Advice on how much milk my 1 YO needs?

[@llli*mummy2lolo]

Just wondering how much milk does my 12.5 MO need? I am a working mother and having a hard time pumping enough this past month.

On the weekends LO nurses frequently, but only really takes all my milk in the am, before her naps and before bedtime and then is still nursing basically all nite long.

During the week my nanny has a very hard time getting her to sleep for naps and insinsists on 4.5 ounces bottles for the naps. I have instructed her to ensure she switches sides halfway through the bottle to slow LO down and we use NB flow Dr. Browns bottles. LO is cutting her molars, so she is especially hard to get to sleep these past few months- nursing or the bottle seems to be the only way. With 2-3 ounces before lunch and dinner I am really struggling to keep up as pumping 3-4 times a day I get only 8-10 ounces. My supply has really dropped this past month, I have started with fenugreek now.

Her schedule is something like this:

6:30-7 am - wake and nurse
7:30 - I try to nurse her before I leave (I was pumping as well at 7:30 but am really having a hard time these days)
10 am - 4.5 ounces, nap time (I pump)
12:30 − 2 ounces with lunch (I pump)
3 − 4.5 ounces (I pump) and nap
5 − 2 ounces with dinner
6:30-7:30 - nurse to sleep
9 - dream feed or she wakes and I nurse her again
AND THEN nursing all night long pretty much from 2-5 am

I tried cutting out her bottle before dinner, but then as soon as I got home she would nurse, take all my milk and I wouldn't have enough to put her to sleep at 6:30 − 7.

I am getting really tired of pumping, but really want to continue until LO self weans. Any advice? This lack of sleep and pumping is killing me!

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

How do you feel about supplementing some with cow's milk?

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

At a year, I actually pump weaned and stopped providing breastmilk in bottles. While we were apart, Joe had cow's milk. When we were together, he nursed. And my supply was just fine. This is very common, so this is an option for you if you're interested - you certainly don't have to!

I have a feeling that the high need for sucking here is happening because of the teething. That is really hard. Hopefully it's also temporary.

Obviously, the way to increase your supply would be to fit another pumping in somewhere. But after a year, I feel pretty bad advising that just because pumping is SUCH a pain. But that's what you would have to do if you want to send more bottles. Pump more, use breast compressions, eat oatmeal, change out your pump parts if it's been a while (because parts do wear out - the little membranes are the biggest culprits and easy and cheap to replace), etc., etc. If your daughter were four months old, or even 11 months old, this is what I'd be telling you.

But in my experience, you're leaving plenty of milk for a more-than-one-year old. To address the underlying issue, teething, what about trying motrin/tylenol? Giving frozen teething toys? Will your daughter take a pacifier? Basically, I don't think your daughter needs huge quantities of milk (although breastmilk is obviously GREAT for her, don't get me wrong) as much as she needs something that will help with the teething pain. It may be that the sucking is soothing for her, as much as, or more than the milk itself.

I think your dedication to pumping is totally awesome, btw.

[@llli*juno]

ITA with PPs. Also, approximately how much solids is baby having?

[@llli*mummy2lolo]

thanks ladies, I guess I keep thinking its gotta be all BM. The idea of other milk, especially at meal times (she eats a lot of solids BTW) shouldn't be too scary I know.

I just don't feel confident that my supply is going to hold on for some reason, it's really shocked me how much it has been dropping off. Especially since she has been sucking so much! Maybe it's that I am just so wore out?

A coworker actually said to me "Are you eating oatmeal?" I said yes, then she replied "Well you need to eat more cause you look like a walking skeleton." I know that is beyond rude and I would have normally just dismissed it, but honestly I do feel drained right now. I eat well too and take lots of vitamins, I have lost a lot of weight though and feel really sickly... mostly I think just due to loss of sleep. I am just so worried if I go to a dr they are going to tell me I should stop BFing.

Yesterday I pumped 4 times and only got 9.5 ounces I will add in breast compressions and see what the next few days bring.

[@llli*mummy2lolo]

What kinds of milk are my choices for supplementing at meal times? My LO has bad allergies, so I should probably do some skin tests. I have tried her with a little almond milk in her cereal and she was OK, but I just found out she has a peanut allergy this past weekend. Would cows milk be the best idea then? Are you guys giving whole organic milk?

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

You don't have to give milk supplements if she's nursing at least 4 times a day. You could give solids and water to drink.

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/so...s.html#cowmilk

[@llli*jbean1979]

could you be pregnant and that's why you're feeling so drained?

I stopped pumping (very nervously) at 15 months and my supply was fine for when i was home. It's weird how it works, but it somehow does. Are you taking iron? or getting lots of iron in your food?

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

I'm wondering if you're having thyroid issues, with your weight loss and exhaustion. Or, like Julia said, could you be pregnant? That will often make your milk supply drop precipitously. But honestly, 9.5 oz in a day is pretty great output when your baby is eating a lot of solids, and that sounds like great production to me.

I gave Joe whole organic cow's milk between one and two, and then switched him to 2% like the rest of the household (not that I think this is really necessary, but it's nice to have only one jug of milk in the fridge). But Joe doesn't have any dairy allergies. Does your daughter tolerate other dairy products well? I agree that technically she doesn't need any milk, and water and solids should be fine, but that won't address how to put her to sleep.

[@llli*mummy2lolo]

thanks everyone for the words of encouragement.

I added in two more pump sessions (5 total) and got 12 ounces today, LO only took 7 ounces - we cut out the milk at meal times and she napped with a 3.5 ouncer. I think my supply dropped off because I wasn't waiting for the second let down as I don't feel it anymore. So I will have to watch that, once my supply is back up I would like to get down to 2 pumps and day and then eventually NONE.

I will check out my iron levels too, but honestly I just need some really good sleep..I haven't had any for months! It's really wearing on me. Today my boss actually talked to me about my forgetfullness and I made a huge mistake as well. It's really hard for me at work right now since LO hasn't been sleeping. I need something to change there and fast as I am close to having a breakdown.