Hi ladies!!! I have been pumping now for months. It's never been easy. In order to have let-down, I have to massage, gently stroke and shake my breasts. Sometimes I have to take a warm shower, These methods have always worked (I never have a surplus but I have been able to pump about 12-15 ounces a day....just enough to give the baby a night-time bottle when he refused to nurse b/c the little guy is too impatient). For the past day or so though, it doesn't matter what I do....no let-down. I am extremely frustrated. Nothing has changed at all. I'm not stressed, I don't feel hurried, I drink a big glass of water before I start pumping and still nothing. It is so important to me for the baby to only get breastmilk. If anyone has any suggestions on how to stimulate let-down, I would be forever grateful!!!
Oh, I forgot to mention, I am renting a hospital grade pump... a Symphony.....the best out there.
I pumped till my daughter was 6 months old. I used Fenugreek when my supply seemed to be dwindling. Worked wonders and we got to 6 months, solely pumping and very rarely had to supplement with formula. Good luck!!
I pumped for both of my kids, and hated it. But I was devoted and somehow got through. I never got as much milk from pumping as I know they got from nursing directly. In my opinion, our bodies know the difference between a human baby and a machine, and thus does not respond the same way to mechanical sucking, no matter what you do.
Consider this: Breast milk is important. Breast milk is far superior to formula. However, the actual act of breastfeeding to provide that breast milk is even *more* important. Like the formula companies like to boast how closely their artificial milk is to the real thing, the pump manufacturers like to boast about how closely the sucking mechanism replicates the baby's. But neither formula nor pumps can perfect what the breastfeeding relationship provides.
What I'm trying to say is, breastfeed your baby when you can, and for as long as you can (or want), but when you can't, don't worry! Pumping is miserable, and formula tastes horrible, so choose your evil and don't feel bad. You are doing a wonderful thing by breastfeeding, especially in a culture that is NOT very good at supporting it (but IS very good at making us feel guilty if we can't live up to the (arbitrary) recommendations). Oh, and remember that, too...the "exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months" recommendation is arbitrary; there is no exact cut off/date to start solids that is perfect for every baby and mother.
Good luck, and know that you are a wonderful mommy!
A.
Hey L., I pumped due to my son aspirating and the hospital pump was what I used also. They say nursing is best way to stimulate, but I was unable to have that choice because my son needed thickener added to the breast milk. I did take a medication from my doctor to help me with milk production to enable me to pump longer. It is a prescription. I was able to pump for over 7 months~ wish it was bonding time with my son instead, but it helped his premature immune system greatly. Hope this helps.
When I got to a point where I wasn't producing as much milk (past about a year) I starting using herbal supplements to help w/ production.....Fenugreek & fennel capsules, and Mothers Milk tea(which you can fond at healthfood stores as well as most Publix stores in their Greenwise section....worked wonders and allowed me to keep going....I'm still able to nurse (bedtime, waking, and naptime now) and my daughter is 22 months!!
Right about this time, I too stopped producing. I read the most common things to try are drinking a lot of water (not just before pumping) and pumping a lot more often throughout the day to stimulate production. Putting him up to nurse even if he doesn't get much would really help too. I personally just stopped, but I was fine with that. I also heard from someone who would have her husband rub her shoulders as she was pumping and that worked for her. Good luck, but if it doesn't happen, please don't beat yourself up about it. They are both lucky to have a caring mom and dad, everything else is secondary.
I am a breast feeding mother to my 3 month old son, also breast feed my older son as an infant, and I jsut recently returned to work. I have never had a problem with milk supply with either of my sons, whoever the first few weeks back at work I did not pump as much as I should have and I had a sudden and high decrease in my milk supply. Two things helped me tremendously and I am now back to normal. First, I pumped more liked I should have in the first place, I also strictly nursed while at home...no bottles! The second thing is that I began drinking mother's milk tea, the brand I bought was Earth Mamma Angel Baby, but there are several brands out there. The most important thing is theat they contain two herbs, Galactogogues and fenugreek. If you buy a mixed tea like I did, it also will typically conatin other beneficial herbs for your milk supply. Aniseed promotes milk production and aids in digestion, caraway which contains galactagogused properties is also used to aid in milk production and lactation. Fenugreek works even better as a milk stimulator when used with these other herbs. So, pick whatever milk increasing tea you want but keep thsoe herbs in mind when doing so. I have had great success with the one that I got and you can get it pretty much at any health store or baby store like Babies R Us. You have to drink a few cups a day and then once you start producing better you should be able to cut back a little bit. I have been able to stop drinking it all together but you may not be able to if you have always had a low supply, you may just continue to drink a cup or two a day until you are done nursing. All of these herbs are safe for baby as well and are recommended not only by homeopaths but also by conventional doctors, my pediatrician even okayed it! Good luck to you and don't be too hard on yourself, do what you can for as long as you can and feel good about having done that, some woman can't or don't breast feed at all, so you are already doing more good for your baby than a lot of others.
I am assuming that you are nursing during the day time and giving him a bottle at night. I do not know if that is correct. My advice to you would be to try pumping one side while he nurses the other side. I did this for about a week when I was going to be leaving my daughter during the day and wanted to make sure I had plenty frozen as a back up. Then I pumped during the day while she drank what I had previously produced. Good Luck!
have a beer or a glass of wine - ask your pediatrician, obgyn, or midwife - helped me and I was told by my OB to go for it! BEST GLASS OF WINE EVER! Lol! My son was 9 months and starting to back off, and we spent the day at the ER with our older child, and even though I felt I was ready to burst, when I got home it just wouldn't! I called the OBGYN, and she said - have a glass of wine - relax, and it will be fine - I did, it did, and we were all happy:)
Good luck momma!
I see that you've gotten lots of good suggestions. The only other thing that I did that seemed to help was to look at a picture of my baby while I was pumping and I would think of her and that the time I spent pumping was time I could dedicate to her while I was at work. I pumped for a year with my first. I only made it to 9 months with my second. I didn't produce easily either but I'm grateful for what I was able to give them. Good luck!!
Hi L.,
I'm not a drinker,
and dont advocate it normally,
but my doctor, as well as my midwife,
encouraged me to have a glass of wine
or a beer (after the water)
to help with letdown.
I hope you can continue to give your child your milk,
but, like the previous mom said,
if it's time to shift gears,
KNOW you've given him a great start for 5 months!
I understand!! Around the time my baby turned 6 months I felt a dramatic decrease in my milk supply. I did all of the normal things and it just wasn't enough. I had to drink a TON of water. I'm talking 8oz every hour... which I hated, but did. I also drank this tea called "mothers milk". You can get it at Mother Earth or most natural food stores. I drank this 3 times a day and it really seemed to help! I also pumped after every feeding. For the first week I didn't really get anything bc my son had already emptied my breast, but after a wk or so all of the sudden I could get milk 3oz after feeding. My milk supply was back up. All of these things can be a bit annoying but, i can tell breast milk is as important to you as it was to me... so, I promise it's worth it. best of luck to you!!!!
