Exclusive Pumping - One Breast No Longer Producing?

[EvieF1993]

Hi all,

I've been exclusively pumping since my DD was born at 36+3 weeks - she's now 5 weeks old. As she's prem she is struggling to latch on but we're still trying hoping I can BF.

I express every 3 hours for 30 mins, including through the night. I use a Medela Swing double pump. Over the past week my right breast has almost stopped producing, I'm just getting a few drops after a pumping session. From the left breast I get around 120ml in the morning, and it reduces to 80ml, 60ml and 40ml throughout the day/evening. My right breast always produced less than the left (around half) but now it's producing hardly anything and doesn't feel full at all.

Does anyone have any ideas on why this could have happened, and what I could do to increase it again? I'm desperate to keep expressing especially if I can't breastfeed so feeling really anxious now.

Firstly well done for pumping for 5 weeks. And congratulations on the birth of your baby.

Do you keep putting your daughter to your chest or on you while you are pumping? Or try and get her to latch and pump the other breast?

Has she been assessed for tongue ties etc? Are you near any la leche groups? Or breastfeeding groups?

Thank you! I don't hold her whilst I pump as I find it really difficult with the double pump and bottles in the way etc.

We spend a lot of time snuggling with her on my chest but I need to do actual skin to skin more, I always feel like she will get cold so normally we have PJs on. I need to try her on the breast more, but she either falls asleep with it in her mouth or tries latching and then gets frustrated and upset.

Locala have been out and checked her, no tongue tie and really good technique etc but they said they think her mouth may just be too small still.

I think it is normal to have one more productive breast, oddly enough. If it's not sore or anything I'd just carry on as you are.

The key is to have lots and lots of skin to skin, it regulates her body temperature being on you. You can always put a blanket over you both. It helps with oxytocin which stimulates prolactin. Therefore helps you to produce more milk. Suckling at the best also stimulates it.
At first my little one fed every hour to 1.5 hours and also cluster fed on an evening from tea time onwards.
Is she a good weight?
As now she is technically overdue I'm not sure re her size having much to do with it but obviously I'm not there and can't see what they see.
My little one was 5lb 7 born at 15 days early, needed some encouragement at first to stay awake at the breast.

Do you have any support locally which you can access easily re breastfeeding?

She was 5.4lbs when she was born and is now over 7lb so gaining really well each week. I will do more skin to skin, but think my main worry is that one breast has just stopped producing now when I express regularly. If BF doesn't work I want to ensure expressing works well.

Locala are our local breastfeeding help and have been doing weekly home visits with us so I do feel well supported.

It's always produced less but is producing nothing now which is worrying

Mam nipple shield helped my baby latch on for a bit but I never got back to breastfeeding properly. I'm still pumping 3x a day at 6months old and my supply has dropped but it's strange for one boob to suddenly stopped- you have a double pump it makes me think something might be wrong with the pump can you swap them round and see?