Tired of pumping/Low supply

[jojobee]

My daughter is 10 months old. She's exclusively breast fed for all 10 months. I pump at work for her and pump at home as well. Lately, I'm just feeling so d.o.n.e. with pumping. For example, I should be pumping right now instead of typing this post! I love breastfeeding her and do that when we are together. But this pumping stuff is for the birds. I guess it doesn't help that my supply seems to have dropped off. So I'm drinking Mother's Milk tea, eating oatmeal in the morning and taking Fenugreek. Anyone else tired of pumping or have words of encouragement? Advice on upping my supply? Thank you!

[Katie T]

Hugs to you, I know gatoraid helps some moms, or taking fenugreek. Have you posted on the breastfeeding boards here? They will have lots of helpful advise. You have done a wonderful thing for your daughter, and its not abnormal for you supply to go down as they get older. Mine always does, does she seem satisfied when she is nursing? Does she eat solid foods? (If she doesnt that is fine, mine didnt by choice) I hope you get some useful advise, the moms on the breastfeeding boards are amazing mamas!

[jildez]

you can do it! i know how tiring the pumping can be! At times i felt like the time i should be spending with my dear one was filled with pumping. Relax, the milk will be there, if you had enough before, you can get your production back up!

Is it possible/ worth it to you to try to get your dear one's schedule to be more oriented to eating at night, when you are home? Perhaps you are already doing this, but if not, think about co-sleeping and letting her snuggle with you. This worked well for me when i was a fulltime student and working (my son hates the bottle, and would go up to 4 1/2 hours during the day without one), and it is very helpful for supply too.

Only you and decide if you need to slow down on the pumping. Do you feel like your daughter will be comfortable with this? what would you need to do to make it an easier transition for her if you did? Since my son is younger then yours i can't give you any advice, but i do send hugs.

[razberry]

owwww mama i feel your pain!! i have a lovely 8months old girl that i have always breastfead....Two weeks ago ive started school and my girl never wanted anything to do with the bottle! finally with a lot of crying and loving from daddy she gave in.Ive been pumping mornings,before i go to school(1pm) and when i come back(11pm) I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!! my nipples feel like there about to come off they are extra elastic and im not getting much out of them.My girl drinks all night because she missed mama and i just dont know what to do?????? ive tried organic formula she didnt like it so please anybody HELP US!!!!

good luck to you,sorry i wasnt much help its just nice to see that someone else feels my pain

Rebecca mother toLAYLA the of my life

[claras_mom]

I've heard arguments for only pumping at work and nursing as much as possible at home in the evenings and on weekends. To be honest, at about the 9.5 month mark (a month ago, in other words), I threw in the towel on pumping. Dd2 is an enthusiastic eater of solid foods. I send her off to daycare with a lunch bag--foods chosen for moisture content as well as nutrition--and that's what she has during the day. She nurses non-stop in the evenings and overnight (we co-sleep, which minimizes the ups and downs).

I think my supply is actually higher than it was when I was trying to pump during the day. I know my stress level is down.

The drawback to this strategy is of course the interruptions to sleep. The advantage is never ever having to worry about forgetting the : pump, forgetting an essential part for the pump, forgetting to pump all together, not being able to get very much, etc. etc.

It is essentially the same scenario that developed with my older dd--can't really say my thinking was all that organized with C. At 12 months, I did introduce cow's milk but continued to nurse and at 5, she's still latching on every few days.