Any suggestions for a mom who can't pump?

Question

My maternity leave ends next week, and I will be returning to the office two days a week, working from home the other three.

My 3-month-old and I have been exclusively breastfeeding since she was born.

I'm a lousy pumper, can only get an ounce or less no matter how long I try.

Any ideas what I can do so I don't take a major hit to my milk supply?

Thanks for all the pumping advise, but this is my second child, and I tried EVERYTHING with my first in regards to pumping. Seriously.

The "reverse cycling" idea sounds like something to look into (since we do co-sleep anyway), as well as manual expression.

Answer 1

You can try reverse cycling.

As you know *some* babies can go 8 or more hours at night without eating. These same babies can go 8 or more hours during the day IF they are allowed to make up for lost feedings at night. This is facilitated by co-sleeping.
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/reverse-cycling.html

Also you may find you can pump more when the baby is not drinking. Or have you tried hand expressing?

More info on increasing how much you pump and how much you will need:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/pumping_decrease.html

Answer 2

What kind of pump are you using and how long have you been trying?

When I first started pumping...it totally didn't work. I could barely get anything....

First off...if you're using a manual...throw it in the trash...they are all but useless. Go get yourself a dual electric pump...I recommend the Elan Dual Electric Pump made by Evenflo it is as good as the Medela Pump in Style but it's about $150 buck cheaper. The only down fall is that it is a little bigger but it has awesome storage.
Second - I have discovered that pumping while baby IS NOT AROUND is much more sucessful than when he is around...Breast pumping requires a certain state of mind...you need to be relaxed, I found that when baby was around and I had the monitor or if i was holding him and pumping...I worried so much about keeping him content...that I could barely collect any milk. But when my mother has the baby or when I'm pumping at work...I'm a regular dairy cow!!

Third - Pumping on a regular schedule (like I have to at work) seems to have inceased my milk supply. I nurse on demand at night and in the mornings, but the schedule three pumps at work seem to really add to the milk production.

It only takes me ten to twelve minutes to get about 10 ounces at the first pump in the morning. I usually get about another 5 to 7 at the second pump and maybe another 5 at the third...that's more than he drinks a day while he's at daycare.

Get the electric, drink a cup of tea, put your feet up and read a magazine....AND DONT OBSESS ABOUT THE AMOUNT...just read your magazine and relax...you'll look down ten minutes later and those collection cups will be full and you'll be amazed!

I've been back to work for 4 weeks and it has been totally do able...I didn't think it would be but it seems to be working out.

Don't be discouraged mamma...it may not be you...it can totally be a crappy pump...you're obviously making enough milk if your baby is flourishing...it sounds like your pump sucks (lol ...or doesn't...you know what I mean!)

Good luck mamma. You can do it! I promise!

Answer 3

something that might help to get the milk supply out is to put one breast at a time under as hot a water as you can take it. It helps to open up the milk ducts and let it flow more easily because the pump doesn't work as good as your baby's mouth.

when I did this, the milk really did start flowing. Once my breast cooled off if I was still pumping, I would start from the base of the breast and rub down to express more milk and this worked really well too. It was kind of like squeezing a toothpast tube to make sure I got every last ounce out.

Answer 4

Express from one side whilst your baby feeds from the other. The reason that it is hard to express is that your body only produces what your baby needs, and when the baby has that, it's hard to get any extra.
I think that if you start pumping more often, you might be able to trick your body in producing more milk, so you also need to increase you food and water intake a little to ensure that you can produce milk.

Answer 5

keep trying and you will produce more milk. when you return to work and your baby is not nursing durning the day you will pump more milk. right now your baby is nursing and you are trying to pump. when you return to work you just have to pump. just imanage how full your breast will be going 3 or 4 hours with nursing your baby, trust me it will all work out. good luck and please do not resort to formula.

Answer 6

Have you tried to pump the other while you are nursing on the other side - it seemed to be the only way I could do it.

Answer 7

take ur breast and squeeze it over a stainless steel bowl use a funnel pour in bottles...thats how many women all over the world get it done who can't afford fancy pumping stuff good luck and congrats on the little cutie in ur life!

Answer 8

I am not sure if there is anything you can do to make pumping more effective, however if you use formula with lipil your baby will be getting basically the same nutrients and vitamins that it has been getting with breast milk

Answer 9

make sure your drinking enough water! but i couldn't pump either i had to switch to formula but i don't know how you feel about that. good luck