I’ve been trying to pump, but I’m barely getting in like 1ml🥺
I had a 10lb baby 💙 he didn’t fit into newborn clothes and was wearing 0-3 months, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to breastfeed or not as a first time mom it was something I wanted to try first and then if I didn’t like it I wouldn’t. Then it came time to feed my baby, and I instantly fell in love and I knew I wanted to and I was💙 he had dropped a little weight at the hospital but not too much and the doctors and nurses said it was normal nothing to be alarmed. But then taking him to the pediatrician he said my baby was not at his birth weight and that I needed to try formula feeding along with breast feeding. I didn’t want to because I wanted to breast feed and nothing wrong with formula feeding but my baby was doing fine, he wasn’t fussy he had enough pee and poop diapers everything was good just that birth weight wasn’t back up. So the pediatrician said if by two weeks he didn’t go up, that I might have to do a hospital visit, and I was visiting the pediatrician 2 times a week and the baby was going up in weight but not at his birth weight. So even feeding the baby every hour or 2 still not a lot of progress just a little. It came down to where the pediatrician said we’ve tried it and now I have to formula feed, so then eventually I was combo feeding, and one day I stressed out so much and I hadn’t ate I went from making 4oz of breast milk a session to 1oz a session, and eventually now I’m at 1ml per session. I’ve tried everything,
I’ve tried
Protein
Coconut water
Water seeing that water is mostly what I drink
Oatmeal’s
Dr Pepper
Oreos
Chia seeds
I don’t drink beer so that’s not a option
Lactation cookies and smoothies
Lactation teas
Lactation gummies and nothing
I was looking into it and it could be because I’m super stressed not because of the baby, but seeing as my husband works all week basically from 6am to 11:30pm I’m doing it on my own. Mind you I was also getting stressed because of my husband and we’ve talked about it I’m assuming it’s the postpartum hormones but I’ve been getting angry at him😅. I talked about it with my husband about how can we improve together so I’m not as stressed and he really made me feel at ease with his words💙 I really want to have more milk production but idk what to do at this point. Any advice to stress relieve ? To better help me produce milk again❤️
From personal experience, managing stress is one of the most critical yet overlooked factors in improving breast milk production. When I found myself producing only tiny amounts despite trying popular foods like oatmeal, coconut water, and lactation supplements, I realized that my high stress levels were the main culprit. One practical approach that helped me was creating a calm and relaxed environment during pumping and feeding sessions. I found that sitting quietly in a comfortable chair, thinking lovingly about my baby, and even looking at photos or videos of them could help trigger let-down. The document from pregnancybirthbaby.org.au also highlights how breast massage and gentle compression can stimulate milk flow effectively when done properly. In addition, staggering feeding and pumping schedules to avoid exhaustion was helpful. Instead of pushing too hard to pump frequently, I spaced sessions to allow my body to recover. Also, ensuring I stayed hydrated was essential, but I focused on drinking plain water rather than sugary or caffeinated drinks like Dr Pepper, which I initially tried but found unhelpful. I also talked openly with my partner about the challenges I was facing without blaming him. Sharing feelings and working together to find solutions eased my emotional burden. It was important to recognize postpartum hormones cause mood swings, including irritability. Counseling or joining a moms’ support group could offer additional emotional support. Finally, consulting a lactation specialist can provide personalized guidance beyond general tips. They can assess for issues like latch problems or recommend techniques like hand expression coupled with breast massage. These have helped many mothers increase their milk output when pump supply alone seemed low. If you’re in a similar situation, try combining physical techniques to stimulate milk, managing emotional well-being, and seeking professional support. Remember, feeding your baby—whether breast milk, formula, or a combination—is feeding with love and care. Don’t be hard on yourself during this learning curve.
High protein meats like pulled pork and brisket made my milk sky rocket and I also took legendary milk supplements. YouTube the different ones. They all worked for me and I had good milk flow. Also, de stressing will help.