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struggle with milk supply after going back to work

Shante - posted on 02/15/2011 ( 4 moms have responded )

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I pump exclusively and have since my son was born...I actually did the same for my older DD and DS with no problems. with my DD I pumped until she was 6mos and had more than enough milk the entire time (fed her for an additional month off of frozen stuff only)
When i had my newest baby (in October), I had similar milk supply (I have a freezer full of extra milk). But when I came back to work, even though i am pumping 5xs a day for 20-30min each time (he eats 6-6oz bottles a day) and I am drinking around 80-100oz of water a day, my milk supply keeps slowly dropping. I am now not making enough to feed him and am using up that frozen milk quickly.

any thoughts or suggestions as to what I can do to help increase my supply. My OB gave me a medication that can help increase it, but I am having some reactions to it and dont really want to be on a medication while feeding him the breast milk.

All thoughts and suggestions welcome!!! THANKS

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4 Comments

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Angela - posted on 04/18/2011

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These are some good thoughts. Make sure to pump through the night. I hear what you are saying about the medications. Have you thought about using herbs? They might just give you the boost you need. Personally I use Breastea from http://www.breastea.com and I've definitely seen an increase since I started it.

Jennifer - posted on 02/18/2011

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Jennifer - posted on 02/18/2011

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are you using the same pump that you used when you were pumping for your other children? what kind of pump is it? even great brands like Medela will wear out after a year of regular, frequent use so it could very well be time for a new pump if you are using the same one. you may want to try replacing the parts...since the parts are made of plastic, they do wear out.

stress will also play a huge role in milk production. i imagine its not easy finding time to pump with 3 children, as work.

i would recommend hand expressing milk for a few minutes after each pumping session. it will added extra stimulation, and help get out any milk the pump wasn't able to get out.

Lauren - posted on 02/18/2011

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Are you pumping through the night? What type of pump are you using? Are you relaxed during your pumping sessions or do you feel rushed or pressured?

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