amount I can pump has gone down

polaris · Mar 7th, 2010, 09:44 AM

Has anyone else found that the pump doesn't seem to work as well anymore? We generally give Thomas a bottle at about this time, OH gives it to him and I pump. He normally takes about 5 ounces and I have always been able to pump this amount no problem while OH feeds him. But for the past few days I have been struggling to get 3 ounces. I don't think my supply has gone down as Thomas still seems satisfied after feeds. It just seems like the pump isn't stimulating my let down very well anymore. I have been leaving it for an hour and then pumping again to make up the other 2 ounces - but it's a lot of work!

Has anyone else found this and did you find any way around it?

lyre · Mar 7th, 2010, 09:59 AM

sorry, no experience myself but theres some stuff here that might help. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/p..._decrease.html

becstar · Mar 7th, 2010, 10:30 AM

I find that while I used to get out loads with my manual pump, now hardly anything comes out and I find it hard to trigger letdowns. I have an electric one (double) and get on fine with that. It is weird... the milk is there!

KitKat · Mar 7th, 2010, 10:35 AM

hi
the only time i can get 5 to 6oz is first thing in morning im using a medela mini eletric pump, if i need to express later in the day i put baby on and pump the other breast at same time it seems to help

anothersquish · Mar 7th, 2010, 11:21 AM

would it suit to change up the bottle time? If you shift the bottle time later and feed him off the breast at the time youd normally pump you MAY find you suddenly get your full 5oz again. Because pumps are not as good as baby at getting milk out you can sometimes find fixed pump time equals slightly less milk produced in that time because the body *thinks* you dont need as much. If you cant change up the time you pump a little then pump for 15-20 minutes and then do it again an hour later and again an hour later, this will say "more milk please" rather loudly and repeating this for a few days should have the desired effect....I pumped hourly 24 hours a day for four days and can now get a minimum of 5oz a pumping session and the 'norm' is now 6/7oz and thats on top of full time BF so the regular pumping certain works if you can find the time to dedicate to it!

Lu28 · Mar 7th, 2010, 11:53 AM

I found the same thing at about the same time as you and it eventually ended up that I was pumping 3 times a day to get about 180ml. I tried tonnes of things, fenugreek, breast compression etc etc but nothing worked so I decided to ditch the ebm and just go back to feeding direct for that feed. Hope you find something that works for you

Seraphim · Mar 7th, 2010, 15:07 PM

I only find this happens if it seems H is squeezing more feeds in (am I a terrible mother for having no idea how many times she feeds???

It changes so often!)

Squish makes sense though - and she should know!

Lucy Lu · Mar 7th, 2010, 17:04 PM

Polaris - i've found this as well and it's making me more paranoid about leaving him with people with a bottle of EBM, if I can't even express the equivalent whilst I'm away from him!...

If he is sleeping through the night now, could you get up once in the middle of the night for a couple of nights running and pump - pain I know when you've started getting your nights back, but by the second/third morning, you'll probably find you're pretty full again and could get into a pattern where you do the first feed of the morning from one side, and then pump the other side, ready for that evening's feed. It's worked well for us in the past.

abigail_71 · Mar 7th, 2010, 18:14 PM

i found this, used to be able to pump loads but only very little now - but LO not complaining about supply so I guess its ok (and never have got him on the bottle)? Trying the fennel tea to see if it helps as am sure i will need to pump at some point......

polaris · Mar 8th, 2010, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucy Lu

Polaris - i've found this as well and it's making me more paranoid about leaving him with people with a bottle of EBM, if I can't even express the equivalent whilst I'm away from him!...

If he is sleeping through the night now, could you get up once in the middle of the night for a couple of nights running and pump - pain I know when you've started getting your nights back, but by the second/third morning, you'll probably find you're pretty full again and could get into a pattern where you do the first feed of the morning from one side, and then pump the other side, ready for that evening's feed. It's worked well for us in the past.

I was actually wondering if my supply had gone down because LO has cut out the majority of his night feeds (still generally has one feed between 7 and 7 but used to have at least 3). How do your boobs know to start producing more during the day? Maybe I need a separate thread for that question.

Mar 7th, 2010, 09:44 AM	#1
polaris Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Ireland Posts: 5,748	amount I can pump has gone down Has anyone else found that the pump doesn't seem to work as well anymore? We generally give Thomas a bottle at about this time, OH gives it to him and I pump. He normally takes about 5 ounces and I have always been able to pump this amount no problem while OH feeds him. But for the past few days I have been struggling to get 3 ounces. I don't think my supply has gone down as Thomas still seems satisfied after feeds. It just seems like the pump isn't stimulating my let down very well anymore. I have been leaving it for an hour and then pumping again to make up the other 2 ounces - but it's a lot of work! Has anyone else found this and did you find any way around it?

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Mar 7th, 2010, 09:59 AM	#2
lyre Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 735	sorry, no experience myself but theres some stuff here that might help. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/p..._decrease.html

Status: Offline

Mar 7th, 2010, 10:30 AM	#3
becstar Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: London Posts: 3,339	I find that while I used to get out loads with my manual pump, now hardly anything comes out and I find it hard to trigger letdowns. I have an electric one (double) and get on fine with that. It is weird... the milk is there!

Status: Offline

Mar 7th, 2010, 10:35 AM	#4
KitKat Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 509	hi the only time i can get 5 to 6oz is first thing in morning im using a medela mini eletric pump, if i need to express later in the day i put baby on and pump the other breast at same time it seems to help

Status: Offline

Mar 7th, 2010, 11:21 AM	#5
anothersquish Mum (Mom) Inactive Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5,415	would it suit to change up the bottle time? If you shift the bottle time later and feed him off the breast at the time youd normally pump you MAY find you suddenly get your full 5oz again. Because pumps are not as good as baby at getting milk out you can sometimes find fixed pump time equals slightly less milk produced in that time because the body thinks you dont need as much. If you cant change up the time you pump a little then pump for 15-20 minutes and then do it again an hour later and again an hour later, this will say "more milk please" rather loudly and repeating this for a few days should have the desired effect....I pumped hourly 24 hours a day for four days and can now get a minimum of 5oz a pumping session and the 'norm' is now 6/7oz and thats on top of full time BF so the regular pumping certain works if you can find the time to dedicate to it!

Status: Offline

Mar 7th, 2010, 11:53 AM	#6
Lu28 Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 12,646	I found the same thing at about the same time as you and it eventually ended up that I was pumping 3 times a day to get about 180ml. I tried tonnes of things, fenugreek, breast compression etc etc but nothing worked so I decided to ditch the ebm and just go back to feeding direct for that feed. Hope you find something that works for you
	Bespoke silver fingerprint, handprint and footprint jewellery.
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Mar 7th, 2010, 15:07 PM	#7
Seraphim Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dartmoor, Devon Posts: 7,082	I only find this happens if it seems H is squeezing more feeds in (am I a terrible mother for having no idea how many times she feeds??? It changes so often!) Squish makes sense though - and she should know!

Status: Offline

Mar 7th, 2010, 17:04 PM	#8
Lucy Lu Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1,455	Polaris - i've found this as well and it's making me more paranoid about leaving him with people with a bottle of EBM, if I can't even express the equivalent whilst I'm away from him!... If he is sleeping through the night now, could you get up once in the middle of the night for a couple of nights running and pump - pain I know when you've started getting your nights back, but by the second/third morning, you'll probably find you're pretty full again and could get into a pattern where you do the first feed of the morning from one side, and then pump the other side, ready for that evening's feed. It's worked well for us in the past.

Status: Offline

Mar 7th, 2010, 18:14 PM	#9
abigail_71 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Pembrokeshire Posts: 516	i found this, used to be able to pump loads but only very little now - but LO not complaining about supply so I guess its ok (and never have got him on the bottle)? Trying the fennel tea to see if it helps as am sure i will need to pump at some point......

Status: Offline

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