Will my supply cope?

[DancingThroughLife]

DD is now 6mo. So far exclusively bf. I'm back at work one day a week, in January it will be two days.

I can't express during the day. Literally nothing comes out. Not a drop. I can get 5/6oz first thing if I pump while bfing.

I'm scared that if I don't feed during the day I'll balls up my supply - will I? Or am I worrying for nothing?

Are you happy that you have a really effective pump? I've found some are better than others... But obviously it may just be that you can't get much luck from expressing, like many people. I'm not expert on that side, just wanted to mention it might be worth trying a different sort of pump :)

Hope someone comes along who can advise you properly.

Thanks. It's a medela swing. It works brilliantly first thing, while DD is feeding, but not when she's not attached/around. Gah.

I could try another pump though. Which one/s do you think?

I went back to work when DS was 5.5 months, 3 days a week Mon, Tues & Thurs.

I fed 7am, 6pm and 10pm for 6 weeks but have just stopped as supply dwindled and DS2 prefers the bottles.

I didn't pump in the day - he had formula. You might find that you can get some out esp at lunchtime if you have already "missed" a couple of feeds.

If you are really desperate to continue then:

a) only offer newborn teats on bottles
b) encourage lots of feeding on days you are at home.
c) ideally pump but i see from post above its not working for you....

Thanks MumNW.

I'm starting to give DD a cup for milk during the day, rather than get her used to bottles then have to give the cup later.

If I can continue for a few weeks, that will be better than nothing, as I could always try and up her solid intake if she'll have it. And will make sure she feeds a lot on days I'm at home.

I suppose I'll just have to see how it goes?

i have the medela swing i love it, it took me a few days to build up my supply of milk the more you do it the more you get.
do you have freezer bags?

Also meant to say that I gave 3oz bottle at 10pm after breastfeed - because I decided that sleeping all night more important to me that continuing to breastfeed, again if you prefer breastfeeding etc then be prepared to feed in the night.

Another idea would be to restrict bottles to 2 x 4oz in the day and to offer tea quite early, at least 2 hours before you get home. That way she will be hungry when you get home. DS2 had 2 x 6oz bottles (with fast flow teat) and 3 x meals and wasn't hungry enough to work for his breastfeed at 6pm.

Did keep it going for 6 weeks but I don't think he was getting much at the end. Just stopped and the amount of formula milk he is drinking over 24 hasn't increased as much as i thought it would! He was drinking 6oz x 2 + 3oz = 13oz. Now not finishing all his bottles. I don't really mind, happy to have fed him this long.

I don't know about your supply but it may be easier to pump when your breasts are full at the end of day you haven't fed dd.

Also when you pump without feeding do you get a let down? I only say that because it takes me longer to get my let down when I'm pumping than when I'm feeding and I have read of people who need something from their baby to be able to pump and wonder if it linked to a let down.

I pumped twice a day to make one feed for my ds when I went back to work and he had the rest as solids. I worked 5 days a week and still fed him before breakfast and before bed every day.

Also try breast compression when pumping..