Where Did My Milk Go??

Try some Lansinoh cream - it helps the pain! I couldn't have continued breastfeeding without it. Stress can cause small milk production. It will get better!

Some moms (including me) just don't get much milk when they pump. It literally takes several days for me to fill a bottle. Baby does a far better job of getting the milk out than a machine. I so admire those moms who can pump and have so much milk left over!

I exclusively pumped for my first and it took about a month to really get my milk and my body to respond to the pump well. I also exclusively pumped for 11 months with no problems and no supplementing past the first couple weeks. You are on a good schedule so don't freak about it for now. Yes babies are more efficient- blah blah blah, but if you are making a choice between pumping or completely going to formula then you have made the right choice for yourself!!

Check out http://www.exclusivelypumping.com/ A friend of mine used it when she went to pumping only and found some useful tips.

You are only 5 days out so the milk will keep coming! Your milk supply is a supply and demand business! The more you keep pumping, the more you will make.

Hi H.,
I can totally relate. With my first born, I experienced the same toe curling pain everytime he would latch on. I strongly encourage you to consult with La Leche League and talk with a leader or Lactation Consultant that can assist you with this. http://texaslll.org/group/mckinney

With my son, I had to pump to give my nipples(they were cracked and bleeding at one point because his latch was so bad : ( but so many women told me if I could make it through the pain then I wouldn't regret my decision.) Little did I know that breastfeeding never should have been that painful...with proper technique and someone to insure a proper latch, no presence of thrush or other problems things could be better. I have breastfed all 4 of my children & can assure you that once the problem was corrected with my firstborn, breastfeeding was not painful.

Also, http://www.kellymom.com is an excellent resource for breastfeeding moms. You might find suggestions here on what you're experiencing.

As for pumping, the pump is not as effective at getting milk as your baby is. Breastfeeding is supply and demand, meaning that your body will meet the needs of your baby. I think pumping 1-2 oz is a lot. Initially if you were pumping more, your body hadn't adjusting to your baby's needs. If you're looking to increase your supply, I suggest working letting baby suckle at your breast or pump for longer periods...your body will eventually meet the needs and produce more milk. Fenugreek, Mother's Milk Tea and Oatmeal have all been effective with increasing milk supply.

Best of luck to you and congratulations on your baby.
Peace,
J.

Hi - I have been in your shoes. The baby is much more effecient at sucking than the pump is so that's why your baby was satisfied but you are not pumping as much. If you are sure you are done and want to pump and feed get on a regular schedule - every two hours for at least 20 minutes - to pump. For the first couple of weeks do this every two hours - even at night. This will help the supply.

Hi H., I'm sorry nursing is so painful for you! That sucks. I will say it DOES get better.

A nursing baby is WAAAY more efficient than a breast pump, so even though you are only getting an ounce or two with the pump, your nursing baby will be getting much more than that once you both figure out the process.

It IS possible to pump only, but the more formula you use, the less milk you will produce.

All three of my nursed babies had some formula mixed with breastmilk from a bottle so that other people could feed them. I actually found pumping painful, not nursing.

The more you pump, the more you'll get. But with all three of my kids, it took more than 5 days before me and baby got a system underway.

HTH!

:)

Congrats on your little one! I haven't read all of the responses but most have given good advice. I thought that breastfeeding was the most natural thing in the world and baby and I will know exactly what to do but it doesn't work like that and both have to work at it and unfortunately it does take a few weeks but then suddenly you realize that it is all going smoothly! So you've got to stick it out for a little longer but since you seem to have made up your mind let me share my thoughts on pumping. Firstly a pump is never as efficient as a baby is with getting milk out. Try pumping more frequently. Eating a bowl of oats a day helps with milk production and you can go to the health store and get mother's milk tea and capsules of mothers milk plus. Breast milk production works on supply and demand. The more you feed the more your body will make therefore try to pump more often like every 90-180 minutes.

Good luck.

The first couple of weeks of breast feeding can be really painful as your nipples are getting used to the new stimulation and you and your baby haven't quite got the latch right yet. Pumping does not provide the same stimulation as actual breast feeding does and your body won't respond as well. The only way to get over the gut-wrenching pain and to keep up your milk supply is to power through it. I would also suggest asking your doc or the hospital for a lactation consultant that can help you both immediately with the baby's latch. It could be something very simple that can make the experience instantly better. Please don't take this as a sign that breast feeding will not be for you--it's truly a learning experience for you both and you will be glad you did. God Bless.

I never pumped as much as my girls got when they were feeding. Keep at it, I know the first few weeks can be very painful. Contact your local La Leche League, they can give you great tips!! Hang in there, it really does get better I promise!! :)

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I was also able to pump only couple of ounces when my daughter was few days old and even used a pump rented at the hospital. But after few days my supply increased and I was able to directly breastfeed her. Drinking lots of water and oat meal cookies helped me to increase the supply. Also I have read that you need good sleep and rest but with a week old baby it might be difficult for you. Probably you can check with a lactation consultant or pediatrician to see if you are making enough milk for the baby.

One more thing babies tend to take more from bottle rather than breastfeeding (again from some breastfeeding books)

I had the same situation in that my DD was not breastfeeding well, so I switched to pumping only. 1-2 ounces should be plenty for feeding a 5 day old. Their little tummies are so small. I used one of the medela backpack pumps and turned it up to the notch just below highest. That saves time but even if you leave the suction low, just keep pumping until no more comes out. If you keep doing that every time, your production should increase over the next couple weeks. In the meantime, if you are worried about your baby eating enough, take him in and have him weighed just to make sure. Your DR should be willing to do this without an appointment.

Also remember to drink a lot of water, milk, juice etc and eat a lot of good quality food in order to increase production. Don't skip pumpings, keep it up every 3-4 hours even if not much comes out and even in the middle of the night. It trains your body to produce more. Good luck!

I know the pain! It's awful! but you know what? It goes away! I don't even feel anymore (which is a good, and bad thing!) and she's 4 months. It didn't take that long for the pain to go away... maybe 3 weeks? I know that's a long time, but in the long run, it's really not too long.

Just hang in there! you can do it!

1. A couple of ounces is OK.
2. I'm sorry you don't want to seek help on nursing. At only 5 days old, I'd see a certified LC. It may be that you need a different latch or hold or something else is going on. And it is perfectly OK to take a little tylenol for the discomfort.
3. Babies are much more efficient than any pump, so his nursing will be more effective than pumping.
4. See kellymom.com for tips on exclusively pumping.

I know you've gotten good advice so far, but let me tell you the one thing that got me through the first few weeks. After two weeks of gut wrenching feedings and trying to figure everything out, it just magically gets better. You've already done 5 days, you can go 9 more. Just think, I can do this for 2 weeks and we still have a problem, then I've given it my best shot. And please google la leche league and find a local consultant to help you. I know I spent a lot of time reading the books to make sure I had my babies in the right position for the most comfort. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

I would suggest you call Judy Eastburn - she is a fabulous lactation consultant located near McKinney. She helped me get through the difficult first few weeks of breastfeeding and helped us establish a plan that worked. Her number is ###-###-####.

Breastfeeding is so difficult but so worth it. Here are a few tips -
1. Please talk to a lactation consultation - I know I really got one in the area so please let me know if you need a referral. She can help with baby latching on and the pain.
2. Get a hospital grade pump - the store ones never worked for me. I rented my hospital grade pump from the lactation consultant and it was cheaper than renting from the hospital.
3. Eat, Eat, Eat and drink at least 8 oz of fluid during or before pumping and I know it is difficult but try to get as much rest as possible
4. try fenugreek supplements - availalbe at Sprouts
5. Worst case some women just don;t have a good supply
(breastfeeding proponents have a hard time agreeing with this as they swear by demand and supply apporach but this is the truth)- ask Ob/gyn for prescription - I think the medicine is called domperidome and is only availalbe at pharmacies that do formulary drugs.

yup, the pump suction is not as strong. i delivered at allen presby and you can go back to the hospital to visit the lactation consultants. they were very willing to work with me and gave me their email - which is more convenient than the phone. the best part is they are free!

H.,

Please don't give up on breastfeeding! It is such a wonderful and rewarding experience once you get past the first few weeks. In the beginning you are just SO tired and still sore from the birth, but it does get better with a little time. The hospital or your doctor can help you contact a nursing consultant and insurance should cover it. And you will still need to pump occasionally even if you breastfeed full time. I used an inexpensive pump and didn't get much from it, but all my friends got the hospital grade pumps and had much more success. Please keep trying - and you've always got a big group of girlfriends on mamasource if you need encouragement!

Do NOT be discouraged! You are producing the right amount of milk. Your milk is not supposed to be gushing just five days after giving birth. You should chat with a lactation consultant, just so you can get a better idea of what to expect for now and months to come. Too many women get discouraged because they simply do not know what to expect. Your baby's tummy is so small right now that supplementing at this point will only sabotage your nursing efforts. He needs to seek out your breast whenever he's hungry--even if that seems like every 15 minutes--so that he teaches your body when and how much to produce for him. You'll throw off that process if you feed him from any other source before the pattern is established with your body.

Omg, we know about the pain. I don't even want to be reminded. Use the lanolin ointment and try to psych yourself out. Think of it as a means to an end. Sorry this has been so hard for you, but know that you are not alone!

Congratulations on the baby, and good luck!!

H., I was the exact SAME way with the 'extreme toe curling, gut wrenching pain." It was because I have inverted nipples and just horrible engorgement.

Hang in there...the average woman gets past the pain in just a few more days and your and baby will work it out. It took more like 3-4 weeks for me to get past that pain, and then came the let down pain...

I also tried pumping, but it was just too much work to find time to both pump and still feed baby.

Drink lots, put your feet up, lay on your side, RELAX...even have a beer to increase your flow and stay calm. The pain WILL pass. I've nursed 3 babies and would suffer the pain all over again. So put her back on your breast before she doesn't want you and prefers the ease of the bottle.

And, call your local La Leche League too. They are soooo supportive.

Part of it is probably your pump. I had an evil flow with my oldest and it did not matter how old he was I never was able to get enough to feed him. With my youngest I got a Madila Pump in Style. It was amazing. Your pump and how much you drink make the hugest difference in the world. I know there is a suplament you can take that but I can't remember the name of it for some reason. But it's supposed to help a lot.

Good luck and God Bless!!

Jennifer is right, for some reason, that two week mark makes ALL the difference. I know it's miserable but it is SO worth it if you can make it. I exclusively pumped for the first one for four months before going to formula (never got the latch down) but had a GREAT consultant the 2nd time around and we nursed for 15 months. It was SO MUCH easier, after getting through that first two weeks, easier than pumping, easier than making up formula bottles, just easier. Every family is different but try to hang in there past that two week mark and see if you can't make it work. Good luck!!!