Help...again!!!

It may seem silly to ask but are you drinking enough water? When i went back to work I kinda forgot how much I needed and realized that simple thing was shorting my supplyl.

Go rent a hospital grade pump!!! I own a Madela Pump in style but it does not work as well as the hospital grade pump. I had to use one when I went back to work to keep my milk supply. Please try it!
I used Superior Medical Products in Woodbury, MN. Your hospital lactation consultant can help you find someplace close to you.
It cost $50 bucks per month with a $50 deposit which is still way cheaper than buying formula each month.

Pumping while working full time is the hardest thing to do, no matter how much breastmilk you can give your child you are still doing a great thing. Don't feel guilty if you have to suppliment with formula. I say this as someone who nursed for a year so I am not trying to discourage you, I just don't want your baby to go hungry and be unhappy while you are at work.

You could also try to pump on one side while you nurse on the other even when you are with your child. I pumped every single feeding except at night for 8 months, when I was with my child to help increase my milk supply for the week when I was at work. I pumped most in the mornings and it decreased as the day went on, I pumped 4 times per day and some pump sessions I would only get 1-2 ounces total but when you add that to the daily pumping total it was enough.

Hi B.,
I have so been there! The stress must be affecting your supply as well. I think everyone has really great suggestions. There is one other thing that I never tried, but it is an option. It's a drug called Reglan that is prescribed for ulcers; however, it has a side effect of increasing milk supply. That being said, I would try everything else first because using pharmaceuticals should be a last resort. I just wanted to mention it because I got the same recommendation when I posted about this topic 3 years ago. Good luck. Also, oatmeal has been reported to help. I also took a tincture from Mother Love http://www.motherlove.com/

Brewer's Yeast and Fenugreek help.

You are right about all of the things you listed affecting your supply. Try taking Fenugreek. You can find it a vitamin stores. Eat lots of oatmeal, there are recipes for really good lactation cookies online. The oatmeal itself has worked wonders for me. Most importantly is nurse as often as possible and make sure you are pumping when you're away from your baby. Since breast milk production goes by supply and demand it is possible to do formula during the day and just nurse at night. It wouldn't be any different than if your baby were older and eating solids all day and nursing in the evenings. Is there a reason you offered formula tonight? If you want to increase your supply you need to not offer anything but the breast when you are with baby. www.kellymom.com is a great breastfeeding resource.

Hi B.,
I've had milk supply issues with both of my children, and I agree with what the other posters have said about stress lowering your milk supply and oatmeal, lactation cookies, fenugreek/mother's milk tea, etc. increasing it.

I also wanted to mention the importance of drinking enough water. I "spike" my water with just a bit of lemonade to help me drink more. With my first child, I drank all my drinks through a straw, which also helped me drink more. This time around, I purchased several Camelbak BPA free bottles from Amazon. They are wonderful -- I take them everywhere with me. And, I don't have to worry about my toddler spilling my drink every 2 seconds! :-)

http://www.amazon.com/Camelbak-90041-CamelBak-Tube-Extend...

Good luck, and just remember that you are not alone!

B.,

I can very much understand that fear that you are doing something wrong..honestly..you have made it longer then most woment do breast feeding and should be proud of yourself for that! Be sure you are drinking a TON of water and I would also stop taking the mini pill or at least talk to your doctor about that...As for her formula issue..she will eat when she is hungry..try mixing some of your expressed milk with formula..2 to 2 or so..and then gradually increase her formula amount as you seem to be decreasing the amount that you are getting! Don't be discouraged...you have done awesome..sometimes it just does not work to nurse and go back to work...definately try to make sure you are drinking more water and staying hydrated because the less hydrated you are then the less milk your body will produce! Also try to nurse right when you get home and right before you go to work...it may help to decrease the time span between her nursing. You are doing great...don't worry..she will eat if she is hungry!

Hi B.,
You shouldn't feel horrible. All of the things you mentioned can affect your milk supply so this problem is most likely temporary. With both of my sons, my milk supply dipped at 4 months. I just nursed them more. If you choose to nurse only at night and on the weekends, your body will adjust and your baby will get the milk. The baby gets more from the breast than from the pump. I would have your pump checked and see if you can talk to a lactation specialist in your area. You can also contact La Leche league on-line and get help from an on-line specialist. Also, stress can affect your milk supply. A lactation specialist told me to have a picture of my baby or look at him while I was nursing, not the amount in the collection bottles. Believe it or not, it worked! I know it's stressful, especially since you are working, but it will get better. Hang in there!

As others have said, I'd get off the pill. I used the depo provera shot both times that I nursed and it didn't affect my supply. I nursed 12 months with my first and 13 months with my second (working full time and pumping). I had to supplement with formula with my first daughter - I gave her bottles (some formula, some breastmilk) on the weekends instead of nursing her when I was home (my logic was that I wanted to keep things consistent for her - nurse morning and night and bottles during the day). With my 2nd she had bottles at day care and I only nursed the rest of the time - made it 13 months with no formula and didn't have a problem with my supply. If you need to supplement it's not the end of the world, but I think getting off the pill would really help. If you're nursing at all you're doing a wonderful thing for your baby. Good luck!

I don't have any more advice, but wanted to share my experience with you.

I went back to work FT when my son was 5 months old. I hadn't planned on working FT, but I was laid off from my PT job, and my husband's hours were cut, so I took the job I could get at the time. To top it off, we were in the middle of moving and dealing with a childcare crisis.

I drank water and mother's tea until I thought I'd float away. I meditated, ate oatmeal, and pumped like a banshee. I NEVER got the same response from a pump as I did from my baby. I would go in the lactation room and after 30 minutes, I'd have 1 oz. I'd get a little more if I hand-expressed.

In the end, it wasn't worth it for me. I was coming home after 10-11 hours of being away from my son with 2 or 3 oz of milk--barely enough to mix in with his cereal. He took a bottle while I was away from him, and started rejecting the breast. I didn't feel like spending the short time I had in the evenings and weekends with him screaming because I wouldn't give him a bottle. On the day he turned 6 months old, I put the last of my expressed milk in his cereal and that was the end of it.

I am crying as I type this. Breastfeeding becomes so emotional. But I am proud of the 6 months of breastmilk I gave my son!!

I am just trying to say that if you need to supplement with formula or you think you need to just completely switch, or you just nurse her once or twice a day, you are NOT evil, selfish, or any of the other adjectives people might come up with. In the end, your baby needs a happy mama! Good luck to you!

Things to help increase milk supply:

1. Pump every 2-4 hours for at least 10-15 minutes on each side

2. Eliminate or minimize intake of milk production inhibitors (medications like Sudafed, tobacco, mint, sage, parsley)

3. Add to diet or increase consumption of these herbs/foods:

– anise, basil, blessed thistle, caraway, chasteberry, cotton, fennel, squawvine, verbena

4. Healthy nursing tea/3x daily and it contains almost all above mentioned herbs.

I agree with all that has been said but I also want to let you know that I went a long time of not having "enough" for my daughter. For some strange reason I went months adding 2 ounces of formula to my milk. I just couldn't pump enough. This does not make you a bad mom and I know how stressful this is. I cried many a night. I just want you to forgive yourself for this and understand that we're all different and that though formula isn't as good, it still does the job. You're still a great mom. Also, my doc said I could start solids at this time as well which then helped. I know many moms don't start until six months but talk with your doc. I'm sorry if this seems too forward, I just remember the emotional agony of having to let go of being her primary source.

You've gotten some awesome advice here, but I just wanted to add a few things:
Please check out kellymom.com because there is SOOO much good information there!
If you are on livejournal, there is a fantastic breastfeeding community with lots of information, too. There is also a working & pumping community called working cows I believe. ;) Lots of support there!
Don't offer formula until you MUST -- until then do everything you can to increase your supply. The more you nurse, the more milk you will make. Adding formula will eventually decrease your supply, because your baby won't be trying to nurse for it.
Four months is a prime time for a growth spurt. Keep your baby at the breast as much as possible -- it WILL get better!
When you're home with the babe, try nursing and pumping at the same time. It takes a little coordination, but it really was the best way for me to get some extra milk and not spend the weekend worrying about how much I needed to pump. I found that if I did it consistently in the morning, I got a LOT more milk. Usually I could pump 4 oz. off one side while nursing my son on the other. It's also a time saver, since you are already sitting down and breastfeeding.
Good luck!

If yu took an antihistamine to help with your cold that is the reason your milk is drying up. Also, since your body is battling a cold, working and trying to nurse, your body doesn't know what to fix first. If your married see if your hubby can watch the little ne and you take some Nyquil, that does NOT dry your milk up. If not find someone you trust to watch the little one and get some rest.

I went through similar situations. I tried Fenugreek but my doctor suggested 2 pills, 3-4 times a day (stronger than what was recommended on the bottle). I pump while feeding my daughter, especially in the morning when my supply is highest. I also have a difficult time pumping enough at work. I felt guilty at first, but decided that at the end of the day when I make the bottles, however much I'm short, I just add formula. For me it's 2 bottles and I usually have a ratio of 3/4 breast milk to 1/4 formula in each. Sometimes it's closer to 1/2 and 1/2. My daughter didn't have any formula until my supply decreased after having the flu and did fine with a mixture. When my daughter is not at daycare, I only nurse which has increased my supply.

You've gotten great advice so far. you sound like me when I had my first. I gave up after 7 months of nursing b/c I was feeling like I couldn't keep up and was having to supplement with 1/2 and 1/2 breast milk and formula. Pumping doesn't yield as much as nursing does with the baby. Just relax b/c stress will affect your flow also. You may want to try some nursing mothers tea- I am doing that now with my second and since I have returned to work. Can't say if it really does 'make' me produce more but I feel like I am diong everything that I can to provide for her. Usually I will make a cup before I pump and drink it while pumping to relax.

As for the whole, missing 'sessions for meetings' I do this on a weekly basis!! I am usually pumping at different times at work b/c of meetings and whatever is going on. Just make sure when you get a chance make an effort to pump even if it is only for a couple of minutes and for releif. Breasts are amazing and will 'bounce' back to providing as much as your baby needs.

A couple thoughts...

I pumped full time w/ my first; he got 4 6-8 oz bottles in a 7 hour period at daycare. I pumped 4x a day and at least once a day on weekends to "keep up". I did NOT get a full bottle every time I pumped. I found that the more I stressed about it, the less likely my milk was to let down. I found I NEEDED to be consistent--I pumped first thing in the am to get more milk on weekends, and I needed that morning pump on weekdays, too--I have a 45 minute commute along a country highway and pumped for 45 minutes in the car. I got the bulk of my milk then. I definitely noticed the difference when I was sick (oddly--I've had food poisoning to the point where I was fairly dehydrated nursing baby #2 and it didn't diminish milk at all--but we were nursing exclusively, not pumping). Also, around 3-4 months, I also felt desperate and like I couldn't keep up. I don't know how old your baby is, but that was definitely my worst time. I didn't have any PPD effects after having him; around 3-4 months I was so swamped with work, nobody was in the "oh, you're a new mommy" phase anymore, giving me slack; they expected me to be back to work and 100% despite pumping and not sleeping at night--I was stressed, baby was growing; it was hard. We made it through it, but just barely. If you suspect baby is growing, you might consider just sticking it out. On the other hand, there's no shame in going to formula when you're gone. I've heard of some moms who dry up when they go to nursing more sporadically, but most nursing folks (lactation consultants, LLL) will tell you you absolutely can nurse just when you're home.

You sound like a great mom, take a deep breath and just know that however much breast milk you are able to give your daughter is just fine. Pumps are great, but sometimes your body is just not fooled into thinking it is your baby nursing, so production goes down. When I pump, I always get more if I have one of my son's burp cloths or something else that smells like him resting on my shoulder and I try to look at a picture of him or close my eyes and try to completely relax.

Even if you have to stop pumping during the day and only nurse your daughter in the morning and at night, she will still benefit greatly! And if that doesn't work and you turn to formula, know that it is still good for her. You gave her 4 months of breastmilk, and that is amazing!

If you do decide to stop pumping during the day, try giving her a bottle of half breast milk and half formula so she'll like the taste better. Formula tastes a lot different from breast milk, and it may take your daughter a little while to get used to the taste.

Best wishes! And happy mother's day early!

Try a natural food store and speak to the rep there about supplements that will help increase/stimulate your supply. I had to do that for the whole time I nursed because I went back to work at 6 weeks part time. It wasn't fun but i knew that I wanted to nurse and that it was the healthiest and most natural thing I could do for my baby. We nursed for 1 year. good luck!

Lactation tea worked great for me. you can get it at any health food/organic store.

My best advice to increse your milk is to keep pumping. I exclusively pumped for my son until he was 7 mths old (I got pregnant again and that did me in supply wise). Whenever my supply would start to go away, I would pump more frequently. I know you're working, but even if you just pump for 2-3 minutes it does help. Also, I bought a Medela Pump N Style, which helped a lot. They have great customer service too, with lactation consultants you can talk to. If nursing doesn't work out, don't feel bad about it. The important thing is you've tried and anything is better than nothing. When we introduced formula, our son didn't like it either. We started by mixing 1 oz formula with breast milk and increased it over roughly a week. He did great with it after he got used to it. Good luck!

the day I went home from the hospital after having my daughter they gave me the depo shot. (my daughter was born 3 months early, weighing 1 lb. 14 oz), I was also sent home with a pump. I pumped religously wanting my daughter to have the benefit of breast milk, still after 4 weeks I was lucky to get an ounce or 2! I was ticked off when the nurses in the IICU finally said to me..." you know if you don't want to pump you don't have too!", but then I expressed how hard I'd been trying. I met with a breastmilk specialist (i forgot what they really called them, lol) and that's when I was told they should have never givin me the depo shot (becaust it drys up milk)!!! I was pretty ticked off, but YOu know what... the milk in the begining is most important and thats what she got! She is now 6, big, and healthy. So atleast you got 4 months. :) I wonder if you mixed breast milk and formula... slightly making the formula portion more day by day? I don't know... just a thought. Good Luck!

I agree with what's been said but have a few more things to add.

Make sure you tell the daycare that you only want her to drink a couple ounces at a time. It would also be good if you could feed her weekday mornings before daycare and always feed her when picking her up from daycare (maybe even before you leave the center). You could let them know that you would like to feed her when you pick her up so if there is any way for them to not feed her for a couple of hours before that, it would help also. Hopefully you are using slow flow nipples as well so that she is not over eating. If you offer bottles in 2-3oz at a time, she will be less likely to over eat.

Another thing that can really help your supply is night nursing/co-sleeping. Your prolactin levels are highest between 1-5am, so any feedings during those hours really boost the supply for the day. I would suggest co-sleeping and feeding on demand through out the whole night. This will also be very comforting to your LO since she is away from you during the day.

I would definitely not pump during the weekends, feeding straight from the breast is the best way to keep your supply up and it's the best thing for your baby.

When you are at work make sure you are pumping at least once every 3-4 hours. If you go longer than that your supply will really suffer.

Try to relax! That will help in itself, good luck!

E.

First off, take a deep breathe! Relax and listen to the moms writing you :)
I have 10 week old twins and totally lost it when I found out after 4 weeks that I didn't have enough milk for the two of them (after talking with friends that did!). I have very strong feelings against formula because of allergies on both sides (and I was allergic to milk as a child!).
First off, how long are you pumping at your sessions? I was told by my doc and lac. consultant to nurse first then pump an additional 10-15 minutes afterwards to help stimulate milk supply. How long does your little one nurse when you are around? How often do you nurse when you are there? Have you tried any supplements to help boost supply? These supplements don't work for everyone (I'm currently trying one now and not overly impressed, but have spoke to moms that swear by them). How much water are you drinking? How often are you pumping at work (it should be every 3-4 hours)? If you have a meeting coming up, pump early. It doesn't hurt at all :) Make sure you have a good pump. That is one of the most important things to have! I had a "cheapy" with my now 4 yr old, but when I found out we were having twins I got a double pump. I actually got one at a rummage from a gal that didn't use it but a small handfull of time. It's the Medela Pump in Style. Normally it's about a $250 item, but I got it for $50. Then I bought my own new tubes, etc....it came with a battery pack, bottles, and breast kit.
As far as not wanting the formula...that's ok. Remember your breast milk is better overall as well as sweeter and it adjusts to what your child needs. As far as getting "too much" during the day. What about asking your childcare provider to lessen the last feeding before you get there so your child is more hungry for you? My hubby did that when I returned to work with our first one and it worked wonders! I did decide to become a SAHM after 4 weeks and have been home ever since, but the need for a good pump is still needed :)
Hang in there! And yes, your cold and stress and affect your BM supply. I have a cold right now and can tell the difference as well....

First of all, try not to stress out as that can affect milk supply as well. Also, remember that the amount you pump and the amount your LO is able to coax out of you is often very different. If possible set your pumping schedule so that you are full when you get home and let her nurse right away. She will get everything she needs and stimulate you to make more milk. You should also probably ask that your care provider not give her a bottle for at least an hour before you are to pick her up so she is hungry.

With regard to pumping at work, a set schedule and a good pump are your best friends. I used the Medela pump and was very happy with it. I found that my milk supply varied with my monthly cycle and my overall health but that if I tried not to stress about it I usually did ok. I also started drinking a large cup of Mothers Milk tea from Traditional Medicines (available at Whole Foods, co-ops and possibly even the natural sections at Cub or other grocery stores) every morning I was away from my baby. It really helped me to get that little extra that I might need on given day.

Finally, you might also try pumping in the early days at least once on the weekends so you have a little extra supply for the week and won't get as stressed out during the week if you don't generate as much milk as you'd like.

Good luck and hang in there, it's tough when you first go back to work, but you can do it!

find the la leche league rep closest to you. www.llli.org is the website i think... they can help!
and remember, under normal circumstances, breastmilk is under supply and demand. if your baby nurses at night regularly, you will have supply then. it should adjust to your routine.

when i tried pumping, i had the medela in style and also an advent hand pump. in all honesty, i never really liked either, and the times i got the most milk was when my baby was crying next to me or something. so, odd as it sounds, if you can record that somehow, and listen to it while pumping... maybe that will help? i mean, i dont recommend making your baby cry in order to do this, but just when hes fussing, specifically at a time where he is hungry, and even if he makes noises while nursing, that would be nice. maybe take a video of yourself nursing him and see? it might encourage let down!

anyway, dont panic. stress is a major factor in preventing proper let down. and i HIGHLY recommend la leche league. they are fantastically supportive of breastfeeding of course, whereas a doctor might push for formula (as hospitols sometimes get kickbacks from formula companies... hence the free samples and coupons they push on people.....)

good luck. relax. take your time. :D
www.askdrsears.com is a great place to look too - martha sears has 'the breastfeeding book' which is awesome!

another thing ive heard is that the pill can mess with your milk, not always but sometimes. i highly recommend the mirena, if you are interested. it worked well for me! :D and never affected my milk - as it works mainly in the uterus and etc - not through your whole body. even if the amounts are small, i wouldnt want my baby getting ANY of the pill through my milk...

Don't panic! Breasts are amazing things - they will make as much as you need if you give them the opportunity! First, make sure you have a good pump - ebay usually has Medela Pump N-Styles at reasonable prices. If using someone elses pump grosses you out, buy the machine on ebay and then buy the rest of the hardware at your local medical supply store (it's pretty inexpensive to get everything you need once you have the motor). Second, you need to make pumping a priority. You need to pump every couple of hours - I usually pump at 9:30 or 10, over noon and then again between 2:30 and 3. I'm home by 5 and the first thing I do is put my baby to the breast. And then I nurse her again around 6 or 6:30 and as much as possible before bedtime. The third thing I would recommend is having your baby sleep next to you. What I've found is that my baby eats less during the day now that I'm back to work and more at night. But having her sleep next to me means that all I have to do is lift up my shirt, let her latch on and fall back to sleep. And I love the extra snuggle time. We have two older kids who have also slept next to us. Finally, DON'T STRESS!!! That makes your milk harder to get out! Relax while you pump, think about holding your beautiful baby and how much you love to cuddle with her. It will be ok!!!!

Call the lactation consultant at the hospital where you gave birth. They are free, awesome resources, and very knowledgable. The added stress you are putting yourself under is going to decrease your supply, and if you are missing sessions, your body isn't getting the message that it needs to produce more milk. You need to be nursing as often as possible- weekends, evenings, during the night, right away in the morning before you go to work. Nursing is much more effective at telling your body that it needs to make milk than pumping is, so the more you nurse, the better. If your pump isn't the greatest, talk to the lactation consultant about what pump you need for your situation- they'll point you in the right direction. Usually they'll say you need a double electric pump (like a Medela Pump in Style) but there's a range of them out there that could work for you. Also, you can pump a little after you finish a nursing session. Drink plenty of water. Oh, and if you are taking Sudafed or another decongestant for your cold, stop taking it, because that will dry you up, too. Take a deep breath. Talk to your lact. consultant. It will get better. Best wishes!

Stress will lower your milk supply, so the first thing you need to do is relax, and realize that your baby is ok! She will eat more as she grows, and you will never be able to pump as much as she can nurse out of you, so here is what you should do to keep yoru milk supply where it needs to be.

Nurse when you are together, even on the weekends. From Friday when you get hoem from work until Monday morning when you leave for work, nurse her whenever she is hungry, on demand, for as long as she likes. What this does is bump up your milk supply for the coming week. Of course by Friday, wiht pumping all day, it will be lower, and of coruse you will never be able to pump whatyour baby eats. So if you pump 2oz, guaranteed your baby can nurse out at least 4, if not more.

So you have to relax, nurse her on demand at night after work when you are together, and of course on the weekends, there is no reason to pump on the weekends instead of nursing, she will know that daycare habits are different then home habits.

Many moms do nurse when they are together (nightrs/weekends) and give formula during the day, but until it comes right down to that, relax! When she goes to bed at night, add in one pumping session, and when she nurses first thing in the morning, pump the ther breast, you will get alot more milk from that puming. But by adding in an extra pumping session at night, it will signal your body for another 'feeding'. It will take some time to get the milk to flow at that 'feedin'g but do it at the same ime every night, about an hour after your baby goes to bed.

Eat a bowl of oatmeal a day, get some mothers milk tea (at any store) and drink water to thirst. A glass of dark beer a day is supposed to up your supply as well. :) Also, you have to relax... Iknow its stressfull to think your supply is shot, but its really really not, your baby is nursing great, and you are doing wonderful, so try to focus on the bigger picture, the longer you nurse, the more antibodies, nutrients, and good fats your baby will be getting from you!

I haven't read all of your responses, but I would say first of all, get off that pill. I probably should be more tactful, but my experience is so heartbreaking that I get a little passionate about it. I nearly starved my baby of about the same age because I was so young and naive that I didn't imagine that the pill could be the cause. The Dr. had assured me that it would have no affect.

To be more fair and try to sidestep my emotions, your situation may be totally different. If you are only having trouble pumping enough, but baby always has enough at nursings, then you are not going through the same thing. I agree with all those who said that the pump will never stimulate production the way the baby does and you will need to pump more often than you might think. Also, the other things (water, fenugreek, whatever else your LC or LLL recommend) should help.

You've gotten so much response on this, which I think is great! Water, water, water! Pump at least 3 times while you are at work, at least every 3 hours as you won't get as much from the pump as your baby. Nurse your child right before you leave and right away when you are with baby again. Medela pump in style or a hospital grade pump. Make sure you are eating enough calories. Your birth control pill may be decreasing your supply. The mini pill is straight progestine. kellymom.com for more info - loved that site! Make sure your baby is drinking from slow flow nipples when away from you so she nurses well from the breast and doesn't get lazy. Good luck! Don't stress, as long as you still have milk and don't quit nursing or pumping all together you can still increase your supply. Also some breast milk is better than none!

The exact thing happened to me. My pumped milk went down drastically after I started back to work at 4 months. I tried fenugreek (which people swear by) and that didn't help. I tried pumping more frequently in the evenings and at work. I tried everything the consultants suggested and nothing helped. The pediatrician told me even just a drop or two of breastmilk can help the baby tremendously. So, I have finally came to turns that I will not be able to produce enough milk for my baby when he is gone. But at least I can give him and ounce or two mixed in with formula to help protect him. If you haven't contacted a lactation consultant you should. They are there to help and have great ideas and a lot of experience.

Hi, first I congratulate you on your new little one and just want to let you know that it sounds like you are doing a great job. I stay at home with my daughter, so I did not have to pump, although I did try so that my husband would be able to help me out with some night feedings and it did not work for us. I don't know what kind of pump you have, mine was a smaller one, and it always seemed that I barely got anything out when I pumped and it concerned me that if that was all that I was getting out, that my daughter was definitely not getting enough. Her pediatrician and the lactation consultant said that as long as she was having a certain number of wet/soiled diapers per day, that she was receiving what she needed. It took me many months to feel that what I was doing was good enough, even though she was growing great and had the wet/soiled diapers like she was supposed to. I didn't have much support in the regards to breastfeeding besides my husband. I always had people questioning if breastfeeding exclusively was the right thing and putting ideas in my head that because I couldn't see how much she was eating, that she obviously wasn't getting enough(mainly from women who exclusively formula fed and was in our family). I don't know if you have already contacted a lactation consultant or not. I felt in the beginning that if I needed to contact one, that I wasn't doing something right but found that after talking to them I felt much more confident in what I was doing and put my worries to ease. I think they would be a great resource for you with the questions that you are posing, after all they are specialists when it comes to this! I hope any of what I said helps. Good luck and congrats again!

So many awesome posts! I totally agree - nurse, nurse and then nurse some more! And try the fenugreek as well. Once the supply is up, he'll nurse like crazy! And as a result, the milk will increase.

I've tried pumping between feedings, too - but not as often as offering to nurse - seemed the more I pumped, the more I was offering a bottle, so just pumped like crazy when I was at work - and I totally know about hectic work schedules, I taught and on the first day of school, was given a new class schedule - my only break falling the last half hour of class (along with a lunch break) - so I bargained with another teacher to watch my children during her break in order to pump, and offered to watch her class during that last half hour so she might tie up loose ends at the end of the day. Long story... but the thought is - can you nurse him at the daycare right as you drop him off and again right away when you pick him up? And squeeze in pumping time during the day, at least once each day?

oh, and when I was under medication for pneumonia, I was unable to nurse one of my children for an entire week. It nearly broke my heart to see her cry near me (she was 13 months at the time) - and after a week, she went right back to nursing at bedtimes. (I pumped the first couple of feedings out - but did NOT pump during the week - was far too sick to do it). Anyway, breastfeeding is an amazing thing! I believe in the fenugreek, the nursing more frequently and reducing stress!

best wishes! - and it's awesome to see your dedication!
T.

Dear B.,
If you have ANY milk left, then your supply could just be temporarily low. That happened to me a few times when I was working a lot or not eating enough and /or sick. Just relax but do keep up the pumping and try to feed her from your breast as much as possible. I'm convinced that babies can bring out your milk much more effectively than a pump. Other things that can help are getting enough sleep and drinking warm tea (Yogi nursing mother is good!). I nursed my first for 2 years and am now nursing my one year old. I work part time and pump when I am gone more than 5 hrs.

Good luck and let us know if it gets better!

P.S.- I just read Amanda's response- Bringing your baby to bed with you could be a good option for you in a last resort since you have to work. I did that with my first. She got PLENTY of milk that way. The only problem is getting her to sleep on her own and weaning her later on. But if you are desperate and don't mind these potential problems, go for it! It IS nice to cuddle with your baby and could help relax you.

Nursing can be very frustrating , but I think most Moms go through that part. I found when I was nursing trying to get my nursing supply up was VERY painful is I was putting ointment on sensitive areas. To get my supply up I had to be VERY consistent on pumping while he wasnt nursing. So like if you can do it every 2-3 hrs at work go for it. Also on the weekends pump more than you normaly would. No matter what if you are still nursing a little you will produce as you need. I have a friend who nurses just at night and her daughter is 2, she has been doing that for a while. Also I had a double motorized pump which helped greatly. I know they are expensive, but well worth it,, considering breastmilk is like gold! Dont forget there are foods that can increase or decrease the amt. of milk you produce, maybe research that! Nursing is a full time job in itself, it is very difficult for some people to do, so give yourself a pat on the back for doing it this far!
Good Luck!