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BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
Did anyone here ever go onto successfully breast feed their DC while only pumping about 5 oz. a day? DD gets plenty of milk while nursing because I see and hear the swallows and has lots of wet and poopy diapers. BUT, for the life of me, even with the Medela Symphony, I cannot pump more than this a day...and that's with soreness too.
I have written about this before but what I really want to know is will this ever get better? I do massage, I bend over and shake after the massage like the LC taught me, I use the hot compresses, etc. I want to be able to get to at least 6 months (DD is now 2 months). I should mention I take the Fenugreek and drink Mother's Milk. Oatmeal makes DD uncomfortable so I can't do that and I drink almost 15 glasses of water a day (I'm really thirsty).
Any thoughts/advice? I'm so sick of feeling like a bad Mommy because I can't build up a supply and there are times at night when she cluster feeds like crazy. I feel like a failure, plain and simple.  
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Posted 11/19/07 7:58 AM  |
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Long Island Weddings
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raken40
soooo in love:)
Member since 5/05 4369 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
aww, Dana, you are not a bad mother or a failure, please dont think that!!
I dont BF but i have heard how difficult and frustrating it can be.
I do not have any advice, just wanted to give you some hugs
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| Posted 11/19/07 8:08 AM |
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MST9106
My life:)
Member since 6/06 9589 total posts
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
I only nurse my son in the evenings, one feeding during the night and early in the morning...the rest of the day he gets bottles and I pump every 4 hours (or at least I try every 4) to get him used to bottles when I go back to work.
My advice would be to slowly start pumping every 3-4 hours no matter how much comes out...just continue to pump and I am sure your supply will increase...although it seems like your supply is great since you're nursing your DD without a problem. Just try to pump as often as you can to get used to it. HTH
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| Posted 11/19/07 8:17 AM |
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Selden78
I lvoe the fall :)
Member since 6/06 3543 total posts
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
maybe you are not able to pump out much because the baby is getting alot of milk from you when he feeds off of you as long has he is eating and doing well you are doing a great job
keep up the good work
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| Posted 11/19/07 8:30 AM |
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Calla
My girls
Member since 7/05 4303 total posts
Name:
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
Can you clarify why you are trying to pump more than that? I was never able to pump more than that and breastfed my daughter for over two years.
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| Posted 11/19/07 8:32 AM |
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msrsfeb
LIF Adult
Member since 2/06 1277 total posts
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
don't feel guilty, (i know that is easier said then done) but what you are doing is great! are you pumping for extra milk? if so, you probably won't get more than that. good luck.
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| Posted 11/19/07 8:36 AM |
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MrsBlueSash
Love my sailor
Member since 6/05 5793 total posts
Name:
Christian
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
Posted by Calla
Can you clarify why you are trying to pump more than that? I was never able to pump more than that and breastfed my daughter for over two years.
I also was not an over producer. I pumped about 6 oz more than I fed DD on a good day. But most days I only made as much as she needed.
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| Posted 11/19/07 8:38 AM |
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nbc188
Best friends!
Member since 12/06 23090 total posts
Name:
C
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
Posted by MST9106
I only nurse my son in the evenings, one feeding during the night and early in the morning...the rest of the day he gets bottles and I pump every 4 hours (or at least I try every 4) to get him used to bottles when I go back to work.
My advice would be to slowly start pumping every 3-4 hours no matter how much comes out...just continue to pump and I am sure your supply will increase...although it seems like your supply is great since you're nursing your DD without a problem. Just try to pump as often as you can to get used to it. HTH
I agree with this. Pump more often, and your body *should* increase your supply, at least that's my understanding.
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| Posted 11/19/07 8:42 AM |
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
Posted by Calla
Can you clarify why you are trying to pump more than that? I was never able to pump more than that and breastfed my daughter for over two years.
Really? This gives me hope I guess. I read all the time how Mommy's are pumping 15-20+ ounces a day and I won't make that in a week! It makes me think that BF is doomed for us. I just want to go shopping one of these days before I lose my mind and not have to worry about her starving and DH giving her formula. 
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| Posted 11/19/07 8:44 AM |
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elyssa222
******
Member since 5/05 1541 total posts
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
I have heard a lot of moms say the same things as you. That they were only able to produce enough milk for their dc to nurse and got little if any at other times throughout the day.
Have u tried to pump right after she is done feeding. It might trick your body into producing more milk for that feeding. You wont make more milk throughout the rest of the day but it will give you more during the times you already get your milk in and you can save that extra milk.
I hope this makes sense.
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| Posted 11/19/07 8:59 AM |
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Calla
My girls
Member since 7/05 4303 total posts
Name:
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
People who are pumping that much are generally using bottles in place of direct nursing for work etc... not nursing all day long and then expecting to have extra! You make way more than 15-20 ounces in a day, its just all in your baby's belly right away! Sounds like you are in good shape for an occassional trip out.
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| Posted 11/19/07 9:01 AM |
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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
Posted by Mrs. Patticakes
Posted by Calla
Can you clarify why you are trying to pump more than that? I was never able to pump more than that and breastfed my daughter for over two years.
Really? This gives me hope I guess. I read all the time how Mommy's are pumping 15-20+ ounces a day and I won't make that in a week! It makes me think that BF is doomed for us. I just want to go shopping one of these days before I lose my mind and not have to worry about her starving and DH giving her formula.
It depends on how much their DC eats and how old DC is. DS is a big eater so until next week I was pumping about 25-35 oz per day (because my body can adapt to his demand) and depending on how much I BF in between. BUT, while I have been a human milk machine, I did not produce that much in the beginnning. Maybe 3 oz per breast. I was making enough for his bottles.
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| Posted 11/19/07 9:03 AM |
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Dragonfly75
I love Hypnobabies
Member since 3/06 2333 total posts
Name:
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
YOu're doing great! As long as she's gaining weight she's getting what she needs. Are you just pumping to build up supply for when you go back to work? If so, don't worry about it. I used to pump about 5 oz a day (pumped in the morning around 9:00 when supply is the highest) before I went back to work, it all went into the freezer -- I had a nice stash. Then I pumped 3x a day at work and he always had plenty. As a matter of fact, he's over a year old and I just used my last bags from the freezer today (I rotated my stash using old ones and freezing new).
Babies are much more efficient nursers than the best breast pumps, so the amount you get from your pump does not reflect the amount the baby is getting while nursing! You're doing great!
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| Posted 11/19/07 9:11 AM |
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
Posted by smdl
[It depends on how much their DC eats and how old DC is. DS is a big eater so until next week I was pumping about 25-35 oz per day (because my body can adapt to his demand) and depending on how much I BF in between. BUT, while I have been a human milk machine, I did not produce that much in the beginnning. Maybe 3 oz per breast. I was making enough for his bottles.
3 oz. per breast would be a dream come true for me! I feel like my body really isn't adjusting to her demands. She cluster feeds ALOT and yet, the supply doesn't seem to be much more. For instance, I just pumped at 9:30 after my shower and got 1 3/4 ounces, it has never exceeded that. I'm so exhausted come 9:00 at night, that whatever little pumping I've done that day, DH feeds it to her because I'm passing out in my glider. 
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| Posted 11/19/07 9:55 AM |
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Shelly
She's 7!!!
Member since 8/05 14624 total posts
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Re: BF help/advice/encouragement, whatever you want to call it...
I BF DD for a year, and went back to work when she was 3 months old. We made it through the whole year without formula. Here are my tricks:
1. My biggest trick was to pump first thinig in the morning before I fed DD. I would get almost 10oz from overnight.
2. Pump on the weekends. Even when I was there to nurse her, I would pump before I would feed her.
3. If you still feel like you need more, pump at night before you go to sleep. Sometimes those extra few oz help.
4. If all else fails, shorten the time periods before you pump. Like if you are pumping every 4 hours, make it every 3.
good luck!! FM if you have any questions.
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| Posted 11/19/07 10:04 AM |
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