I Miss Being Engorged!!!!!!!!!!!

[Laura-Ku]

I Miss Being Engorged!!!!!!!!!!!
ok...so I'd have huge, lumpy, painful breasts, but at least I'd know that I had an adequate supply!

Last night after Kayla had slept for 5 hrs (yeah!), and woke to eat, I went downstairs to pump the other breast. After 20 min. of pumping and massaging, all I got was 2 oz.

2 OZ!!!!!! How can that be??? Is it possible that my body knows the difference between milk required during the day vs. night, and that my body knew that she shouldn't have been eating from that breast for another 3 hours when she would normally have woken up again?

I start pumping this weekend so that I can return to work and put Kayla in daycare, and I'm worried that I have a supply issue!

This morning I brought her into bed and she ate/slept for 45 min. I must have had 5 letdowns...but when I went to pump the other breast again, I didn't even get enough to cover the bottom of the bottle!!!

Also - my left breast used to ALWAYS leak - even up until a few days ago, and now...nothing!

I have been really stressed lately; about returning to work, taking Kayla to daycare, and the fact that she is refusing a bottle. If my supply problem is due to stress, how long will it take for my supply to return once I settle down?

She went from 3-5 poopy diapers per day down to 0-2 (if she misses a day she has a HUGE one the following day). Not sure if that means that she is not getting enough to eat...still has wet diapers.

[eilonwy]

You sound just like me!

To get your pumping supply up:

1. Pump after *every* nursing session; after a few, you'll notice a definate increase in supply. If you only nurse on one side, you can try pumping one side while you nurse on the other.

2. Drink lots of water and eat some oatmeal before you nurse. I'm not sure why the oatmeal helps, but it really does.

3. Sometimes it helps to have a picture of your baby; I did really well with the pajamas my little man wore [when he was in NICU and i needed to pump]. The smell of sweet baby was enough to start the flood of milk.

4. Relax Stress can definately affect how much you pump. Spend as much time as you can holding & being with your lovely little person.

How old is your baby? After a certain period of time, your milk supply will match your baby's demand, and you won't be engorged so often. It also makes it harder to pump without some hard work, but you can totally do this! I hope my suggestions help you out, and good luck!