Milk Supply Diminishing? Please Help.

I agree with all the previous mom's who say to drink tons, pump as much as you can (particularly after a nursing session to tell your body that you want it to make more milk), and that supplements can help. I found fenugreek to be mildly helpful, but then I took Lactate Support Capsules from Gaia Herbs and my pumping output doubled. I used the extra to freeze to have on hand so my husband could feed our son at any time, and once I started him on solids, I would mix in some breast milk to whatever food I made him, and it seemed to make him more willing to eat new foods.

Aw, hun, your milk supply is just fine! I work full time and pump, too. I get about as much as you do (3.5-4 oz per session), and it's so much that I'm able to donate for an adopted baby. Normal pumping output is between 1.5-2 oz total per pumping session! You and me, we've got a fantastic, amazing, and wonderful supply! High five fellow super-pumper!

What I think you need to do is reset your expectations for how much you really need to be sending with him to daycare. Breastfed babies don't need those huge bottles that formula fed babies require. The max size bottle for a breastfed baby is 4 oz. That doesn't ever change! Here's a great article from Kellymom.com about how much to send.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html

Chances are, if what you're pumping now isn't seeming like it's enough, it's because your son's caretakers are overfeeding him.

Here's our situation: My baby is 3 months old. She's HUUUGE. She was 11 lbs when she was born and 15 lbs 9.6 oz (as of this past Monday). But you know the cool thing? Breastmilk bottles aren't based off of age and weight! Because of this, I send her to school every day with 9 oz of milk. We are apart from 7:30 AM to 5:30ish pm. 9 oz is enough for three 3 oz bottles. Because I am blessed to be able to feed her at lunch time, this means that each day, I expect to have about 3 oz (give or take a little) left over at the end of the day. My baby also only nurses off of one side each time, and that's okay. Their bodies know what they need. Trust your body and trust your baby.

You are doing awesome for him. And, if you find you have extra, please consider donating! There are tons of babies that need the milk!

Drink, drink, drink is what I have always been told! Also you should nurse more often or pump more often. Not fun I know! If you are worried about your supply and the fact that he only eats on one side in the evenings you could always pump on the side that he didn't eat on. Especially if you are wanting to make sure you have enough expressed milk for the next day. Keep in mind that he is getting more milk from you by nursing than what you are getting by pumping. If he is content then I'm sure it's fine. Hang in there!! You're doing a great job!!!!

The first step is to fugure out if you have a supply problem, a pumping problem or both. Since your baby is happy at the breast it sounds like a pumping problem. NOT unusual-- I've known a mom who breastfed twins (and tandemned part of THAT time with their older sister!) but who couldn't get squat out with a pump!

First are you using a GOOD pump, like a Pump in Style? If you're using a PIS are you using the shields that came with it? In my experience it's DEFINITELY worth the trip to Target or Babies R Us to get the SoftFit shields or the larger shields (I went back and forth betwenn the soft and the large, WHY they don't make them Soft AND Large is beyond me!)

Second, have you changed up your settings lately? I found it helped a LOT to change up the settings every now and then.

After those two things I'd start pumping during nap time on your days off and pumping the other side after you nurse. (I used to sit my pump bottles, shields and all in the fridge between sessions so I wouldn't spend all day washing them)

You can also pump last thing at night (you will NOT get anything much but it "puts in the order" for the morning) and then pump first thing in the morning before the baby gets up.

I LOVE nursing, but really struggled with pumping-- I could pump until I was "empty" and be all frustrated. 2 seconds later Isaac would decide he wanted to nurse and he'd sound like a frat boy at a chugging contest!

Oh, and when you do start solids in a few months -- schedule it so all the solids, juices and waters are given during your working hours. Anyone can spoon up the Gerber and it'll cut down (a little) on how much pumped milk you need. And skip the solids all together on your days off at first, the extra nursing will help protect your supply, it is NOT unusual to hit a pumping/supply slump after baby starts solids, so I would be sure and get this one solved before starting solids and making the problem worse.....

I was also told to try Fenugreek but decided not to, because i heard good and bad things about it. I just pumped like crazy. i pumped every 2hrs when i was home. i would even pump once he was done nursing. i would only get a little but it helped keep my milk supply up. i know it sounds crazy and at times it felt like i was pumping all day every day. but i was able to get my supply up and go until he was 18 months. I pumped like 3 ____@____.com he only takes one side pump the other side at the same time. that helped alot too. good luck! i did it and i know you can too.

Pump longer when you pump; and if he only takes one side at one time, pump the other side after he's done. Breastfeeding works by "supply and demand" -- the more "demand" the baby has, the greater your supply will become, so do what you can to increase the "demand" by pumping.

[I pumped for a friend's adopted baby, and increased my supply by doing that. In addition to exclusively breastfeeding my own baby, I was able to increase my supply by continuing to pump each session even after the milk was basically gone (just a drop here and there). You may not have time while you're at work, but try to do that when you're at home.]

My advice would be to try to pump while breastfeeding. Not always easy if you have a very mobile baby, but it is what I do in order to get enough milk for my son's first bottle of the day when I'm gone. He too is usually satisfied with one side, so I pump the other side while nursing. I find this is better than pumping after nursing, because having him at the breast stimulates my let-down reflex and I am able to get much more milk from the pumped breast than I would if I were just pumping without him nursing at the same time. For example, just pumping one side I will get around 3-4 oz of milk. If I pump while nursing I can get over 6 oz. This will keep your body producing milk because it will trick it into thinking your son is still eating from both breasts.

Pump the other side when he is done. Pump more often at work. Try and get as much "boob time" when you have him at night and weekends because I found that my supply would decrease after pumping a few days but then would boost back up after weekends at home. Also, make sure you are drinking enough water. If you want, you can try fenugreek supplements (available at any natural/health food/vitamin store)...they work pretty well! Good luck!! You can do it!! It takes time and effort, but if you are committed, you CAN do it!!! Good for you for making it 4 months!! Whether you make it to 5 months or to 12 months, you are doing wonderful things for your son!! :-)

4oz at a sesssion (double pumping) was about average for me. DD used about 12 oz a day and I got 12-14.

Kellymom.com is an excellent resource for nursing and pumping questions.

Things that can help are:

Keep hydrated.

Nurse whenever you can.

Double pump.

Eat oatmeal.

Drink Mother's Milk Tea or similar.

My DD was also a one side at a time eater. I nursed her successfully til 2.5 yrs old.

Try taking fenugreek or More Milk Plus. They are herbal supplements that you can get at a pharmacy or health food store. You can adjust the dose on your own depending on how much milk you need to be producing. I started with fenugreek because it is less expensive. I increased the dose as the baby grew but eventually the higher dose made me dizzy so I switched to More Milk Plus, which includes fenugreek but at a lower dose. It is more expensive but more potent. Then when the baby started eating more solids and nursing like twice a day, I went back to the fenugreek. Good luck!

His needs are changing, it is fine. They will change again in the near future. It is great that you are able to nurse him over lunch, that will really help keep your supply right where it needs to be. I would not worry about him not getting enough, he is letting you know he is good with one side right now, and good for you for listening to him! When he needs more, he may start taking both sides again and your body will adjust when he does. A couple of my babies were one-side-at-a-time nursers, and they are all fine.
If you want to build up a little more of a freezer stash you could pump the non-nursed side after his feeding, especially after his last evening feeding. He may take both sides at the next feeding since the starting side won't be quite as full (because you pumped), but then again he may not, just listen to him and play it by ear.
Sounds like you are doing great, keep it up!!

C., I had the same issues at about the same time with my daughter. With the advice of the great ladies here on this site they recommended Fenugreek which can be purchased at any GNC or VitaminShoppe type stores. We also have a local market that is very 'earthy' that sold it as well so certianly check for any little gems like that in your area.
Best of luck with this.

Fenugreek is a natural supplement that my lactation consultant put me on when I felt like I was starting to deplete. I was supposed to take 3-4 a day. You can find it at a supplement store like GNC. There is also a cookie recipe that she gave me as well. If you would like it, send me a seperate message. Also, check your diet and make sure that you are eating plenty throughout the day and lots of water. That is still important. You can also try pumping more often when you are at home. Even if you produce more than what he needs, it's good to have a decent supply in the freezer, especially if you're able to produce enough. That way, if he weens himself from nursing, you will still be able to give him breastmilk. My daughter quit nursing at 8mos and I had only maybe a months supply in the freezer cause my body didn't respond to pumping once she stopped so I had to switch to formula. Check with your doctor or hospital and see if they have a lactation consultant there you can talk to or search online for one in your area. If he's sleeping more at night, and you don't get up to pump, over time you'll see a difference. Your body will learn to adjust to produce what your baby needs, by his demand. He's also not a newborn anymore, so he wont eat as often and the better they get at sucking, the more they will get in a short timeframe. Good luck :)