I know the amounts because I am pumping during the day and nursing at night, is there a way to increase my milk production in my left breast or has that time already passed me by?
2007-06-05 07:33:04 · 18 answers · asked by krista_focus 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
That is how I was with both of my babies. I nursed the first month then expressed for 11 months. With both babies, I could never get more than 1 oz. out of one side and tons from the other. Pumping more didn't help, taking fenugreek didn't help, nothing. It just happens and there was nothing you could have done earlier. Unlike everything you read and what the LLL preaches, not everyone can produce the right amount of milk.
I used a Medela PumpNStyle double pump. While a pump may not get the milk out as easily. I can feel when my breasts are full and when they are empty. I am confident the pump can fully empty the breasts.
2007-06-05 07:51:46 · answer #1 · answered by dkwkbmn 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Pumping will never excrete as much milk as your baby nursing... no matter how good your pump is, it's still not as efficient as your baby is at emptying your breast.
Also, how old is your baby? When I very first started pumping I would only get maybe 3oz TOTAL from both breasts. Now I can get upwards of 10oz+ for the small amount of time that I pump. Your supply will grow as your baby grows and eats more (and gets more efficient at suckling).
Also, some people just don't do well with pumps. My mother breastfed all three of her babies and could NEVER pump. But as long as your baby is gaining weight fine, then you know they're getting enough milk from you. If you can't pump as much no biggie, you may just have to supplement a few ounces with the breastmilk when your baby takes a bottle, and nurse the rest of the time.
You can increase your supply by having your baby nurse more often on that side (as long as you are still getting some milk it's NEVER "too late" to increase your supply).. but keep in mind that your right side may drop off at that point, because your baby will only eat so much!!
2007-06-05 07:49:42 · answer #2 · answered by BizarreTees.com 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the amount you are getting from pumping is not at all a good indication of how much your baby is gettign when he nurses. A baby can and does suck a lot harder than the pump can. it also depends on when you pumped. if your baby is hungry, he may get the majority of milk in the first minute or so of nursing and then slow down. be sure to switch which breast you offer him first each time you feed him to keep your milk supply even. chances are also that if your breasts are pretty much the same size, that your milk supply is not truly all that different on each side. no matter what, it's no big deal and nothing to be concerned about.
2007-06-05 07:43:37 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The more you pump & the more often you pump the more production you will have. The quality of pump you are using matters as well - most over the counter Target/Walmart brands don't have the suction available to do a really good job. Medela is a great brand that has the double pump options - but it can be expensive. Go to medela.com to check them out.
2007-06-05 07:38:50 · answer #4 · answered by ang_phx 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No need to worry. I have been breastfeeding my little one for six weeks now. I was worried about the same thing at first. I had about 1.5 oz from my right and about 2-3 oz on my left. I asked my lactation consultant, and she said there always seems to be one that produces more. So, as long as your baby is gaining you should be fine.
If you want to try to correct it, try nursing or pumping on that side longer. Remember breastfeeding is a supply-demand kind of system.
2007-06-05 08:17:22 · answer #5 · answered by female_tech_geek 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try pumping even after the baby feeds. It can be very frustrating but if you have already gotten through the first two weeks then you might want to look into supplementing formula.
I know it sucks but you can still let the baby suckle on your breast for that is where they are most comfortable
2007-06-05 07:40:46 · answer #6 · answered by peanut 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is VERY normal to have one side produce more than the other. It happened to me too. A nurse suggested pumping on the side that produced more and putting the baby on the other side. I didn't really do that. I just pumped both sides when I was away from the baby. I also noticed that the volume increased on both sides as his appetite grew.
2007-06-05 07:58:40 · answer #7 · answered by Proud Momma 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try feeding from the left breast first when the baby is more actively suckling.
Its not unusual for this to happen...my right side is what I call me fast side. But remember one thing...a baby will empty your breast better than any pump. So what you get from your pump isn't necessarily accurate.
2007-06-05 08:58:49 · answer #8 · answered by gypsy g 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The more you breast feed the more milk you produce. Contact your hospitals breast feeding consultant and they can recommend a couple of herbs that can help.
If you are not pumping out of necessity than stop pumping and always start a feeding with your left.
Good luck!
2007-06-05 07:46:56 · answer #9 · answered by New England Babe 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nurse more on your left breast.
But, it may not be a production issue, it may be that your right breast responds to the pump better.
It's hard to say.
2007-06-05 07:39:50 · answer #10 · answered by Mommy to David 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋