Low milk supply!!!! Any suggestions?!!! Plzz!!!

[maichiang]

i just started pumping yst..i've a 5 week old son..i think my supply is on the low side thus the decision to pump after feeds to increase my supply..am also intending to express to store for future so that i can leave my son in my hubby's hands wid my EBM in the freezer..yst when i pumped from the other breast while my baby was latching on the other side,i had 60ml(very little rite?=S)..been pumping 4 hrly and my supply is getting lesser!!!! from the breast that baby wasnt latching..so weird!!!! how long do i have to wait to see results? and any other methods for faster results??

 

[Edwinie]

i just started pumping yst..i've a 5 week old son..i think my supply is on the low side thus the decision to pump after feeds to increase my supply..am also intending to express to store for future so that i can leave my son in my hubby's hands wid my EBM in the freezer..yst when i pumped from the other breast while my baby was latching on the other side,i had 60ml(very little rite?=S)..been pumping 4 hrly and my supply is getting lesser!!!! from the breast that baby wasnt latching..so weird!!!! how long do i have to wait to see results? and any other methods for faster results??

wow! 60ml is good!

how long do you pump each time?
initially, i pumped 15 minutes. then i pumped 20. then up to 25, then i pump 30 mins, and i keep increasing until 40 mins. i always keep time when i pump initially. so that i know how long and roughly estimate when to increase the duration.

if i remember correctly, when i started pumping at around week 4, my milk flow is slow. that's why need to take so long. plus i add additional 5 minutes of extra pumping after almost all the milk is out so as to stimulate further. after i think week 6-8, the milk flow faster, so i am able to reduce my pumping time to about 15-20mins.

 

[maichiang]

wow! 60ml is good!

how long do you pump each time?
initially, i pumped 15 minutes. then i pumped 20. then up to 25, then i pump 30 mins, and i keep increasing until 40 mins. i always keep time when i pump initially. so that i know how long and roughly estimate when to increase the duration.

if i remember correctly, when i started pumping at around week 4, my milk flow is slow. that's why need to take so long. plus i add additional 5 minutes of extra pumping after almost all the milk is out so as to stimulate further. after i think week 6-8, the milk flow faster, so i am able to reduce my pumping time to about 15-20mins.

60 ml from the breast that baby didnt latch on is good?? my baby always suckle on 1 side and dozes off and refuses the other side if i force..even if 60ml is good..today only 20ml came out frm the breast that baby didnt latch on,so demoralising lah! aiyoh! i pump for abt 15mins on each side...both yst and today..you started 15mins on each breast or total breast pumping was 15mins?

 

[Edwinie]

60 ml from the breast that baby didnt latch on is good?? my baby always suckle on 1 side and dozes off and refuses the other side if i force..even if 60ml is good..today only 20ml came out frm the breast that baby didnt latch on,so demoralising lah! aiyoh! i pump for abt 15mins on each side...both yst and today..you started 15mins on each breast or total breast pumping was 15mins?

i pump each side 15 mins, every 4 hourly, throughout the day. never had a consistent sleep of 8 hours. very tiring! but the results paid off. my supply really increased. but it differs from people to people. my solution might not work for you.

by week 4-5, i'm full time pumping and not latching anymore.

after your baby suckle, you must pump that side too.

i can tell you how bad i was when i first pump. i last latch my baby about 2 hours ago. i pumped and i get just 1 layer of milk each side. can't even reach the first marking. i think because my breast not used to the pump. slowly ba! you just started pumping only right? 60 ml good already! keep it up.

i can't explain why drop to 20ml though.. don't keep looking at the bottle. it helps a lot. relax. pump that time, read a book, watch video. set alarm at 15 mins. that's what i did. when i kept looking at the bottle and check what's the volume, the milk gets very little. i think psychologically it affects!

 

[maichiang]

i pump each side 15 mins, every 4 hourly, throughout the day. never had a consistent sleep of 8 hours. very tiring! but the results paid off. my supply really increased. but it differs from people to people. my solution might not work for you.

by week 4-5, i'm full time pumping and not latching anymore.

after your baby suckle, you must pump that side too.

i can tell you how bad i was when i first pump. i last latch my baby about 2 hours ago. i pumped and i get just 1 layer of milk each side. can't even reach the first marking. i think because my breast not used to the pump. slowly ba! you just started pumping only right? 60 ml good already! keep it up.

i can't explain why drop to 20ml though.. don't keep looking at the bottle. it helps a lot. relax. pump that time, read a book, watch video. set alarm at 15 mins. that's what i did. when i kept looking at the bottle and check what's the volume, the milk gets very little. i think psychologically it affects!

ohh, shall start doing that!=D i kept on looking at the bottle and when i saw so little,felt like giving up!=( i pumped the side that baby latched on too..hopefully the volume will not decrease anymore! if not sure demoralised! it sure isnt easy being a mummy.. i too cant get consisent 8 hrs of sleep,4 hrs is good enough!! but baby always on and off wakes up! haix..btw you take any supplement to increase milk supply??

 

[Edwinie]

ohh, shall start doing that!=D i kept on looking at the bottle and when i saw so little,felt like giving up!=( i pumped the side that baby latched on too..hopefully the volume will not decrease anymore! if not sure demoralised! it sure isnt easy being a mummy.. i too cant get consisent 8 hrs of sleep,4 hrs is good enough!! but baby always on and off wakes up! haix..btw you take any supplement to increase milk supply??

Nopez. not at all. no papaya fish head, no sacred tea.

good luck!

 

[yumitan]

60ml is very good ~~!! i pumped from my engorged breast that i stored throughout the night n only managed to get 40 ml.. but DS still can get milk outta it.. maybe i got poor pumping skill.. best way to increase milk supply would be to latch on your child 8-12 times in 24 hours.. feed on demand.. or you can try the sacred tea, fenugreek or green papaya fish soup.. and of course get plenty of rest and drink lots of water.. most importantly dont get stressed out, it affect your supply as well..

oh ya.. are you having menses? coz during menses, supply tend to drop ~~ jia you !! dont give up

 

[maichiang]

Nopez. not at all. no papaya fish head, no sacred tea.

good luck!

i pumped juz now..had abt 40ml..thanks so much for your advice!=D

 

[maichiang]

60ml is very good ~~!! i pumped from my engorged breast that i stored throughout the night n only managed to get 40 ml.. but DS still can get milk outta it.. maybe i got poor pumping skill.. best way to increase milk supply would be to latch on your child 8-12 times in 24 hours.. feed on demand.. or you can try the sacred tea, fenugreek or green papaya fish soup.. and of course get plenty of rest and drink lots of water.. most importantly dont get stressed out, it affect your supply as well..

oh ya.. are you having menses? coz during menses, supply tend to drop ~~ jia you !! dont give up

my menses have not started yet..i do feed on demand and started pumping 4 hrly since yst..if this milk supply increases,i am sure i will enjoy motherhood more..this is the 1 that is stressing me out! even more so than pregnancy ups&downs,labour pains n stitches pain add together!

does fenugreek really increases milk supply?? how long does it take to take effect? will try naturale way,if really by 2nd or 3rd mnth no increasement then i shall consider taking fenugreek..

 

[RabbyMummy]

My baby is about 8 weeks old and I am on full pumping. I pump almost every 3 hrs, each time total about 100 - 110ml. Very tired, cos have to feed and pump. Sometimes, baby wants me to carry her for long time, thus delay my pumping. Just ordered a bottle of fenugreek, hopefully can up the supply. Feeling like stopping after 3 months.

Becos of the need to pump regularly, I don't really feel like going out as it is very inconvenient. What about you?

 

[Edwinie]

My baby is about 8 weeks old and I am on full pumping. I pump almost every 3 hrs, each time total about 100 - 110ml. Very tired, cos have to feed and pump. Sometimes, baby wants me to carry her for long time, thus delay my pumping. Just ordered a bottle of fenugreek, hopefully can up the supply. Feeling like stopping after 3 months.

Becos of the need to pump regularly, I don't really feel like going out as it is very inconvenient. What about you?

hmm.. did you try extending to 4 hours? 3 hours is so tiring.

this is based on my experience. i don't know whether it works for you.

initially, i pump every 4 hours and get about 140ml. after that, i pump every 5 hours and get about 160ml. then i extend it to 6 hours now and get about 180-210ml consistently.

it took me about 2-3 months to slowly extend but i still manage to maintain the volume i pumped out.

yes, 4 hours to me is very inconvenient already, can't imagine you trying for 3 hours... when i go out, i always timed it nicely. i get very irritated when the time is up when i'm doing my errands and i'm not home to pump yet. my breasts hard plus leaking!

until 4 months, my breast keep leaking. when i was pumping 5 hourly, in the 3rd hour, my shirt start getting wet, my breastpad fully soaked. i was very irritated esp when i'm out! but now, my son is nearing 5th month and my breasts seem to be able to get used to the routine. it doesn't leak much and the milk manage to be kept in until the 6th hour.

initially, i also thought how to tahan till 6 months, which is my target. but as you get used to it, it becomes a routine. my friend asked me i plan to stop when. right now, i've got no plans yet. it's like, part of my day schedule. wake up, pump, brush teeth, eat, go out, come home, pump, eat, feed baby, play baby, pump, sleep... inside me now. lol! at first i also curse and swear when it's time to pump.. too tiring! but now ok already!

 

[nesshermes]

Previously I was like u, stress due to not enough milk. And I nearly given up breastfeeding. At around 5 week I got sore nipple and it cause me to stop breastfeeding. It take me just 3 days to drop my supply to 10ml everytime I pump. I ask around and even went to doctor ask if that any medication I can tk to increase milk supply. the answer is none.

I post my question here and alot of mummies help teaching me how to increase my supply. And with alot of patients and determination, I get back my supply and now my DD is 3 mth old and she on total breastfeeding. I even have xtra in my freezer and I don't know when I will use them. Always remember, demand=supply. Just keep latching and pumping supply will increase. First few months is the hardest once u gt the hang of it u will have alot.

Btw when talk abt fenugreek, I think it does not works for everyone. And too much will cause diarrhoea. So be careful. To me latch on and feed on demand is still the best way to increase supply. And most important drink alot of water, eat well rest well and relax everytime u pump. Don't keep looking at the bottle coz no pump In this world can pump out all milk. your baby is the best pump. And tat is no such thing as pump out all milk. Coz milk nv stop producing. Try read kellymon. It helpful. Good luck and jia you!

 

[RabbyMummy]

hmm.. did you try extending to 4 hours? 3 hours is so tiring.

this is based on my experience. i don't know whether it works for you.

initially, i pump every 4 hours and get about 140ml. after that, i pump every 5 hours and get about 160ml. then i extend it to 6 hours now and get about 180-210ml consistently.

it took me about 2-3 months to slowly extend but i still manage to maintain the volume i pumped out.

yes, 4 hours to me is very inconvenient already, can't imagine you trying for 3 hours... when i go out, i always timed it nicely. i get very irritated when the time is up when i'm doing my errands and i'm not home to pump yet. my breasts hard plus leaking!

until 4 months, my breast keep leaking. when i was pumping 5 hourly, in the 3rd hour, my shirt start getting wet, my breastpad fully soaked. i was very irritated esp when i'm out! but now, my son is nearing 5th month and my breasts seem to be able to get used to the routine. it doesn't leak much and the milk manage to be kept in until the 6th hour.

initially, i also thought how to tahan till 6 months, which is my target. but as you get used to it, it becomes a routine. my friend asked me i plan to stop when. right now, i've got no plans yet. it's like, part of my day schedule. wake up, pump, brush teeth, eat, go out, come home, pump, eat, feed baby, play baby, pump, sleep... inside me now. lol! at first i also curse and swear when it's time to pump.. too tiring! but now ok already!

thanks for sharing your experience. If i delay pumping for 4 hrs or more, my breasts will feel very engorged, don't you? I wonder if the supply will decrease if you delay pumping since they will think milk is not needed? If I can extend, I would love to do so, otherwise it is so inconvenient. Perhaps I should up my supply and have a consistent amount first. Sad to say, I am going back to work after 4 months and will be sending my baby to infant care, so I am also not sure how I can continue expressing my milk. I don't even have extra to keep in the freezer, my EBM is only 2 - 3 feeds ahead of my baby's feeds cos I give 2 FM feed at night.

 

[maichiang]

My baby is about 8 weeks old and I am on full pumping. I pump almost every 3 hrs, each time total about 100 - 110ml. Very tired, cos have to feed and pump. Sometimes, baby wants me to carry her for long time, thus delay my pumping. Just ordered a bottle of fenugreek, hopefully can up the supply. Feeling like stopping after 3 months.

Becos of the need to pump regularly, I don't really feel like going out as it is very inconvenient. What about you?

i went out last week to the taka sale wid baby n family..woaahh,not easy leh..thank god had mi mom!..gave FM also difficult..if full BM den sure more difficult cz gotta find nursing room or toilet asap once baby is hungry..haix!

 

[maichiang]

Previously I was like u, stress due to not enough milk. And I nearly given up breastfeeding. At around 5 week I got sore nipple and it cause me to stop breastfeeding. It take me just 3 days to drop my supply to 10ml everytime I pump. I ask around and even went to doctor ask if that any medication I can tk to increase milk supply. the answer is none.

I post my question here and alot of mummies help teaching me how to increase my supply. And with alot of patients and determination, I get back my supply and now my DD is 3 mth old and she on total breastfeeding. I even have xtra in my freezer and I don't know when I will use them. Always remember, demand=supply. Just keep latching and pumping supply will increase. First few months is the hardest once u gt the hang of it u will have alot.

Btw when talk abt fenugreek, I think it does not works for everyone. And too much will cause diarrhoea. So be careful. To me latch on and feed on demand is still the best way to increase supply. And most important drink alot of water, eat well rest well and relax everytime u pump. Don't keep looking at the bottle coz no pump In this world can pump out all milk. your baby is the best pump. And tat is no such thing as pump out all milk. Coz milk nv stop producing. Try read kellymon. It helpful. Good luck and jia you!

how often did you pump?? i also still latch on and pump,maybe thats why so little amt..when you started and when did supply increase?

 

[RabbyMummy]

i went out last week to the taka sale wid baby n family..woaahh,not easy leh..thank god had mi mom!..gave FM also difficult..if full BM den sure more difficult cz gotta find nursing room or toilet asap once baby is hungry..haix!

i m also not ready to go out so far, cos hv to worry abt time to pump n feed her. definitely not ready to latch her outside, i need all e pillows to support me! sianz

 

[PTB7476]

hmm.. did you try extending to 4 hours? 3 hours is so tiring.

this is based on my experience. i don't know whether it works for you.

initially, i pump every 4 hours and get about 140ml. after that, i pump every 5 hours and get about 160ml. then i extend it to 6 hours now and get about 180-210ml consistently.

it took me about 2-3 months to slowly extend but i still manage to maintain the volume i pumped out.

yes, 4 hours to me is very inconvenient already, can't imagine you trying for 3 hours... when i go out, i always timed it nicely. i get very irritated when the time is up when i'm doing my errands and i'm not home to pump yet. my breasts hard plus leaking!

until 4 months, my breast keep leaking. when i was pumping 5 hourly, in the 3rd hour, my shirt start getting wet, my breastpad fully soaked. i was very irritated esp when i'm out! but now, my son is nearing 5th month and my breasts seem to be able to get used to the routine. it doesn't leak much and the milk manage to be kept in until the 6th hour.

initially, i also thought how to tahan till 6 months, which is my target. but as you get used to it, it becomes a routine. my friend asked me i plan to stop when. right now, i've got no plans yet. it's like, part of my day schedule. wake up, pump, brush teeth, eat, go out, come home, pump, eat, feed baby, play baby, pump, sleep... inside me now. lol! at first i also curse and swear when it's time to pump.. too tiring! but now ok already!

you drag the timing and yet can have increase in supply... woah... that is good. for me the moment i drag supply drop but no choice cos i have gone back to work and no way i can pump at 4hrly... of course i hope my son still get BM to drink until 6months not 100% on BM but at least 50-75% BM i am happy already

thanks for sharing your experience. If i delay pumping for 4 hours or more, my breasts will feel very engorged, dont't you? I wonder if the supply will decrease if you delay pumping since they will think milk is not needed? If I can extend, I would love to do so, otherwise it is so inconvenient. Perhaps I should up my supply and have a consistent amount first. Sad to say, I am going back to work after 4 months and will be sending my baby to infant care, so I am also not sure how I can continue expressing my milk. I dont't even have extra to keep in the freezer, my EBM is only 2 - 3 feeds ahead of my baby's feeds cos I give 2 FM feed at night.

i too dun keep extra..cos now my EBM is only for day feeding night time it is FM... i used to have extra in the freezer but was told to throw them away cos of BB jaundice sob so now with my busy schedule no way i can maintain the kind of expressing i had during my confinement as such supply has dropped

Previously I was like u, stress due to not enough milk. And I nearly given up breastfeeding. At around 5 week I got sore nipple and it cause me to stop breastfeeding. It take me just 3 days to drop my supply to 10ml everytime I pump. I ask around and even went to doctor ask if that any medication I can tk to increase milk supply. the answer is none.

I post my question here and alot of mummies help teaching me how to increase my supply. And with alot of patients and determination, I get back my supply and now my DD is 3 mth old and she on total breastfeeding. I even have xtra in my freezer and I don't know when I will use them. Always remember, demand=supply. Just keep latching and pumping supply will increase. First few months is the hardest once u gt the hang of it u will have alot.

Btw when talk abt fenugreek, I think it does not works for everyone. And too much will cause diarrhoea. So be careful. To me latch on and feed on demand is still the best way to increase supply. And most important drink alot of water, eat well rest well and relax everytime u pump. Don't keep looking at the bottle coz no pump In this world can pump out all milk. your baby is the best pump. And tat is no such thing as pump out all milk. Coz milk nv stop producing. Try read kellymon. It helpful. Good luck and jia you!

yap...fenugreek dun seem to work for me cos my supply din increase after consumption as i am unable to maintain the 3hrs expression like what i did during confinement. guess only patient pumping or latching at 3hrs will boost the supply of BM

 

[nesshermes]

how often did you pump?? i also still latch on and pump,maybe thats why so little amt..when you started and when did supply increase?

ok this is what i do. i feed my baby first, confirm not enough so i top up with some formula. then i play play with her until she sleep i start to pump. one side i pump for ard half an hour. Then when baby wake up for feeding again i latch her on. Not enough i give her the little milk i pump with a little formula. then play play with her then when she slp i pump again. Andeverytime when she feel like sucking. i just offer my breast. this whole thing is a very tiring job. I also take fenukgreek but lucky for me it works. for ard 2 week non stop i do this and the supply increase. when i see the supply increase already, i decrease the pumping time to 25 min then slowly i find out that the xtra i pump is too much for my baby, so now i stop pumping i just feed on demand. only morning wake up i pump. My baby doctor don believe i have supply problem coz my baby weight is 75%.

Never never let ur supply drop. coz it just take a few day of not feeding will dry up. Once it dry up and tat it. Game Over. You must be really patient with this thing coz milk increment takes a fews day to see the different. BTW im a very impatient person since young. even waiting for bus is like killing me. and i still can make it coz i think for the benefit for my baby. And everytime when she cry i just need to offer my breast and she will just sucker and give me the look in her eyes make me have the motivation to breastfeed her even more. And i fail to breastfeed my first baby when she was born and i really regret of not doing so. So I believe U can do it and i will like to motivated new mum to breastfeed. Let me know again if U need help. Good Luck!! Jia you!!

 

[Edwinie]

thanks for sharing your experience. If i delay pumping for 4 hrs or more, my breasts will feel very engorged, don't you? I wonder if the supply will decrease if you delay pumping since they will think milk is not needed? If I can extend, I would love to do so, otherwise it is so inconvenient. Perhaps I should up my supply and have a consistent amount first. Sad to say, I am going back to work after 4 months and will be sending my baby to infant care, so I am also not sure how I can continue expressing my milk. I don't even have extra to keep in the freezer, my EBM is only 2 - 3 feeds ahead of my baby's feeds cos I give 2 FM feed at night.

hmm... you have the time of 4 months to stock up! i only had 1.5 months before i started my new school term. so i was under immense pressure to produce.

i started to lengthen once my supply is considered stable. my breast do feel engorged but i slowly increase the timing. from 1 more hour to 2, and then 3 hours. i also pump longer.

initially, my breast feel engorge often. before i started school, i pump every 5 hours. when i went to school and needed to wait for 6 hours, my breast leaked like crazy! but subsequently the supply will be stable and it doesn't feel engorge anymore but the volume is the same. our body learns! demand and supply! my friend had the same experience. at 2 months, i was complaining to her my breast feel engorge and leaked like crazy. she said after some time it will not leak that much. now i'm in my 5th month and it's true!

as for extras, they don't pop out in the middle of the night! it's painstakingly accumulated. now u r 2-3 feeds ahead, soon, it will be more. relax! u have 4 months!

 

[reginaluxp]

i just started pumping yst..i've a 5 week old son..i think my supply is on the low side thus the decision to pump after feeds to increase my supply..am also intending to express to store for future so that i can leave my son in my hubby's hands wid my EBM in the freezer..yst when i pumped from the other breast while my baby was latching on the other side,i had 60ml(very little rite?=S)..been pumping 4 hrly and my supply is getting lesser!!!! from the breast that baby wasnt latching..so weird!!!! how long do i have to wait to see results? and any other methods for faster results??

hihi, you can refer to this website for tips to boost milk supply.
Mummy and Baby Stuff: Breastfeeding