HELP - not enough milk!!!

I am glad you were able to come to a compromise with DH, it makes it so much easier when they are supportive.
I can understand that by expressing it makes it easier to know how much she is taking & that is great peace of mind. I remember in those early days sometimes I would only pump 30 ml but he was gaining enough weight. Please remember that you DD will always get out much more than a pump ever will. I would also suggest that you maybe put her on the boob for say 5 mins on each side just to help things along as the nipple stimulation will help with your supply. Theres also some herbs and drinks that can help with your supply.
Good luck, hope things go well. I would luv to hear how you are going.

The few times I've expressed I've either done it while feeding (catch the drips while he's feeding, then express properly when he's finished), or while DS is happy.
I put him to the breast for a bit of a drink til my milk lets down, then I'll express. It's alot easier to get more if you get that let down.
I found that I could only get 20 - 40 mls by hand alone, or around 80 mls if I got my milk to let down with him first. My hand & a pump has never worked to get the let down happening.
Everyone is different & expressing may work for the let down for you.
HTH & good luck.

Pinklilly, I am glad that you have had some success. I hope this is the first step towards you being able to go back to bfing as TBH I think bfing would be much easier than expressing (and will definitely take less time). But this is a start and that is a good thing. I wish you lots of success with the expressing, and also with working things out with DH that might be less of a compromise and work better for you both. You are doing a great job hun, and I know you will give this your all. I am sure that with regular expressing you will be getting more milk really soon.

Thanks for all your supportive words. Just wondering tho, my midwife said (back when I was still BF) that I would need motilium (sp) to increase my supply. I know there are herbal things you can take to help with supply but do I have to re-establish a supply before taking anything, or can I take it now to help re-establish???

You can take the meds (or herbs) now. Depending on where you are at with producing milk, you might need to take something to help your supply get going again.

Thanks MR - sent DH down for some herbs now. See how that goes then might consider heading to the Drs for motilium

Hi PL,

I expressed for 8 weeks for my DD. I was taking Fenugreek (available at health food shops) to help keep my supply up during this time as DD just would not take to the bbs to help with the supply. I was expressing up to 120mls in about 20 mins (10 each side).

Hope all is going well,
Lisa

Hi,
For serious expressing it is worth getting a decent electric pump if you don't already have one. The ABA hire them out, as do chemists.
I would encourage you to put Ava on the boob sometimes too - even once a day will help her remember how to, and baby-sucking is better than pump-sucking for increasing supply.

Kmn - already have an electric pump so the expressing isn't as time consuming than if I was just using a hand pump. Re putting DD on the boob, will try tomorrow as the treatment for the nipple thrush I got (liquid applied to nipples) actually dried them out and when I tried to express, they all cracked!!! I have no luck. Took it easy with the expressing today to allow time to heal and will jump back in with both feet tomorrow.

:hug: Pinklilly, you just can't seem to get a break can you...
When I had cracked/grazed nipples I used nipple shields - I would use them on & off (because they can affect your supply as well) & found that really helped. I hope things improve for you soon.

I used sheilds for about 2 days just to heal & haven't used them since.

Another update - Still trying to get this BF re-established but I think it's working.

Have been putting DD on the boob as often as I can (which really isn't that often cause I have to sneak around DH). But this morning when DH was giving DD her bottle, I decided to express and the right boobie actually squirted milk :dance:. Hasn't done that for ages! Very excited :lol:.

Still no where near enough for DD just to exclusively BF, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.


Will wait a couple more days to see if I can get more milk from the left (always was the 'bad' side re supply) and then maybe consider motilium.

Excellent work PL. That's great that your milk is doing all the right things. Fingers crossed you'll be fully bfing in no time. Well done.

How is it going PinkLilly?

It's not going as well as I would have liked. I put DD on the boob before every feed and I do think that she is getting something from me as I can here her gulping at the begining and she feeds with contentment for around 7 minutes each side before she either a) falls asleep or b) starts to fuss and pull and the boob (without detaching first which can hurt :doh:).

I also offer her the boob 2 hours after her last feed (for a small top up and for more stimulation). If I can't do that, I express what I can (however I still have difficulty with expressing any more than 20mls each go from both boobs). I also give her the EBM. ATM she feeds roughly 4 hourly and I get up just once a night.

I still top her up after each feed (except the top-up feeds). Sometimes she will only drink 60mls of formula, other times, 90mls (she was having 150ml at most prior to re-lactating).

I have some concerns that once I come off the molitium my supply with drop off again (which is why Im trying to offer her the boob as much as possible). I really wanted to be able to exclusivley BF her, but I guess it isn't to be :(. I can't do much more than what I'm doing.

Hun, you are doing a GREAT job! When I read that it wasn't going as well as you would have liked, I didn't expect to then continue reading of the success you're having (IMO anyway :)).

I know the disappointment of not being able to exclusively breastfeed, but FWIW, we did a combo of BF and FF, and DS is still feeding (and loving it) at 16 months! If you need any support, or have any questions about it, please feel free to PM me any time. It can be hard going, but with some determination, and the right support, it certainly can be done. Remember, some BM is better than no BM. It will still be doing her the world of good :D

PL - I think you're doing a fabulous job!! It sounds like she is getting more and more from you and by increasing the number of times you are offering her the bb you will stimulate milk production on your own. I don't have any advice on the motilium, perhaps someone else can chime in there, but it sounds like you are doing everything right!

How is your DH's attitude towards your bfing? I hope he is being more supportive now that he sees what a great job you are doing.

Hi.
You are doing so well! I admire your determination.
How is your DH these days? Is he coming round to the idea?
Good on you!