Breastfeeding Question

Hi, K.!
I'm sorry to hear that your supply seems to be decreasing. However, of course, that can be fixed.
As you probably know, ANY amount of breastmilk is EXTREMELY beneficial for both baby & yourself. You may also know that breastfeeding for 2 years can reduce your rate of female cancers by 50%!!!! And breastfeeding for a year provides proven life-long benefits to baby. So congratulations on your decision!
If you take an herb called Fennugreek 3 tablets, 3 times a day, that tends to increase milk supply fairly quickly. Along with that, you need to remember that it's ALL supply & demand, so the more you nurse or pump the more you'll make. Sleeping or napping w/ baby can also help as can nursing while pumping.
I also HIGHLY suggest checking out www.KellyMom.com for more info. It is THE best & most fact-based, informative breastfeeding site around. Also, the La Leche League meetings are wonderful & an amazing source of info & support.
Hope you can keep it up! Good luck!!!
A.

Yes, he is still getting a variety of benefits from the amount of milk you are giving him. The more you can give him, the better. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recognize breastfeeding as the optimal choice for feeding infants and say that it should be continued through 12 months at a minimum once compimentary foods are being introduced.

Pumping is hard work and I applaud you for going to that effort. Your milk supply is based on supply and demand, barring extenuating circumstances. The more he nurses and you pump, the more you will produce. Staying hydrated is extremely important. If you are intrested in increasing your supply, there are a variety of ways to go about it.

Good Luck Mama.

He'll be getting benefit from whatever breastmilk you can give him. And isn't he lucky that you still want to do that for him!

Congrats for breastfeeding for this long! Yes, I any breast milk is better than none at all. I do empathize though, pumping is a bear. You can try increasing your supply by a few things.
1. pump in the morning and/or after a warm shower
2. chew gum while pumping (yes! it works)
3. make sure you are drinking plenty of water
4. eat oatmeal
Apparently, there is also a product you can get at a health food store or WholeFoods, but you might find some of the above are sufficient.
best wishes ~

Hi! I also went the pumped breast milk route and it is hard to keep up your supply without actually nursing. If you want to get your supply back up, there are a couple of options including herbal supplements and medicine (Reglan) you can get from your OB. Also, pumping more (as much as up every 2 hours even if nothing is coming) often will definitely help.

On the other hand, your baby is benefiting from any amount of breast milk her gets, and you have already done a tremendous job! It is hard work to pump and takes time away from your kids. Your son will do great with whatever combination of milk/formula he gets:)

I know how difficult it is to pump while having other kids at home. The minute I lost my job, I stopped pumping and I solely nurse because of the fact that I just don't have time to pump with all the other activities I'm trying to do with my son, so I really applaud you. I nurse my daughter first thing in the morning, before she goes to bed, and once or twice in the afternoon. If you want your supply to go back up, I'd try nursing more because the infant is a more effective means then pumping. Also, try fenugreek, oatmeal and alfalfa. I know its hard, but also be sure to get plenty of fluids. I think we get so involved in making sure our kids are fed, safe and entertained that we forget to grab a glass of water every now and then.
Your son is still receiving the benefits of breast milk, especially the antibodies, so don't worry and Good luck!

ANY amount of breast milk you give your son will benefit both him and yourself. If you are having a supply problem, try feeding him straight from the breast--babies have an amazing ability to get what they need--even from people with 'low supplies.' If he won't breastfeed, have your hubby do it.

You can also try some Mother's Milk tea from Traditional Medicinals, I had to stop using it because I ended up with too much supply!

I'm so glad that you are breastfeeding!!! Even if it is with a pump.
Take care and keep in touch!

K.,

You're doing a great job! Getting sick can do so much to our bidies. Drink lots of good fluids i.e. water, herbal teaas safe for nursing, even the occasional sparkling water or fruit juice.

I keep wondering though why you're feeding pumped breast milk. Are you working? How long have you been pumping? I know that so many nursing moms who choose to pump can have a very difficult time maintaining a good supply through pumping alone, especially when sickness becomes an issue, or with supplementation. I realize it's possible that you might have an issue with your son's ability to nurse. If that's the case, even more kudos to you for choosing to pump.

I just reviewed some of your past posts and it appears that you have been dual feeding since birth. But have you been pumping that long? I highly suggest that if you do actually nurse Cole directly at times, try switching over to direct nursing for a bit, as many times and you can find time to sit with him and do this. With all the effort you're putting into pumping, you could re-direct that at least for now by nursing him instead. I have three little ones myself. All under 6 yrs old. I know it's tough. But the direct demand will help build up your supply again as demand creates supply with breast milk. Even if the nursing sessions are only 10 minutes at a time, putting Cole to breast as frequently as you can can make all the difference. You could also try using a nursing mom's tea or liquid supplement to help increase your supply.

I apologize for heading a bit off topic from your question, but you've been doing so great so far that it would seem prudent to try and get back your milk supply if you're not ready to end nursing yet. Any breast milk you can give him is better than none, but the more you can, the better off he'll be. It's living food.

Wishing you the best!

Blessings,
Rolinda
Wife, Mother, Friend

K.,
Congratulations on your decision to breastfeed. I am a lactation nurse specilaist/L&D RN but more importantly BF my 2 children-ha ha. Anyway, it's not uncommon after an illness to notice less of a supply in your milk. Breastfeeding is supply & demand so to increase your supply I would say that you should increase your pumping throughout the day & don't forget to keep your self well hydrated. Yes, every bit of breastmilk is certainly beneficial it all comes down to a personal choice how long you want to continue. If you want to continue keep pumping. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you.

*** do you have a double electric pump? They are more efficent which may be helpful with your busy life.

Any amount is better than nothing!

i had a really hard time breast feeding with my second child. my first already had a routine, etc and i'm not good feeding in public.

anyway, i had to stop when she was 3 months old. breastfeeding and pumping was just too time consuming and it was eating into our family time together and i just thought that everyone would benefit from the family's together time more than the baby would benefit from the small amount i was able to pump in a day.

ultimately it's your decision, but if the baby is eating food and having formula, i'd quit trying to be a super mom and relax and spend some extra quality time with the kids rather than pumping and getting stressed at the results. 6 months is a good go of it!!!! you did great!

Yes...I breast fed my daughter for six months and then had none...i dried up or emptied out...but any amount you can give him is good..i had about a gallon saved up after i dried up and mixed it with formula and made it last about a month extra so store what ever you can and god bless doing it with 3 kids...

Of course he is! Some breastmilk is better than none at all!!

Hi K.:
Every bit helps. I know my breast milk would increase after consuming milk (did not matter how much I drank.) Hope you have the same response.

You might want to try a stronger pump - is yours store bought? If so, you may want to rent one from a hospital (about $50/month). They are stronger! I used one for a year - my twins stopped nursing at around 6 months, and I continued to pump for another six months. Good Luck & feel good about whatever amount you are able to give your baby!!!