11mos, still BF'ing but needing to pump with low supply

[scsparks06]

My DD is 11 mos next week and she is nursed 3x/day. The problem I am having is I am now at an exercise class 2x a week for her before bed feed. I am only pumping 1.5-2oz before/after I get home and she is taking 6+ from the bottle. I only have 3 bags left of milk and am stressing about this. Do I give her a mix of breast and formula/cow's milk? Try pumping at a certain time each day to build supply? It wouldn't be a huge deal, but I am coming up on a week where I will be away from her during her mid-day nurse for 4 days and I am scared I won't have any milk for her!! She is fine with cow's milk, no allergies, but she doesn't drink much of it. I have tried pumping mid-morning with little result. I also started trying to pump one side while she nurses her mid-day nurse this morning. But still, only 1oz. Do I bring her back to an afternoon feed and pump one side again just to build supply? Or do I just call it good and make sure she gets good solid food and good solid am/pm nursings during my week away?  I am planning to wean her off the mid-day feed within a couple of weeks - maybe now's the time? I just want to make sure I am not weaning her because I am busy! But what to do about the exercise class evenings? Thanks!

[Erin M]

At her age, I'd probably go with formula if you're going to replacing a feed instead of cow's milk.  Pumping is tricky, as our babies get older, it gets harder to start pumping at a certain time -- our bodies get used to producing at certain times and not others.  That's not to say if you kept up pumping at a new time, that your body wouldn't be able to produce more.  More pumping sessions would certainly increase your supply, also making sure that you pump for 15-20 minutes, even if the milk has started flowing.  Pumping and then pumping 20 minutes later also helps some ladies with supply. 

The WHO recommends 4 milk feeds per day until a year, that being said, I have heard several ladies mention that they went down to 3 somewhere between 9-12 months so you're not all that out of line.  You also mention that you've started an exercise class -- are you sure that you're getting enough water?  Or enough calories?  Or enough rest?  All of those things can have an impact on supply, it could be that if you're trying to pump when you get home that your body is in need of some more water. 

HTH!