Reduction in amount I can pump

[LadyDowagerHatt]

I am trying to pump after as many feeds as possible to get my supply up due to my DD's poor weight gain (which I have posted about here previously).

I use the ameda lactaline double pump and have never got a huge amount - only 1-1.5 ounces in the morning and 0.5-1.0 ounce in afternoon/evening per session. I was ok with this as on the kelly mom website it said 0.5- 2.0 ounces is the norm. I try to get 3oz a day to give as a bottle in the evening.

Over the last 3 days I have been getting next to nothing, hardly enough to cover the bottom of the bottle. It sometimes takes nearly 10 minutes to get a let down, or earlier I got a let down straight away but there was hardly any milk. If I express one side whilst DD feeds on the other I get a bit more so there must be milk there. Also if DD feeds after I express I can hear her gulping so she must be able to get it out.

I'm already concerned about my supply, could this mean it is getting lower? Or could it be that DD is feeding more efficiently (I have been trying to improve her latch) so there is less for the pump? Any thoughts and advice much appreciated.

LDH - it's always impossible to judge supply overall by pumping 'performance'.

How old is your dd? Does she breastfeed direct frequently day and night?

If she is beyond newborn, and breastfeeds frequently, and is thriving, then your decreased milk supply may be normal - when bf is well-established, it tends to produce less 'spare' milk for the pump.

So, not possible to say what's happening, really.

Thanks TikTok. DD is 10 weeks and feeds on demand, on average about every 2 hours (usually does one 3 hour stretch in the day and one at night and cluster feeds in the evening). All directly from me except the 3 ounce bottle late evening (after feeding from me).

She is thriving to look at her and hitting milestones etc but a bit on the small side with low weight gain (took 4 weeks to regain birthweight due to problems with the latch but since correcting it only gained 3-4oz per week), hence the reason for expressing.