Any special technique to increase supply - expressing

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Hello all,

I'm currently mix feeding my 6.5 week old. We started breastfeeding but although he seemed latched ok and we were told he was feeding fine, after 5 days he had lost 17% body weight (he was pretending to feed all along, the little trickster) so we pumped and bottle fed 2oz every two hours. As I couldn't pump enough to keep up with demand we mixed in some formula feeding. He was not happy with going back on the boob after the 3 days on bottles(outr aged is the best way to describe his reaction!) so I've been happily expressing enough for about 50% of his feeds. I am actually happy about this as I find it's flexible for our little family and he is a massive thriving little chunk so he's fine. Also I could get 5oz per boob in 20 mins so it was good. My problem is that since DH went back to work I've not had so much time to express and I have let it dwindle to getting enough for a couple of feeds over night. I was thinking about stopping the expressing but I've had a change of heart and borrowed a super duper pump from the local breastfeeding support ladies as I'd like to give it a good go for a little while longer before I stop. As she seemed impressed with how much I was getting out I feel as I am quite milky I shouldn't waste this time and get a bit more in to him! I also have a handpump which I was doing surprisingly well with (4oz out when in the bath).

However obviously as I have only been pumping max twice a day my supply has diminished and I wondered how to get it up. Is it as simple as pumping a lot? I was planning on pumping with the electric pump every time he has a bottle over the weekend as DH can feed him, and then use the hand pump a bit after I've fed him at night in the bed, also in the bath as it shoots out when I'm in there. Is it worth doing both boobs and then repeating in one go? Or would they just be empty and therefore it won't help? And would two days extra effort pay off if I then had to reduce a bit again during the week when I'm alone with him during the day?

Pumping long term is very draining. You would need a hospital grade pump - not sure what you've got. You need to pump regularly each day although a pump will never be as effective as a baby. Mix feeding this early can cause supply problems.

Have you got RL help? A board certified lactation consultant? A LLL leader? A bf counsellor?

As I said in the post I've borrowed a pump from the local NHS breastfeeding support group and its great (attached to it now!). The issue isn't getting him back to feeding from the nipple really as that ship has sailed, he won't do it even with shields, when he's fed, not fed etc. And I'm not going to be able to get up to 100% expressed breast milk for him, nor do I plan to try as you're right, that would be draining. I wanted to BF for at least a few months but we are happy and I'm not beating myself up about it as the RL support (the Breastfeeding support team) are supporting me in that they are agreeing that anything I can give him is a bonus, so this isn't what I'm asking, I'm really just looking to give him as much boob milk as I can while I still have a goodish supply. I'm not finding it draining in that I've been able to get a 4-5 oz feed in about 20 mins but that has dropped as I've been pumping less and I'd like to get it back up. So shall I just pump a lot for a few days or are there any tricks that will help, like doing both sides twice etc?

I didn't want this to turn into a thread about the fact I'm not EBF. Just to help me do the best I can in the circumstance we're in.

At this stage, getting up a couple of times to pump in the night could well help. Could your DH do feeds while you do that?

At weekends he could, we share weekend night feeds and at weekdays he sleeps 11.30-6 in the spare room and will do anything before or after. I've already started pumping a bit with the handpump at night after feeding him so I'll continue that.

He drinks a bottle fast in the night and then I always stay awake after he's gone back to sleep as he's such a noisy sleeper I need to wait to see he's really asleep! So can pump in that time. I often leak a bit when feeding him at night so pumping should go well at that time.

From what I know, the key thing at this stage is:

a) frequent pumping; and
b) ensuring that some of that pumping is at night.

So anything you can do towards those two is likely to help .

Oh well that sounds pretty straightforward! Just pump lots :) I'm all set up for a weekend of super pumping and will try to do it more than I did next week.

Massage boob with one hand (knuckles) and angle the pump on different directions as it is on your other boob. It's a bit like mining for gold - you'll hit a good seam and your see your flow increase and you keep massaging and re-angling until you have found all the ducts.

Pumping every 4-6 hours, more if you can do it and at least one middle of the night feed/express also helps increase supply

Petallic thanks, it's awesome when suddenly a jet comes shooting out in the pump :) I also have it maxed out for vacuum and alternate between fast and slow 'cycles' which I hope replicates a strong sucking greedy baby! Unlike DS who was a sleepy and lazy pretend sucking baby :) I'll make sure I give them a pummeling while pumping. I had a lot of milk so I hope that means it can increase quickly.

It is interesting that night pumping in particular is helpful. I never did that (past midnight, anyway) before so I'm excited to see how milky I can get! I love it when it chugs out. I'm definitely going to give it a good go, it was at the point of either stopping or really rethinking my day and going for it. I just seemed to do all the houseworky things that built up, sterilise the bottles, eat and drink and then think about sitting down to pump and bam, he'd wake up. He's quite good at chilling in his swing chair when awake but I don't like settling in to pump if I think I'll have to fling it off to deal with him. I've had a bit of success doing it while he sleeps over my shoulder but it's not ideal. I'll have to make sure pumping comes first when he goes to sleep.
If my supply gets as good as it was it doesn't take me long to get a fair bit out.

This is good:

kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/pumping_decrease/

I found the following helped:

Breast massage before pumping - I used Weleda Nursing Oil
Look at a photo of your LO while pumping
Smell an item of your LO's clothes while pumping
I used a bf hypnotherapy track - Maggie Howell I think.
Lots of skin to skin - co-sleeping without my top and baby in a nappy, wearing a low vest and baby in a sling with just a nappy, a bath together every night.

I pumped 12 times in 24 hours inc 3 overnight sessions. I laid out 12 sweets in the morning and ate one at each session as both a reward and a visual reminder.

I know it's draining because I've been there. I did this for 4 months with my eldest DD. I was able to get her to relatch. She would latch early in the morning and late in the evening. The best latches were in the bath.

As you say, my intention was never to return to ebf but to provide some bm. It was a tough road but I am glad I did it. Have you heard of human milk for human babies (hm4hb)? They might be able offer a solution too.

Sterilising wise, you don't need to sterilise your pump parts after every session. Pop all the parts in a freezer bag and store in the fridge. You can then clean and sterilise just once in 24 hours.

Thanks BertieBotts, some great tips there like keep pumping 5 mins after all the milk has finished. It seems to say that having a two day pumping binge is good for 'supercharging' supply, so I hope this weekend will help!

Stargirl thanks, that's all really good. I have developed an inability to sleep well even when DS is asleep so I have plenty time to pump at night! Also my DH really wants to have him the whole weekend after he's been at work so no problems being able to pump. Having another session now, its flowing out faster already. I just feel like I have a bit more to give him, and in a weird way I'm kind of fascinated by how much I can produce! When my boobs leak at night I often try to pop a nipple in his mouth but he raises the roof.

Do you leak much? I think you can get things you pop in your bra to catch the drips. Every little helps and all that...

Have you tried fenugreek capsules? They really increased my supply.

If I remember right, I did 8 expresses in 24 hrs and about 15 mins per boob. I was exclusively expressing untill my DS's tongue tie was cut, it was exhausting.

Have you had him checked for tongue tie? His reaction sounds a bit like my DS. He screamed and arched his back away from me when I tried to feed him, I think it was rage and frustration at smelling the milk but not being able to get it!

I only leak when giving him a bottle at night sometimes, not in the day, so I was hoping to just clamp the handpump on and pump a bit out then. I'll look for some Fenugreek.

I haven't had him checked for tongue tie, I'll mention it at our 6 week check up. He mainly just rubs his face into my boob in mad anger and just spits it out. He's such a thriving boy now, (he dropped to 6lb3oz but is now 11lb12oz!) that it's not a huge deal but I'd like to give him a good amount of boob milk for a month or so more I think.

The things are breast shells. I used the Medela ones which it got from Amazon.