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Offline cbg

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Low Milk Supply
« on: March 29, 2007, 15:34:28 pm »
Help - my dd is 6 mos old.  Although primarily breastfeeding, we've been giving her one bottle a day of expressed milk since the beginning.  Last weekend, I had to leave her for two days and my husband gave her a combination of b milk and formula by bottle.   Even though I pumped whenever she would normally feed, I think my milk supply has gone way down.  I can tell this especially at the 7pm feed when she cries after/during feeding.  I've taken to giving her an extra 3 or 4 oz of formula (she drinks all of it and then is happy) and have pumped just to make sure that I really have no more milk left.   

My milk supply has always been low in the evening and usually I have to pump twice (once in the morning, and once at night) to get enough milk for the dreamfeed (by bottle).  Rarely do I ever get more than 3 or 4 oz when I pump (best quality hospital type pump) and she is now taking close to 6 oz when we bottle feed.  I don't think I am keeping up with her.  I don't want to increase the number of feeds / day, b/c she is on a good 4 hour schedule and sleeping through the night.  I'm cautious of introducing solids b/c she was 6 weeks early so developmentally she is a 4.5 mos old.  Does anyone have any tips?
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Offline daisymelan

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Re: Low Milk Supply
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2007, 16:32:47 pm »
HUGS!

Pump, pump, pump is the answer.  After every feed, pump.  Even if you don't get milk, you are stimulating your body to produce it.  Your body should adjust back to producing enough, especially since it was only two days that you didn't nurse.  Also, make sure you continue to drink a lot of fluids and you can also take a supplement.  Fenugreek and blessed thistle are supposed to work wonders. 

Here is a link to the that.

http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milksupply/herbal_galactagogue.html

Of course, this is if you want to continue, and it sounds like you do.

HUGS again.
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Offline Samuel's mum

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Re: Low Milk Supply
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2007, 20:01:37 pm »
Even the best pump in the world annoyingly does not stimulate the breast quite like a baby can so it would be natural to get a dip after a couple of days away. It is fixable I'm sure.
Getting 3-4oz when pumping is actually not that uncommon - many mums find they need to pump twice to get one bottle. It doesn't mean they're not keeping up with their babies. Which is one of the reason working mums often end up taking fenugreek/blessed thistle or another galactologue.
Jodie is right. Keep pumping even if not much is coming out. Even if nothing is coming out - you are still sending signals. Pump a good few minutes after even the smallest trickle has stopped.

Time at the breast is obviously pretty key. So before you supplement make sure she has gone as long as she can - even go back and offer the first side again. She will get a new letdown rich in hindmilk and you will stimulate your supply. 'Switch nursing' is a technique often use to boost supply (i.e switching sides). When you do give formula just try and give 2-3oz and see how she responds. The less you give the more your breasts will have demanded from them in the 24hr period.
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Offline cbg

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Re: Low Milk Supply
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2007, 05:12:12 am »
Thank you - small improvement in today's feeds and pumps.  Will keep working at it! 

PS.  Do you think the arrival of AF has anything to do with it???

 :P
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Offline Samuel's mum

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Re: Low Milk Supply
« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2007, 07:19:31 am »
Yes, for sure. AF can mean a dip in supply - a temporary one.
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Offline RachelC

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Re: Low Milk Supply
« Reply #5 on: March 30, 2007, 10:57:22 am »
Yup, the arrival of AF did it for me too.... but we are still happily nursing at 18 months  ;D

Welcome to the boards  :-*
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Proud to have breastfed for a combined total of 35 months

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