the hospital or find a lactation consultant, it will make it all work for you!

Meantime, if your supply is lessening, it can be many things.. One is stress, if you are stressing about how much, that can make it harder. Just relax. Another is how often and the length of time each time. Make sure you are doing it at least every three hours and until you seem empty.

If still issues, contact your lactation consultant. If you don't know where to find one, call the hospital where your baby was born.

Hang in there, you can do this! It isn't as easy as it looks, but once you both get it figured out, you'll be amazed at how easy it is. (I always say it's like a switch flipped at 2-3 months and everything got better!!!) :)

I exclusively pumped for my daughters (due to numerous reasons including extreme prematurity) 14 months for my oldest and 13 months for my second. It was hard to do but definitely "do-able." To begin with I pumped every 3 hours to establish a good supply. I did this for the first month to 6 weeks. Then I pumped every 4 hours for a long time, maybe 8 months and then towards the end I was able to maintain a good supply with pumping 3 times a day. In the beginning, the more you pump (demand)the more you will produce (supply). I read somewhere if you pump an additional two minutes after you have emptied both breasts that will help increase your supply. I did this a lot in the beginning. I was able to produce approx 4-8 oz per breast at each pumping. (I froze a lot of extra!)
The quality of pump can make a big difference too. I recommend the Medela Pump in Style. A double electric can get the job done faster and you need a strong motor if you pump multiple times a day. With my oldest I rented a Medela hospital grade pump for 3 months and that one really establishes a good supply. After that I went with a lower end double electric and I burned out the motor in two of them. I then got the Pump in Style which worked well.
Drink lots of water - even while pumping. Up your daily calorie intake. I always noticed if my supply lagged one day I would eat more the next day and it would come back.
There is a website: exclusivelypumping.com which is a great resource.
good luck - it's not easy but it can be done and good for you for wanting to give your baby breastmilk. I've always gotten mixed reactions from people about pumping but it is what was best for me and my children and I'm very proud of the fact that they received breastmilk for so long.

Eating oatmeal every day helped me a lot! I found a great recipe to mix it up the nigth before in a little crock pot. (I found it at Wal-Mart for around $5.) Every morning for a month and I was good to go! Yes, I did get tired of it, but it was worth it to me to make sure I had enough milk for my son. He's three now, and I can't tell you how much I miss that close bond/connection. There is NOTHING to compare it to.

Good for you for doing everything you can!

Congratulations on your new baby! I pumped and bottle fed my oldest daughter. It is tough...but can be done. Breat milk works on a supply/demand situation. The longer you pump and the more often, the more your body will make. Also, my breast feeding coach suggested eating oatmeal to help increase supply. Be sure to drink LOTS of water! It will take your body a few days to adjust to your son needing more milk, but it will happen. I pumped everytime my daughter ate, and if it seemed like she needed more, I just pumped longer.