Letting down to the Pump/increasing Milk Supply

Hi Lucy...
I had the same problem with my first daughter but not with the son before her. No one seemed to have an answer so I improvised. I took a bottle nipple and put it on my nipple and it worked. After 6 wks I tried it without the shield and she did great...as to increasing production, I drank 3(6oz)cups of coffee, 3 (8oz) glasses of iced tea + fruit juice, water and milk daily. I had no problem with volume... just leakage...
Hope this helps you.

C. H.

A friend of mine never did feel the let down with her first baby, but did sucessfully breastfeed for about 9 months. She found that her milk would let down if she was looking at her baby while she pumped (she couldn't feel it, but she noticed more coming through the pump).

Also, dark beer does wonders for the milk supply. I didn't have any problem with supply with my two kids, but when I did drink and occasional beer, I would get really full.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day.

Lucy,

I had the same problem with my daughter. I would encourage you to rent a hospital pump because they empty you out the best. I also take the herb Fenugreek, drink mother's milk tea, and sometimes drink aniseed tea. Hot compresses or a hot shower aid in letdown. In the beginning I also stayed on a strict 3 hour pumping schedule and power pumped occasionally to increase my milk supply. Power pumping is pumping every other 10 min. for an hour. My daughter is now 4 1/2 months (15 lbs) and she bottle feeds but only breast milk. I still don't have enough milk but she sleeps through the night so I wake up at night to pump and that helps to get me through the day. I'm a christian so I believe that my prayers have helped as well. It's a lot of work but it can be done. I'm also trying to breastfeed for at least a year. Hope this helps.

A.

There are several different ways to increase milk supply and get letdown going. From what you described, the amounts of milk you are getting out is in the average catagory for moms who are pumping. You can increase the frequency of pumping (more times during the day). There are also a variety of over the counter herbs and teas that will help increase the supply, as well as a few prescription drugs, but those are hard to come by. I would recommend going to see a Lactation Consultant, they can get you started going on a program/schedule to increase the supply. I recommend Beyond Birth Lactation Consultants (503-232-BABY) or Providence St Vincents LC's, they helped me out tremendously with my failure to thrive baby. On your own, I would start Fenugreek and look for Mother's Milk teas to get going. But talking to an LC is the best way to go. I recommend that to all of my clients I work with.

I haev a 5 1/2 month old that I pump for while I am at work. what has worked for me is to eat oatmeal everyday, (yes it gets boring!) drinking about 128 ozs of water a day (I got 32 oz cups and have one in the morning before I leave, one at my first pump, one at lunch and one at dinner), try not to watch the the oz marks on the bottles, looking at my daughter when I am home or at work I look at her picture or do other non stressfull activites, and to pump about 20 mintues every 2-3 hours. I also used a website kellymom.com it had some great tips. I hope this helps and good luck!

Drink a ton of water and maybe even some Gatorade to get your production up. Try to drink a full glass of water before each bf or pump session.

I had a double mastectomy so my milk ducts were not connected to the nipple so I barely produced much at all for my kids (literally 2 ounces max at a time no matter how much I pumped). My kids are 15 months and 2 years 8 months. They did excellent with formula so don't feel awful that you are only supplementing the breast milk to meet her need. Don't let others opinions make you feel guilty or inadequate - you need to do what's in the best interest of your baby and its ability to grow and thrive. I'm sure your production will work itself out with your diligence. Just be sure to get enough water. The biggest thing is for you to enjoy this special time with your newborn and your newborn to feel close to you. Since I couldn't bf, I held my kids a ton to build that bond. All will work out.

Hi
I usauly don't get much with the pump either but mines a manaul pump and you said yours is the madela kind and those I've heard are much better.
To pump and get the "let down" is more or less what you would do when breastfeeding; Find yourself a nice quiete spot, have your baby close by or a picture, this should caurse a natural "let down" and pump. Pump often to up your supply, the same you would do with your baby, the more they feed to more the supply. Lots of liguids, tea, (caffiene free), water, etc. and you have to eat to hunger. The book; The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
by La Leche League International, is very helpfull, their website is very informative.
Also, do your have a lactation nurse, midwife to help you? I know the La Leche League offer their servises for free and could have local resourses.
Don't give up and it takes a while and I know it's hard. I've just had my 3rd baby and it's easier now but with my first it was hard and painfull. I hope I was helpfull.
M.

Make sure that your pump parts fit your breast specifically. You can take it to a nursing supply place, like in Portland, Providence has a place where people can help you. Let me know if you want more detail on that place. But I remember that with my first, the part that attatches to the breast was too small, and I had no idea. I was getting mastitis repeatedly.

When my daughter was a few weeks old and I had a weekend job where I had only 10 minutes to pump (cause I requested the break every 3 hours)...I found it very helpful to think about my baby while pumping in order for the milk to let down. It really made a difference for me.

Hi Lucy,

I'm a first time mom myself. I had issues getting my son to latch on as well. After about 2 weeks i started giving him an occasional bottle but i still primarily breastfed and still do. I also used a nipple shield(it's kinda like a bottle nipple that goes over your real nipple.) that helped a lot...

also, for your milk supply, use a warm compress right before feedings/pumping. that helps relax the muscles in your chest for the let down. also, if there is a toy that makes noise that you baby realy likes, i know this will sound crazy, but play with it while you pump. The sound will trigger your brain to think about the baby and that also helps with the let down. Make sure you pump for at least 5 minutes after you stop dripping to see if it can trigger one as well... one other thing you can try is lay on your side when pumping or breastfeeding. the different angles when pumping and feeding help empty different parts of your breast.

these are all things that i was told to do by my Lactation Consultant and most of them have worked.

Let me know how it goes!!

I had to really keep on top of milk production and pump to increase demand/milk production. I will echo some of the recommendations below:
* Drink a TON of water. I was told that I needed to drink 16 oz of water each time I nursed.
* Rent a hospital pump
* Pump as if you were breastfeeding all/full meals. Pump each breast 20 minutes as if your baby were nursing a full feeding each breast. Even if you are not getting milk, you are stimulating production. I also use to pump right before I went to sleep at night, after baby was in bed and before the 1st late night feeding. At about 8 weeks, my daughter was going down around 9:00pm and feeding at around 1am, then down until 5 am again. So I would pump around 10:30 pm.
* Meet with a lactation nurse. Most hospitals provide the service for free if you delivered there (or at least a certain number of consultations).

Good luck

Everyone is different............ A hospital grade pump might cycle at a higher rate than your medella. Breast feeding and pumping can be stressful expecially if you feel that you are not meeting the needs of your baby.
Things I have been told is to go in a room where you are not surrounded by daily stressers (ie phone, tv, computer).
Have a picture of your daughter and perhaps a blanket of hers. You smelling the blanket could stimulate more milk and increase your supply. I would also suggest pumping more often than needed. Your supply should increase with the demand.
My fist son I had no problem breast feeding him but rented a pump after I had to have a D & C at 6 weeks. (part of the placenta was left and I became very sick). I had to stop nursing him at 10 months as my waste broke with my 2nd son (19 weeks gestation).
My second son he was born at 29 weeks and was unable to breast feed. I pumped until he was able to breast feed when he was 5 months old. I rented a pump the whole time from Seattle as it was half the cost.
My third son i had to use a nipple shield for a long time.
I bought a pump and it worked well for me.
I was always told to drink as much as you can and try not to stress about it. Stress decreases your supply.
good luck!

Lucy,

I would contact the nursing mother's counsel. They are a local, volunteer group of lactation consultants. They may be able to offer you some tips on pumping. I have been pumping since my daughter was 12 weeks old, when I went back to work. She just turned 1 this weekend, and only had formula during the last 2 months. I would say that pumping was a constant struggle, but we managed to do it. Here's what I did, maybe something will help you too:

Fenugreek supplement - up to 9 pills a day
Brewers yeast supplement - 3 a day
Mother's milk tea - 3 cups a day
TONS of water
Breast massage during pumping
Pumping very frequently

The biggest difference I noticed was when I rented a Medela Symphony pump. I too used a pump in style, but had read that changing pumps made a difference. The suction on the symphony is different, and it seemed to help maintain my supply. You can rent them at Babies R Us or though the nursing mother's counsel.

Good luck.
K.

Hello - My son is 15 weeks old and my milk also came in really late. I'm not sure how often you are pumping but try to pump for 15-20 minutes at least 6 to 8 times a day. Once your milk comes in properly you can reduce the number of feedings/ pumpings to about 4 times a day. Try taking fenugreek supplements - that really helped me. Pump after you feed as well. I did all these things and now I have more than an ample supply for my son who is exclusively on breast milk now (he had to take formula initially too). Hope this helps and good luck - don't give up :)

Have you taken your daughter to a good craniosacral therapist who specializes in working with babies? I would highly recommend going to one, because difficulty latching is often caused by craniosacral issues from the birth, and often only one or two sessions will fix the craniosacral problem, and then a good lactation consultant could help her learn how to latch and breastfeed, which, as you probably know, is different from bottlefeeding, so it will be a learning process for her. Also, as you know, anything you can do to help yourself relax will help your milk to let down. Wishing you the best!

Been there! You produce the exact same amount as I do. And that's was the same amount for my first boy, who was a bad latcher, as well as my second boy who is a great latcher. The cause is PCOS. Both my kids kept loosing weight; at least with the second, I knew what I was dealing with.

You can try warm wet washclothes over both breasts before you pump. Domperidone is a drug used to increased milk supply, but it's only available internationally through inhouse pharmacy.com. Think positive thoughts about your baby when you go to pump, and look at her if possible.

Try not to beat yourself up, hon. I was there twice, and I was a mess of emotions. My youngest is 7 months and I'm still nursing him for just the six ounces I make per day, and then he gets 24 oz. of formula. You could look into breast milk donation, as well. I get free formula from a neighbor, so I chose that route.

Best of luck to you. You are not alone!

AMD

Hi Lucy,
Congratulations on your new daughter. I'm sorry you've had such a hard time breastfeeding. I know that you've sought out a lot of help. I just want to recommend one other lactation consultant to try only because I've had a few friends recently experience serious difficulty with breastfeeding and who had been through one or more lactation consultants before arriving with this one. They say she is *amazing* and unlike any other lactation consultant they had seen. Her name is Doris Onnis www.babystepsconsulting.com. She also works at Prov. St. Vincent.

As for letting down. Try to have your daughter in the room with you, a picture or something with her smell. Unfortunately, even a good pump like Medela is probably not going to keep your milk supply up all on its own. If you are really having a problem with supply there is a prescription drug you can take (domperidone) that could help you keep up your supply for her early months.

Good luck. Happy mother's day.

I'm sure you've already gotten a lot of great responses. I was in a very similar situation with my little one and I pumped milk for her for over a year so it can be done. I fully hear you about lactation consultants not knowing much about pumping...I couldn't get any help from them in this regard.

A couple of things I learned was to make sure you have the correct fitting flanges/horns/shields. I had to try a couple of different sizes before I got the right fit. The one set that comes with the pump may not be the right one for your nipple. I also found that the flanges by "pumpin' pal" www.pumpinpal.com were THE BEST!!! Rather than having a sharp corner, they are smooth and tapered, they allow you to sit up rather than lean forward when pumping...VERY comfortable. The more comfortable you are the better off you'll be. I also recommend getting a hands free apparatus. Medela has a good corset like things that I used, but there are a lot of differernt ones out there.

Don't milk watch...I know it is difficult particularly when you want so much to provide for your baby, but do something else; watch TV read a book etc..get your mind off what you are doing and try to relax.

Also make sure you are pumping fully. I had to pump for 30min at every go to fully empty..you need to get the hind milk out to produce more. AND pump regularly; I pumped every three hours for about 8 months to keep my supply up. Maybe you are pumping too often; maybe increase the time you pump and lengthen the time between your pumps a little. I stumbled upon the 30min thing for me and found I would have a second let down.

Drink plenty of water!! Get as much sleep as you can!! Some moms benefit from smelling clothes their child has worn or visualizing their child nursing while they are pumping helps with let down.

I know you might be disappointed that you cannot breast feed, but my daughter did great on the bottle and I think it really helped her bond with her dad much more because he got to do more feeding and cuddling with her because I wasn't breastfeeding. He could feed her while I pumped or slept or whatever. So don't feel bad, you are a good mom and a good person no matter what happens. Don't take on any mommy guilt..they'll be plenty of that later!! Feel free to e-mail me directly if you have any other questions or just want some support around pumping.

Good luck to you.

My situation was EXACTLY like yours. Same milk amounts and everything.

If you're positive you don't wanna try, then I highly recommend buying a Medela Lactina, or renting one. It is a hospital-grade pump, and trust me, it IS stronger/better. When I first began pumping, I had a Lactina for the first 6 months. Then we moved and I had a PIS. The PIS is great, but definitely not as strong and therefore I never got as much milk.

Oatmeal worked wonders for me in increasing supply. Still put baby to the breast as much as possible. Putting baby on breast while pumping the other helps letdown. Oatmeal stout beers, or dark beers that are very hoppy (like Guinness) are very good for supply as well. Massaging the breasts, sex, a hot shower, etc are good for encouraging letdown. More than anything, having your baby on your skin, holding them, cuddling with them, smelling them - these influence letdown more than most anything else.

I hope that helps... I pumped up until my daughter was 11 months old and we were moving. unfortunately the moving (we had to move without my husband, who had to tie up lose ends before meeting us later) caused my supply to tank because I couldn't pump as regularly as needed to keep my supply up. But I made it 11 months... so you can do it. But it WILL be difficult.

Hey Lucy,
Wow I can feel your frustration. It has been many years since I nursed my daughters. I had some difficulties and know what you are going through. I am a visual person so visualizing my daughter suckeling helped me. Also drinking gallons of water, will help the milk produce and there are teas that have been used in communities all over the world for the production of milk. Health food stores carry them and now some general grocery stores.

Unfortunately the frustration you are experiencing is working against what you are trying to accomplish.
I wish you the best. My daughters were nursed for short periods of time, one a month and one three months. Today Organic Formula is available and that is what my 5 month old granddaughter uses. All are very healthy.

Here is a link to a Leche site where you can ask questions. I find this organization very helpful.

www.llli.org/resources/assistance.html

All my best
Amma D.

My daughter was born a week after yours and had latching issues as well. She didn't seem to recognize that anything was in her mouth and therefore wouldn't latch on. I used a nipple shield for a week or so ( I would try to latch her on without it and use it if she didn't) and after a week she was fine.

I breastfed my son for 13 months and the amount you are pumping is what I used to get too, especially when the baby is still so young. I took fenugreek pills and drank at least 2 cups of Mother's Milk tea a day for the entire time I nursed to try to up my supply. I also drank a TON of water, no caffeine and pumped after every feeding (8 times or more per day) for at least 20 minutes. One thing that I found to help my let down was to be watching TV, reading, grading papers (I'm a teacher), etc. while I pumped. If I had something to distract me then I didn't focus on how much I was pumping and was able to let down easier. Stress definitely affects your supply and let down. Try to nurse the baby as much as possible - she will be able to empty the breast better than a pump.

Your baby is still young and since you are new at this give yourself some time to get it all figured out. It took me at least 2-3 months with my first to relax a little and feel confident with the nursing and pumping thing. It takes patience and dedication - hang in there!

I would get in contact with the lactation nurses at the hospital where you delivered. They can help you with the latch issues as well as how to increase your supply. What has the pediatrician said is the issue that she's not latching properly...? Have you tried using the little plastic nipple thing that you put over your nipple...? That really helped my son in the beginning. My son's tongue was too tight so it had to be clipped and then he could latch on better. You should find out why your daughter is not latching on correctly and fix that problem. Try to stop giving her bottles. She'll prefer them to your breasts and wont want to make the switch once you figure out the problem. There are a lot of good people out there who can help you. I'd start with lactation nurse and then you can talk with pediatrician. Good luck.