Not pumping enough?

[ebjw]

I am pumping once a day at work, and I don't seem to be pumping enough. She is only getting one bottle while I'm gone (from 7-2:30), so that's why she needs more (about 5+ oz compared to the 3 1/2-4 that I'm pumping). She's nearly 4 months, so would giving her rice cereal on the side or putting some into her bottle help? Although I would feel really sad if only my mom would be feeding her her first solid food, so could she also have rice cereal for dinner? The other alternative is giving her formula, which I'd rather not do since she's never had formula.

[Melaine]

When my girls were that age I think I was pumping about 5 times a day. 4 months is generally considered too young to give any kind of solid foods (most peds say 6 months these days). I would try adding an extra pumping at work....I'm surprised she's able to do with only one bottle in that time period too....

[infomama]

No, it's not enough. How often does she nurse when she is with you? I think if you keep up this schedule (only pumping once a day while at work) you are really going to see your supply dwindle. I never pumped less than every three hours.

[Momof3Labs]

I'd add a second pumping session at work, or add a session right before you go to bed at night or wake up in the morning (supply is more plentiful in the morning, but it could add to the chaos of getting everyone out of the house). It may take about a week to see your output increase at that pumping but the bedtime session is what worked for me.

[ebjw]

I have started pumping right before bed to get the next day's bottle up to 5 1/2-6oz. She is okay going 4 hours between feedings as long as I'm leaving that much. And, she's still eating in the middle of the night:
3:00am ish
6:30am
10:30am (pump)
2:30pm
5:30pm
7:00pm
then I pump at about 9:30pm

But the doctore might say she's developmentally ready for cereal, right? Her 4 month check up is next week.

[Momof3Labs]

I believe that the AAP recommendation for cereal/solids is 6 months, minimum. Sure, some start earlier (not all peds follow their own association's recommendations), but the baby's system can't always handle it (some can, some can't). Plus, cereal is just filler, and doesn't provide the fat and nutrients of breastmilk that little ones really need at this age. Personally, I'd add formula (which is more nutritionally complete than cereal) at this age before I'd add any cereal into the mix.

[egoldber]

I agree with Lori. If you feel a need to supplement, I would do it with formula, not cereal.

[jenny]

My pediatrician told us not to start solids with DD at her 4-month checkup if she's exclusively breastfed. But my two friends, who have babies around the same age, started their babies on rice cereal at 4 months with their doc's blessing. One of the kids is taking so much solids now that he doesn't drink much milk.

I know on www.kellymom.com, she cites studies that say it's best not to start solids until at least 6 months.

I've been exclusively pumping for 9 months now and if you want to boost your supply and not give formula yet or at all, there are things you can do to boost supply. You should eat oatmeal (not instant). Depending on how much you want to boost your supply, you can also take fenugreek, 3 capsules, 3 times a day, until you finish the bottle.

When you pump, make sure you're draining your breasts, it helps to massage your breast to get the milk out and increase the speed of the pump gradually, but not so much that it hurts your nipples. (I know you can do this with a Medela Pump In Style but not sure with other pumps.) You may also consider trying to pump for 5-10 minutes after a feeding to try to increase your supply as well.

[ebjw]

If I give her formula while I'm at work, what will that do to my supply? Will I still need to pump at work?
Does anyone else know about fenugreek? What is it? Does it get into the milk? Where do I get it? How much does it increase my production?
One other thing, I plan to stop breastfeeding at 8 months. Should I start getting her used to formula now since she'll have it from 8 -12 months?

[egoldber]

I would still pump at work, but if you aren't getting enough to meet her needs during the day while you're away, then I would supplement with formula, not introduce solids early.

[infomama]

If I give her formula while I'm at work, what will that do to my supply? Will I still need to pump at work?
Does anyone else know about fenugreek? What is it? Does it get into the milk? Where do I get it? How much does it increase my production?
One other thing, I plan to stop breastfeeding at 8 months. Should I start getting her used to formula now since she'll have it from 8 -12 months?
If you pump less your supply will dwindle and I would not introduce formula simply to "get her used to it". Now if she isn't getting enough milk then you will have to give her formula. I suggest you take a look at kellymom.com 's section on boosting your milk production/supply..you may be able to increase your milk without anything besides aggressive pumping which is good.

[jenny]

Milk supply is based on supply and demand, the more you "empty" your breasts, the more milk you produce. The less you empty your breasts, the less milk you produce.

If you are giving her formula and cutting down your pumping sessions, then you will notice a dip in supply.

Fenugreek is an herbal supplement and you can get it at your local health food store like GNC or the Vitamin Shoppe. A bottle is like $5 or something like that. My lactation consultant told me that if we had peanut allergies in the family, to be aware that it's peanut based and that if I had asthma, it might make me have an attack.

If your urine starts to smell like maple syrup when you take fenugreek, then you know it's working. I was told that if I took a week's worth (which is finishing the bottle) that I could take another week until I get up to the amount that I wanted to pump. Some women notice a boost in supply and others notice a slight increase. My milk supply was so low in the beginning that I had to take a prescription to boost my supply.

If you want to pump for the next 5 months and give more milk than formula, then you should make sure you're pumping every 3 hours until you see a boost. Pump 15-20 minutes for each breast. Also, if you have the Medela PISA, press the let down button once or twice during your 15-20 minute session and increase the speed, but not so that it hurts your nipple. As one mom said before, pumping is an art and not just putting some plastic cups to your boobs and letting the machine do the sucking.

Make sure you're massaging your breasts during the pumping to get more milk out. your breast has 6 milk ducts, so you need to make sure the milk gets out by doing some compressions.

And eat oatmeal. You can also try to mimic a cluster feeding on your pump by setting aside 1 hour and in the hour pump for 15 minutes, rest for 15 and pump for 15 until 1 hour has passed.

Here's a link on fenugreek on kellymom.com
http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milksupply/fenugreek.html

[vludmilla]

I would punp more often and try supplements like fenugreek (take 3 capsules 3 times a day--your urine and sweat should smell like maple syrup if you take enough). I'd try to eat oatmeal every day too as it also enhances supply. I might also add a pumo session before you go to bed if that fits in with your breast feeding. I would also pump more than once at work, that is WAY too long to go without "creating demand".

[ebjw]

All this advice is great, but it has me worried...
I've never pumped for 15-20 minutes! Everything is out in about 7-8 minutes. And my daughter is very efficient at the breast, 10 minutes on each side is long for her and that's usually only if she's falling asleep!
When I am home, she is perfectly fine eating on that schedule, 4 hours between feedings, and is getting enough. I just think that when I'm pumping at work I'm not getting the same amount she's getting from me. I think I might just keep up pumping extra before bed and also drink more water.

[kijip]

All this advice is great, but it has me worried...
I've never pumped for 15-20 minutes! Everything is out in about 7-8 minutes.

The extra time with the pump is extra nipple stimulation to bring in more milk. I don't get much more the last 7-10 minutes of pumping either, but it helps to maintain supply while pumping. I only work a 3-4 hour day (and not everyday at that) and pump only if F is not coming to the office at the end to eat. But I pump once at night now and once in the morning and that just gets me the 4-5 ounces he needs if I am gone for more than 3-4 hours. It also helps to pump even on the days I don't work.

[amldaley]

All this advice is great, but it has me worried...
I've never pumped for 15-20 minutes! Everything is out in about 7-8 minutes. And my daughter is very efficient at the breast, 10 minutes on each side is long for her and that's usually only if she's falling asleep!
When I am home, she is perfectly fine eating on that schedule, 4 hours between feedings, and is getting enough. I just think that when I'm pumping at work I'm not getting the same amount she's getting from me. I think I might just keep up pumping extra before bed and also drink more water.


There are a couple of things here that maybe should be addressed....

1) Yes, your breast may FEEL empty at 7 or 8 minutes but by stopping your pumping then, you are telling your body that it is making enough milk. You need to keep pumping to 15 - 20 minutes to tell your body to make more. And, after a couple of days or maybe a week of that, your body WILL make more and you may have another letdown later on in the pumping session.

2) You indicate that your dd is feeding 10 minutes on each breast - is that per feeding? The "nurse 10 minutes on each side" advice is outdated and is generally only advised in the first week or two when you are trying to stimulate milk to come in. The current direction is to nurse on one side until it is COMPLETELY drained - soft and small. This ensures baby is getting both hindmilk and foremilk. If baby is still hungry, then switch to the other side. The first side is dinner, the second side is dessert. No dessert until you finish your dinner! This "feeding on both sides" is signalling (over time) to produce less milk on each side. Again, you are trying to signal your body to make MORE milk, so make sure to only nurse one side per feeding.

3) I am very surprised that your dd gets enough nursing once every four + hours. Nursing is time start to start, not by time in between sessions. That is because breast milk is so cleanly and easily digested. It is digested about 90 minutes after it hits the digestive tract. That is why breastfed babies typically nurse every 2 -3 hours (timed from start to start). But if your dd is not crying to be fed and is gaining weight appropriately, then it sounds like she is getting enough from you at a 4 + hour schedule.

4) Most of us do not get the same amount pumping as dd would get nursing - a pump is no match for the natural phenomenon that occurs when a baby nurses. That's normal.

I agree - hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. If we typically need 64 oz a day to be well hydrated, plus the ounces baby takes out of you (by 6 months, that is estimated to be about 24 oz or more), then you would need to drink 88 + oz water per day. But one tip I found that worked well for me is to drink a full glass of water just before you pump. Somehow it signals the body that it is OK to let go of the water in your body and send it to make more milk.

Also, our bodies tend to make the most milk in the morning. So, I get up 30 minutes before dd and I pump. That one pumping I get about 6 or 7 ounces from. My second pumping of the day at lunch time I usually only get 4 ounces. My third pumping of the day at 5 or 6 pm, I am lucky to get 4 oz. I use the pumping in the a.m. to make up for the short fall in the other pumpings.

I HUGELY respect and admire that you want to keep nursing. I agree with all the pp that starting cereal is not the answer. Starting it too early can actually reduce some of the benefits of breastfeeding in baby's gut. But supplememting with formula can be tricky, too. You will need to feed more oz of formula, making baby's stomach bigger, and making it more difficult to get her good and full on less oz of breastmilk.

Take a look at this website, http://www.workandpump.com it helped me tremendously. DD was EBF'd to 6 1/2 months when I returned to work. We are still successfully breastfeeding and I have been back at work 2 months. I am away from home 9-10 hours per day. I am lucky that I can go nurse her at lunchtime, but it doesn't always happen.

p.s ETA...it took me two or three weeks after I returned to work to see an increase...I was getting 2 1/2 oz pumping at work at first. And it took a while to find a schedule that worked. Don't give up!