milk supply

[Cocococo]

I wonder if you can help, I have an electric breast pump from Ameda, a dual pumping jobby that is really great and helps me get about 6oz out in one go for DS's last feed that DH gives him every night.

I have been pumping for 3 months and not had any problems, I pump straight after the first feed in the morning (7.30/8am ish) and put it straight in the fridge for use at the 10pmish feed.

The only thing is, the last few days I have only managed to squeeze out 2/3 ounces and this is not enough to satisfy my 14 week old for his last feed so I am having to top him up on the breast.

What can I do to build it back up again? Do I get up in the night to pump for a few days? I'm thinking of giving him Hipp Organic formula for the last feed if I can't get enough out in the morning. I so want to continue pumping but I just can't seem to get enough out at the moment.

Thanks

The most efficient way to build up your milk supply is by feeding the baby more often. Would it be possible for you to fit in a couple of extra feeds a day for a few days? Or, if you can last until the weekend, have a 'Babymoon', staying in bed, with your DH bringing a constant supply of food, drinks, magazines and chocs etc so you can feed your baby every time he so much as moves! I've found that an excellent way to increase the supply and you get a rest, too.

You can express little but more often. I use to express at 10Pm for his 1030 PM feed. How old is you baby ? Because he will probably drop that feed soon anyway. You do not want to increase the quantity that he drinks at that feed but at other feeds. So your body is probably producing enough milk but in a different pattern (but I know that once you express you can see quantities and it is more stressful... try to relax about it).
Are you following a Gina Ford routine by any chance ?

Cocococo, I would advise against getting up in the night to express milk. Do you really want to lose that sleep ?

I agree that the way to build up your milk supply is the 'little and often' rule. Also it really makes a big difference if you can relax and focus on your baby when expressing. I even used to use a warm bean bag against my breast when expressing, as I found that the warmth helped the milk to flow.

You could express before the first feed, if you can bear to get up a bit earlier - it often pours out then, and I find there's plenty for both the plastic baby and the human one.

Hi thanks for advice, I am following Gina Ford (ish) I think she has a lot of good advice but we try and fit it in around us rather than following it religiously.

DS is 13 weeks and I pump after the first feed so that DH can give it to him in the evening and this has worked really well as he usually only feeds from one breast. I get the rest of the hind milk from the one he fed from out and then empty the other one that he hasnt touched.

I havent changed my routine at all but DS is feeding for longer and during the day sometimes from both breasts so maybe this is why I'm having problems. I only managed 2 ounces this morning and now I'm making myself sore because I'm pumping for 20 mins. Last week it would take 10 mins to get 5 oz out and now I'm pumping double the time and getting less than half the amount!

I realised this morning that part of the problem is that I am not 'letting down' I dont know why, maybe because the mornings are colder?

Are you sure the 2 oz aren't enough at 10 PM ? Because if you have read GF, you will be aware that if he is content with 2 oz at that time for 7 nights in a row, you can drop that feed all together. I did exactly that with DS at 12 weeks and only did 2 oz for 5 nights (actually!)... That is also why he is increasing his daytime intake.

May be able to help on this - pumping that is, not the quantity debate.
Because I work freelance (ie no maternity pay and when I'm not doing my job someone else is) I went back to work really early - at 8 weeks after ds and 5 weeks after dd - only one day a week for a while and later 2 days (which is usually all I do now) but they are usually 12 hour days and I was determinded that ds and dp would not have formula because of my work. Bit mad I know, but I felt I could justify working and keeping my work slot open only if I could bring home as much milk as they consumed and that their breast feeding wasn't affected in any way. I managed to exclusively breastfed both children up to 8/9 months. I did make clear at work that I could never work consecutive days as I think that would have thrown things - a pump never seems to stimulate the supply quite as much as the baby.
Anyway - with both I tried to build up a bit of a supply before I went back.
With my first, ds, I wasted so much time sitting at the kitchen table trying to express when he had his morning nap. Like you I would try to contain his first am feed to one side, then express the othe side when he had a nap. This usually worked well - but sometimes not due to no let-down - and especially later when he fed off both sides or if he wanted a feed before his nap. I'd almost feel annoyed that my plan had been scuppered - which is daft!
Before dd was born I thought that I really wouldn't bother with all that again - I'd obviously express (by need) when at work - but if the supply ran dry then the odd bottle of formula would do no harm. Howerver as soon as she was born I changed my mind and was adamant that she wouldn't have to have formula because of my work choice. But this time found a brilliant method!!
Start reading again from here....
On days when it suited and once feeding was well established -whilst dd was feeding off one side - I expressed off the other. No time wasted - and no let down problem - it just flowed! Don't know why I didn't think of doing it with no 1. It did mean that ds would have to be in compliant mood (although he was under 2, I didn't want him to see me pumping) so I would usually do it at a w'end when dp could play with him or sometimes a favourite video would do the trick. (It's when I revised my view of children and videos - up till then he'd never seen TV!!!) My pump was a Medela -(single side) battery or mains - but worked much better off the mains - so I would set it all up within reach at the edge of the sofa before the feed, settle dd on breast and somehow with one hand get pump on to other side. Bit tricky the first few times - I think dp was around to help initially - the last thing you want to do is spill the precious extracted milk - (I did once! - was so upset - I'm sure that's where the expression comes from). The gentle hum didn't seem to bother dd at all.
As for let-down when you're doing it "cold" so to speak, I'm sure it differs from person to person, but I found when I first when back to work it was really easy - but as time went on it was sometimes hit and miss. Sometimes I'd be really full - but nothing would come for ages and then suddenly it would - other times not. Somehow you have to psyche yourself into it and relax and THINK FLOWING MILK!! Not easy sitting in a disabled toilet as far from the madding crowd as possible - worrying that someone's going hear the pump - or worse - think you've got some other kind of battery appliance in there!! Looking at a photo of your baby can also help.
Hope this helps - sorry to ramble!!

As Maras says I found pumping from the one breast while baby fed from the other worked well. It saves time and the stimulation the baby is giving you on one side really helps with the let down. make sure you are comfortable though - it should be easy with a small baby that won't wriggle too much. Once your supply is established you could try freezing your milk in small bags. It keeps for 6 months.

When you use a pump it doesn't increase your prolactin levels which is what you need to do to increase your supply so you could try doing hand expressing which does affect prolactin levels.Also feeding during the night makes your prolactin levels higher, so although it is a pain waking up it is very good for your supply.

Boo321 - where did you get your info from? As far as I know it is the nipple stimulation that increases prolactin levels and it doesn't matter what source it comes from (baby or pump). Some mothers (particularly with premature babies) have fed their babies for several months with just a pump alone so they must have managed to produce milk.

Prolactin isn't really relevant once you get beyond the first week or so of bf....levels drop dramatically after that, and they're more or less back to 'normal' levels after a few months, though they always stay a little higher all the way thrugh bf. What keeps the bf supply going is the removal of milk from the breasts - take milk away, more is made....the essence of demnd and supply! It's really common for long-term pumping to be less productive after a while. It might reflect the way the pump is never quite as efficient as the baby, or it might be that simply, there is less milk there at any one time because the baby isn't feeding as often or taking as much. Yes, to make more milk, you have to feed more or express more. Not all mothers have the experience of not being able to express as much - I think this is just because we are all different! Some women do produce more milk than others - doesn't matter really, as long as it keeps the baby happy : )

success at last, feeding DS from one side and using pump on other helped me let down. THANKS!! Much happier now! Maras you were quite right so thanks. I did do this in the beginning with the Avent hand pump but sort of gave up feeding him on one side when the dual pump arrived as I had no probs with the let down.

Re prolactin levels and amount of milk made - I read today in an NCT book that the amount you can express (with a let down or series of let downs during the feeding process) is roughly half of what your baby can remove at a feed. So you could only ever express half of a feed I guess. Unless you had all day to sit there, pumping like a moo cow!