Please Help - getting half of what she needs

[@llli*kmoore611]

I am at a loss ladies and I could use some help -

Claire is 8 months old and takes 12 oz a day (some days 9 but almost always 12) at daycare. She is there 7:35-5:15 m-f. Here is our usual weekday routine -

up for the day at 6am
breakfast at 6:30 (oatmeal mixed with fruit)
nurse 7am

once she is at daycare she usually takes 4 3oz bottles, someetimes 3 4oz, she has a solid meal and a solid afternoon snack and usually takes a morning and afternoon nap of at least an hour usually 2.

home at 5:30
nurse at 6:15
solid dinner at 6:30
betime routine starts at 7 (bath, jammies, book, snuggles)
nurse to sleep by 8.

She usually sleeps 4-5 hours the first stretch and then is up every 2 until 6:00am.

While I am at work I pump at 10, 1, 4 (give or taken half an hour). In the beginning I was getting 18 oz and then each month when my period arrives I get less and less and it doesnt seem to return. I am down to getting 6oz a day in my three pumps. If I am lucky and have time I can get another 1-3 if I pump after she has gone to sleep.

I am using a PISA which i bought new in october before she was born. I have tried everything and cant seem to get my daily output to where it needs to be. I have tried oatmeal for breafast, life cereal for a snack, lots of water, hand expressions durring and after pumping, and I have been taking 12 fennugreek capsuls a day (sunday - thursday breaking on Friday & Saturday) for 3 weeks.

My freezer stash may get me another week to a week and a half and then I will have no option but to supplement if I cant figure out something. Any suggestions?

[@llli*jcones]

My friend just had triplets and has rented a hospital grade pump. I can only get 3-4 oz a pump and she let me borrow hers to see what I could get. I pumped over 5 oz. Maybe rent one for a month and see if it works better for you? I also suggest nursing her first, then feeding her food to boost your milk supply

[@llli*kmoore611]

I have a call into a hospital 45 minutes away to see if I can rent one for a month to try....

[@llli*ohiomama]

To clarify, when you say that she wakes up frequently overnight, is she nursing at those times?

I agree with the PP's suggestion to nurse Claire first, then offer solids. It looks like that is what you do in the evening, but in the morning you mention breakfast first, then nursing.

I would also suggest pumping after she nurses to give your breasts added stimulation.

Pumping with a hospital-grade pump for a time is a good idea to try too. Have you met with or called an IBCLC who can give you more tips, specifically other galactagogues that you could try?

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

I've had the same issue now that my cycle is back. I change nothing, but every month, I have less milk.

Try the hospital grade, and if you can nurse more or pump more, like a car pump on the way to work. It might help.

[@llli*djs.mom]

What about taking a galactlouge? Would you be willing to take fenegreek or Mother's Milk Tea? And what about buying and adapter for the pump you have and pumping on the way to and from work? If you get more sessions in you will begin to make more milk.

[@llli*kmoore611]

Yes - she is nursing when she wakes up as usually its the only way she will go back to sleep!

I am picking up my hospital grade pump on Saturday and plan to power pump/nurse all weekend.

It is not possible for me to pump to and from work, I have multiple stops (picking up claire and my dog and then going home) so I am never in the car for more then 10 minutes before having to make a stop.

In the mornings Claire usually nurses around 5-5:30 and then has breakfast at 6:30 and then we nurse at 7ish and then its off to work. I do not have time to pump in between getting up and getting to work I am adding in a pump session this week after she goes to bed each night.

I have been taking 12 fenugreek caps. a day for almost a month and it has not helped. I have tried drining 3-5 cups of the tea on top of that, no help. I have tried eating oat meal for breakfast every morning, nothing. The only thing I havent tried recently is the lactation cookies that I made when claire was a newborn.

Its so very frustrating. Thankfully my husband is VERY supportive, he is about the only person who is. My mother keeps telling me how happy I will be once I am free of breast feeding and it just makes me want to cry!

[@llli*djs.mom]

Drink Beer. Try that.

[@llli*blue2000]

I really support the ideas about what other people are saying to increase supply, and I want you to feel encouraged to do that. But I also want to tell you what ended up happening with me and my son, as another perspective. One thing -- have you tried replacing your tubing/filter things on your pump? Sometimes that got me a few more ounces for awhile.

Ultimately, after six months of pumping diligently, drinking fluids, taking galactogogues, etc, I supplemented with formula. It wasn't ideal, I would have preferred not to, but my sanity was taking a hit. I was so anxious about providing enough milk from pumping that it spilled over into other parts of my life. I finally decided that the most important part of breast feeding for me was the relationship that actual breast feeding gave me with my son, and that ultimately supplementing was okay with me in that context. I still pumped on my schedule, tried to get as much as possible, but if I needed to supplement, I did that with a peaceful heart. I felt a little bit like a failure, but in looking back, for me, I let myself totally off the hook. I did my best, I breastfed for 11 months until my son lost interest, and I feel really good about that.

[@llli*ohiomama]

Your plans for this weekend sound good. At this point, you've been taking the fenugreek for a month- I'd give it a break for now and ask the LC about trying something else. Not everyone responds to fenugreek and you would have noticed a difference long ago.

Hang in there, mama. I know this feels frustrating and defeating. Keep focusing on what you are doing.