Low Milk Supply...any suggestions?

[jjerzeegirl]

Ok..i think i've posted way too many questions today.....lol...

But i have noticed that my milk supply has decreased. I am pumping and giving my dd a bottle..as I have to thicken the milk for her.

Any suggestions for what I can do to increase the supply?

[lhughes]

My lactation consultant had told me to pump or nurse every 2 hours until the milk supply increased.  It does work, eventually.  The body produces milk by the demand it's being given.  Make sure you are getting your breasts fully emptied at each session.  Drink lots of water, too.

Good luck to ya!

[kjbutcher]

besides pumping or nursing more you can try 3 milk thistle and 3 fenugreek 3 times a day (18 pills).  I have to say it made me sick and I had to stop taking them.  Once I stopped the milk dwindled quickly!  In less than a week it went from 25 oz per day down to 1/2 oz every other day and I did try pumping every 2 hours again to see if it would increase again.  It did not.  That could be just me, but I would try pumping more or letting baby nurse some after you thickened a bottle if you think you may have stomach issues with pills.  Good Luck and definately dont stop trying!!

[tiredbuthappy]

how often are you pumping and for how long? also, what pump are you using? if you give me more info, i can probably help you. or, take a look at http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ppexcluspump
that website was the only reason i was able to pump for 6 1/2 months. it has everything you would need to know, and you can ask specific questions as well.

[ZevasMom]

I kinda agree with kjbutcher; however, I took 4 fenugreek and 3 "blessed" thistle (3 times a day)... Within a week I was pumping like a champion... Once my milk came in like that, I was able to stop taking the supplements... They did not make me sick (I think I took them a total of 3 weeks)...

[jjerzeegirl]

That's the thing...i'm not too consistent with pumping due to being able to do it when I have time. I was getting 3 oz from each breast and now I am getting more like 2 sometimes 2.5...
It only takes me about 5 min to get that too...
Maybe I was just getting a ton in the beginning and now it's where it's supposed to be?
This is my 2nd time nursing..i stopped nursing my dd last july...so it's not that long ago since I started again with my new little one...
I am using the Madela double pump...

[tiredbuthappy]

maintaining a supply while pumping is tricky. you have to make it a point to pump past the last drop to signal your body to produce more. the general guidelines for the first 2 or 3 months is to pump every 2 to 3 hours. most people say you should pump 20 minutes or until 5 minutes after your flow stops, but my LC had me pump only 10-15 minutes in the beginning and I did well with that. they also say it is very important to get at least one pump in between 1 AM and 5 AM, because that is when most women have a prolactin surge. all in all, you are technically supposed to pump 8 to 10 times/day. general guidelines say you can start dropping pumps at 12 weeks, but i did at 8 weeks and actually saw an increase in output when i dropped pumps. for most women, with good pumping habits, supply generally slowly increases over the first few months before leveling off. mine leveled off at around 4 months pp, when i had dropped down to pumping 4 or 5 times/day.

unfortunately, you are seeing a drop in supply because of infrequent and short pumping. if you continue doing what you are, your supply will either stay where it is, or, more likely, it will continue to drop. taking herbal supplements may help give you a temporary boost, but unless you pump more, it probably won't do much in the long run. however, reading your posts today gave me insight into why you simply don't have the time to pump as often as you should. so here's what i would suggest-

1- Ideally, you should pump more often and for longer. if you can't find time to pump more often, at least increase the amount of time you spend at each pump. you were able to maintain a good supply while nursing your first, so obviously your body can produce sufficient amounts of milk. milk supply is determined both by how much you empty and by how much stimulation your breasts receive. you boobs don't know the difference between a pump and a baby. pumping for 5 minutes sends the message that what you have is enough. also, it is quite possible that you are not getting all of your let-downs. i have several let downs after the initial one.
2- try going hands free. this will enable you to entertain your toddler
3- Is breast feeding your goal? if so, get in touch with a LC. sometimes when you exclusively pump you train your boobs to overproduce and create a forceful letdown that makes it hard for babies to nurse. a LC can give you insight into what you can be doing to help prepare your boobs for nursing.
4- don't stress out too much! even if you get to the point where you have to supplement with formula, every bit of breast milk your dd gets is helping her! so if more pumps or longer pumps is simply not an option, then just do what you can. not the ideal situation, but you are doing your best to give her the nutrition she needs and you should be proud.

good luck and let me know if you have any questions!

[houseofgirls]

To get more, you probably need to remain consistent with pumping, at least until you have a well established supply.  Of course, the best way to get a good supply is by having the baby nurse right from the breast.  I've never heard of anyone thickening breastmilk before, and I'm not sure why you have to (I don't know your story).  But since you have to pump, you probably need to do it every 3 hours or so.  Also, depending on your babies age, the amount you are currently getting in a pumping session might be fine for now.