Milk Supply Drying Up

[braidedsilver]

My DS is 4 months old, and my milk supply is beginning to slowly tapper off. I've tried all kinds of tricks, talked to a lactation consultant, am taking the "Mother's love" supplements and I just cannot find something that works. I barely have enough milk during the day for him now, and really no not want to start using bottles. In the US california you only get 6-12 weeks off from work after childbirth so I've been back at work for a while, pumping just isn't doing the trick. Help!

Hi braidedsilver, I know exactly how u feel, I had problems with milk supply, although I think a lot of it may have been in my head. My baby would scre am and pull off and arch his back; I was convinced it was because he was frustrated because of a low milk supply although looking back it may just have been his reflux and even the milk coming too fast. It's so hard to know!
Anyway I can send u a power lead for medela if you like - I have 2 medela and
1 ameda pump and I probably won't use again til next baby plus didn't like medela anyway. I guess it will probably fit although wd need US adapter. Sorry would have Pmd u but don't know how, more of a lurker, but u can pm me if u would like it. Like the others say tho, u might well have more milk than u think but it is still useful to have a pump.

Have you tried talking to other mothers about expressing? Or is there a LLL group near you wiht a Leader you could speak to?

MOthers I have spoken to often said they reall yhad to 'concentrate' on pumping, kind of 'willing' the milk out.

braidedsilver - you can try here to see if you can find any local bfing help.

Also, this might be useful in seeing if there is anything that you can take/do to increase supply. Have you ever tried breast massage before pumping, using breast compressions during expressing and then hand expressing after to maximise milk output?

Would you be able to hire a pump from your local WIC office - some hire out pumps for free or at low cost even if you don't qualify for WIC assistance. Could you have a look at CraigsList or put a Want ad up for a pump power supply in your local paper?

Hi I saw you were giving 2x6oz bottles

I'm also in CA. I hired a pump, was about $50 a month, helped loads.

DD had 8-12oz while I was at work and she had unlimited access the rest of time. We/She fed every 2 hourly for months, but was/is a slow weight gainer so was reluctant to change it.

At 4 months I pumped twice a day at work (also have disapproving boss but felt this was important). At 7 months (only 3 months away) we had on one 3oz bottle at lunchtime, at 9-10months I stopped expressing all together. I think at 6 months she was on 8oz or less (we were 1oz an hour, I would feed just before leaving and ring DH when I was on my way back so he knew to hold off a feed if I was only 30mins away)

If yours is getting at least 8 oz, I would try and not worry. What helped for me when I saw supply dipping was to pump after every day feed at the weekend. Did this about once a month (I called it a turbo boosting weekend).

Can you have someone meet you with the baby just outside work for feeding.

I am sure a few of us could club together to get you a pump for a few months.

It's crap over here isn't it. I'm pg again and my boss has made it clear how unhappy he is with it. I can't do a few months mat leave again, so we're heading back to the UK in August.

Hope some of this helps
PA

I have a medela swing, if you think the power supply will be compatible I can post it to you, but it is a UK plus. I'm guessing you're not a expat so therefore don't have a UK to US power adapter, but just in case I'm suggesting it.

Hi OP, if you haven't seen this already I would recommend them along with La Leche League..
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/
This is only what I know from my own experience and anecdotes from health visitors, midwives, other mums, books, certainly not an expect in lactation per se. Usually (but not always):

1. Electric pumps are more effective at getting more milk out than manual.
2. The more milk that comes out (from suckling or expressing), the more your glands produce next time round.
3. Babies are generally more effective at getting more milk out than a pump, even an electric pump.
4. Feeding more frequently each day results in more milk being produced. (as opposed to trying to feed for longer fewer times a day)
5. Make sure you are drinking lots and lots of fluid, taking in plenty of calcium and enough (but not excess amounts) vitamin D - fish, cheese,beans, kale, kelp, broccoli (calcium) and foods containing oils and fat -fish, meat, poultry (vit D). Make sure you are not losing weight and trying to slim down - that could lower supply.
6. Excessive or strenuous activity can lower supply - a light job with good hours is fine, as is taking walks, but a very long commute as well as long tiring work hours, running many miles a week, can lower supply. That's why you might produce more milk after a good night's sleep. As Comtessa says, if it all dries up, nothing wrong with formula - you can even get organic ones nowadays. Baby is still being fed and had the benefit of sole BF when newborn. Generally you'd need to feed at least twice a day to still get some milk going but I personally found twice a day lowered the supply quite significantly (from 5 or 6). I have a medical background and IME doctors are usually not knowledgeable about normal breastfeeding practices, only about diseases affecting breasfeeding! The US has lactation counsellors like their NCT equivalents here, they are usually from a nursing background I understand. If that is what the Sears clinic has, well and good, but I understand you can see one from a major hospital in any big city without having to pay over the odds. Not sure that medication is such a good idea - it is difficult for every single tablet to be tested conclusively and exhaustively for side effects and complications in babies of BF mothers, and there may be side effects we still don't know about. I'd strongly advise against using tablets to increase supply. Formula would be safer if you have clean water that you can boil! What is "Mother's Love"?