Supply Issues

[LyndaManus]

Here is ds's schedule.  He is 19lbs, will be 6 mths on 10/12/06.  He is exclusively bf but we are starting rice cereal on Friday.

E  6am bf, 10am expressed bottle, 2pm expressed bottle, 6pm bf, 10pm bf and still doing a night feed

In the past I normally have been able to pump about 18 ounces a day without a problem.  DS was only needed 12 ounces a day but I stashed the rest so supply has never been an issue for me.  DS was having two 6 ounce expressed bottles a day.  Well, daycare felt that he needed more.  His 6pm was getting more and more ferocious (if that is the right word) and after some research and a posting or two on this board I decided to up him to 7 ounces. 

As soon as we upped his day time bottles my supply immediately went down   Now I struggle to get the 14 ounces a day he needs - definitely nothing extra like I was getting.  His 6pm feeding is still decent but not anything like it use to be (I have to admit that it is similar to how it is on the weekends and similar to other feeds so I think he is needing the extra ounce during the day). 

I do have a little bit of a cold, but not too bad - could this be the reason??  What can I do???  I have tried drinking Mothers Milk tea twice a day (has fenugeek in it), getting extra sleep, drinking a lot of water, inserting an extra pumping session but none of these have made a difference. 

Another question - when he starts on the cereal this Friday he will start with a lunch at 12:00.  Can I lower the amount of milk in his 2pm bottle for daycare to make the cereal with or do I need to pump even more for that???  If I need more, I am in trouble 

[Jenifer]

I don't have any answers about the supply issue .. just wanted to congratulate you on making it to 6 months with breast feeding!  Especially with pumping! 

My daughter is EBF (only a 14 pounder though ..) and we're starting rice cereal this weekend as well.  I'm planning on starting her cereal at breakfast.

Good luck to you with starting solids!

[LyndaManus]

Thanks.  I am not stressing too  much yet as I have been able to get to the 14 ounce mark every day (just taking longer and longer to get there).  I am just worried that one day I wont and want to address it before then.

Thank you for the congrats   I would like to make it to a year if all goes well.  We were planning on quiting at 6 mths but it is flu season so that doesn't make a lot of sense      Congrats to you as well and good luck on solids!!!

[Samuel's mum]

It sounds as though you are doing all you can to be honest. You could try pumping in the evenings or at other times. I'm not sure when you are inserting the extra session. In a desperate world I know some mothers use prescription galactogogues (like domperidone) but that is a huge step and I'm not sure you need to take it. It could be you are feeling a little run down.

Another question - when he starts on the cereal this Friday he will start with a lunch at 12:00.  Can I lower the amount of milk in his 2pm bottle for daycare to make the cereal with or do I need to pump even more for that???  If I need more, I am in trouble 

I think you could try and lower the 2pm bottle amount. The problem might be if he doesn't really take to the cereal and it gets wasted. It's always a bit unpredictable with solids. You could also ask them to perhaps use cooled boiled water as well. I know of some bf mums who use this for solids as it gets round the thing where the breastmilk enzymes change the consistency of the rice cereal (the mixture gets runnier as it sits there). Or think about using formula for the solids. You just want to make sure he doesn't end up having less milk in the day. Solids are in addition to normal milk consumption at this age.  Sorry I can't be more help.
Good Luck.

[LyndaManus]

Thank you.  I am definitely going to pump after each feeding session this weekend (I don't normally pump on the weekends) and am going to get lots of sleep to kick this cold.  Surely it will increase some.  I would be happy with just an ounce or two breathing room.

Daycare said that he has been much better with the 7 ounces, but I am going to make sure that they are not trying to get him to finish the bottle.  I wonder if he would be just has happy with 6.5   That would give me a little breathing room and he could make up any lost calories at the 6pm feeding.  I might try the water with the cereal as you suggested if supply doesn't go up soon.