Barely get any milk when I PUMP

[TraciG]

Thinking I am losing my milk supply but the LC thinks I have a good supply , I pumped before from one side only, didn't even get a half an ounce but then I squeeze my boob & see milk shoot out, I dont get it. This morning though I did get 2 1/2 ounces from that boob, which for me is a lot. I need to get the milk out since lately Sydney is drinking bottles, cant deal with the crying & kicking lately so i've been giving bottles unfortunatley except in the middle of the night & early morning, if I have the milk, which it seems I do I would like her to have that instead of formula. Wondering if I should see about renting a hospital pump instead of the PIS.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

Yes you should see about renting a hospital pump instead of the used PIS that you have. Did the LC test it for you to see if it is working correctly? It sounds like it is not.

Baby is more efficient at getting the milk out than the pump. It would be better if you could get her to nurse. Did you try the tips at http://www.kellymom.com for getting baby back to the breast?

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[TraciG]

the LC watched me use the pump & said it was working right. She actually thinks I have a lot of milk and that may be the problem but I think the opposite, I have read A little, I still need to read more when I get the time, I will ask the LC what she thinks about the hospital pumps. I would LOVE to nurse Sydney all the time !!!!!!

[sntm]

> I would LOVE to
>nurse Sydney all the time !!!!!!

sweetie, just do it! set a daily goal -- if you usually give 5 bottles and nurse 3 times (just example numbers), then the next day only use 4 bottles and nurse all the other times. then the next day, drop another bottle feeding. then another, etc.

if you think the problem is too much milk or too fast a let down, there are other things you can do, like nurse against gravity or allow your milk to spray into a cloth for a moment before latching her on.

shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[wagner36]

I absolutely agree. Traci, you need some serious tough love. If full-time breastfeeding is your goal, you can either nurse and watch things get better, or pump and watch things get worse. If pumping full-time is your goal, then you need to figure out if a) something is wrong with your pump, b) the PIS is not the pump for you or c) work to overcome your pump resistance. If formula feeding is your goal, then you just need to accept it and feel no guilt.

We're totally here to help, but you must figure out your goals!!

Tara

[TraciG]

I want to nurse, I HATE pumping & I hate giving bottles but I cannot breastfeed a baby that is so frustrated, crying, kicking & putting her fist in her mouth. I have been talking to a LC now she thinks my milk supply is low, I'm sure by now it is if it wasn't when this all started, not sure that is the reason for her fussiness. I might start the fenugreek & rent a hospital pump, i'm supposed to pump today every 3 hours, the LC wants to see how much I get. Getting tired of this but I really dont want to give up yet !

[jennifer13]

Traci,

I have been reading your posts for quite a while now, and everyone has been giving you great advice so I haven't had anything to offer. But now I just want to add my two cents, which is that breastfeeding is really, really hard, and there are lots of variables that are different for each woman. It just doesn't always work out for everyone, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. If you think you will enjoy motherhood--- and your baby-- more if you give formula and give up pumping and breastfeeding, you should feel comfortable in that decision. You sound so sad and frustrated in your posts, it pains me, and if it pains me it must be giving you pain as well! These are such precious times with your newborn, and if breastfeeding struggles are taking over your world it can really dampen how you are feeling about the rest of it. There is no shame in bottle feeding. I read somewhere that rule #1 is feed your baby. So, my point is, to maybe explore your reasons for breastfeeding, and it that is still your goal then I think you know what steps you need to do. But you are not a failure if you decide that is not what you want to do. You obviously care very much about your baby, and that is what is most important, as is the love and bonding you give your baby right now. I have done both, and I can assure you that you can love your baby as much through bottle feeding as through breast feeding. You have to decide what's best for you and your baby.

Take care of yourself and know that whatever you do it is ok. But it does sound like a decision needs to be made one way or the other, so that you can go forth with conviction in whatever direction you choose. Good luck!

Jennifer
Mom to Norah 5/23/03

[TraciG]

Jennifer, my sister-in-law said pretty much the same thing, later when I talk to the LC i'm going to see first if I can even build up my milk supply or if it's to late, maybe that will make the decision bwcause if there's a chance for me to still be able to breasfeed I would like it try.

thanks for your support, I am trying to be more easy going about this

[sntm]

traci,
whatever happens, i want you (and anyone else who has struggled with breastfeeding) to keep in mind:

1.This Was Not a Waste of Time or Money. Every drop of breastmilk that your daughter got was valuable and important. You've done better than many people.

2.You Can Breastfeed Successfully in the Future. You know more now -- to avoid bottles and formula in the beginning, to contact an LC early, where to find help, how to get support. You will have a much better shot at breastfeeding any future babies because you have experience. Do not be discouraged by others who question why you would try again.

3.You Are a Good Mother. Repeat this in your head again and again and make sure you believe it.

Good luck, hon.
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[Melanie]

Traci, It's never too late to breastfeed. Women who have never given birth can lactate (with great difficulty I am sure), so it's never too late!

I remember once when my son was frustrated and crying b/c my milk was low (I was unexpectedly hospitalized for a little more than a day with only my double-ease pump). It was SO hard, and I did cave with one bottle so we could sleep, but after that it was nurse-only. We were both frustrated but that was the only way to get my supply back up. NO pump is as good of a pump as your baby (but of course the rentals are the best you can get).

What about trying to get the baby to latch on when they are very sleepy/almost asleep? I've read that helps with nursing strikes as they kick into a sort of comfort-instinctual-sucking mode? Or try when she is content already and not giving hunger-cues. Maybe she would just want to comfort-suck then which once she gets the milk might put her into nursing for nourishment. Also do you give a pacifier? If so, you might want to STOP, just for now, until you get established nursing. Our LC said two weeks of successful breastfeeding ONLY before reintroducing artificial nipples like bottles and pacifiers. Something else you might want to try when you are desperate to feed baby but trying to avoid a bottle is finger-feeding. Your LC can tell you about it. It helps to get the baby used to something bigger than a bottle nipple, although I'm not sure that sounds like the issue in your case.

You ARE a good mother. Not everyone tries so hard to be successful at breastfeeding. It is not always easy, but it is worth it. We had some really really hard times early on, and I am so darn thankful we continued to perservere. The best advice I got from the LC was "give it two weeks" (once I'd received the help I needed). So we did, and then that turned into me thinking, "okay, just another month," and by the time that month rolled around things were set and no thoughts of quitting entered my mind.

[Melanie]

Oh, and I forgot to add, that pumping is very much as mental-task. Yes, you need a good pump and to have it on properly, but you still need the mental aspect. This little plastic cone is not going to conjure up the same warm-fuzzies as your beautiful baby. You can have full-breasts with enough to feed your baby, yet barely get any milk. What helped me was to stare at a photo of Ds (or him sleeping) and think about nursing him and just also other warm-fuzzies about him. I was never able to get a ton, especially not when the rental pump went back and I was nursing him, too. One other idea is to massage your milk ducts at the same time. I think maybe you can do a search on google, as I recall there was a website or a group for pumping-only mothers that had great suggestions.

[TraciG]

Every 3 hours I am pumping & keeping a record of how much I get also just picked up fenugreek, actually going to pump after I write this letter while Sydney is still asleep. I do let her comfort nurse, she used to lOVE that, she has found her hands so not as much now, she does fall asleep that way though in bed with me. I used to be able to nurse her the best in the middle of the night when she was half asleep but the last 2 nights I haven't even been able to do that, I am trying but not nursing at all, I just hope if my milk supply gets back to normal that she will want to nurse again,It might be to late now with all the bottles, this is my last chance so we'll see what happens.

Sydney never took a pacifier, only me :)

[Melanie]

Awww, mama, it sounds like you are doing everything right. I'm so sorry. I hope you are able to succeed with nursing, but if not, 5% of potential nursing pairs are unable to nurse and you could be that. I really hope you and the little one can nurse again, though.

[TraciG]

I was just complaining to my mother about pumping, God I have long way to go !!!!!!!! I know I shouldn't complain since i'm the one that wants to do this ( but I cant help it ! ) Hopefully it will pay off :)

[sntm]

it's okay to complain -- sometimes you just need to let off some steam!

shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[kjack145]

I was in a similar position recently. However, I had little supply from the get-go and my daughter and I just couldn't latch properly, so I pumped what I had for each feeding and mixed it with her formula.

I used a hospital-grade pump and was never able to get more than 2 ounces at any time, both breasts COMBINED! I was frustrated and felt like a failure, but kept trying for 5 weeks, every 3 hrs until I started get only 1/2 ounce COMBINED! I never produced enough for a complete feeding.

I consulted a LC at the hospital several times. As nice as she was, I couldn't follow the advise "bring the baby to the breast" knowing we had latching issues and I had very little milk, anyway.

I finally came to the conclusion that it simply wasn't going to work despite my best efforts. My daughter got the benefits of breast milk for as long as I could provide it.

I really have no advice for you except that you shouldn't feel guilty; sometimes BF just doesn't work out for one reason or another.

If you're not ready to go with formula feeding, The LaLeche League has a website that has some advice for trying to build you milk supply.

I wish I had known about this folder when I was going through this with my daughter. I've read the responses to your post and am glad they are so supportive!

I'm more relaxed and I have a happy little 12wk-old on my lap as I type.

Good luck to you!