Express too little milk

[chungcat]

My daughter is 8 weeks old now and she is nursed at breast exclusively. She is gaining weight so I guess I don't have any issue with milk supply. Since I need to go to work soon, I want to express the milk and bottle feed her. However, no matter I use an electronic pump or manual pump, there is little milk coming up. At her age, she probably needs at least 2.5 oz milk pre feeding. I could only express at most 1.5 oz milk total from two breasts after 20 minutes of pumping and skipping a feeding.

Does that mean my baby cannot have my breast milk after I go to work? Is there any way to increase the amount of express milk?

[StillSingingMom]

First, don't skip feedings right now. There's no reason to do that.

Second, your response to the pump will likely improve. You may have to try different settings, and possibly even a different pump.

You should probably begin establishing a pumping routine. I'd suggest that instead of switching to pumping and only bottle feeding your baby at this point, that instead, you go ahead and nurse her, and pump at a different time than you feed her.

It may take several days, but the breasts will begin to respond to the pump time as they would at a feeding.

Then, if you like, add another pumping session.

[cctaylor]

i agree with pp. i also suggest pumping right after you nurse. i used to pump 15 minutes after i nursed and in the beginning i'd get less than 1/2 ounce but now i get like 1-2 ounces from one boob AFTER i nurse my baby.

also, increase water and food intake. it takes a lot of energy for your body to make milk. i have heard that eating oatmeal helps increase milk production.