Author Topic: Expressing less... is my supply decreasing?  (Read 1150 times)

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Offline hballast

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Expressing less... is my supply decreasing?
« on: January 06, 2006, 23:08:52 pm »
My DS is 7 mos and I've been breastfeeding w/ one bottle of breast milk before bed each night (I express before I go to bed, 10 or 11 PM).  (DS has started cereal and some veggies but has not dropped a breastfeeding).  I noticed that I'm unable to express as much milk as I had been able to in the past.  Could this be because DS sucks so much harder than he used to but the pump just sucks the same as it always has?  Does anyone have any suggestions for this?  I'm thinking about supplementing his bottle w/ formula but would prefer to just stick with breast milk if possible.
Haley, mom to a beautiful angel textbook baby, Nathanael Paul 05/26/2005

annamum

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Expressing less... is my supply decreasing?
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2006, 02:27:24 am »
I think you are right, your ds is able to express much better than a pump. Your supply probably leveled off, too. Additional factor, your ds is having solids now, even though he didn't drop any feeds yet, he is probably taking slightly less milk because he gets some additional nutrition from solids. It is a natural weaning process, once you start offering something else than a breastmilk only, you will have less milk.

But, if you want to be able to express for his night feed, you could try either to pump in the morning, when your supply is the best and see if you have better results. You could also try to pump two times during a day, that way you would stimulate your breast to produce more. That probably would not produce results immediately but after some time. You could also try using herbs like Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle.

Offline hballast

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Expressing less... is my supply decreasing?
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2006, 07:20:29 am »
Thank you, that makes sense.  I'm going to pump in the AM too.  I think it just scared me a bit that I wasn't getting as much milk when I pumped.  But DS seems happy as a clam, so I guess everything is probably just fine!  :)  Thanks again.
Haley, mom to a beautiful angel textbook baby, Nathanael Paul 05/26/2005

annamum

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Expressing less... is my supply decreasing?
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2006, 21:51:21 pm »
You are welcome :D.