Milk Crisis! WDID?

[beenwaitingalongtime]

Please, please, PLEASE help!
I've never had probs. w/ my supply--had a freezer filled w/ BM before I went back to work. I BF thru the night, in the a.m., pump 1x at work, then BF after I get home. I've noticed that DD is taking in more than I can produce (I'm completely empty by the time I wake up in the morning and she's waking 3x thru the night to BF) so DD's ped gave me a fenugreek, blessed thistle and something else, which I've been taking for 1w now.
Last week DH tells me our supply of EBM is getting 'low' and I started trying to pump again at night, but I'm getting 1 oz. tops. Yesterday a.m. DH tells me we're OUT leaving only the 5 oz. I pump ea. day for her.
WHAT DO I DO??? My Mom's trying to tell me just to start her on formula, but I really don't want to. I think that'll just make things worse as far as my supply goes. The ped had recommended having 2 meals of solids instead of 1 (she gets a few Tbsp of avocado or sweet potato mixed w/ BM) which we've done, but what else? I'm not ready to give up.
If stress or lack of sleep can also affect the supply, then yes, I'm sure that's a part of it, as I'm sleeping 4 hrs./night w/ 2 wakings in-between. I can work on that, but what else? I don't know if I'm making less milk or DD's taking more in. I still get 4 oz. at my lunch time pump, so THAT doesn't seem to be affected. DD's just waking to BF SO often and she drinks it all, so I don't think she's just snacking. Help!

[doberbrat]

How long are you working?

If its an 8h day, I think you need to pump more… lots more.

I pump on the way to work, at 10:30am, 2:30p and on the way home. Then I nurse dd at 6p when I get home and 8:30 for bedtime and then I pump before bed at 11p.

So, my suggestions would be to pump more often. Also, session length- how long are you pumping for? I pump 20-30 min per session.

Also, check your valves & membranes. The white pieces need to be replaced every so often and if you use anything to pry the yellow ones off the flanges, they can get damaged too.

And remember that AF will also lower your supply as well as lack of sleep, lack of water and Stress!

*hugs*

[MamaMel]

when she nurses in the AM and before you go to bed pump while she is nursing. That is how I get the most milk. Your baby will cause y ou to have a better letdown then the pump alone. I can usually get 4 oz from 1 breast each time doing this.

Drink lots of water when you pump

also wanted to add if you just now started to pump in the middle of the night its going to take time for you body to adjust to that to produce milk.

And on the weekends pump while nursing as much as you can.

ETA heres a link for hands free pumping. I used to pump while I drove.
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/h...e-pumping.html

[crydparker]

I am only pumping 10 minutes twice a day while at work and my supply is way too low...may have just figured out part of the problem...need to pump longer...how long are you pumping? I am taking fenugreek and drinking mother's milk tea...not seeing BIG results yet.

[doberbrat]

10 min isnt nearlyu enough for me. I get 3 let downs. the first is the largest of course so if I only have 10 min then I still pump but I dont finish that letdown until ~12 -13 min in. then another one around 17 min and then I get one about 25 min in.

that last one is the smallest one of course but its about 20% of the volume.

also you can try breast compressions - sort of massage them firmly but Gently from chest to breast shield 1 breast at a time to 'push' the milk out. that helps me alot (obviously I dont do it while driving!)

it can take a week - 2 for fenugreek to work

[Irishmommy]

I pumped twice a day with an 8 hour work day and fed right before and after work. I pumped for at least 15 minutes per session. Don't stress out if you don't have a freezer full of milk, you should be pumping for each nursing session lost while you are away, so you should just be pumping for the next day. I know it is really hard to remember this and a little scary, but you should be able to pump enough for the next day. Is it that she is taking more when she is away from you than you are pumping? Give the fenugreek and other stuff a little time to work. Yes, you are right, supplementing WILL affect your supply. Remember that breastfeeding works on supply/demand. The more you nurse/pump the more you will produce. How old is your dd? Also, can you co-sleep so that you get more sleep during the night? When I mastered the side-lying position it was a beautiful thing because I could nurse and sleep at the same time! If you've tried it once and it didn't work, keep at it. I could never get it with my son and my dd is an old pro at it. You will need 4 pillows, though. Those are just my initial thoughts oh and

[momx2]

i think you definitely need to start pumping more often....

At school I'm actually pumping every 2 hours or so .... if you can manage it, you shoudl be pumping, in the morning, break time, lunch, afternoon break and at the end of your work shift.

[beenwaitingalongtime]

Thanks, ladies. I've added a few more pumping times, including at the end of the school day before I p/u DD. It's a 50 min. drive to get her, so it seems as though I'm building up enough in-between to BF her fine.

At school I'm actually pumping every 2 hours or so

How?!?! The kids have a 10-min recess in the a.m., but that's not long enough for me to pump AND at least one of the kids gets hurt and has to come to me during that time anyway. I do it during lunch and now at the end of the day, but there's no break time other than that. We don't have an aide or anything so it's all me, all day!
Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. I'm now filling a bottle w/ ea. pumping session. I just have the one letdown and nothing after, so I pump ea. side (right side stimulates letdown for some reason, so I start there) till it stops coming. So, one at lunch, one after school and one or 2 after DD goes to bed (though those 2 get one bottle full) so I have 3 bottles at the end of the day and DD seems to be taking in 2-3/day, so that's perfect. On the weekend, I'm going to pump as much as is humanly possible to try to get a little more than just enough for ea. day.
I'm going to look into pumping in the car, as I get a little time to myself to sew for my HC on Friday afternoons and would LOVE to not stay at school pumping (like I am now).
It seems like I've avoided a catastrophe for now. THanks so much! I do NOT want to introduce formula (I have a hard enough time accepting that I didn't produce the veggies that she eats!)