Pumping decreasingly successful?
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RBXChas
Posts: 2,708 Member
I EBF and try to sneak in pumping sessions here and there. I felt like my supply was sufficient, but either it's not, or I'm not responding well to the pump anymore.
I pump maybe once a week, and every pumping session seems to yield less and less while requiring more and more manual massage, which requires crazy contortionist moves.
Joseph had his 4-month shots today, plus he is actively teething (I can feel his two bottom teeth trying to break through, hopefully simultaneously so we get them both over with!), so he was being super fussy and wouldn't nurse after his late morning nap. I was sure he was hungry, but I decided to put him on his play mat, where he was happy, then pump. I was barely able to get an ounce, and I was massaging the whole time. If I'd just held the flanges, I'd have gotten almost nothing. I put what I pumped in a bottle, and he ate that, then I tried to nurse, but he wasn't having it. I defrosted some frozen milk and tried giving that to him in a bottle with no luck. I chilled him out and got him to nurse, and I could hear him swallowing plenty. He fell asleep nursing and even had a big drop of milk rolling out of the side of his mouth, so I know he was getting fed even though I'd just pumped 15-20 minutes prior. He napped for about an hour and a half then nursed again. Based on this, I'm not really doubting the sufficiency of my supply.
I don't think my pump is losing suction, but is it possible to become less successful at pumping, like my body isn't responding as well to the pump as it used to? Do I just need to do it more, or should I just write it off for the most part and not expect much anytime I pump?
Thank you!
I pump maybe once a week, and every pumping session seems to yield less and less while requiring more and more manual massage, which requires crazy contortionist moves.
Joseph had his 4-month shots today, plus he is actively teething (I can feel his two bottom teeth trying to break through, hopefully simultaneously so we get them both over with!), so he was being super fussy and wouldn't nurse after his late morning nap. I was sure he was hungry, but I decided to put him on his play mat, where he was happy, then pump. I was barely able to get an ounce, and I was massaging the whole time. If I'd just held the flanges, I'd have gotten almost nothing. I put what I pumped in a bottle, and he ate that, then I tried to nurse, but he wasn't having it. I defrosted some frozen milk and tried giving that to him in a bottle with no luck. I chilled him out and got him to nurse, and I could hear him swallowing plenty. He fell asleep nursing and even had a big drop of milk rolling out of the side of his mouth, so I know he was getting fed even though I'd just pumped 15-20 minutes prior. He napped for about an hour and a half then nursed again. Based on this, I'm not really doubting the sufficiency of my supply.
I don't think my pump is losing suction, but is it possible to become less successful at pumping, like my body isn't responding as well to the pump as it used to? Do I just need to do it more, or should I just write it off for the most part and not expect much anytime I pump?
Thank you!
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Replies
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You may want to see if another types works better for you. In the beginning, I used an electrical one, nothing came out LOL, then the type with the bulb squeezer, again nothing, then someone gave me an Advent. It seems to work fine for me.
Also you should be pumping more than once a week ... even if you're pressed for time. Just 10m daily should be enough to get your milk going.0 -
In all honesty, pumping is a HUGE mental game. I pump 3-4 times while at work and it completely depends on what's going on with my head, which controls hormones and milk flow. You've got plenty of milk! Joseph is growing so well and he's a happy baby. But, when you go to pump once a week, you're probably stressing your shoulders with the contortionist moves (and yes, I laughed out loud bc we all know what that's like) and you're probably watching bottles and thinking about how little you're going to get. You expect to keep getting less and less, and you do! After all, why wouldn't you prefer nursing your sweet baby to contortionist moves with a moo-ing machine? What kind of pump do you have? If I were you, I wouldn't fiddle with the pump at all right now and just enjoy nursing him. When you return to work, let me know and I have tons of suggestions on how to increase pump output
You're doing great!!!! 0 -
I have an Avent pump that I used lightly with Thomas (I only pumped for two months with it, and not often at that), and I also have a brand-new, unopened, redesigned Avent. I have used Medela and was not a fan.
I only pumped because he was refusing to nurse, and I felt like I should at least pump so as not to have too long without expressing somehow. Normally I only pump to get some extra to freeze. Typically I don't care to pump and just nurse, which is fine with me!0 -
Ooooh I re-read this "After all, why wouldn't you prefer nursing your sweet baby to contortionist moves with a moo-ing machine? " and hope you know I wasn't actually asking the question, but just saying that of course nursing is more fun than pumping, so it's more productive
I would have done the same thing if Camden refused to nurse! Pumping is no fun and EPers are awesome mamas in my book. To answer your original question, I wouldn't worry too much about the amount right now, but if you keep having trouble when you go back to work you may want to have a talk with a lactation consultant. Even though it's been 8 months of nursing, I still have questions probably every few weeks that I call and ask the LC 0 -
Well, there are a few things.
1. I'd try to pump every day. It does take a while to be able to pump more than what your baby is drinking if you are not actively trying to pump every day. When they are younger, they are more sporadic about the amounts they drink and your body does seem to produce more. Now that your body and baby are in synch, you won't produce much more than what he drinks. Most days I only pump 1-3 ounces more than what he takes from the bottle while I am at work, pretty much the same situation.
2. I find if I am at all stressed, especially about the baby, I can hardly pump anything, even if I am full. I have to go to my happy spot to get the best pump.
3. This one is strange, but with my first child, when I had problems, the nurse told me to close my eyes each time I was pumping and picture my nipples shooting out milk like firehoses. I don't know if the mental picture helps me relax or change focus or what, but it does seem to help me get a better pumping session.
4. Some pumps are crap. I don't know what you are using, but I did have a few that barely got any milk out no matter what I did, and they had plenty of suction.0 -
Ooooh I re-read this "After all, why wouldn't you prefer nursing your sweet baby to contortionist moves with a moo-ing machine? " and hope you know I wasn't actually asking the question, but just saying that of course nursing is more fun than pumping, so it's more productive
I would have done the same thing if Camden refused to nurse! Pumping is no fun and EPers are awesome mamas in my book. To answer your original question, I wouldn't worry too much about the amount right now, but if you keep having trouble when you go back to work you may want to have a talk with a lactation consultant. Even though it's been 8 months of nursing, I still have questions probably every few weeks that I call and ask the LC
Oops, I did read that as a literal question! Sorry! Yes, I much prefer nursing to pumping
I shouldn't need to rely on pumping, so it's no biggie. EPing moms definitely get some brownie points in my book! I also have a hands-free pumping bra that I have yet to try, so that might help. I think, though, that I'll eventually have one lightly used pump to sell along with a totally unopened one (both are closed systems)!0 -
Well, there are a few things.
1. I'd try to pump every day. It does take a while to be able to pump more than what your baby is drinking if you are not actively trying to pump every day. When they are younger, they are more sporadic about the amounts they drink and your body does seem to produce more. Now that your body and baby are in synch, you won't produce much more than what he drinks. Most days I only pump 1-3 ounces more than what he takes from the bottle while I am at work, pretty much the same situation.
2. I find if I am at all stressed, especially about the baby, I can hardly pump anything, even if I am full. I have to go to my happy spot to get the best pump.
3. This one is strange, but with my first child, when I had problems, the nurse told me to close my eyes each time I was pumping and picture my nipples shooting out milk like firehoses. I don't know if the mental picture helps me relax or change focus or what, but it does seem to help me get a better pumping session.
4. Some pumps are crap. I don't know what you are using, but I did have a few that barely got any milk out no matter what I did, and they had plenty of suction.
My pump is pretty solid. I may try using the massage petals again. I go back and forth with those.
That mental picture is hilarious! I need to try that
Many thanks to you and to the other ladies for your help!0 -
I pump once every day just to keep my supply about one feeding ahead of Gideon's demand. The milk gets used on the rare occasion that I am away from him long enough that someone else needs to feed him. I hate pumping with a passion, but like I said, I like having my "just in case" stash and knowing that my supply is good. I almost always pump in the morning, right after I wake up and feed Gideon. And, at that time, it is usually somewhere between 3-5 (usually closer to 5) ounces. I've noticed that if I do it at different times of the day though (like if I am making up for a session I missed with G in the afternoon) sometimes I struggle just to get an ounce. Perhaps the issue isn't so much that your body hates the pump (although, honestly, I wouldn't blame it if it did), but that the time of day you did it, it just wouldn't yield as much as another...0
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I pump once every day just to keep my supply about one feeding ahead of Gideon's demand. The milk gets used on the rare occasion that I am away from him long enough that someone else needs to feed him. I hate pumping with a passion, but like I said, I like having my "just in case" stash and knowing that my supply is good. I almost always pump in the morning, right after I wake up and feed Gideon. And, at that time, it is usually somewhere between 3-5 (usually closer to 5) ounces. I've noticed that if I do it at different times of the day though (like if I am making up for a session I missed with G in the afternoon) sometimes I struggle just to get an ounce. Perhaps the issue isn't so much that your body hates the pump (although, honestly, I wouldn't blame it if it did), but that the time of day you did it, it just wouldn't yield as much as another...
Could be! I always seem to do it in early afternoon, which is probably a bad idea. I should try after a morning feeding on a rainy day (when I won't want to get out the door to walk while it's still cool).0
