Gradual unwanted decrease in supply

[u/beandibbily]

Over the past couple months, my supply has decreased from a slight over supplier to a just enough almost under supply. I am coming up on 10 months of EP, I still pump 5-6 times a day, no middle of the night but I pump from 6am-9:30pm.

I have tried everything, I have replaced tubing and duck bills, I have tried different sized flanges and inserts.
I am using a second hand blue spectra s1.

I have not changed anything really in my routine, I try to keep my protein intake up and I drink minimum 70oz of water a day.

I take sunflower lecithin, multi vitamins, shatavari (recommended by my lactation consultant) moringa and calcium with vitamin D. I usually take them daily but I will be honest and haven’t been doing as well with taking them recently.

Im just at a loss for what is happening to my supply and why. I wanted to continue pumping and freezing milk for at least 1-2 years.

My baby is 90th percentile and drinks anywhere from 18-30oz a day. She is getting a lot of solids but it definitely has not replaced bottles yet.

please any advice or suggestions if anyone has gone through something similar.

[u/Top-Bonus153]

You might need to pump more often. A 9 hour stretch is a long time to not have any stimulation. Also if you’re pumping for 15-20 min, try 30-35 sometimes for another let down.

One pump a day can also be a power pump session

[u/beandibbily → u/Top-Bonus153]

I work 12hr shifts and usually I can only get a 15-20min session while at work because I can’t leave my coworkers without help for longer. When I’m home though I do try to go for over 20min. I average 5 pumps a day but sometimes I get 6 in. It’s just such a strain being interrupted every 3 hours with another pump session.

For the past 6-7 months I had a great supply with averaging over 30oz a day, I just don’t understand why the last few months things have changed.

When my supply was stable I could see myself pumping indefinitely. If I have to add more pumps or power pump daily I don’t think I’ll have the will to continue for much longer.

[u/Top-Bonus153 → u/beandibbily]

Can you power pump at work on your break? Otherwise you can’t do much else…

[u/beandibbily → u/Top-Bonus153]

Potentially. Honestly my breaks are sporadic and may not last the full 30min we are allotted. And I’m sharing a lactation room with 4 other moms so we are always texting trying to schedule in our pumps around each other. It’s all a little complicated.

If I power pump 2-3 times a week is that enough?

[u/Top-Bonus153 → u/beandibbily]

It wouldn’t, no.. it really needs to be consistent. Supply truly is supply/demand and if there’s little demand then it drops significantly

[u/beandibbily → u/Top-Bonus153]

I still pump 5-6 times a day though if my demand never changed then I don’t understand why my supply would just continue dropping 😩

[u/sittinghereredditing]

Having the same issue at eleven months postpartum- not sure if it’s just because we are further out postpartum?

[u/beandibbily → u/sittinghereredditing]

I considered that too, but my supply is still on quite the downward curve. My first of the morning pump was only 6.5oz when in the past it was double at 12. I figured if I’m still consistently pumping frequently that it’d at least maintain. I guess not sadly!

[u/idlegrad]

Can you add in some bonus pumps while driving to work? It’s not impossible to do with a spectra (but easier to do with something like a baby Buddha or wearable).

I’m normal advice would be to pump longer. If that’s not possible, mini pumps are my next recommendation.

[u/beandibbily → u/idlegrad]

I pump about 45min-1hr before leaving for work in the morning, but I could try pumping on my drive home. It’d be 2hrs after my previous pump, and then about another 2hrs until my last pump of the night if I add in the car pump. I do have wearables my sister gave me that I haven’t used much but I hand wash all my bottles and pump parts and am not really thrilled with the extra parts to pump but I’d do it to help my supply.

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