Any moms here not able to BF?

[AustinMom]

I'm just curious. I could use some encouragement to keep pumping. I pump every 3-4 hours and get about 1.5 ounces each time. Can't BF. Just wondering if anyone wants to share stories and give support.

[WifeofAnt]

I'm so DDCC but have you tried eating oatmeal? I heard it actually very effective at helping you produce more milk. Pumping is a big commitment and many moms don't make it very long. I wish there was an applause smilie... I guess this will have to do!!

[reneeisorym]

You are doing a wonderful thing. I only made it 6 weeks exclusively pumping. It really hurt my feelings to quit. I just couldn't do it anymore.
You are amazing for doing that for your baby. I hope it's encouraging to know that I admire you for doing it!!!!!

[Illiana]

Fenugreek, oatmeal, blessed thistle, glass of wine or a beer are all good ways to boost supply. there are a few prescription ways but i've never tried them.

Why are you unable to bf? Just curious, not trying to pry.

Couple of tips for pumping. Pump every 1-2 hours for 5 minutes each side. Most women get the most out of pumping within the first 5 minutes so it's just frustrating to go at it for 10+ minutes with little to no output.

Go in a dark, quiet place and/or some where you can relax (i put on a movie or a tv show i like.) Or go to the opposite side of the spectrum and pump for a few minutes while baby is doing his hungry cry so that you can catch that letdown.

Put a towel/blanket/shirt over the pump. If you can't see how much is or isn't coming out then you can't stress yourself out over it until after you've pumped.. Usually women will get more out if they can't directly see the output until they're done pumping.



If I had to exclusively pump for dd I wouldn't have made it. I only got 1-1.5 ounces at a time, but i didn't know these tips then. I actually got more out from hand expressing than I did from pumping. I tried manual hand pumps, cheap electric ones and even got a double electric PIS. I wasn't working so pumping wasn't necessary. Pumping isn't any indication as to how much milk you get when baby nurses fyi. While I only ever got a little out when pumping, dd was always on the "average" side of weight gain as a baby. She even went on to nurse for 3 years.

[bri276]

I pumped exclusively for DD1 for 21 months because she had a cleft palate and I would never have made it without this group, I really encourage you to join:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EPers/

[bri276]

Couple of tips for pumping. Pump every 1-2 hours for 5 minutes each side. Most women get the most out of pumping within the first 5 minutes so it's just frustrating to go at it for 10+ minutes with little to no output.

I don't mean sound argumentative, but it's a lot different when you're depending on the pump 100% for your supply. I do this now for my breastfed-at-the-tap baby, but it wouldn't have worked for EP'ing. You get more letdowns later on, and they're the good, fatty hindmilk. It's important for EP'ers to pump 15-20 minutes (or sometimes more depending on your schedule) at a time to provide enough stimulation, and almost everyone I knew who was is able to go long term (a year or more) has a very good quality double pump.

Good luck, OP. It's a tough road.

[Baby~Braatens~Mama]

You are amazing and powerful and you CAN do this! It helps for me to pump when my lo is in the room, but that doesn't usually work out for obvious reasons. So, I close my eyes and picture him. His hungry latch look, with his little eyes all squinty and his eyebrows shoved together. Him looking oh so very hungry and irritated at having to wait so long. Then I breathe in through my nose and pretend that I am smelling him. It encourages let down. When I first started having a piece of his clothing that he had worn to smell helped stimulate the process. I couldn't squeeze an ounce when I was focused on the fact that the pump was a... PUMP! The imagining my LO as this pathetic sucker (a pump does not suck nearly as well imo) and listening the annoying click sabotoged me! When I can pretend the tick is really gulps, and my baby is in my arms instead of a pump attached to my breast, I can pump out 3.5 ounces in about 10 minutes on a side. I couldn't do this when I first started, and I have to be relaxed before it will work. Now I can't pump for more than 10 minutes, because I don't want to increase my supply, just get a back up for my hungry babe.

So... try to visualize! It may feel silly at first, but when it starts working you will be able to ease into productively pumping without the stress. Hope this helps!

Wish you the best of luck!

[AustinMom]

I can't believe I have gotten this much support. I think the post CS thing has left me feeling pretty abandoned, so THANKS so much, ALL of YOU!!

So, our LONG story. We had trouble with our first BFing, quit 3 weeks PP. This one, since she was in the NICU I couldn't hold or BF till day 3. My milk didn't come in till day 8. When it did, we were pumping and feeding with SNS. I hate the SNS, have tried it multiple time, don't like it and the Lactation aid is not any better IMO. I didn't have any breast changes this pregnancy, and my MW said she thinks it's the lack of glandular tissue that is causing this.

We are taking Domperidone, More milk plus (that has fenugreek, blessed thistle, and more stuff), goat's rue, shatavari and I'm eating A LOT of oatmeal, good thing I like it!

When we went through our first battle of nipple confusion, we went to breast only and dealt with that ordeal. Solely BFing, from 2 weeks to 4.5, she only gained 3 ounces. She would feed and feed and not get enough. Even when we gave her a bottle, it would take her 1 1/2 hrs to drink 2 ounces. NOT normal. So, basically she was feeding REALLY ineffectively and caused her to have almost 'failure to thrive' no weight gain, so we were BACK in the hospital. They did no tests or anything, but all noticed an odd gland under her tongue only on the left side that was much larger than the other. This was causing her tongue to be off balance and not be able to feed. So she got better with the bottle, since we had to be on that to quantify how much she was eating and how long it would take her. Finally bottle was easy to feed from, saw and ENT and the tongue thing was gone, he said it sounded like a saliva gland that wasn't draining right, and has resolved itself, but if it comes back, come see them again.

So, we went (before the ENT) to weighing before and after a BF to see how much she got and then we would pump afterwards and keep track of how much milk I made in a day. That was all a HUGE hassle and it would take still 1 hr to feed from breast and then bottle (we used the SNS then too and again, it's too stressful), and I couldn't do that home alone with a 2YO and baby all day. So, we went to pumping only and now make twice as much milk just pumping. WEIRD, I know. So pumping she is getting more milk and its easier for us, so that is what we are doing.

I agree on the longer pumping to get hind milk, we usually go 15-20 min or till I don't get anything for 2min. Through the night, I used to pump when she woke to feed, but it's too much in the middle of the night, so I have her stumble and nurse just to take away the engorgement (she won't nurse longer than that if it's not really dripping and I'm squeezing to have it come out as well).

As far as supplementing, we are homemaking our formula. A GREAT recipe that's from the Weston A Price Foundation. My son had an intolerance to milk once we started him on cow's mink formula (the protein, not the lactose), then allergic to soy, even the hypoallergenic formulas caused issues, he couldn't do goat's milk, so finally after being sick 8 months (by sick I mean 2 ruptured ear drums, 6 ear infections, strep, allergies, penicilin eryothema multiformi rash (another word for H3ll!) due to the ear infection antibiotics) we found Hempmilk, he went on that and hasn't been sick since. He was 8 months though, and on solid, so I was fine doing a milk alternative and not fortifying it since he was getting his nutrition form food too. A newborn doesn't so that was too risky for me.

So, it's been crazy. Thanks for the link to the group, I'll have to join that.

The visualization sounds like a great idea. It's hard to do though during the day, as when I sit down to pump, she usually starts crying, and or my 2 YO has to go potty, etc. At night, I think I may pick it back up. I have a sports bra I have to cut some bigger holes in with the pump I'm using now so I can make it hands free.

I have an AMEDA elite pump from WIC, I was using a Medela that we rented from the hospital, so I know they are good pumps. I also do hand expressing after till I don't get anything after 3 expresses.

SIGH. Thanks for reading if you did. I know it's long, but if I'm missing any tips, LET ME KNOW!!!

Thanks again

[Kelly1101]

Not here myself, but *hugs* You sound like you're doing fantastic.

[AustinMom]

Originally Posted by bri276

I pumped exclusively for DD1 for 21 months because she had a cleft palate and I would never have made it without this group, I really encourage you to join:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EPers/

I tried to join this, but don't have and ISP email account, just a gmail, so I'm 'rejected'.

Oh well.....oh well.

[pacifica]

No advice, but I wanted to say....YOU ROCK! Go Mama!

[bri276]

Ugh! can you create another account just for that? it's really worth it...I just had a stupid hotmail account and it worked fine

[AustinMom]

Originally Posted by bri276

Ugh! can you create another account just for that? it's really worth it...I just had a stupid hotmail account and it worked fine

yeah they said gmail, yahoo, hotmail, etc would be rejected. I guess it's something new they started, grrr

[happyblessedmama]

No advice, but I'm also BFing and using a SNS to supplement. Not sure why I have low supply this time around - I had trouble with getting my milk to come in after the c/s (previous couple babies, milk came in in under 24h, really!); and the supply hasn't been awesome. I'm not willing to do reglan (BTDT) for supply, no access to domperidone, have tried various herbs, etc.

So... just a little SNS support, and an "it can be so hard!" ((hugs))