Supply issues?

Maybe. maybe not.

After 12 weeks my supply was regulating and I wasn't leaking much. Now
DD is reverse cycling and it's all over the place. She seems to be
getting enough, but I noticed I'm pumping very little. Initially, in
the first month when I was using a hospital pump, I'd generally get at
least 3oz/breast/session, sometimes 4-5. Now I'm lucky if I get
2oz/breast. I only pump 2x per day (I nurse the rest, which is a ton at
night). She's not eating much by bottle anyway so there's plenty for
now, but I'm hoping that will change soon and she starts taking more by
bottle. Is it possible my supply is decreasing? Is it just that the
pump is less efficient? Is it just that my supply cycle is more in tune
with DD's nursing and not really responding to the pump?

I think she's getting plenty overall. She seems to have sufficient wet
diapers now. When I nurse I have a fast let down and always let down
from both breasts at the same time (which is annoying - is this true
for everyone?), though tonight DD was sort of pumping the breast she
was nursing on. I'm not sure if she was just excited or trying to get
more out....She barely ate during the day (different daycare today and
Mondays so far are difficult for her), but she ate a long time tonight.

cjra wrote:

After 12 weeks my supply was regulating and I wasn't leaking much. Now
DD is reverse cycling and it's all over the place. She seems to be
getting enough, but I noticed I'm pumping very little. Initially, in
the first month when I was using a hospital pump, I'd generally get at
least 3oz/breast/session, sometimes 4-5. Now I'm lucky if I get
2oz/breast.

Wow, 4 oz. is a great amount for pumping!

Is it possible my supply is decreasing? Is it just that the
pump is less efficient? Is it just that my supply cycle is more in tune
with DD's nursing and not really responding to the pump?

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/milkproduction.html

Your supply is now demand-and-supply regulated,
so you are producing what she needs. If you
want to get more from the pump, you need to pump
a lot more (as if the pump were going through a
growth spurt). Yes, the pump is also less
efficient, but you are just more in tune with
her needs.

I think she's getting plenty overall. She seems to have sufficient wet
diapers now. When I nurse I have a fast let down and always let down
from both breasts at the same time (which is annoying - is this true
for everyone?), though tonight DD was sort of pumping the breast she
was nursing on. I'm not sure if she was just excited or trying to get
more out....She barely ate during the day (different daycare today and
Mondays so far are difficult for her), but she ate a long time tonight.

Well, she missess Mama! (I do get letdowns
from both breasts; this is not uncommon.)

-- Anita --

cjra wrote:
Maybe. maybe not.

After 12 weeks my supply was regulating and I wasn't leaking much. Now
DD is reverse cycling and it's all over the place. She seems to be
getting enough, but I noticed I'm pumping very little. Initially, in
the first month when I was using a hospital pump, I'd generally get at
least 3oz/breast/session, sometimes 4-5. Now I'm lucky if I get
2oz/breast. I only pump 2x per day (I nurse the rest, which is a ton at
night). She's not eating much by bottle anyway so there's plenty for
now, but I'm hoping that will change soon and she starts taking more by
bottle. Is it possible my supply is decreasing? Is it just that the
pump is less efficient? Is it just that my supply cycle is more in tune
with DD's nursing and not really responding to the pump?

It may very well be like Anita said, and it's just the typical
regulation that your body does. Just to be sure you might
want to check your tubing to make sure there are no
leaks. Also, if you are usinga medela, check those little
white flaps on the pump horn to make sure they are
intact. I always responded well to the pump and would
get anywhere from 6-8 ounces in my morning
session but only 2-4 in the afternoon and that was not nursing
at noon!

Some women do develop pump resistance, but it really doesn't
sound like your problem. I used to mess with my pump settings
some to try to increase output (fast cycling with low suction to
start then slower cycling and higher suction after letdown). Also
drinking mother's milk tea an hour before pumping got me
an extra ounce. You do, really, sound like you are doing just
fine.


I think she's getting plenty overall. She seems to have sufficient wet
diapers now. When I nurse I have a fast let down and always let down
from both breasts at the same time (which is annoying - is this true
for everyone?), though tonight DD was sort of pumping the breast she
was nursing on. I'm not sure if she was just excited or trying to get
more out....She barely ate during the day (different daycare today and
Mondays so far are difficult for her), but she ate a long time tonight.

I always let down from both sides when nursing in the early months.
With DD1, where I had an oversupply problem, this continued until
she was nearly a year old. With DD2 it stopped at about 5 or 6
months. At home, I always kept a cloth diaper handy to press
on the opposite breast, and I went through nursing pads at
an astonishing rate.

Mondays are still a little hard for both my girls and they are 5 and
2!

Mary W.

"cjra" wrote and I snipped:
Now I'm lucky if I get
2oz/breast. I only pump 2x per day (I nurse the rest, which is a ton at
night). She's not eating much by bottle anyway so there's plenty for
now, but I'm hoping that will change soon and she starts taking more by
bottle. Is it possible my supply is decreasing? Is it just that the
pump is less efficient? Is it just that my supply cycle is more in tune
with DD's nursing and not really responding to the pump?

Things you can do: check that the pump is working properly, stay well
hydrated, take fenugreek, add a pumping session, use breast compression
while pumping, try pumping either while thinking of DD or while engrossed
something else, like reading.

I could tell a big difference in output when I kept a cup of water with me
all day. I could also get another ounce out by breast compression after the
normal flow had stopped.

Good luck,
-Patty, mom of 1+2

Irrational Number wrote:
cjra wrote:

After 12 weeks my supply was regulating and I wasn't leaking much. Now
DD is reverse cycling and it's all over the place. She seems to be
getting enough, but I noticed I'm pumping very little. Initially, in
the first month when I was using a hospital pump, I'd generally get at
least 3oz/breast/session, sometimes 4-5. Now I'm lucky if I get
2oz/breast.

Wow, 4 oz. is a great amount for pumping!

Really? On another group women talk about getting 10oz+/pump session! 4
oz is the most I get, more often it's a little less than that.


Is it possible my supply is decreasing? Is it just that the
pump is less efficient? Is it just that my supply cycle is more in tune
with DD's nursing and not really responding to the pump?

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/milkproduction.html

Your supply is now demand-and-supply regulated,
so you are producing what she needs. If you
want to get more from the pump, you need to pump
a lot more (as if the pump were going through a
growth spurt). Yes, the pump is also less
efficient, but you are just more in tune with
her needs.

Hmm, I don't want to pump more . Since I'm usually feeding all night
long with just a few breaks, I'm not sure where to fit it in. So far
it's not an issue, so I'll just wait and see. She's getting enough now.

I think she's getting plenty overall. She seems to have sufficient wet
diapers now. When I nurse I have a fast let down and always let down
from both breasts at the same time (which is annoying - is this true
for everyone?), though tonight DD was sort of pumping the breast she
was nursing on. I'm not sure if she was just excited or trying to get
more out....She barely ate during the day (different daycare today and
Mondays so far are difficult for her), but she ate a long time tonight.

Well, she missess Mama! (I do get letdowns
from both breasts; this is not uncommon.)

Yeah, I should be glad she misses me. Though today she drank 7ozs and I
was thrilled!

Wow, 4 oz. is a great amount for pumping!

Really? On another group women talk about getting 10oz+/pump session! 4
oz is the most I get, more often it's a little less than that.

which group is that? it all very much depends on what your feeding schedule
is and how frequently you are pumping. If you are pumping 3-4 times a day
and not doing and direct feeding then 10oz would not be at all unusual in
the early months, but is also unlikely to be substainable. To me it sounds
like you are almost feeding full time in the day, so getting 4oz in a
session is really good and if you are meeting what she needs, which you say
you are, then it's just fine.

Are you doing anything to boost supply at all, not that I think you need to,
but even though a baby can reverse cycle it seems your hormones don't so if
you can do something that boosts your supply, it might make nights a bit
easier.

Cheers

Anne

cjra wrote:
Irrational Number wrote:
cjra wrote:

After 12 weeks my supply was regulating and I wasn't leaking much. Now
DD is reverse cycling and it's all over the place. She seems to be
getting enough, but I noticed I'm pumping very little. Initially, in
the first month when I was using a hospital pump, I'd generally get at
least 3oz/breast/session, sometimes 4-5. Now I'm lucky if I get
2oz/breast.

Wow, 4 oz. is a great amount for pumping!

Really? On another group women talk about getting 10oz+/pump session! 4
oz is the most I get, more often it's a little less than that.

I think it's a YMMV (milk, not mileage), and if she's getting enough at
daycare, you're all set. Truly. And it sounds like you're doing great.

Is it possible my supply is decreasing? Is it just that the
pump is less efficient? Is it just that my supply cycle is more in tune
with DD's nursing and not really responding to the pump?

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/milkproduction.html

Your supply is now demand-and-supply regulated,
so you are producing what she needs. If you
want to get more from the pump, you need to pump
a lot more (as if the pump were going through a
growth spurt). Yes, the pump is also less
efficient, but you are just more in tune with
her needs.

Hmm, I don't want to pump more . Since I'm usually feeding all night
long with just a few breaks, I'm not sure where to fit it in. So far
it's not an issue, so I'll just wait and see. She's getting enough now.

One (aggravating?) session that I added was the 'first thing in the
morning' pumping session pre-work, and pre-nursing the baby. The babies
were always more efficient at getting milk out, and even with reverse
cycling, the first pumping session of the day was always the most
productive. (Perhaps because it happened at home...). My eventual
(older baby) schedule was 5:30 pump, 6:30 feed, 7:30 daycare drop-off,
and then 2 sessions at work.

If she is getting enough now, though, adding a pumping session is just
torture for no real benefit....

Caledonia