[Summertime Mommy]

I need to find a job because our financial situation is terrible. My dd is 7 months old and still nursing at least 5 times a day or more. The problem is, I can't pump much at all. Every now and then I can get 4 oz in an hour, but most days I'm lucky to get an ounce. I am using the medela PIS, which is supposed to be a good pump, but I just can't get any milk. I do not want to give up my nursing relationship with dd. Honestly, I would rather be completely broke (like I am now) than mess up bfing. Any advice at all would be great.

 

[KoalaMommy]

Your experience is totally normal, mama. I went back to work for a while and I could only pump 2-3 oz in a session. Have you tried pumping one breast while nursing on the other? Each morning I would do this for our first nursing of the morning. I would often get 2 oz from that breast in that one session, though never at any other time. The great thing about pumping while nursing is that the baby causes the natural let down which is better than the one the pump causes. Also, pumping both sides at once helps with let down while pumping. I got a pumping bra that enabled me to pump hands free and also helped the pumping while nursing situation.

You may find you're able to pump more as time goes on. I never got more than 3 oz at a time while pumping, but I would pump twice for every time my dd would need to eat. I also took feungreek supplements to increase my supply and that helped some.

 

[mightymoo]

I second the pumping while baby is nursing. When I worked & pumped, I would keep an Isis next to my bed and that first morning feeding was like gold - I could easily get 4-5 ounces while she nursed the other side where during the day I often could only get 3-4oz on both breasts pumping for like 30 minutes on my PIS.

If you don't have a job yet, you could also look for a job that would let you minimize the time you are away from her, or at least perhaps take a break in the middle and go nurse her yourself. I realize this might be hard, but you could keep in mind while you are looking. I made a commitment when I went back to go and nurse her at noon everyday during my lunch break. I drove about 15 min to be with her for 30 then back again, then ate lunch while working at my desk. I tell you it was the best part of my day and made the whole pumping thing easier since I had less to produce.

I found that as she got older, she never took more expressed BM than she did when she first went. When I quit work when she was 10 mo, she was still taking just 4oz in the morning, nursing with me at noon and another 4oz in the afternoon, with an occaisional 2oz snack right before pickup - the same amount she ate when she was 3 mo - as she got older she just upped the solids during the day and nursed more in the evening and at night. (I always sent an extra bonus bottle just in case she was more hungry)

Also, keep in mind that if you are pumping between nursing sessions (rather than instead of them like you will while working) you are not going to get as much as it will take a while for your supply to adjust to the additional load. When you are replacing a session, then you aren't upping supply, just retrieving it differently, if that makes sense.

 

[Salema]

Try any/all of the following:

time and patience - the more you pump, the more you will get!

oatmeal
b vitamins
fenugreek
mother's milk tea (by traditional medicinals or whatever other brand)
brewers yeast

a close friend just had some supply issues and successfully tried these!
Dr. Sears' breastfeeding book is at the library and is also helpful!
Good luck!

 

[cielle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mightymoo I second the pumping while baby is nursing. When I worked & pumped, I would keep an Isis next to my bed and that first morning feeding was like gold - I could easily get 4-5 ounces while she nursed the other side where during the day I often could only get 3-4oz on both breasts pumping for like 30 minutes on my PIS.

Do you mind describing how you did this? I can't seem to use the Isis with one hand.

 

[AmandaBL]

I was going to say thet I actually do better with the Isis than the PIS. I don't know why - it feels like a LOT less suction, but it works better for me. Good luck - & good job for sticking with it.

 

[maxwill129]

What kind of job are you looking for? Are you looking for something that will make you $50,000 a year or something like being a cashier at your local gorcery store? If it's the latter, could you find a nanny job in your area where you could bring your dd with? I did this with my ds and only worked 2 and 1/2 days a week and still made $1100 a month. I know there are families out there that would rather have a nanny (so their child can stay at home) and don't mind if their nanny has their own kid(s). I found a great family that loved having my ds there, because their dd was about my ds's age. Then you wouldn't have to worry about pumping at all. Just a suggestion.

S.