Need Desperate Help with Breast Pumping Question!

hi Adele,
i am so sorry to hear that, i have same problem, my baby is almost 8 and half months now, but it started when she was 6 months, same situation. i did everything they told me to do and nothing helped. i lost my milk 70% already, can pump only maybe 10 - 15 oz per day now. i am still depressed because of that, i had to start 1/2 breast milk and half formula for my baby, but i still keep pumping every 4 - 6 hrs to get some milk out but i am frustrated as much as you are. i am sorry i cant help you but i want you to know you are not alone and hope someone will help you.
good luck

I pumped at work as well. I was never able to (or maybe comfortable) to go hands-free while pumping. I would usually help hold and massage one breast while pumping. it was not always comfortable sitting with one bottle between my knees but I always was able to get something out of each breast. I also set a timer for 15 min. Then stopped. The last thing is counter to every other post I looked at on this thread. I read my Nook (like the Kindle). Looking at pictures of my little guy did not seem to help but maybe it was the relaxation of reading that just allowed me to not stress. Try to relax as much as you can because I swear with the constant worry of nursing - is there enough milk- nursing can be draining.

I am going through the same thing. I hope it gets better for both of us. I think it is stress. It started when I went back to work. It got worse for me when I switched my schedule to dayshift (nurse). Days is so much more busy and I have been stressed about having time to pump. But I have had to make time. It has gotten better since I have tried to relax and realize that its not the end of the world. I have also tried to pump at least twice a day when I am home with her. Let me know what works for you. I have been doing Mothers Milk also while at work and Im going get some fenugreek. I have heard of taking Reglan (metoclopramide) to increase production, but I also know there are some side effects of Reglan that are not pleasant. I have heard of another drug similar. Im going to try fenugreek, pumping and 8 glasses of water a day before I try the meds. Let us know what works for you.

Also I have been doing half-n-half and I dont feel as bad as I thought. It helps the milk go farther and its not totally bad for her.

In addition to the other responses, consider trying to hand express some milk from the breast that won't release the milk. Your body will like the feel of skin more than the feel of plastic.

I know that hand expressing can be time consuming and exhausting, but if it can get you to the let-down, maybe the pump will work better.

Also, when pumping, try to close your eyes and not look at what's coming out. I'm sure watching the breast and seeing that nothing is coming out only increases your stress. Maybe set a timer for about four minutes to keep your eyes closed and think about your baby.

I've not read any other responses, so some of this might be a repeat. I am not going to go into the basics like drink water, get sleep...you know that!!

#1 is that you have to relax. I am a working and pumping mom, too, so I know how hard it is. It sounds silly, but try pumping while watching a video or looking at pictures of your daughter (better yet, have your man hold her beside you while you pump). I TALK and SING to my pictures at work and it works!! I can be 'dry' and after about 30 seconds of cooing, it starts flowing again. You may have to

You might try feeding on one side while pumping on the other.

You also might have unreal expectations. I had to pump a lot when my son was born b/c he was a preemie and tube fed. I was pumping 12-16oz a session at a time when he was eating 2-3oz. Once I started nursing him, it was a hard switch because that volume was my 'normal'. My breasts produced more than I needed and I was stressed as my supply dropped. I was much happier when i just let my supply drop to what was being demanded of me.

I realize no production from one side is a problem, but I have ALWAYS had a 'dud boob' as I affectionately refer to it. It produces half of the other one..sometimes less. It made me a little lop sided for a while, but now that my daughter is 10m, it is not a big deal.

Best of luck to you. I know you want to do it and as a mother of two (both breast fed while I worked full time) I know it is hard, but don't beat yourself up. Your daughter needs a mom who is happy and not crying and depressed as much if not more than she needs your milk vs formula. There are no medals in kindergarden given out ot bf kids!!! Right now, you are going through a transition (going back to work). Once you've had a couple more weeks, if it is still not working, you may want to evaluate your decision to continue.

Stress can be a big one, but also the way we pump has a big impact.

First off, nurse you baby at the breast AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. This helps maintain supply since breastfeeding is a mutlisensory experience.

When you do pump, pump like you nurse: every 2 hours (no longer), for about 10 minutes. Breastfed babies really don't go 4 hours and suck vigorously for 30 minutes.

Bring something the baby wore with you - the scent of your baby can help. And don't feel rushed - that will keep your milk from letting down.

I know some moms are able to nurse their baby on lunchbreak. If this can work for you, go for it!

As for fenugreek, I have a lot of moms use it, but this stuff made by motherlove is much, much better: http://www.motherlove.com/product/530-More-Milk-Plus.html

Remember: pump like you nurse! And remember - you won't always feel a let down. Many mams no longer feel a letdown after nursing for a couple of months. RELAX - stress is a BIG CULPRIT. Hopefully pumping more frequently, but for short periods will eliminate the stress part :)

Best of luck!

PS - breasts rarely produce the same amount of milk. We have a mom in our club who survived a single mastectomy and exclusively nurses a very chunky baby on ONE BREAST. We moms are mighty cool!

Hey don't panic... this sounds weird but try taking an item of your baby's clothes with you and smell it before you pump. I also had a lot of luck with the let down when I watched a short video of my baby. I never really felt the let down much either so I understand and I've had loads of trouble with it when I first went back to work. It will be ok I promise. Just breathe and try to hear, see, and smell your baby when you pump. It'll help

My son never latched on and I managed to feed him for a year with very little supplementation. You have to relax and be patient. Your advise so far has been spot-on...pump more often at the least amount of suction. The problem with pumping exclusively is that your breasts are not as stimulated by the pump as they are by the baby. If you relax and settle into a routine, you should start to produce milk. Get as much rest as you can (I know, easier said than done). I pumped every 3 to 4 hours, with no more than a 6 hour break at night. I also produced more when I drank 8 glasses of water a day, but drinking more than that can actually reduce your production. After several months, I had to begin taking a drug called metoclopramide to help increase my production, which was under the supervision off my OB doc. My son had some medical problems that meant he needed breastmilk, so I didn't have much choice. If none of this works for you, don't worry too much. Most healthy kids get benefits from however long you can breastfeed. If you have to switch to formula, everything will still be fine. Hope I helped.

Ditto on looking at pictures. I did this at work - granted it wasn't as productive as having my daughter, but I could tell it was better than just sitting there waiting for something to happen. Also, my right breast would never pump out as much as my left, but it always had milk.. go figure.

This isn't probably going to be terribly helpful, but I had a similar issue--my milk would just not let down for the pump after awhile and nothing I did would change it--I tried all the tricks with no luck (pictures of baby, warm wash cloth, warm bath). I did read that there was a hormonal nasal spray that they use in Europe that works for some women. I just had to arrange my schedule so I could nurse my baby in person (which was actually pretty doable for me)--I'm so sorry for you. I was pretty miserable when it quit working for me and I was engorged, sore and frustrated!

My 6 month old baby is breast fed, and I've recently started back to college, so I've had to buy a Medela breast pump for when I'm away from him. I've also had the problem of gradually getting less milk out when I pump, and sometimes none out of my right breast. I looked online and found out that when you pump, you actually have to stimulate your breasts by squeezing them. Apparently this gets the rich, fatty milk out. Perhaps this video will help you. I'm still sort of puzzled about what to do also. Hope this helps somewhat!

http://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction....

i wish i could help you, this is one of the few issues that i didnt have. however, i would recommend you google dr jack newman... he has a website or 2 and his info has saved me on many occasions, his videos too. i dont know anything about getting in touch with him, if its even possible, but i would try. check it out and best of luck to you.

As far as looking at pictures go, don't forget a lot of modern cameras and phones let you take videos of baby and you can watch those. You can watch it on your camera or phone to get things flowing. I got my baby belly laughing at the cat playing and I swear I can feel things working when I hear that laugh.