Low Supply Woes

[k]

Hello. Haven’t been on here in a long time as I usually stick to my BMBs and I sound like a broken record there, so here I am.

I’m dealing with some really crappy low supply this go around. As far as trying to increase my supply, you name it and I’ve tried it. Including trying a supplement that dropped my blood sugar to a scary level and made me super sick. I nursed my two boys for 19-20 months each until I got pregnant and mostly dried up. I work 3 ten hour days and I’m home Wed/Fri-Sun which has historically been good for my supply. I’ve never responded well to the pump and it’s been a lot of work to make it to a year of pumping but I also wouldn’t trade it for anything. This is my last baby and I’m more than sad that it’s not working. Baby is 7.5 months now and she’d 100% be happy to bottle feed-probably bc she’s not getting much from the breast. I’m eating/drinking a ton. I have express after just about every nursing session and pumping session. I recently got blood work done to check for anything I might be missing-everything checked out fine. It’s a vicious cycle of not pumping enough and then getting depressed which makes output worse I’m sure. I know that’s it’s affecting my mental status. But this is the only way I know. How do I let it go?

[vvvvvfee]

now that your DD is old enough for solids i wouldn't stress so much about not pumping enough. LO can have yogurt, cheese, beans, meat-- whatever other nutrient-rich food... plus whatever you can pump when you're at work. then you nurse her as much as possible at home. i would try to nurse on workdays at wakeup and before you leave, and then when you get home and before bed. then nurse whenever she wants on the days that you're home.

i'm saying the above assuming that you want to continue nursing but you're just frustrated by stressing about your output... but if it would make you feel better and less stressed to stop, then stop. it sounds like you've made a huge amount of effort, you've made it to 7 1/2 months, and that's great. if it's really hurting your mental health, then yes, let it go and your DD will be fine. but if you do want to continue, i would just try to let the stress of your output go. pump for your 15 minutes for your 2 or 3 sessions at work and then stop, and give your DD whatever you've pumped. stop with any additional hand-expressing or whatever to try to get extra drops.

i hope you can find peace either way. hugs!

[k]

Sept 17, 2019 8:20:46 GMT -6 vvvvvfee said:

now that your DD is old enough for solids i wouldn't stress so much about not pumping enough. LO can have yogurt, cheese, beans, meat-- whatever other nutrient-rich food... plus whatever you can pump when you're at work. then you nurse her as much as possible at home. i would try to nurse on workdays at wakeup and before you leave, and then when you get home and before bed. then nurse whenever she wants on the days that you're home.

i'm saying the above assuming that you want to continue nursing but you're just frustrated by stressing about your output... but if it would make you feel better and less stressed to stop, then stop. it sounds like you've made a huge amount of effort, you've made it to 7 1/2 months, and that's great. if it's really hurting your mental health, then yes, let it go and your DD will be fine. but if you do want to continue, i would just try to let the stress of your output go. pump for your 15 minutes for your 2 or 3 sessions at work and then stop, and give your DD whatever you've pumped. stop with any additional hand-expressing or whatever to try to get extra drops.

i hope you can find peace either way. hugs!

Thank you! I very much do want to continue, and I just reduced one bottle to send to DC so that helps the pressure a bit. DD has also recently acquired a love for yogurt so that’s good! I guess I’ve been so worried about making/sending enough bc she’s been slow to gain but also the dr isn’t worried.

She’s nurses all night long so that’s my other issue 🙄