Production dropping. Trying not to freak out.

[catroddick]

I’ve been back to work full-time for 3 weeks now, pumping twice a day, and it looks like my production is dropping. DD will be 16 weeks on Thursday, and is managing to consume 2-4 oz. more than I am pumping each day, so the freezer stash is getting depleted.

I started fenugreek 2 weeks ago, which helped at first (increase of roughly 2oz per day), but I’m not keeping up now. I do drink lots of water, so I don’t think hydration is an issue.

I’m trying not to freak out, but breastfeeding is really important to me. Not that I necessarily have anything against formula. But I love breastfeeding, and I feel like I’m still contributing even though I’m gone all day. I realize freaking out probably doesn’t help production either- and I’m trying not to let THAT freak me out too.

I swear- I’m normally level headed. Apparently this is my weak spot.

Please, any tips? Other than the obvious “calm down!!”. Would a third pump help? I’m currently getting 2-3 oz per breast per pump with my Medela PIS. And my afternoon pump is much lighter than my morning pump.

Help!!

[mommylamb]

I went back to work when DS was 12 weeks and breastfed and pumped until he turned 1. I used to breastfeed him in the morning before I left for work, and I would pump 3 times a day at the office. My production fell off a little, but I was still producing an awful lot. But, I also was an over producer in the beginning. Always waking up in big puddles of milk. Yucky.

Even with all that pumping and all that milk, he also drank all of the frozen supply I'd saved while I was on maternity leave, and by 7 months old, I started supplementing with formula. I supplemented until he turned 1 and we moved to cows milk.

I think the important thing is to give yourself a break and don't stress out over it. If you have to supplement with formula, that's ok. You can still keep feeding her as much breast milk as you've got and she'll get all the goodness of it. And if you stop, it's ok. but if you stress about it, it probably will make your supply go down faster. Don't worry, you're being a good mama. It's hard to work full time and breastfeed. There's so much pressure on women to breastfeed these days, but it's ok to do the best you can, even if that means you supplement (or even if it means you decide to go to formula entirely. It's ok. It's not like you're not using a car seat or something.)

[pb&j]

Yes, an additional pumping session would help.

Other tips:
-Change your membranes - the tiny little white flaps. I change mine about once per month
-Eat oatmeal
-Nurse as much as you possibly can when you're with the baby. I WOTH FT, and typically nurse when she wakes up (anywhere from 5:30 - 7am), before I leave the house (8am), when I get home from work (5:30) and before bedtime (7pm).
-Add a nighttime pumping session. I haven't been doing this w/DD b/c she eats like a bird, but w/DS, I would pump every night around 10pm, before I went to bed. I'd only get 2-3 oz, maybe 4 on occasion, but it was juuuust enough that I didn't deplete my freezer stash.
-Making sure you are consuming plenty of calories
-Pump hands-free, and do something to occupy your mind while pumping. I get much better production when I'm reading a trashy novel or doing Sudoku than I do just staring at the wall.
-Accept that there are times when your supply will be up, and times when it will be down. You are a human, not a machine! I have days when I pump 10oz during my morning pumping sessions, and days when I pump 5 or 6. Some of it might be hormone-related, but sometimes I don't know why my supply is what it is.

ETA: I returned to work when DS was 8 wks old, and pumped till he was 11mos. He never had formula, but I had to stress way more than I really needed to. DD is now almost 7 mos, I returned to work at 12 wks, and I am hoping that she, too will make it to a year w/o formula. It can be done, but it is very, very hard work, and very, very stressful.

[catroddick]

Thank you both- the encouragement alone is helpful.

I had no idea about changing membranes. I've been pumping since we brought her home (though very minimally while I was home), so they could need to be changed out. And I love oatmeal! I can definitely try that!

[catroddick]

So one more question. If we do have to supplement with formula occasionally- should husband just mix up a bottle of formula and feed it straight? Or should he try to blend formula and breast milk- for example- mix 2 oz of breast milk with 2 oz of formula?

I’m trying all the tricks and hoping to get caught back up. But if she depletes the freezer supply, husband will have to resort to supplementing. What is the best way to do this?

[star04]

I am no breastfeeding expert (I haven't had my baby yet), but I discovered this while looking at their other products. It's Earth Mama Angel Baby Milkmaid Tea (http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/products/product_pages/breastfeeding/Milkmaid%20Tea(Box).php). It is supposed to help with production. Here are some reviews (http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/products/other_mamas_saying/Milkmaid%20Tea/breastfeeding.php). You could give this a try. I hope all works out for you.

[twowhat?]

I would also nurse as often as I am able, as previously suggested. Baby is much more efficient at getting milk out than the pump is. If Baby is STTN, then you can add a pump session before you go to bed, and that will help. I really think that the reason it is so hard to exclusively pump is because the pump really is just not as efficient as the baby is.

For supplementing, I would just give a bottle of formula when you need to. On days where you are getting a good supply, your baby can have mostly breastmilk and one bottle of formula (and any unused breastmilk can go into your freezer stash). On days where you are not getting as much pumped milk, baby can have your stored breastmilk, or formula depending on how your freezer stash is looking.

[ewpmsw]

Maybe talking to a lactation consultant would give you some reassurance and info on what is happening. I noticed a decrease in supply around the same time you mentioned and assumed it was a natural part of breastfeeding.

The only time I ever noticed an unnatural decrease was when I tried to take Welbutrin (dd was six months). That was drastic. The prescribing doctor and the pharmacists at CVS said Welbutrin wasn't a likely cause, but my midwife and lactation consultant said it can definitely decrease milk supply. Apparently some antidepressants can have this effect. I never got a good reason why. Good luck to you!

[Momof3Labs]

Definitely add a third pumping at work - 2 probably isn't enough for such a young baby. And see the thread from last night about changing membranes. I posted a pumping strategy on there that I got from pumpmoms (yahoo group) years ago and made a world of difference in my pumping output - so much so that I donated 1100oz when DS2 was a baby, and still had an overflowing freezer.

[mommylamb]

So one more question. If we do have to supplement with formula occasionally- should husband just mix up a bottle of formula and feed it straight? Or should he try to blend formula and breast milk- for example- mix 2 oz of breast milk with 2 oz of formula?

I’m trying all the tricks and hoping to get caught back up. But if she depletes the freezer supply, husband will have to resort to supplementing. What is the best way to do this?

I think it depends on whether your DD takes well to formula. Some kids don't like it at first because it's not what they're used to, so it helps to mix it. My DS had problems with bottles in general, but once he accepted the bottle, it didn't really matter what I put in it. But lots of people mix formula with breast milk.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I don't mix breastmilk with formula. I offer the breastmilk first and if she wants more, I pour some formula into the empty bottle. That way if she doesn't finish it, I am only wasting formula and not precious breastmilk.

[catroddick]

yeah, it's tough- she's not picky about breast vs. bottle. But since she's never had anything other than breastmilk, I don't know how she'll respond to formula. DH could be in for a hassle, or she could take to it as easy as she does everything else.

I'll try for the 3rd pumping. Between snacking, peeing, and pumping, I just don't feel like I'm productive at all at work right now. But they keep paying me- so far....