Breastfeeding Help - Keokuk, IA

It is OK to supplement a bit with formula. The benefits of breastfeeding are there with 2-3 feedings a day.
S.

J.,

Why not try to supplement one bottle of water to help fill him up? He may just want the sucking and not really all the milk. It is worth a try.

L. :)

Hi J.,
Have you been pumping on the weekends as well? Can you take more pumping breaks at work?
If you haven't seen the webpage for La Leche League, they have some great information posted: http://www.llli.org/nb.html
Good luck!

I would suggest taking the supplements fenugreek and blessed thistle. These can usually be found in a health food store either in pill or liquid form. These are ones that we recommend to our customers in my health food store. If you can work in maybe an extra pumping during the days at work, that might help. Also some breastfeeding support nurses recommend the product called More Milk Plus. These herbs help to increase breastmilk.

Hello! One thing that really helped me and gave me peace of mind regarding supplementing was using goat's milk. It is as close to human milk as you can get and very well tolerated for most babies. I added a dash (1/8 tsp) of light corn syrup to each 4 oz bottle to make sure my daughter would poop OK and that always did the trick.

Keep in mind too that babies can drain a bottle much faster then they can the boob! ;) So of course he can drink more from the bottle. You can always mix breastmilk w/the goat milk and you can buy it powdered from most health food stores or fresh from most grocery stores. Go to www.askdrsears.com and search "goat milk formula" it will give you some more information.

Hope that helps!

Try pumping more often. You can also drink Mother's Milk tea- at least 5 cups/day. There are several herbal supplements you can try also- too many to list, but you can look on-line or ask your local healthfood store. You can also get Domperidone from Canada, if you can find someone willing to write you a prescrition. Try the other things first though. You could also pump when you are at home with him also- after he eats, then pump to help build up your supply. Good luck and don't give up!

I had supply issues with my son, but they were easily remedied. My own issue was mostly that he didn't stimulate my supply like pumping did, so I had to pump just to keep up my supply, even though he only got 1-2 bottles a week as I work at home. Needless to say, we had a heck of a freezer stash!

Anyway, what I did to get my supply up was to eat oatmeal at least once a day (I had those big soft oatmeal breakfast bars/cookies), drink plenty of water, and I also took fenugreek for a couple months prior to discovering the pumping thing. I actually have most of a large bottle in my cabinet that is going to waste... I should check if it will 'expire' prior to my due date with the next and if it is even worth hanging onto "in case" I have the same problem again at all.

I totally agree that you should pump as often as you can, even if you only get a minimal amount... it should still stimulate your supply. Good Luck!!

If you are looking for ideas to try to stimulate your supply, here are some that worked for me:
I drank a lot of water during the day and night. I also kept track of calories- initially I did it to try to figure out how many calories I needed to start losing baby weight but noticed as I cut calories, my milk supply went down so I gave up on that and just focused on how many calories I needed to keep my supply up (and it was much more than I thought it would be). I also read about this method of massage when you pump to stimulate your breasts to release more milk- if you want details, write me back and I'll email it to you- the massage helped a lot. I also pumped frequently- including during the night even when he started sleeping during the night. General rule I used was during the day I only went 3 hours between feeding/pumping and at night the longest stretch I did was 6 hours.
If you are looking for support for supplementing with formula: you know, you have to do what you have to do. You can't let him be hungry, so if you have to use formula, there is no shame in that. And you may only have to supplement temporarily if you continue to try to build your supply. Once you start introducing solids, you won't need as much breastmilk. But, you still have a few months before you would get to that point. Good luck to you, just keep doing the best you can.

Don't give up! You are always going to get less breast milk from pumping than you would if your baby was nursing. Your breast actually makes milk while your baby is nursing to provide him with the amount he needs, the pump can't do that. So even if you aren't pumping enough, he is getting what he wants and needs when he is nursing.

You could always try the home remedies for increasing milk supply like eating oatmeal or having a malt once a day. Be careful though, you don't want to be constantly leaking either:)

I know moms want to exclusively breast feed but if the baby needs formula, its not going to hurt him. Formulas are made with enzymes to make it as close to breast milk as possible. Whatever you do, don't just quit because you don't pump enough! That would be worse than just supplementing him once or twice a day.

Breastfeeding is great for him, and just because you supplement a bottle doesn't mean you are stopping to breastfeed. If he needs more, he needs more. My doctor said that part time breastfeeding gets baby all the antibodies they wouldn't get from the formula. Just try giving him a bottle of formula a day during daycare. It is nothing to feel bad about:)

Also, I noticed when I wasn't making as much milk, I wasn't eating right, or drinking enough water. Make sure you have a healthy diet and are getting enough liquids.

Everyone has mentioned great ways to raise your supply since a pump is not as efficient as baby. One person mentioned the pump that you are using. Make sure you are using a Medela Pump in Style or higher grade because most pumps won't even maintain your supply. Since every woman's body is different from the next, sometimes the oatmeal trick doesn't work. But it is worth the try. Mothers Milk Tea contains Fenugreek, and you can find fenugreek pills at GNC or other health food stores. I honestly have not seen Mothers Milk at wal-mart myself, but maybe one carries it. Drinking plenty of water means that you need 1/2 oz of water per Lb. that you weigh, so say for instance if you are 150 lbs. then you need to be drinking 75oz of water per day, every day, not just while you are breastfeeding.

My 2 cents that I wanted to put in, is that breast milk is different from formula. Your son isn't going to drink "more" breastmilk because he is bigger. Formula stays the same and never changes, so that is the reason that as the child grows they have to have more and more formula. Breastmilk however changes as the child grows, so at 3m old he will be drinking 5oz of breast milk, and at 7m old he will still be drinking 5oz of breast milk at each feeding because the calorie content and nutritional value goes up as baby gets older. With bottles, baby gets the milk faster than out of the breast, and therefore that is the reason that he may seem to want more at the sitters. Since the milk flows faster from the bottle his desire to suck isn't fullfilled yet and so it can confuse him because it takes less time to eat and he will become fussy/frustrated because of that.

It is because of the bottles running faster that both of my boys stopped breastfeeding eventually. My first stopped at 6 or 7m and my second stopped at 5m.

It never seems like you pump as much as nursing. Are you using an electric pump? You might need to add another pumping time to get as much milk. Also, you can start on more baby food. Your baby is probably ready for mashed bananas and avacodo and such. I started my baby at 4 months with cereals and he loves the food. This is a great web site... http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/

I have two children that were breastfed for over a year. Between 4 and 5 months was always the hardest time for me. With our daughter (our first) I was talked into supplementing with formula around 6 months, but with our son we did not supplement. I pumped at work for both of them and I felt the same way you do, that there comes a point when their appetite goes up and your production starts to feel like it is slipping. What I learned is that a good eater will take as much milk as you will give them, especially breast milk. If your son is happy and healthy on the weekends when he has your undivided attention, you are supplying enough milk. Don't let your daycare provider stress you out by telling you that you need to bring more milk. Most daycares don't really understand how breastfeeding works, and they don't know how to support you. At 5 months, if you are still exclusively breastfeeding and he is starting on cereal and baby food you are close to being on the downhill stretch. I know it is hard not to stress out about your pumping production, but you need to truly belive that you are doing a great job for your son. You also need to know that if you decide to supplement, it is not the end of the world. He will still love you, and grow up a happy and healthy baby!!!

You didn't mention what type of pump you are using...

Make sure it is a very good quality one to help keep up your supply. When I was nursing and went back to work for 6 weeks, I used one I got from Wal-Mart...then I got a Medela. The difference was incredible!

One thing to remember is that your baby is a lot more efficient than your pump, and can eat more off you. So when you can only get a certain amount with your pump, that is why. I was able to increase my production by eating oatmeal every day and taking fenugreek, but I still would not make enough during my working pumpings to give him to go to daycare, so I also pump once before I leave for work and once right before I go to bed. Consider doing that if you can. Good luck!

I had and still have that problem with my now 10 month old. I went to a natural food store and purchased some fennegreek capsels. I also bought some mothers tea and drink a glass in the morning when I wake up and then some more throughout the day. I would suggest adding an additional pumping throughout the day and possibly one during the night. Another thing is to have your baby nurse longer. My baby is receiving 6 oz throughtout the day while I am work and then nurses before work, after work, and right before bed. Now that your baby is almost 5 months old you could try and introduce some babyfood but that is up to you and your doctor. Just remember if you start babyfood that you need to start out with vegetables. I hope this helped. A.

What kind of pump are you using? I hear it can REALLY make a difference. I can't quite believe it, but I work full time and breast feed my twins until one year. I just stopped pumping yesterday! I SWEAR by the Medela Pump and Style Advance. It has a powerfull motor and I hear it is the best you can buy. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that pump!!!!!!!!!!! Check e bay or Craig's List for a better deal!

J.,

I haven't read through all of the comments yet, so I hope that someone already mentioned this, but around 4-5 months, it's *normal* to have a little bit of a dip in supply. Around that time, your body has a bit of a hormonal dip, and your milk supply essentially "switches" from that of more hormonally supported to more supply and demand supported. Think of it as a continuum, and now you're in the end that is more of a supply and demand supported milk production.

That doesn't help the moment of panic when you realize "OMG where has my milk gone!" though - and oh my I remember that one!

I went for about a week playing catch up between the initial dip and when my milk caught back up. Note that it didn't matter whether or not we'd started solids. The dip for me started around 4.5 months, and I didn't introduce solids until about 6 months. So I wouldn't entirely lay the blame on cereal just yet. It is more likely hormones.

So. What did I do? I ate lots of oatmeal, drank extra water, drank mother's milk tea, took fenugreek (up to 10 capsules per day according to manufacturer's instructions, and my doctor), took brewer's yeast, and threw in an extra pumping session at work. I tandem pumped in the morning while my son was nursing off the other breast as well, and that's when I got the most volume for the day - and that helped a *lot* in keeping up with his demands.

I never again did produce the over abundance that I did in those first four months, but I kept ahead of him by a little bit - enough to be comfortable, which was good.

Keep it up! You're doing great!

Liz

To increase your supply, you'll have to start pumping more. The old demand and supply rule. It might take a couple of days, but then you'll have plenty.

My 3month old daughter has a bottle while at daycare part-time during the weekdays. She still breastfeeds while we are at home together. She seems to do fine going back and forth from formula to breastmilk. Don't worry and just try one bottle a day and see how he does.

J.,
I understand how you feel, I ran into the same problems with my eldest while she was in daycare and I was working. We did not end up having to supplement, but I did promise myself that I would not feel bad if I did. So many babies don't even get the benefit of 5 months of breastmilk. You have done a wonderful thing for your son!! I recently saw a great bumper sticker: I make breastmilk, what's your super power?. ANYWAY, I agree about trying to drink more water, but I also found that my supply seemed better when I drank 100% fruit juice instead of water. Also I found that I needed to pump not just when I was at work. I'd pump between her feedings as well as after she would go to bed and again before she woke up. I found that my supply was at its best in the morning so I would pump, feed her some cereal for breakfast and then nurse her before we left for the day. With the increased pumpings, I did find that my supply increased to meet the new demand. The body is an amazing machine! It took a little more time, but I found ways to make it work like pumping while I read to her, made grocery lists, watched tv, etc. Basically if I was sitting, I could be pumping. I used a hands free model from Medela. My daughter is now 9 and she nursed until age two as did her younger siblings. I feel lucky to have been able to give them such a healthy start. Good luck and don't feel bad if you do need to supplement. As parents we do the best we can with what we have, you're doing great! S.

J. I can totally relate. I breastfed both of my two girls and worked full time. I had a pump at work and had the very same problem you have. I also felt really bad that I couldn't completely feed my child on my own but what I ended up doing was continuing to pump and continuing to feed them at home and supplemented with formula. I never had problems getting my girls to accept the formula. I gave some formula to the daycare and when they ran out of my breastmilk they had the formula to use. I still continued to pump so that they could still get the benefits of my breastmilk. Good luck!

Call a lactation consultant, they can be a big help. I found myself in the same situation and tried fenugreek, an herb (find at natural food stores). That worked for awhile, but now I am on Reglan, a prescription that is working great. I still pump 3x per day, but we have plenty of milk. Good luck.

I pumped exclusively for several months because I was not able to nurse, so I know your frustration with maximizing supply from a pump. I drank Mothers' Milk tea a couple times a day, which seemed to help. It has fenugreek it in, which you can easily take in supplement form, but I found it was easier to drink the tea than to remember a pill. I was able to relax a little, and because it's herbal and water-based, it helped with hydration. I found it in the natural section at Cub. Good luck!

I was in the same place when I was working full time and my first guy was about this age. I pumped three times during my 10 hour work day, this kept my supply relatively going. Most likely you are "letting down" more when you nurse him than when you are pumping. Cereal won't replace any milk, it is just an addition to what he already needs, you want to keep the amount of milk the same still (other wise he'll miss crucial nutrition and get constipated). Make sure you are drinking enough water too, which is hard at work too. I had a good friend who set her alarm for 3am to get up and pump so that she'd have enough for her daughter, that is (sort of) an option too if you are really opposed to supplementing with formula. Don't feel bad about supplementing when you need to though, just keep pumping like normal (and more if you want to increase or keep up). Hope some of this helps!

hello J., i am a mom of three , which i breastfed all of them the oldest went for a year, the others less, sometimes you might need the milk letdown reflex, usually when we know its feeding time our breasts will fill up, and we need to nurse, and sometimes when you hear your baby cry your body senses the need and produces milk, maybe you need to know that your baby needs you while at work, trick your body maybe by recording your childs hungry cry, and maybe it will help let down the milk . i dont know i was a stay at home mom, and it was easier, and you should be pumping at the same time he eats during the day, and you are not a bad mom for him not nursing and supplementing a bottle, you do what you have to do, but we do treasure those moments when they are nursing, its a beautiful gift us women have, enjoy the time you have, soon they will be grown, not sure if it helps, but i hope you find your solution soon, D. s

I had similar problems when I first returned to work. I started drinking a large cup of Traditional Medicinals Mother's Milk tea every morning at work and was able to pump enough to keep my baby fulfilled - especially as she started eating more solids around 6 months. With the tea, I was able to continue pumping enough through her first year and never had to supplement with formula at day care. Also, if the tea doesn't work for you, any health food store/co-op will also have tinctures and herbal supplements to promote lactation - ask one of the experts there what they might recommend. Good luck!

I'm in a really similar situation - I pump 2-3x a day and I'm still not making enough for my daughter. I went on fenugreek and Mother's Milk supplements and didn't notice a difference. So now, when I'm home, I nurse. When she's at day care during the day she gets bottles that are half formula, half breastmilk. She's doing really well and with that 50/50 ratio I'm making plenty for the next day with some left to go into the freezer at the daycare so there's always back up.

One note if you go this route - we introduced formula all at once and it made her quite sick. We scaled it back to bottles of 75% breastmilk and 25% formula and she did fine. Since then we've gradually increased the formula to the 50/50 mix we have no with no problems.

Good Luck!

Hi J.,

My 3rd child is 6 months old and I work part-time. I know just what you are experiencing. Here are some ideas that might help you - I know they have helped me. I don't know how often you are pumping during the day, but I do know that the frequency of pumping is what drives production. So, if possible, pump more often during the day. Even if you can squeeze in one more time, it will help. Stick with it for about 10 minutes, even if it seems like you are not getting anything. Another option is to try a supplement to increase milk production. I have tried fenugreek with my older children and what worked better for me is More Milk Plus. You can find this at Whole Foods stores or online at Lucky Vitamin.com. A lactation consultant at Fairview Southdale hospital recommended it to me and it has changed my production so much. Do what you can, but don't feel bad if you need to supplement with formula. Your son will still be getting the benefits of nursing, as will you.

I know you may have a hard time imagining where to find the time for this next idea, but....if you can find time, try pumping for about 10 minutes after you feed your son when you are with him. Again, it is the sucking action that will increase your production. This way, even if you only get a little with the pumping after he eats, it will add up over the weekend and in time, your supply will increase to meet his demand. God bless you!

Maybe the daycare can offer rice cereal or whatever before each feeding. Talk to a lactation lady about ways to increase your supply. Double pump instead of doing a single side.

I always kept a container of GoodStart at daycare just in case. She was not old enough to take just food yet if I didn't have enough milk then what? Maybe it's just a growth spurt and things will calm down in awhile.

There are some herbs that you can buy OTC that will enhance milk production, fenugreek and blessed thissle. I have had success using them. I also took a prescrition medication called Domperidone to bring my milk in when I had a baby in the NICU who could not nurse yet and I couldn't get any milk just from pumping. That is kind of the last ditch effort, but the Domperidone is really effective, if the herbs don't work then just tell you doctor that you need it prescribed, my Dr. just prescribed it over the phone. Whatever you do don't give up! Breastfeeding is so worth the effort.

J.,
One thing I found was to drink lots of water. The other thing is that he maybe wanting more because he could be taking it from the bottle faster and he is not feeling satisfied with the bonding that is taking place dring his feeding. Not to say that your cargiver is not wonderful, but there is a different attachment that he has with you. I did end up supplementing with formula wihile my little ones were at daycare, and that was okay, I still got to bond with them in the evening and on the weekends.
Best Wishes,
J..

This happened to be as well. She was getting enough milk, but she seemed to eat more when I wasn't there. I later figured out that she was using me as a security blanket so to speak. I then started the binki. It did take awile to get the one she would stuggle with, and I did have to put it in her mouth when she wanted to nurse. This helped so much and I still pumped to keep my supply up. If he is not getting enough to eat to feel him up, ask your doctor to see if he can start fruits with the baby ceral.. Make sure you drink plenty of water to help with your supply when your pumping at work. Also another mom had recommended to take a picture to work and think about your little one nursing while you are pumping. Hope this helps..

My best advice would be to try to drink more water, make sure you are relaxed when you are pumping and try to think about your son. Bring a picture, something that smells like him, etc. All of these things will help with your let down. You are never going to be able to produce as much milk pumping as you do when you are nursing him. When my son starting going to daycare when he was 8 months old, I was no longer able to pump enough to keep him satisfied either. His bottles at daycare were 5 oz breastmilk and 3 oz formula. I was able to continue breastfeeding him until he was almost 2 years old. Hang in there, you are doing a great thing.

I'm not sure about Mother's Milk tea (as others have recommended) however there is an herbal supplement called Fenugreek (don't know how it's spelled but that's how it's pronounced) that the lactation consultants at my hospital recommend for mother who's milk production is slowing down. It comes in pill form so if you are not into tea that's something to try. My friends have used it and it worked great for them! I considered using it too however I started drinking more water and my milk supply increased greatly. Hope this helps!

I had the same problem. Try Mothers milk tea. It really works.

Hi J., I only nursed my daughter and pumped at work. There were days that I did not get enough for the next day at day care, so I had to make up with having a extra pumping time at work to get my milk supply up again. Drink LOTS of water, and also eat oatmeal (that helps with milk) for breakfast. Hopefully you can figure out what works for you to keep up with the nursing.

I exclusively breastfeed both my sons. My oldest was 20 lbs at 4 months from breastfeeding alone! But my second son had the same problem you describe. I was able to produce enough milk if I was with him all day, but I pumped less and less while away from him.
One of the tricks I learned was that you don't produce as much milk if you're stressed, and pumping at work is pretty stressful at times. You have to take the time out of the day to work it into your schedule and then there's the worry that you're taking too much time from your desk and others might complain. So, what I had to do was think of my son when I was pumping to try to relax more. I brought a nursey tape with me and headphones to listen to while pumping to try to relax. After I got used to all the gadgets attached to me (and I know you understand) it did help.
Another thing I did was pump once or twice during the day on the weekends as well. This helped to keep the supply up and to suppliment what I wasn't able to give during the week.
I hope this helps and keep up the good work! I think nursing is the best experience for your child and the perfect beginning to promote good health. :o)

First of all, you're doing great by nursing! It gets tough sometimes, I've nursed two kids so I know. My production was never high and that gets frustrating, and neither of my kids would take bottles!

Make sure you are staying hydrated. It's easy to forget in colder months and that has a huge impact on your production. Also, if you're dieting, don't cut your calories too much as that will also deplete your production.

At five months, you can also be introducing dry cereals like cheerios and kix, melba toast (better than biter bisquits which kids tend to choke on). Also one fruit or vegetable a week. That will help to tide them over also.

Remember that you can do formula during the day, let go of pumping and continue to nurse after work, nights and mornings easily. One or two bottles a day as a supplement is an OK thing to do! Especially if you're helping to meet his feeding requirements.

Any nursing you do is a great start for his health. Don't beat yourself up! You've made it for 5 months on your own. Take a little help now so you continue to enjoy nursing and don't resent it.

Hang in there!!

oh J.! I was in your exact spot and I feel for you. I also, wanted onlyk to exclusively breastfeed but going to work makes it much harder. It is nothing that you are doing wrong, but unfortunately no matter what pump you have, your baby will ALWAYS be your best pump. Have you tried mothers milk? It comes in pills and a tea and is usually found in the organic section of a health food store, walmart, or a grocery store. This is known to boost your supply. Also, I have heard that if you drink an Odouls-non-alchoholic beer, the hops in the beer will increase your supply. I would try those buf if that doesn;t work remember that formula is a good nowadays as your breastmilk (in mutrition) and you can always just have him do half and half at daycare to help your milk to last longer...for example, If He needs 18oz at daycare and you only pumped 12 have them do 3 bottles of 4oz breastmilk and 2 oz formula. He;ll barely know the difference, you;ll be less stressed (thus increasing your supply a bit) and you;ll make it to the weekend where you can up your supply again by nursing him exclusively.
Good luck!

I am experiencing the same thing with my 6 month old. My frozen supply is nearly exhausted and I can't pump enough for daycare. I can still nurse in the am and pm and pump a little at work. Someone suggested that I pump more to increase my supply and drink more water, but neither have helped. I'll have no choice by to start formula at daycare. This will take the pressure off me to pump so much, but I can still enjoy our nursing time in the morning and at bedtime.

I learned from La Leche League that breakmilk supply takes a drop around 6 months of age normally. Your son is probably getting more milk than you realize. I weaned my son the first week in November and I can still express a few drops- and I was one who had a terrible time getting any milk with a pump! For the last months when he was nursing I couldn't see how he was getting any milk at all but I could see him swallowing. The other reason there is a decline in milk supply right about now is that your body is adjusting to your son eating more solids. That is normal. It doesn't mean your milk supply is going to be gone entirely. If you just nurse him when you are home, your body adjust to that. It is the opposite of night weaning- he will not get milk during the day but will get it when you are home. Do you think you could accept using formula instead of pumping- to lessen anxiety about him getting enough to eat when you are away- and nurse him when you are home? I loved nursing my children and weaned them at 2 1/2 years, and also worked for much of that time, so do understand the feelings that go with providing enough. Maybe adjusting your expectations about providing the same amount of milk will help. Seeing nursing as a bonding time together instead of as his main food source? When you are home I am sure he will want you and not formula anyway.

Yoru supply is just fine, right now its totall yevened out to what your baby eats, and what you pump is no indication of your supply.

That said, I relize it sucks that you aren't able to pump as much during the day. If you want to increase your supply, here are a few things you can try, but you may have to add a pumping session in during the day to make up for not pumping as much per session.

Drink to thirst, no more, no less. don't gorge yourself with water, this can have an adverse affect and slow your milk supply. Drink water throughout the day. A bowl of oatmeal once a day will up your supply greatly. No idea why, but it works. Avoid mint, it will decrease your milk supply.... ALOT! Altoids, star mints, mint tea, all will decrease your supply greatly.

Relax when you pump, think of your baby. Close your eyes and imagine him nursing instead. Look at a pic of him.

You've done great making it to 5 months breastfeeding, that is amazing, you should be very proud. Try the oatmeal, drinking to thirst, and relaxing during pumping, but you still may have ota dd another session, either in the AM or at night after he goes to bed, of pumping to keep up with his demands.

Hey J. --
Congrats to you for making it to 5 months. Working and breastfeeding can be really difficult, but it's worth it.
Here's some thoughts for you:
Can you pump twice a day? I worked 10 hour day, and I breastfed in the morning before work, pumped at about 10:30am, and then pumped again at 2:30/3ish, and then nursed right away when I got home. I never was able to pump as much at work as I was able to nurse at home.
If you're coordinated enough, you can pump and nurse at the same time. I was able to do this once my son got around 6 mos. It helped a LOT. I did it on the weekends during the times I'd normally be pumping at work. The stimulation of my son nursing made a big difference.
In the end, I got so stressed out about breastfeeding and having enough of a supply that I ended up supplementing with formula around 7 months. I used the organic kind. It was SO nice to not worry about it anymore. I was still able to continue breastfeeding (and supplementing occasionally when needed) until just past a year. I'm SO glad I decided to do both.
Good luck. It's stressful but you're doing a great job!
A.

3 servings of Mother's Milk Tea and 8 glasses of water a day has helped boost my supply when I've needed it.

I had that same problem when I went back to work. My doctor told me that I needed to pump a little more often at work and to make sure that drank more water then when I did at home. You get busy with your job and forget to drink. It worked for me. He also wants to eat because he might feel some seperation anxiety. That will take some time. Try pumping a little more often and drinking a little more water and see if that helps.

Breast milk can be stimulated by drinking beer. Truly. Take it from the German's whose breast-feeding moms drink beer for this express purpose! If you don't tolerate beer well, eating Rye bread (heavy rye) will have the same effect. The beer is good because it will relax you and the alcohol content is low enough to provide only a mild relaxant for the baby.

Supplements for breast milk include Nettles. Going to a health food store or co-op would provide you with many more options than you may be aware of at this time as many supplement producers have products specifically designed for breast milk enhancement.

Still, I'd start with the beer if I were you :o)

J.- First of all, make sure you're pumping as often and as long as you can. Nurse on demand when you are with your son. Drink lots of water. I have this problem around 5 months (am nursing my 4th child who is 7 months). I have weaned one child because of it, and even gotten up during the night to pump and increase my supply. I found Yogi mothers milk tea at drug store dot com. I drink 1-2 glasses a day and by doing all the above, I was engorged the other day, never fun, but a relief. I feel that I've rebuilt my supply. Good luck and you're doing great on your dedication to your son and his (and your) health!

Oh, J., I know the feeling! I was in the same boat with my son--I pumped three times a day at work, and as the months wore on, I produced less and less.

For me it was heartbreaking knowing that 1) I couldn't be with my son, and 2) I couldn't even produce enough milk to feed him in my absence. After a while we started to supplement with formula. And what's funny (now that I look back on it, of course) is that I started to absolutely hoard my pumped milk for fear of not having enough, so when he turned one, and we felt we could switch him over to whole milk at daycare, our freezer was PACKED with milk. We ended up just tossing it out (although it was a little hard for me). For me it became an emotional issue, rather than what it is: just providing healthy food for your baby, which breastmilk AND formula are!

So what I'm trying to say is this: 1) Supplementing with formula is FINE. Your child will not even know the difference if he's drinking breastmilk or formula in his bottle! 2) Giving formula does not mean that you are "failing" your baby. 3) Relax about it (I know, easier said than done) and enjoy that giving formula may mean you don't have to pump as many times at work!

Finally, one more thing. After my son was one, I continued to nurse in the mornings and at night for about six more months (with no at-work pumping)--and to my surprise, I had no problems producing plenty of milk for those two nursings. And all those months that I had pumped I was so worried about "losing" my milk..!!

Hi J.-

In addition to the advice about stuff to do to increase your milk supply...

Make sure the day care is not "over feeding" him. If he eats too much during the day he will nurse less from you when you are home and that messes with your system and production. You then have to depend more on your pump which stimulates you less and extracts less than your baby. It can be a battle.

Nurse as often as you can when you are with him (don't ever give a bottle a home), and ask that they limit his feedings at the day care. Formula fed babies need more and more milk to be satisfied. (Which is one reason obesity is is much higher in people who were formula fed as infants) Breast milk fed babies DON'T. Most likely your daycare has a majority of formula fed babies so they think your baby also needs to eat more and more. Research has actually proven that women don't make more and more milk as baby grows. On the contrary, the baby gets more and more effecient at digesting his milk so that he utilizes it better. Our production of milk stays steady from about 2 months onward. WE HUMANS ARE AMAZING!

Don't start supplementing with formula. Not only is it unhealthy for your baby and will increase risks to his health, but it will fill him up more and further drive your
milk supply down. A woman made a comment that her MD basically said formula supplementation is harmless. THAT IS COMPLETELY contrary to ALL of the evidence that suggests the contrary, which is why the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization and UNICEF all recommend exclusive breast milk, AKA NO FORMULA. EVER. This once again, proves that doctors are not God and that they are very capable of giving bad, incorrect advice. Especially regarding breast feeding.

You've done great so far, you'll get over this little hump! Just love up your baby and nurse him as often as he will when you are with him, and tell your daycare not to feed him so much!

I first want to say I had a simlar situation when my son was about 5 months. Like the lady before me said, be sure you are using a very high quality electric pump, like a Madela. If you are then great! When you are with your son let him nurse as much as he wants, even through the night if needed. This will help stimulate your breasts to produce more milk. Be sure you are drinking TONS! of water while at work. The more hydrated you are the more milk you will produce. Also be sure you are eating enough calories and fat while at work. Not consuming enough nutrients will also decrease your milk production. Lastly I drank mother's milk tea by traditional medicinals (I found it at Cub) to help with my supply. I noticed a difference right away. It does have a very strong herbal flavor and smell so if you don't like it I would suggest getting fenugreek from a health food store.

Dr. K. K., DC

What kind of pump are you using? Some are more efficient than others at getting the milk out. And your son is more efficient than any pump out there (meaning that he isn't necessarily eating less when he nurses vs. when he has a bottle of pumped milk). Try pumping after he nursed when you are at home, because your supply should increase if the demand is increased. Drink more water, eat oatmeal, try fenugreek (an herb) or mother's milk tea.

Have you tried Fenugreek (I am not sure if that is the right spelling). It is an herb that you can get at health stores or some grocery stores. My pediatrician suggested that I try it and it worked. You can also just take it on the days that you need it. Also, if he is not nursing late at night, you could try adding in a time to pump before you go to bed. Hope something works for you!

One thing I noticed when I pump, I actually have had to help the pump by squeezing my breast a little (and this is really just on one side!) in order to get all the milk out. It has helped to increase the suction gradually as I notice the flow slowing down. My pumping sessions take a little longer, but it works out okay. And I agree that adding an extra pumping session may help-if you can work it in to your schedule! I work part time and I'm lucky if I can pump at all some days! It still does work out okay for us (we've been supplementing since day one becuase the nurse convinced us we needed to). Good luck!

Hi,
I had a similar issue. My doctor suggested pumping a little bit longer until your supply increases during the day. She also suggested using Fenugreek, which is an herbal supplement (foundat most nutrition stores). These both worked for me, but if you're work day is anything like mine, every minute counts...so I did try purely Fenugreek and it worked wonders. You simply take two capsules (up to six a day) until your supply increases. Then you can stop taking it. The only 'side-effects' are that you (sweat, skin, urine) will smell like maple syrup. (Fenugreek is actually what maple syrup is made from/with - it's a natural thing that works on most moms) Good luck to you!

I'm a mom of three (5,2,and 9mo.)and an OB RN. The first question I have for you is...What kind of pump do you have? If you're trying to keep up or increase your supply, you should have a hospital grade pump (ie. Lactina, or Pump n' Style) You should also be pumping at home after feeding your son. However, your body doesn't respond to a pump the same way it responds to your baby. You will let down more milk more often as your body responds to your baby than if you were pumping...so I can see how you would get frustrated with only producing small amounts of milk while pumping. And it's perfectly normal for baby to eat much more when he's with you than with someone else. If you want to continue breastfeeding...do it! And if you need to supplement...do it! Don't feel guilty! And as far as starting cereal...It's a total myth that baby will be more satisfied after introducing solids. It's not until they really start eating many different foods in their diet that they decrease breastfeedings.If you're committed to breast feeding, stick with it! Good Luck!

Hi,
I have a three month old who's been a voracious eater since the moment she was born and is 93% in weight (14 lbs now!). The only way I could keep up with her was to schedule an extra pumping session. If you regularly build it into your day, your body will gradually start producing more because it will think this is an extra feeding.
I've heard that babies will take 1-2 ounces MORE than they actually need sometimes too, just because it's there and offered to them. This sounds like what your son is doing at daycare.

Good luck!

Well, I was going to suggest Mother's Milk tea- but the first response I read suggested it! I thought I would throw my two cents in anyway and say that the tea was absolutely effective for me too. I used it whenever my son had a growth spurt, since the breastmilk takes about 3 days to catch up naturally when there's an increased demand. But with the Mother's Milk, I was producing enough to satisfy my son in less than 12 hours.

I'm no expert, but with my first daughter I went through a little of this. I was working part time, so I only pumped once by that age and therefore only had one bottle to supply for the babysitter. So I would actually suggest fitting in an extra pumping if you can (either at work or maybe after baby goes to bed and before you do). You could just do nothing, sometimes it will resolve itself, either baby will get used to a smaller ammount, or you will start producing what you used to. Or you could have them mix a little formula in the breast milk at day care (if you're an ounce short, just add an ouce of formula), so that you're not giving in on breastfeeding and yet you're giving your son the ammount he seems to be needing.
Don't know if this helps you at all, I also called La Leche League for advice on this when I was going through it.
H.

Hi J.-

Wow this is like deja vu for me. I went through the same thing with my son when I went back to work. There is a magic little pill that they make to help you produce more milk. You could check with your doctor. One thing to remember is, breastfeeding is all about supply and demand. How often do you get to pump at work? When you are at home you get to breastfeed whenevever you want. When you are work you might only get to pump twice a day....so you are making less milk. You are right, he is getting bigger and demanding more milk. They go through growth spurts. Anywho....check with your local lactation specialist. It helped me tremendously. Good Luck!!

M. B

Pumping causes a loss in supply quite often. I would suggest that on the weekends when you're with him, try to pump in between his feedings. This will bring in more milk and that may help your supply during the week.

Stress can also lower your supply, so make sure you take some time to yourself (maybe 30 min per day) to unwind and just relax. Make sure you get enough water at work too since that helps with a lower supply.

It could be that you're not pumping often enough too. Pumping and nursing stimulates your body to produce more milk. Try a few more pumping sessions during the week and see if that will raise your supply.

Good luck, mom! You're doing a great thing for your baby even if you would end up having to supplement! 4 months of exclusively breastfeeding is wonderful!

There are alot of herbal supplements you can try. I know fenugreek there is also mothers milk tea that can help your milk supply! Dont feel bad, you are doing the best you can!! Hang in there!

J.- I just recently went through the same thing. My son is just a little older than 5 months. I noticed that the amount I was pumping at work had decreased and I started taking fenugreek which helped but made my stomach feel kind of gross. Still, I kept taking it. On the weekends, I have made myself available to do nothing but be with him all weekend and nurse him. But, since the bottles he gets during the week offer him more immediate gratification, and since he has to work a bit harder to nurse- we were finding that he was fussy because he was hungry all weekend!! Your son might be eating more at daycare because bottle feeding is just plain less work. Finally, I decided that it was time for my husband to offer him the bottle a couple of times a day on the weekend- with formula in it. I felt SUPER guilty at first but then realized, he is still primarily breastfed (85%), and every drop of breastmilk he gets is wonderful for him. So I have decided to just go with it and not beat myself up about it. He is a big hearty healthy boy! During the day, while I'm at work, he gets as much breastmilk as there is and then some formula. He still loves the boob in the evening, during the night (UGGH) and in the morning. We haven't started cereal yet- but we will when he turns 6 months at the end of the month. I think it's really hard to keep up with the demands of a growing baby while trying to work and pump. It's been challenging for me- but also so worthwhile. If you haven't tried fenugreek, it might help you. Look on kellymom.com and search for fenugreek- it will tell you about dosages. But, in the end, if you have to do a little formula- your baby will still be getting all of the nutrients in your breastmilk. Keep up the great work! Take care!!!

Congratulations on making it as far as you have exclusively with breast milk. I faced the same situation with my son at four months: The teachers at his daycare kept telling me how hungry he was, and I was resistant to bringing formula for them to supplement. But I got the "OK" from my doctor at his 4-mo. checkup, though I really shouldn't have waited to hear from her. After all, the important thing is to give your baby enough to eat, and if that means supplementing with formula, that's A-OK. And by all means, don't stop breastfeeding! You can *supplement* with formula - you don't have to *substitute*.

Unfortunately, as you've not doubt experienced, it's hard to find information on supplementing. Everyone assumes that if you're breastfeeding you have enough milk but that simply is not true - ESPECIALLY for working moms who pump. The pump simply is not as efficient as the baby at extracting milk, and for those many of us who aren't gushing with milk, we eventually see the amount that we pump reduce a bit.

I have come to see this as a little-acknowledged issue with working moms, but I hope more of us will discuss it. It seems that for the great majority of us, exclusive breastfeeding for the first year works only for stay-at-home moms. Supplementing with formula is not ideal for those of us working moms who are committed to breastfeeding, but what's the alternative? You are still doing the best you can for your son, and that's something to be proud of.

There is something to look forward to, however: Once my son began eating more solid food his demand for milk reduced to the point where I could easily supply enough breast milk from pumping. He will be one next week and hasn't had any formula for several months. But the gist of my message is this: formula isn't evil, do what you need to do to keep your baby healthy.

And one more thing: don't let the teachers at your daycare mix formula and breast milk. Ask them to use all the breast milk first and only then offer formula. Formula must be thrown out after one hour, but in many cases (depends on regulations at the daycare) they can keep breastmilk around for awhile longer if he doesn't drink it all at once.

You could either try to add in a pumping time before you go to work or after you put him down to sleep, or you could try to pump extra on the weekends after each feeding.

But if you have to supplement, it's not the end of the world. I know it seems like it, but it's not. You could even mix in a little with each breast milk bottle so it's not all or nothing.

I nursed both of my children until they were 15 months and it's my greatest accomplishment outside of birthing them. I know what a special thing it is...and it won't go away simply from introducing formula a little here or there.

Best of luck!