Help! Need Pumping Advice!!!

When I had a slight decrease in my supply, what worked very well for me was More Milk Plus capsules. I took double the dose, I think, and I noticed a difference in a day or two. I took them for a few days, and then things went back to normal. Try them!

I had the same problem with both my boys. I found after doing a lot of research (when it started happening with my second) that I was pumping too fast. I was busy and only had a short window to pump, so I would crank up the suction and speed as high as they could go. This actually decreases production...I had no idea...why don't they tell us this? Anyway, I found that if I started off at high speed and slowed it down (click 2-3 on the dial)when my milk let down I started producing more after a week or two. Apparently if the speed is too fast, the machine does not draw enough milk on each suction and therefore our bodies get the message that it doesn't need to make that much milk anymore. You want to try to mimic the suction of a baby, fast and short at first, then long and slow when the milk lets down.
I used herbal remedies as well and together with adjusting the speed, it helped. I was only able to breastfeed my first til 7months, but my second made it to 10 months, which is when I decided to stop...my milk did not dry up this time.
Best of luck...next to potty training, pumping is my worst favorite thing about being a mom.

WOW! You have some rude co-workers!! Don't let their insensitivity make you feel like a failure! That being said, you are short on time so taking legal action or moving jobs won't help you. It sounds like space is at a premium in your office. Do you live a reasonable distance from work? Maybe you could ask to re-work your schedule for the next two months so that you can go home for lunch.

sounds like you are stressed about this situation -- you have to take care of the office situation for sure. as for supply, i have pumped with 2 kids and i can say that there are times it is so easy and times i have less to give, and that can change daily. i am very calm about the whole thing and i think that really helps. my friend was going through exactly the same as you and she was asking me how often i pump and telling me she pumps at home before work then every 3-4 hours at work b/c her lactation consultant told her after 5 hours the brain starts to tell the body to stop producing milk. well, not in my experience. it took months to dry up with my first kid, so i have no fear. i pump after about 5 hours, and easily get 6-8 ounces. probably could increase the amt if i drink more water. let your boobs get full. really full. how much does your kid eat? my boy is the same age and he is not into solids, so he eats 2 (3-4oz) bottles per 6 hour shift. dont worry. he is not a little baby who needs to eat all the time. often if they are having fun he will only eat one bottle and then i can load him up when i get home.
i do not believe you will lose your supply if you ease up. personally, i would drop the 5am pumping, drink lots of water, keep pics of baby around and think about nourishing him and think about pumping with good feelings, including the circumstances under which you do it. also, i am sure you are one with your pump, but remember little changes in suction have big effects in the amt of milk you get, so if its not flowing tighten and recheck everything. and you will notice you can always manually express after you pump b/c the pump doesnt get it all. your body will always provide for your baby. that why i dont worry about pumping a full 8 oz right before going home and nursing the baby. good luck -- and make sure you are getting good foods especially fats.

Hello-
You can take fenugreek capsules (much more effective than the tea)- take 3 capsules 3 times daily until you smell like maple syurp. My doc and lactation consultant recommended it and it works beautifully. It is strange however to smell like pancakes when you sweat! :)
Good luck!
E.

You have a legal right to a Private place to pump... privacy is not hanging a sign... it's having a lock. Would your colleagues feel they're being given their privacy pooping in the bathroom if there were no locks... doubt it! Speak to Facilities and HR first... they know they're obligated to provide this for all working MaMas. It's not an issue with your boss unless he's trying to limit your time to pump by having folks interrupt you. If that's the case then HR should be considering the impact of a harrassment claim. If the room you're using is reservable make sure you have it blocked out on the corporate calendar so folks don't think it's available AdHoc. Sometimes a farther location is better after all so you're definitely unavailable. If you have a gym on campus you might prefer to pump in the women's locker room... I've seen that at a couple of places. As far as increasing supply do a pumping right after your morning breastfeeding and right before you return home to nurse your son... this will signal your body that you have a "ravenous" baby :P

My sister-in-law who is REALLY into breastfeeding said some book ("ultimate breastfeeding guide" I think) said that a study showed fenugreek is a placebo, and that gatorade in massive quantities works better. The drug (ask your doctor) Reglan works MUCH better. However, do your web research first http://www.breastfeeding.org/articles/reglan2.html and have it printed as a lot of doctors haven't heard of it.

6 years ago I read a book like "Working Mother's guide to breastfeeding" that had great advice. Now all I seem to be coming up with is sites like
http://www.workandpump.com/
wait! I found it
"Nursing Mother, Working Mother: The Essential Guide for Breastfeeding and Staying Close to Your Baby After You Return to Work" at Amazon (the library might have it)
It had a lot of suggestions for dealing with the stress you are describing.

Sounds like you have a few issues going on here. Lots of people are talking about the pumping. You can also great get advice from the yahoo group. pumpmoms. But I think you need to really talk to your employer about your pumping situation. If you are in California you are protected by law. http://www.californiabreastfeeding.org/Laws.html
"The employer shall make reasonable efforts to provide the employee with the use of a room or other location, other than a toilet stall, in close proximity to the employee's work area, for the employee to express milk in private. The room or location may include the place where the employee normally works if it otherwise meets the requirements of this section."

You need that private space to pump and the time. It will help a lot and you need to make your employer and other employees aware that you have the right to that privacy.

Good luck
K.

Hey L., Don't feel like a failure. You are doing your best under some very tough and unsupportive work environments.Keep pumping. I too have had my days when I come home with half of what I am usually able to pump. Also, I would talk with your coworkers and boss. Explain to them that you ned your privacy and during these times this office is not to be disturbed. By the way, I have a seven month old boy myself who is quite active and a big bundle of joy. Good luck! M. s

L. - I too had the same problem when I was nursing. You are probably running out of milk. Not ALL woman are milkers and several of us have to quit nursing before we want. I was able to use a Medela in a nursing ward at the hospital that I worked at and was only able to get 3-4 oz every 6 hours. Try not to feel bad, it is an act of human nature that we can not control. Good Luck.

HI L.-
My sister has a 9 month old and she pumped for - 8.5 months. THe thing I would suggest is that if you are stressed about producing milk, not only are you not going to produce as much due to stress, but maybe it is time to start weening the baby off of breastmilk. Do you have any stored in the freezer? I read a book that my sister followed with her baby and it says give the baby brestmilk in the morning, pump, give them formula at lunch/with daycare, and then depending on how much milk you have, give him either milk or formula at dinner. Eventually you pump less until you are completely done.
If you are opposed to formula, then maybe lock yourself in the bathroom for the 20 plus minutes it takes you to pump. They can't open that door, can they? Otherwise, know that a good mommy is one who feeds her child and does the best she can with what she has. If that means formula, know that you gave your son at least 8 plus months of breastmilk which is more than alot of moms even attempt.
The last thing ( i just read through some of the responses) is to take the fenugreek capsules. My sis had 3 months of milk stored up so fast it was ridiculous. The tea did not do much for her, but the capsules were great. Anyway, those are all of my thoughts. I hope you get to relax and enjoy baby time.
Good luck, I hope this helps.
-E. M

Hi L.,

I was like you as well. Bumping alot! Since we are busy working and not bumping as much as we use to. Our body thinks we don't need it. There is nothing you can do to make your milk come back, but just wean yourself off. Eight months of breastfeeding is fine. I went 8 months too. But if you want to continue to give your baby breast milk. A little is better then nothing.

Good luck!!!

YOU ARE NOT A MOMMY FAILURE!!!!!!! You are a mommy who's dedicated to doing what's best for her baby through not-so-ideal conditions! That being said, many moms go through a rough pumping patch around 6-8 months, which happens to correspond with when a baby is introduced to solids. I had the same issue with pumping, and my son JUST weaned himself at 2 yrs 7 mo (although he still asks once or twice a week at bedtime).

Your workplace is not helping the situation by not providing you with a safe, relaxing environment for pumping. And your co-workers should be a lot more understanding - not to mention RESPECTFUL - when you have a sign on the door!!!

Fenugreek - despite what another post suggested - helps MANY nursing mothers, myself included. I had a terrible nipple infection and wasn't allowed to nurse my son when he was 2wk old, and fenugreek helped me go from pumping 12 oz the first day to pumping 30 oz the very next day!!!! I know that isn't typical, and I've known moms who haven't gotten much help, but it works as a general rule. Even though there isn't much research to support it, my personal feeling is that a lot of it has to do with how YOU FEEL about breastfeeding! If you're dedicated and have positive feelings about breastfeeding, you'll have an easier time wtih milk production. Again, this isn't true for everyone, but it definitely makes sense!

Nursing Mothers Counsel provides FREE one-on-one counseling for ALL breastfeeding mothers! You can contact me directly at ____@____.com or call our hotline at (650)327-MILK. We help with all kinds of questions, concerns, and success stories! We are peer counselors, so many of us have been EXACTLY where you are! We don't judge, we just provide information and support!

Hi L.,
Kudos to you for continuing to pump at work! Having pumped in just about every locale, I can understand your frustration and stress. I actually pumped A LOT in my car. If you drive to work, sit in the backseat where perhaps you have some sort of tinting on the windows as opposed to the front that is wide open for viewing. The battery pack on my top of the line Madela was not so great. I don't know what it was. I finally bought an extension thing that plugged into my car's lighter/computer outlet. In my car I felt like I had some privacy. If I couldn't park in a semi private area, I would use my hooter hider. This time of year, the heat can be difficult in a car, but probably less stressful than worrying someone is going to walk in on you at work with that darn cow milking apparatus attached to ya! Best of luck!

A daily serving of oatmeal has helped me!

L.,

First let me say YOU ARE NOT A MOMMIE FAILURE!!! I understand how it feels to want the best for your baby and having difficulties providing it. The reality is your baby has probally been introduced to food by now, I hope, and he no longers needs as much milk as he needed previously. So rest assured, by supplementing with formula and continuing to pump, he is getting the nutrients he needs. I began to experience this same dilema around both of my girls eight-nine months milestone. I too struggled to get enough milk and had to introduce another pumping session during the day. This occured early morning or right after getting off work. It helps and if you are trying to make it to one year, this extra pumping session will only last a couple of months. However your schedule permits the extra pumping should help. Please know that being a mother is hard because with everything for your children, you wear your heart on your sleeve. With that said do not beat yourself up about this. It sounds like you love your little one very much and that is the most important part of being a great mommie.
Good luck,
T.

I too experienced this with my first born when I went back to work. Mommy, congrats on all of your hard work so far, you have done amazing providing for your little one. I was told by my midwife friend and PP doula that no pump is ever as good as the baby. So don't blame yourself. You speak of privacy and stress that you can attempt to find solutions for, which would be a good idea. Talk to your employer about installing a lock (very cheap). Bring headphones with calming music, so you don't hear the attempts to barge in and you give yourself a few moments "away". Check local laws on what an employer should provide.

Also, taking time out right before you pump, with calming breaths, some warm tea, or a warmed rice sock on your shoulders etc may help relax you. Also with the fenugreek, I learned that the tea may not be as strong as the pill form. The pill recommendations are also low, saying take 2-3 a day. But I was told to try 2-3, 3x a day! It is not harmful (unless of course you have an individual reaction) you will just smell of syrup! :)

Best of luck to you mama. Perhaps speaking with a CLC or your local La Leche League will provide additional support.

I agree with all the others telling you you are NOT a failure!!! I have a 7-month old and had a dip in pumping about 2 months ago (largely due to work stress) and found eating oatmeal twice a day to be very useful (others mentioned oatmeal as well). I also increased the number of sessions I pumped to three (I normally have to pump two sessions) even if only for a few minutes, just to keep the "demand" up. My pumping quickly got back on track and has been going really well since then, even with the introduction of solid foods. Now, as long as I eat oatmeal with some regularity, I'm back to only pumping twice a day (and in some cases only once a day when work gets in the way) and am producing a good amount. Hang in there!

Dear L.,
You are not a mommie failure! Your workplace is failing you by not giving you a suitable pumping place. Unfortunately, you are in good company. So many women who are committed to breastfeeding and who also work are in a similar situation.
I'm not in your shoes, but I want to remind you that even if he's only getting 4 oz. of breastmilk a day, he's still getting breastmilk! I breastfed my daughter until she was 18 months old (she gave it up on her own) and the last 6 months at least she was just nursing first thing in the morning. I think most mornings she only got an ounce or less but even that small amount was important. She stayed healthier at her daycare and I kept more weight off just from breastfeeding that tiny amount.
I encourage you to get some support from a lactation consultant (call you OB, they have good connections, or look at the resources on this website) and from some other working breastfeeding Moms, maybe through La Leche League.
Also, Mother's Milk tea worked for me if I drank 2-3 cups a day.
Try not to worry too much and talk to your employer about getting a lock on that door!
~A.

1. YOu are not a failure. Don't beat yourself up.
2. ANY breastmilk is worth the effort - so keep pumping, no matter how little you produce. It does make a difference!
3. I think your employer is probably breaking the law by not giving you the privacy you need.
4. Follow all the wonderful advice you've been given to eat oatmeal, etc.

I had to supplement my little one with some formula starting at 6 months. I didn't want to but I just couldn't produce all that she needed and she didn't have any interest to start solids until 9 months. So, I continued to give her whatever I could pump at work. Once she started solids, we didn't have to use as much formula anymore. Now, at 14 months, we're transitioning off pumping at work - she still nurses at home 3-4 times per day.

Good luck and hang in there! You're a good mommy!

Hi, L.,
I completely agree with all the advice given (though I don't know that much about the herbal supplements) but I also want to add that around 8 months it is normal for the milk supply to drop off a bit. Baby is eating solids and liking them now, and also it's the time in his development when he becomes more attentive to what is going on around him than he does to nursing at your breast--so even if you were home full-time and nursing at each feeding, you would quite possibly be producing less. You wouldn't know it, because you wouldn't be measuring it! But it is a normal time for the milk supply to lessen a bit.
If you work in a small office, you need to have a meeting about this. This is rude and hostile and should not be tolerated if it truly is an empty office. If, on the other hand, the office space is really needed by others, the idea of you leaving the office to pump elsewhere is a great one. But you can rest easy about the Mommy-failure--you're doing well at the best work you will ever produce right now!
Best regards,
N.

I am so sorry...You must be really frustrated. You have a right to pump at work, and the least your co-workers can do is give you a little privacy for 15 minutes!! Your not being able to relax while pumping is not helping, that's for sure. To help with increasing your milk supply, you could try an liquid herbal supplement by Motherlove called More Milk Plus. It's been working for me. I got it at Whole Foods.

Try increasing your calorie intake. That helped with me. I went back to eating my usual meals and found that I wasn't eating enough calories to produce the milk. Once I upped the intake the milk supply increased.

Hi,

I had a similar pumping situation at work, and also dried up at 8 months. I was upset too becuase I'd relaly wanted to breastfeed for a year. If you can't get it back, please don't feel guilty about it. Your boy has had 8 solid months of breastfeeding, and while that may not be as much as you planned, it is enough. Mine is now seven years old and shows no ill effects at all: brilliant, strong, tall -- and has never had an ear infection (knock on wood), so immunity is good.

Hi L.,

You may want to consider finding an alternate place pump. With my daughter, I had to travel a lot and learned to pump in bathroom stalls, or even your car. The Medela has accessories to allow you to use the pump with batteries or a car charger. It's not ideal, but in my mind, it's an improvement to having co-workers barge in on you. The stress of that could curb your production.

Try eating more, too, along with the water. You might be needing more calories. When my kids were that age, they were eating more and I needed more calories to sustain the production. I had great production with both kids, but my mom was always making sure I ate.

You may consider pumping more often, and after a few days, your supply should increase. I used to pump every 3 hours with my daughter at that age.

After trying various things, if it doesn't improve, don't feel guilty. Eight months is a nice long time, so don't feel bad if it you have to supplement or stop. Sometimes the body will do its thing and feel really good you did it this long.

Good luck,
C.

Hi
You are doing a terrific job! I too started to pump less and less at work..is your baby eating more solids? As your baby gets more nutrition from other sources, you'll pump less and that's OK! Keep doing what you're doing..being a working mamma is the hardest thing ever..hang in there!
N

L.,

Is your 8-month old on solids now? If so, he may be taking less milk so your production has gone down.

Have you replaced the little white valves on the medella pump? They can wear out. The valves are the key to the system. You can buy the valves from on-line or maybe at Rockridge Kids.

Can you talk to HR about installing a lock? Your employer must accommodate your pumping.

First of all it angers me that people are barging in on you. Your work has to provide a safe, clean place for you to pump. The fear of people walking in on you is enough to lower you milk supply. I would go to management with this horrible problem. I'm sorry, but you have enough on your plate right now...people barging in on you while you are pumping should not be one of them.
My amount of milk supply became less when I went back to work. I pumped every available moment (literally every hour or so) just to keep my body producing milk. I was exhausted, but with the fenugreek tea and Mothers Milk my supply came up enough were I didn't have to suppliment. Good luck and don't give up!!!
You're a great mommy or you would have given in to formula by now!!! Keep up the good work.

Hi, I am not sure if this will help, but some food do encourage more breast milk to come. Try oatmeal, tapioca or even peanuts. These are the foods I was told to eat when I first delivered my baby. Relax is the main key, I am sorry you couldn't find a peaceful place to pump, you should really make a complaint to your work. By law they are suppose to provide you an optimal place for a "mother's room".

Good Luck!

Hi L.! Congrats on your little guy. My son was also born last october on the6th. I had serious pumping issues too.
My first suggestion would be to rent a hospital grade pump from your local hospital. This made a huge difference for me, even better than my $400 Medela.
Second, try talking perhaps to your boss if its important for you, and have them speak to your fellow co-workers about respecting your privacy while pumping. I understand that this could make waves at work but it might be worth it to you and your son. Some people need the obvious pointed out to them...even if the sign is on the door.
I was never able to produce milk for my son, as I am a type 1 diabetic and have a thyroid disorder. Both made it impossible for me, even after pumping every 3 hrs day and night for weeks. My little guy was in NICU for the first month so that didn't help either! It has been hard to know that I couldn't provide for him myself. But he is happy and healthy now.
If you aren't able to produce any longer, please don't feel too bad. You are doing everything you can to make this work :)
Wishing you all the very best,
G.