Please help - reduction in supply

[losborne5580]

Hi! My baby is 9 months old. I nurse her in the morning, then I pump once at work (usually getting a total of 3 oz.) then I nurse her before bed. I have plenty of milk in my freezer and she usually gets 2 - 4oz bottles while I'm at work. In the last week, I'm only getting a half ounce and sometimes 1 oz when I pump at work. My baby eats plenty of solids and she seems fine, but I know that she needs the nutrients and I do not want to supplement with formula. Also, I know she's not supposed to have cow's milk for another 3 months, so I'm not sure what to do. Any suggestions will be most helpful. Thanks in advance for any help you all can give me. Thanks!

[whitnessforhim]

How much solids is she getting? Breastmilk should be her main source of nutrition for the first year. Are you nursing before solids are offered? Maybe cutting back a bit on the solids and encourage more nursing would help?

Also I know for me I HAD to pump 3 times a day to produce enough milk for DD while I was away. Maybe once a day isn't enough? I think most of that depends on how long you are away?

ETA: pumping every 2hrs never worked for me either to up my supply. What did work well was pumping 5-10mins right after DD nursed. I did that for a 48hr period and my supply was back to where it needed to be.

[LoganAndKeelysMom]

I agree that once a day is PROBABLY not enough pumping. I am a stay at home mom and I pump 3 or 4 times a day in addition to nursing! Just make sure you're drinking enough. When I don't drink very much one day, I can tell a big difference in my supply.
I would also just recommend pumping as often as possible at least until you get your supply up to where you want it to be. As you know, the more you pump or nurse, the more you'll make. I also read that oatmeal would help increase your supply, but i dont know.

[StillSingingMom]

Here are some other factors that can affect supply (I assume that you've been maintaining more or less the same pumping schedule for a while.)

Returning period- this will lessen supply temporarily.

Weight loss- if you're not taking in enough calories, supply will go down. Milk quality remains the same.

Some methods of birth control can reduce supply.

Pregnancy also reduces supply.

[Nipple_nectar]

It can be perfect;y normal to experience a decrease in supply at your baby's age, they can be very distractible and not nurse enough. A nursing necklace would help with that.

How long are you away from baby, how long do you pump for and what type of pump do you use?

[Amy_G_]

If you aren't pumping what you used to be pumping,
consider having your pump and pump schedule act like a baby going thru a growth spurt. When a baby goes thru a growth spurt, they nurse a bit longer than usual, but primarily, they nurse more often, and they nurse on one side then the other, then go back to the first and then switch. So for your pumpin at work, try to pump twice in the time you are at work if possible, and switch back and forth from one side to another. Also pump for at least 5-10 minutes after the milk stops flowing, but not to the point of pain.

Keep us posted.

[Amy_G_]

I agree that once a day is PROBABLY not enough pumping. I am a stay at home mom and I pump 3 or 4 times a day in addition to nursing! Just make sure you're drinking enough. When I don't drink very much one day, I can tell a big difference in my supply.
I would also just recommend pumping as often as possible at least until you get your supply up to where you want it to be. As you know, the more you pump or nurse, the more you'll make. I also read that oatmeal would help increase your supply, but i dont know.

why do you pump 3-4 times a day if you don't need to? Are you planning to return to work?