Hellobee Boards

oatmeal definitely helps!

otherwise - start the supplements and just give it a little time - i found that mine went down, but then went back up I think from just my body adjusting?

I think you've gotten some good advice so far - I also SE less pumping output when L nurses more at night. Have you noticed that at all?

One thing that really helped me was to spend the weekends on a nursing vacation. This was where I nursed my son on demand all weekend long and as much as I could. It would revitalize me for the week ahead.

I know this is totally hard to do and kind of a drag, too, but i would try to squeeze in another pumping session -- either at work or at home. i think that more stimulation is the best way to encourage greater lactation! if you can't, then maybe try pumping a bit longer each time, even if nothing comes out?

i hope it goes well for you!!!

I've been fluctuating at work too. I've added an extra session when I get home and try to pump more on the weekends. I think it is the body adjusting.

@Smurfette: Are you using a PISA? Sometimes doing multiple letdowns throughout your pumping session can help stimulate more milk production. Try doing that...when you don't see anything coming press the letdown button for that 2 min. Doing this several times on a slow pumping session really helped me get the extra out.

Mine definitely fluctuates day to day and week to week. I found my first week or two back at work, I got less. I think just the initial stress of it all caused me to not pump as much. I would say to add another pump session. What about in the morning before you leave for work? Or try pumping for 20 minutes. You can also do breast compressions while you pump.

@Smurfette: Can you adjust the speed of the pump? I don't have a PISA, but I'm guess the letdown button increases the speed of the pump to simulate like a baby sucking faster.

@Smurfette: Oatmeal, drinking lots of water and trying not to stress out helped me

@Smurfette: Once you get a letdown, do you put it on low? That's what I do w/ my Ameda. Fast pumping in the beginning until I get a letdown, then I dial it down to almost the slowest speed. Then back up to high after no more milk is coming out. Or i just leave it at low. I don't always get a second let down. Yeah, your morning sounds too busy. I hope it's just normal fluctuations!

@Smurfette: Definitely give that a try! You want fast pumping at first to simulate baby sucking fast to get the milk flowing. Once milk is flowing, slower pumping to simulate baby sucking slower and drinking. Do ever notice your baby sucks fast at the beginning of the nursing session and then slows down once milk is flowing?

@Smurfette: I was going to say what @mrskc: said about changing the speed. When you start the pump does it go right to whatever speed you set it at or does it have a period if time where it pumps faster? That would be the letdown. If it does do that you could try turning it off and immediately back on to help stimulate.

You have a manual pump? Sometimes when my outputs were lowers, for whatever reason, I could get more from the manual those days. They are rather inexpensive and a good thing to have on hand just in case. Hand compressions while pumpin may help too.

The other thing with sudden decrease to consider is if the flange is fitting right. I had to use different sizes at various points during my pumping journey...at one point sized up and eventually went down to the smallest. They also make silicone ones for the Medela that "message" as you pump which work better for some women.

@Smurfette: gotcha. I wonder if the pump they gave you is like the symphony? We rented one for 2 months since it is a hospital grade pump and I actually responded so much better to the PISA. Try varying the speed on your own. Hope that helps out!

@Smurfette: I've never seen that one! The faceplate looks similar to the PISA, but you don't have the option to andjust the vacuum on the PISA. you just have the little dial/button at the top for speed and then the letdown button. The symphony is gigantic and I can't remember if that had a leftdown button or not (I rarely used it because it didn't work for us).

@anbanan15: This is the one that they supply through medical device companies to fulfill health insurance breast pump orders. You can't buy it in a regular store. It is comparable to the PISA but not the same as the Symphony which is hospital grade.

@smurfette: that looks a lot like my sister's PIS (model preceding the PISA). With that model, the on/off also functioned as speed control. Do your instructions say anything about how to use it? With my previous pump which didn't have a let-down button it said to start out with fast speed but low vacuum and then once milk started flowing lower the speed and increase the vacuum; the letdown button on the PISA does this adjustment automatically instead of my having to do it manually.

@Smurfette: that's the same one my ins gave me. i leave it at work and use my freestyle at home.

i recently went through a HUGE supply hit with decreased appetite, wonky AF return, DS starting solids. I'm on this regiment right now:

- drink 20 oz of water each pump session
- nurse in AM around 7, pump at 10, 1, 4 at work
- take 2 gnc fenugreek tablets, and calc with mag tablets in the AM
- take MMP liquid drops when I can stomach it
- drink Mother's Milk Tea (2-3x a day on pumping days)
- nurse for bedtime

I follow the above strictly on my work in office days (M-W) and I EBF/nurse DS Th-Sun. With a rare bottle when DH and I have plans on the wknd.

When I first noticed the major dip, I started pumping for 30 min+ though exhausting and almost always got an oz or two more. Now that my supply has adjusted to DS' intake (which has decreased due to solids) and maybe my body is used to the pumping? I get my second letdown around the 18-20 min mark.

I have def tried both the mid and high setting on that pump and it varies as far as production. I think it's more to do with getting a good suction/spot and the right sized flanges!

@mrskc: my previous pump was a Lansinoh which works just like the Ameda