is this normal?

[@llli*firsttimemommie]

my son is 3 weeks old and i am trying to pump for him because for some reason bfing is painful. i have seen a lactation consautlant and she said that he is latched on good. it feels like he is drinking fire from my nippples. pumping though does not hurt. now to the question at a pumping session i only get to 1.5 ounces. the ped said he should be eating 3 ounces at a sitting. I have been taking fenugreek and drinking mothers milk tea to help improve production and it has helped some before i could only get .5 to1 ounce so my question is is that normal? how can i get more milk production. it takes 2 or 3 pumping sessions to make one bottle dring which i have been having to suppliment . i pump every two hours untill the milk stops flowing. I have a medela mannual pump i want to get an electric but do not have the funds right now so the wic office gave me the medela i have. sorry for bing so long but would be grateful

[@llli*firsttimemommie]

oh i also do do breast compressions while pumping and they do help some but is hard to do while pumping

[@llli*mommal]

Are you exclusively pumping (EP), or combining nursing and pumping? If you're EP, I strongly suggest keeping the baby at the breast for at least 1-2 feedings per day, more if you can stand it. You want to give your baby the best possible chance of retaining his ability and willingness to latch on to the breast, so that you can eventually transition back to nursing exclusively.

Pump output varies widely based on the make/model of pump, the frequency with which a mom pumps, her responsiveness to pumping, the time of day, overall milk supply, etc. Because you are using a manual pump, it's not surprising that you're getting relatively small amounts when you pump, since manual pumps are typically the worst when it comes to removing milk and maintaining milk supply, which is another reason to nurse the baby directly! Babies are generally much more effective at draining the breast and maintaining/increasing milk supply than even the best double electric pump.

Here's how to get more milk when pumping:
- Use a better pump. Call the WIC office and ask them for a double electric pump- I know some WIC programs do distribute those! If WIC can't help you, call your local LLL and ask if they know of someone who can help you find a better pump. Sometimes you'll find someone who is done with her pump and willing to pass it on- but be aware that many people consider pumps to be "single user" medical devices and do not consider it safe to share. Also, used pumps are often not ass efficient as new ones- but I think pretty much anything will be better than a manual!
- Pump more often. If you're pumping every 3 hours, move it to every 1-2 hours.
- Pump for longer. If you're pumping for 10 minutes, try pumping for 15.
- Fenugreek seed (available online for much less than fenugreek pills from the health food store) and ordinary oatmeal are good supply boosters, but be aware that they do not replace hard work with the pump.
- Work on baby's latch. Fix the latch and you fix the problem.

Can you tell us more about your nursing issues? When baby unlatches, what shape is your nipple- is it wedged or creased, perhaps looking like a new lipstick?

[@llli*firsttimemommie]

when he comes off the top is flat but the rest is rounded. when he first latches it is really painful. then it goes to a dull ache and after a few minutes it is like fire feeling i mentioned before.

[@llli*marley-n-emily]

Oh and by the way, your pediatrician is full of crap on the milk volume. Mine was awesome, but tried to tell me the same thing - 2 ounces + 1 per month pp in each bottle. By that logic my daughter would be currently drinking 19 ounces in a bottle. No. Those are formula feeding numbers. Truth is, with an EBF baby you can't tell how many ounces they are taking, you go by wet diapers and how satisfied they are. At 3 weeks she was maybe barely taking 2 oz. probably more like 1.5 in each feeding and was perfectly happy for 1.5-3 hours at a time. at about a month I went to 2 oz, 2.5 at 6 weeks, 3 after 2 months and then to 4 when she was about 3.5 months old. We never went up from there and she drank about 8 bottles a day at the max, now she's down to 4...

I'm only saying that to relieve your stress about the volume. That being said you should absolutely try to get your baby to nurse directly comfortably - I wish I had had more encouragement to do that at 3 weeks pp!! Exclusively pumping should only be a very VERY last resort!

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

What kind of LC did you see? Because exclusively pumping should be a last resort.

Has baby been evaluated for tongue tie? What about treating yourself and baby for thrush? Does baby have a high palate? Those things are fixable.

I do not want to burst your bubble, but you cannot exclusively pump with a manual pump or a single pump. You can't even really do it long term with a professional grade pump. You would need to rent a hospital grade pump.

You need to plan to pump 15-20 minutes every 2 hours around the clock. Both sides.

Your doc is wrong about the amount. At that age, my baby was taking 1-2 oz at every feeding.

I would encourage you to go back to the LC and fix baby's latch. Because EPing is HARD work, and it cost me about $2000 to EP for 12 months, between rental fees, buying bags, all the horns I bought, the extra bottles, the stuff you just need while pumping to make life bearable. Because EPing is an obsession. It's way easier to breastfeed in the long run.

[@llli*mommal]

when he comes off the top is flat but the rest is rounded. when he first latches it is really painful. then it goes to a dull ache and after a few minutes it is like fire feeling i mentioned before.

Could be vasospasm due to compression: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...blanching.html