Dramatic drop in pump output...any advice please?

[squeakybuggywheels]

6 months old DD is going to nursery 2 days a week and I am expressing 2 feeds (noon-ish and 3pm) for her days out.

When she started at 5 months I used to get 4-6oz when expressing at feedtime with her away and usually a respectable 3oz when expressing in between on other days.

However past couple of weeks I am down to 2-3oz when expressing at feedtime and just about nought (perhaps 1oz if lucky) at other times. She takes 6-7oz per feed at nursery.

Needless to say all my freezer stocks of EBM have now gone. Any advice as to how I can up the output again? Should add that we have started weaning at 23 weeks but she takes precious little solid food, few teaspoon tips at best and still drains her milk bottle in the day so I don't feel like I could reduce or eliminate her 12 / 3 milk feeds.

Thanks!!

squeaky, this is normal....lots of women find that expressing does not yeild as much longer term.

It is easy, and logical, to restore performance - you just have to express or feed more often, to stimulate supply.

In your case, I'd suggest fitting in a couple more when you can.

You may need to keep this frequency up for a little while, then you can cut back and see what happens.

Thanks tiktok - will try! Nipples getting a bit sore with all the tugging at the pump but I am keen to keep off formula for as long as possible. Hopefully by 8-9months she could be having bf at home morning, evening and night (not too many of those pleaaase)
and less - say 4oz x 2 - during the day? Is that likely to work?

Yes

domperidone

oh! kif I'm totally ignorant of this one. what is it (sounds like a drug??) - where do you get it - does it increase milk supply?
why whisper, would I go to prison if caught with some and a breast pump in a backpack?

dd1 was put on domperidone and ranitadine to help with her severe reflux. domperidone makes you digest things quicker but some people say it increases milk supply. i personally wouldn't use it for this. there are herbal drugs out there that are meant to be very good at increasing milk supply but you're probably better if you have the time to pump more frequently.

both my dd's have needed expressed milk when they were in hospital, i was expressing at least 8 times a day and getting up in the night. the best way to do it is pump more frequently, it's better to do lots of 20 minute sessions than a few 40 minute sessions and forget about what you're doing, don't look at what's coming out and think i'm not getting enough just close your eyes until you've finished, listen to some music, have pictures of your dd and something she sleeps with that'll have her smell.

you will get more milk in the morning but this is more watery and in the evening less milk but creamy good quality milk.

sqeaky, it is a drug that works on the gastro-intestinal system. It has the side effect of increasing prolactin.

You don't need it - why use a medication when you don't need it? - and I have never heard of it being used with established breastfeeding.

Kif - this is something used when the usual methods of increasing milk supply do not work, in early breastfeeding. Not appropriate, I don't think, in squeaky's case, honestly

thanks ladies...just got 2 1/2oz of good creamy milk from my additional 11pm pump session so at least got next nursery day covered now ((relief emoticon))

will have to take it one day at a time - off on holidays soon which means i won't be pumping for a bit but probably feeding lots (not keen to do purees on the go) with hopefully marvelous effects for my milk supply. never thought I'd say this but am missing that lovely engorged feeling I used to get in the mornings back in the early weeks

I know tiktok - I just wanted to mention it in case it became relevant for her at some point, but she didn't come back to talk iyswim. The BfN leaflet particularly mentions it in conjunction with 'sudden drop in output when pumping' (albeit in the context of preemies) - the thread title reminded me of that.

squeak - glad to hear it's going well.

I whispered because it's an unlicensed drug sometimes recomended for boosting milk. As tiktok says, that's the extreme option which you don't soulnd like you need.

Sending milky vibes your way!