How to increase pumping production?

I pump 2 or 3x/day for 15-20 min, both sides. I only get about an ounce combined per session. My girls are getting 5 nurse/bottle feedings/day. Natalie sometimes 6 if she gets up around 4am. Out of those 10-11 feedings, only about 5-6 are nursing (I don't tandem)...long story but increasing the # or nursing really isn't an option at this point. I want to feed EBM instead of formula in the bottles. I have the Medela pump in style. I already got larger phlanges (I think that is what they were called). I don't understand why my pump production is so low. I know they say what you pump is usually less than what they get nursing but why so much less? I don't understand how some moms are able to exclusively pump & bottle feed EBM. Please help! Also, I think they are starting to prefer bottles. They will only nurse now when they wake up, before nap or bedtime, or when it is just me & one baby - ie no distractions from two noisy sisters! I'm getting discouraged. If they are getting less than 50% BM are they still getting the benefit of BF???

 

QUOTE
If they are getting less than 50% BM are they still getting the benefit of BF???

Absolutely! Some is better than none!

As for the pumping, I would try massaging your breasts while pumping. That might help to increase your output. Have you tried taking fenugreek? I know that alot of people here have taken it and say it really helps boost supply.

 

You are saying the exact thing I went through. I had plenty of milk for the babies but could never get any extra only and ounce or two total with double pumping. The most I got was letting one nurse and pump the other side at the same time. WHen the baby makes the letdown you 'catch' it on the other side with your pump. Even then I didn't get much. Some people are like that. You could go to a lactation consultant to see if you need a different shape of pump but I just didn't go there.

The more breastmilk the better. Some is better than none. Be careful supplementing formuala though especially in the early months say before 6 months because formaula takes longer to digest so the babies will suck less. Less suck = less milk which means you will be giving more formula which means less milk etc. It is a horrible cycle. You can reverse it though but lowering the formula and nursing more. I used to nurse while watching tv so I didn't really notice how long they were going at it. The time just flew by. THere is only so long you can look with longing at your beautiful baby at your breast.

Now that I have weaned, I could cry thinking about what I am missing...

 

Yep, unfortunately some women get more out of their pump than others. You could always try renting the Medela Symphony and see if you get more out. (I get more out of a hospital grade pump).

For me, my only way to get a significant amount of EBM out is to wait 3-4 hours after the last feeding of the night and then pump. I can often get 6 oz out that way (compared to 2 oz. MAX during the day and <1 oz immediately after a feed).

Yes, every drop of breastmilk is beneficial to your babies! Your babies are getting much more breastmilk than most singletons their age, so be proud! You just feed your babies what you need to and don't feel bad about it.

Good luck with the distractable babies. I'm in your same boat and there's no easy fix when you have older kids! You can't just lay down with your baby in a dark and quiet room (don't we WISH!!!!).

 

HI,

I pump for one twin and bf the other (my kids are now 10+ mos) If I want to increase my pump qtys I have to either add a pump session or take fenugreek caps, oatmeal with flax meal and or blessed thistle caps.

As for pumping, one surefireway to increase your supply is to pump in the middle of the night (btw 1 and 4am) if you can do that for a few days or a week, you may see an increase in your supply.

When your body has been asked to do the same thing for a long while -- it gets used to its production, and the only way to increase is to use herbs or pump/bf more often.

Teri D

 

I found fenugreek to help enormously with supply and within a few days of taking it. I get mine at GNC and I take at least 3 grams a day (capsules). You could buy the smaller bottle to start with to see if it worked for you. That's what I did, but now I buy the giant sized bottle. I find that pumping at 8-9A works very well for me (assuming the kids have just gone down for morning naps).




QUOTE(Oneplus2more @ Jun 24 2007, 09:53 PM) [snapback]305616[/snapback]
I pump 2 or 3x/day for 15-20 min, both sides. I only get about an ounce combined per session. My girls are getting 5 nurse/bottle feedings/day. Natalie sometimes 6 if she gets up around 4am. Out of those 10-11 feedings, only about 5-6 are nursing (I don't tandem)...long story but increasing the # or nursing really isn't an option at this point. I want to feed EBM instead of formula in the bottles. I have the Medela pump in style. I already got larger phlanges (I think that is what they were called). I don't understand why my pump production is so low. I know they say what you pump is usually less than what they get nursing but why so much less? I don't understand how some moms are able to exclusively pump & bottle feed EBM. Please help! Also, I think they are starting to prefer bottles. They will only nurse now when they wake up, before nap or bedtime, or when it is just me & one baby - ie no distractions from two noisy sisters! I'm getting discouraged. If they are getting less than 50% BM are they still getting the benefit of BF???

 

I get nothing out when I pump. I will pump for 45 minutes and get an oz....hardly worth the time. but I exclusively BF and have no supply issues at all. I wish I could pump to have a supply on hand, but I don't think that's going to happen for me!

reyna

 

I EP'ed with ff as I didn't produce enough to give EBM. I didn't pump enough in the beginning (wanted to sleep). To increase my supply I started massaging my breasts as a PP said and I increased the time that I was pumping. I stopped at 8 months, but was pumping for 45 minutes at least .

BW,
Ellen