Pumping Help!

[Ruthla]

Some women just don't have as large a milk supply as others. And some women who DO have a good supply just don't respond to breastpumps very well.

You're not doing anything "wrong" that women with larger pumping outputs are doing differently. They just have different bodies.

Could you nurse the baby on only one side during the night, so you can pump the other side?

[nycmom18]

yep, agree with the pp. i have always fed on one breast at a feeding, and therefore, when i do pump-it used to be 5 oz, but has since dwindled to 3. i dont think i've lost supply, but just dont give it up to the pump anymore!

plus, if you're pumping after you feed, then most of your milk has just gone to babe. maybe just try pumping a little more frequently if it's not going to mess with your schedule and make sure you are relaxed when pumping, hopefully it will help!

[nelson]

Know what you're going thru...

I pump 5- 6oz per session but I only pump 2x, once at 11:00am and again at 3:00pm. Daycare said they would like to have 3, 6oz bottles each day for DS, this has been a major struggle. I also tried setting the alarm in the middle of the night to pump, but most of the time DS would be nursing or would have just gotten done nursing so there wasn't much to pump. I would also be exhausted and DS would sometimes wake up while I wasn't in bed. This obviously didn't work well for us. What I do now is take fenugreek, eat oatmeal and still pump 2x at work, again at night when DS is sleeping and during the day on weekends when DS is napping. I don't pump much during these other times but it helps a little. DS would never allow me to pump while he nurses he is way too curious about the pump to relax and he also likes to switch sides often. Sometimes all this still isn't enough and when I get up in the morning I have to pump a couple more oz. before daycare. I guess I didn't offer any helpful suggestions, just wanted to let you know that I understand...:

[heidirk]

As one of those women who can pump ridiculous amounts of milk, don't wish that on yourself.


Other problems come along if you have an easy letdown, lots of milk, etc.

If he always takes both sides no matter what you probably just have a small storage capacity. I'd try to fit in one more pumping each day. 2ozs per side is not unusual, and there is probably milk left in your breast that the pump simply cannot get.

after a while, with ds1 I couldn't pump no matter how full I was.

[heinz28]

MommytoC: I am with you regarding my awe at the women who can pump crazy amounts of milk in one session. It's a big day if I can get 2 ounces.

I'm trying all the suggestions -- oatmeal, fenugreek, pumping one side, etc. but not seeing any change yet. Let me know if you ever figure out something that works!