Letting down with a Pump

This may sound corny, but I found that doing yoga breathing really helped. This is simply long, slow inhales/exhales through the nose. I found that the work environment made me tense, and the pressure of pumping a certain amount of milk in a certain amount of time didn't make things any easier. This helped me to relax my muscles, clear my mind, and focus on the baby. This really sped up letdown for me. Good luck!

I just had mirena put in a week ago (13 weeks after having my little girl) and I was having trouble pumping. I made sure I was drinking plenty of water and eating enough and I had to pump more often. After a week things are better, but not what it was. I would just suggest drinking more fluids and pumping more often. Losing milk production is a side effect my dr and I discussed before getting the IUD. Good luck!

Hi A.! I nursed my daughter and still to this day, 6 years later, when I hear a baby cry it feels like let down.
I would suggest a tape of your baby crying, it signals your body that she is hungry.
Worked for me!!!
T.

I would bet it has to do with Mirena. It's hormones just like with a pill, which most doctors would talk to you about that if you are breast feeding. I had the same problem when I went on a normal pill. The question is whether it's really a problem with letting down or a problem of diminished supply. There are some things you can try to improve your supply, like mother's milk tea, fenugreek (though it makes you smell syruppy), my doctor put me on reglan which is a drug for GERD that has the strange side effect of improving milk supply. This worked miraculously for me. After about 2 doses I was to the point of leaking again (this was at about 6 months). Alot of doctors won't prescribe it especially if you are prone to depression as that is also a side effect. I immediately noticed the return of my letdown reflex. If it's just your let down and not the milk supply I recommend, and this may sound weird, thinking specifically of your baby, how she looks and sounds and smells, when she's nursing. Have a picture that you like of her nearby and look at it. I did this when I had to pump after my first child was born and it was amazing how well it worked. Good luck!

So much of the let down has to do with the hormone that is involved. Are you relaxing enough when you have to pump? Maybe a picture or video of your baby being happy or content would do you better. A smell always did it for me.

When I asked my OB last September about the Mirena IUD, I was still nursing my daughter, who was 5 months old at the time. My OB said it "may" lessen your milk supply and give the baby some strange side effects (nothing serious--a slight jaundice and breast growth). My OB then said that I was established enough in my nursing, since she was 5 months old and we went ahead and had it done 2 weeks later. I will tell you that for about a month, I had lower milk supply and no letdowns. This eventually corrected itself, though. Good Luck!

I pumped for a year at work with my daughter and I'm on 6 months with my son. I've never been able to get more than a few ounces at a time from each side but here are a few things I have tried that seem to help. I put a picture of my son on my pump and I think that helps a little. Also, do you pump both sides at once? If I do once side at a time I don't get much and I almost never let down but with both at the same time it seems to work better. Also, if your pump has different speeds, try it on the fastest speed for 2 minutes then turn it down (some pumps do that automatically) because it should simulate what the baby does that way. Also, leaning down a little seems to help as well. Another thing I have noticed is that if I am watching (and probably worrying about not getting enough milk) I never have much luck but if I relax and read a magazine I seem to do better. Hopefully things will get going for you again soon! Good luck!

Hi A.,
It could be 1) that you're just not *feeling* the let down anymore. That happened to me after awhile. Some women never feel a let down, as frustrating as it can be.

2) Your pump has lost suction. I used the Evenflo electric pump and mine "worked" for 7 months, but was never really what it should have been. I will be buying a different kind with my upcoming baby, due in November, since the Evenflo wasn't very good for me.

You can try a warm compress or breast massage before you pump. That helps some women. I was pumping every 3 hours as well and dropped to about 1.5 ounces, from both sides combined, after a few months. You can try pumping in the morning/evening before or after you baby wakes up/goes to bed. That should give you some extra supply and the morning session should give you a better result. Also, try oatmeal to increase your supply. It worked for me. There is also an herb called Fenugreek which is known to increase some womens' supply dramatically.

All that being said, the IUD might have some effect on your production. I've never been on birth control/hormones before so I'm not sure. Your OB/GYN might be able to answer that one.

Good luck and congrats on the new baby!

Added: I found this on kellymom.com
Milk supply: For most mothers, progestin-only forms of contraception do not cause problems with milk supply if started after the 6th-8th week postpartum and if given at normal doses. However, there are many reports (most anecdotal but nevertheless worth paying attention to) that some women do experience supply problems with these pills, so if you choose this method you still need to proceed with some caution.

Don't stress out! I pumped at work for almost a year for my first daughter. I found that I got along fine as long as I kept a regular pumping schedule, had a private comfortable place to pump (my own office), and kept her picture within eye-shot. I did find it helpful to keep my pumping schedule up, even on the weekends.

Pumping at work can be stressful. Worrying about work, meeting deadlines, worrying about interuptions, and wondering if everyone can hear the pump (which might be distracting to some people). I found that I had to totally relax, and focus on the task at hand (providing food for my daughter).

Best of luck!
B.

Although I have no advise I can tell you that I NEVER really let down with a pump. It just isn't the same thing as a baby sucking. I really only got alot of milk when it first came in and I would be "fuller" but then once it started to even out, I wouldn't be as engorged and I could never pump more than an ounce. It was a pain! I am sure it is even harder for you since you are back to work!! I stay at home so it wasn't as much of an issue for me. Don't give up though and keep whatever you get from it! Goog luck.

Birth control will mess with your milk supply. Maybe try the Chreighton(sp) method while you are nursing

A., congrats on your decision to pump and work to give your baby the best nutrition. I had the same problem with my two previous children. I noticed that I was drinking less and sleeping on my stomach. Both of these can cause a reduction in milk supply. I would fall asleep while pumping and take a 30 minute nap and only get one or two ounces. I would hope that the supply and demand cycle would kick in but I could never get more than two ounces when I pumped and I have a Medela Pump in Style. If you can talk to a lactation specialist, sometimes they have ideas to increase your milk supply. My sister used Fenugreek, but talk to your pedi first before trying any supplements. I just wanted you to know that you were not alone in your struggle. Good Luck. J.