Hellobee Boards

Usually a solid week for me whenever it dipped. I have to make sure I'm drinking and eating a lot, Gatorade and beef really help, and I had to get really hands on in my pump sessions. A lot of massaging and compressing and squeezing especially the ducts by my armpits. After pumping I also hand express near my nipples to really get it all out to stimulate more milk. I pump first thing in the morning and right before bed because I just get the most out that way and take my supplements (lecithin, brewers yeast, fenugreek, blessed thistle) at night before bed. Between those two pumps I can get 12-13oz.

You can add a power pump session starting on a Thursday or Friday night and hope the production kicks in by Monday.

Also don't know what pump you have but my Freestyle parts warped from the microwave sterilizer so I bought new ones and hand wash them. 3-4 months PP is also when my engorgement calmed down and so my flanges had to go down a size and I had to get a snugger fit on the pumping bra.

The other thing that helped long term was continuing to pump beyond when the milk stopped. I would often get a second letdown up to 10 min later (not always that long, but don't be discouraged if it doesn't come right away). Even if I didn't get another letdown, the longer pumping time would seem to give my body the cue to make more milk after several days.

My supply is currently dropping but I've also been sick for two weeks and am having to force myself to eat and drink. So since I feel better, I'm really committing to 60 oz. of water while I'm at work, waiting for that second letdown, and also replacing all of my pump parts since they are getting old.

The only thing that has every worked for me is to add pumping sessions... and never drop them.

@agold: I definitely need to up my food intake too, I just realized that. Second breakfast is going to become a thing!

@mrsjd: I feel your pain, I was getting 16-20 oz. per day and today I got maybe 12. She is only eating 12-16 right now depending on when she eats in the morning so I'm usually a couple of ounces ahead of what she eats and I haven't had to dip into my frozen milk yet, but if this doesn't work I'm going to have to do that.

I've had the most success with adding a before bed pump and making that a power pump when I need to increase. Along with increasing water and calories. Usually takes a week or so to see an increase.

As for a second let down, I only get one when I use the Symphony at work, never with my Spectra at home. and it usually isn't very much, but I feel like it keeps my supply up. However, over time I've really lost ability to use any pump. It just doesn't seem to work the same any more. So now I do it all by hand expressing (but I only do it once per day as my son is 16 months). So, if you can't get a second let down, try hand expressing at the end. Can't hurt and you might get some more out!

Another vote for giving power pumping a solid week. Also I needed a gallon of water plus 20oz of gatorade. I know gatorade is junk but I swear it upped my output like nothing else.