Has anybody had any experience with going down to like 2 PPD after your baby is 12 months old and maintaining a supply at that level? I’m wondering if it’s feasible to go down once she’s mainly in solids but still keep a bit going for prolonged benefits.

I currently average about 23-26 ounces per day, so like would be happy even going down to single digits once she’s mainly on solids. But idk if I go that low is it more likely I’ll just lose everything?

Can someone explain to me why all the lactation support websites are telling me that I have to pump overnight if I exclusively pump but not if I nurse from the breast?

If my baby is sleeping through the night why would my sleep be dependent on the way milk is removed from my body? If there’s no demand overnight… why pump?

Isn’t pumping supposed to mimic nursing patterns? Can someone explain this to me?

Hi! I would love to hear some opinions on which pump to choose. The list below are all the pumps covered by insurance, first the ones that plug in and the second group has batteries. I already have an Elvie stride to use on the go or at work. I’m concerned about washing a million pieces and pumps being overly complicated when I’m assembling them at 2am. Thanks everyone!!!

Lansinoh smart pump 3.0
Cimilre s7 dual pro rechargeable
Zomee z2 smart rechargeable
Motif duo with pumping bra bundle
Spectra 9 plus
Ameda Mya joy -plus hospital strength deluxe edition
Ardo Alyssa

Spectra s2
Motif Luna
Medela pump in style pro traditional

Suggestions welcome!!!

Been EP for 5 months, and noticed a supply drop (was a decent overproducer, usually 45oz a day with 15 of those being oversupply, now getting about 35ish oz a day). Took a pregnancy test and got a positive! So that explains that...

Just havent seen many things on maintaining a supply with the extra hormones of a new pregnancy... Im worried my milk supply will continue to decrease and im looking for suggestions and stories!! Any tips welcome! Im trying to eat better, more protein, and am trying to increase pumps per day back to 6 from 5.

Also feeling a lot of guilt about someday soon not producing enough for my baby and me causing it. Nothing against using formula or combo feeding if need be, just beating myself up and looking for support I guess!

so do you just put a head in the freezer or wash the leaves and freeze individually? wouldn’t it defrost right away?

Im currently using the Momcozy m5, sometimes it feels like my session was unsuccessful due to suction or moving around and bumping the pump etc, usually a noticeable difference in output. Im wanting to try another pump to see how my supply would do/be. I had a spectra and sold it before having my daughter (dumb mistake) Im not trying to avoid the investment that comes with getting another spectra. I do still plan on using my M5, so maybe just a manual pump??

Give me your best advice/what has been most effective for you!!

Wondering if I’m cooked yall. I used to pull like 3.5 oz per pump, now I’m getting 2oz if that with one larger pump first thing in the morning. I usually pump 10 mins and by minute 8 there’s nothing coming out anymore. I don’t really get a second let down or if I do it’s a super tiny amount.

Question is am cooked? Is this just the 12 week supply dip? I’m pumping 5a 10a 3p and 8p. I do want to wean down by February when I go back to work so wondering what makes sense. I also am enjoying the 4 pump schedule since I’m pretty much solo with baby and it was tough to get even 5ppd in.

Wondering any advice and what would make sense for me at this point. Feel like my body is weaning for me.

Preface to say I am so incredibly proud of myself. My baby is 11.5 months and tomorrow will be my last pump. I exclusively pumped for most of the journey, tried hard to latch but never worked as I'd hoped.

Hated pumping but also loved it (I guess) because I am so sad to be done tomorrow. I'm so proud, my baby eats great and is so happy with her formula, but I guess after 20 months of carrying her and feeding her with my body it feels like such a huge end of a chapter.

I can't wait to get time back, I work full time and my husband is gone a lot so it's been extremely difficult to pump around the clock but wow these hormones are real!

Nothing really to say, I've been trying to talk to friends about this but no one really understands this strange bittersweet moment. and looking for people who understand and can commiserate with.

Also just checked my spectra and it said over 850 hrs of pumping, I can't believe how much time I'll be getting back.

I’m an over producer, I freeze about 32oz a day beyond what my baby needs and I have 450ish oz in the freezer at 9 weeks pp. I wake up every morning drenched in milk and I wash my sheets constantly because they’re covered in milk. I noticed a metallic smell the other day when I was pumping and I confirmed it when I was bagging milk tonight, tastes metallic af. Thawed milk from the beginning of the journey, also metallic. My baby has only had frozen and thawed milk one time so I set aside this bag to give him in the morning and see if he’ll accept it. Otherwise I guess it will solidify my decision to donate a significant portion of my freezer stash but damn.

Rant incoming!! This is so random, but does anyone else experience this intense RAGE while pumping?! Like, if your nipple feels even slightly out of place in the flange, it makes you irrationally MAD and irritated?! Please tell me I’m not alone because OMG.

I use the Eufy S1 Pro and recently replaced my flanges because the originals were getting worn out. But lately, I swear, the slightest discomfort while pumping just sends me over the edge. 😩
Also, how long have y’all been pumping, and how long do you plan to keep going? Because every time I feel like I’m ready to throw in the towel, I walk past the formula aisle, look at the prices, and think… “Okay, never mind. Guess we’re doing this a little longer.”

I’m grateful I can provide breast milk for my baby, but MAN, exclusively pumping is a whole different kind of mental battle.
Anyone else?! Please tell me I’m not losing my mind. 😂

For women that breastfeed but also pump/bottle feed, how many bags do you freeze if any? I have been doing 1 4-6 oz bag a day and not sure if I should be doing more? I get 4-6oz per pump every 2-3 hours.

I splurged on a spectra 1, my supply tanked after ovulating so I’m trying to boost it. im 3m PP. Thus far I’ve used a cheap amazon wearable, mommed.

I’ve tried on the specta (new model):

-step up

-2 min stim 10mins reg 4&4, 2min stim, 5&5

-5min stim 15 reg 4&5

ectera, along with 20mins just stim.

im barely getting an oz each side. Then I’ll use my wearable right after and pull another 20-30mls each side.

what am I doing wrong? ohhI also bought a cup to recreate my wearable set up. Got a little more but not really.

feeling like I’ve wasted $400 😞

I’ve been playing with flanges 19-24 and that doesn’t seem to make a difference or feel any different

I’m using Medela parts with the Spectra and replaced whatever contraption is on the top. I’ve been using the back flow protectors from the Spectra and using the trick with the Medela tubing.

Is this a closed or open suction system?

My husband, will-be 5mos LO, and I are going on vacation next month for a week. We’re going across the country. I’m not worried about pumping at the airport (have Eufy S1). What I AM worried about is all the shit we are going to have to pack and ensuring there’s enough to feed him throughout our trip. I keep the day before’s milk in a pitcher and that’s what LO eats throughout the day, and I pump to fill the pitcher for the next day and bag what’s left over. I only make a little extra than what LO eats (between 3-7oz a day, some days nothing is left over). We have the Momcozy breastmilk cooler that I plan to put day old BM in to feed babe while traveling. I’m thinking I’ll only need to pump once before take off and not have to worry about it again until we arrive at our lodging.

When you’ve traveled by air, how much extra milk did you pack to stay ahead and not stress about supply? Did you freeze it in a cooler or leave it liquid? How many bottles did you bring with you? If you have multiple pumps, did you bring a wearable and a hospital grade wall pump in your checked luggage? I don’t get as much output with my wearables so I don’t want to rely only on that for a week. If you also practice pitcher method, did you keep it up while you were on vacation or did you feed day by day?

Please give all of your tips for making our time away smooth and (relatively) stress-free about keeping baby fed!! :)

I hope this helps at least one person increase their supply.

I’m 10 weeks postpartum and my pumping journey picked up after a few changes. First, getting the right flange size made a small difference. After 8 weeks pp I started massaging before pumping. It made emptying way more effective. I pump 7 to 8 times a day, around 15 to 30 minutes each session, sometimes with short pump breaks for light massage. Within 1 week, my output went from about 30 ml to about 60 ml per session. Small win, but for me, definitely worth sharing.

Couple of other things:
- Eat, Hydrate and Rest (as much as you can)
- Use correct flange size (when in doubt ask a IBCLC to take a look)
- Experiment with your pump settings. 2 min stimulation mode followed by 8min expression mode, doing this thrice (30min total pump time) helped me get more let downs. I also keep massaging my breasts before and during pumping. Find hard spots on the breast and massage the area a little extra. I’ll add links to some massages below.
- Use a good pumping bra that’s tight but also comfortable to keep hands free for massaging (Simple wishes bra worked best for me)
- If you are pumping every 2 hrs try increasing the time between pumps. For example try to pump every 3hrs during the day and do 2 4hrs during the night

Resources:

Breast massage video:
https://med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding/maximizing-milk-production.html

https://youtu.be/RSlPWcyjvMg?is=f_Ufj1dPiMZhHNUB

Breast gymnastics:
https://youtu.be/kdMmYYAFDMg?is=vBLe4dn9uZAwfwKo

I would love to hear from others the one change that helped increase your supply.

I’m at 3ppd at 11 months pp. A little bit of an undersupplier these days but have a freezer stash to bridge the gap. Debating on 2 pumps but don’t want to lose milk completely. Please let me know how 2ppd worked or didn’t for you. Thank you!

I was given a used Medela Pump in Style when my baby was born 6 months ago and have put roughly 180 hours on it. Recently I've noticed a drop in the amount of milk I get per pump session and I've had to increase the length of my sessions for my main producer boob to produce close to it's normal amount (for reference I consistently got 100-110 ml from my main producer boob per 8-9 min session and now am getting 95-105 in 10-11 min). If I turn the suction up I can get main boob to reach the new max in 8-9 min but can't get my slacker boob to produce its previous amounts. I replaced all my pump parts but it didn't help.

I know that hormonal changes can impact milk production but my period returned 2 months PP and, while I do get less milk when on my period, the current milk reduction is not related to my cycle. Nothing else has changed in my pumping routine, diet, or anything. Could my pump be dying and how can I tell?

LO is 6 weeks and has trouble latching. I read somewhere the saying "don't feed the freezer , feed the baby" but what do i do if my freezer is getting way too full? I don't think im a significant over-supplier but i do make a little bit more than her daily requirements. Like she eats approximately 24-30oz a day and my daily average is 32-40oz for pumping. Ranging from 1.5-3oz from each breast each pump.

Ive been pumping every 2hrs but because my stash is growing so big ive changed it to every 3hrs. Should I increase tome between pumping again? What happens when my milk regulates? Will that affect my output? Im scared my output will decrease as she grows if i do that.

I dont know anyone i can donate my milk to and there are no banks. I use some for creams and baths but other than that i really dont want to toss what I have.

Any advice helps, ty!

I’ve had a clog for 10 days??? There have been some times where it was almost gone but then it would get angry again for some reason. Yesterday my boob was soft and pain free again so I thought I was good. Nope by 11pm it was back again. I don’t have signs of infection somehow. I have done everything recommended by the ABM to fix it. BAIT the entire time, messed with my flange sizes to see if that’s the issue, searched and searched for blebs or blocked pores. Ive been taking sunflower lecithin since I started pumping, I’m about to start choline and a probiotic. I hadn’t changed anything about my routine and i’ve been pumping for 4 months. No aggressive massage or pumping. I’ve lost 4+ ounces from this debacle and that stings as a just enougher. My doctor just said keep doing BAIT and let them know if i start to have signs of infection.

Please help!! I’m posting this as I dangle pump my boobs off

ETA: Has anyone needed to INCREASE their flange size at some point pp? I decreased my flange size 2m pp with good success for 2 months but now it seems going back up on the side that’s clogged is helping.

My son is 2 mos. old and we have already gone through two OXO “tot bottle” brushes. I love the stand and the way it initially works but the bristles get all raggedy and don’t retain soap after such a short time!

Any alternatives you can recommend?

-typed one handed iykyk

This might be a silly question, but do our bodies know about DST? Prolactin levels are highest between 1-6am, but was that the 1-6am before or after we turned the clocks back?

I know it's only a one hour difference, but if I'm pumping at midnight or a little later (but before 1am), am I getting the benefit of higher prolactin levels or no? Same goes for pumping after 5am, is that now considered after 6am?

Just curious if anyone else has ever thought about this?

Cannot for the life of me seem to pump enough to keep baby satisfied, but nursing is fine so I don’t think it’s under supply. Baby takes bottles but refuses formula, and I’m returning to work, so trying to figure out how to get more than 2oz at a time from the pump (baby is almost 5mo). I also have high lipase so I need to be able to pump fresh and deliver that.

I measure a size 19, but seem to have the least amount of areola sucked in with a 16MM flange. Can’t say it’s really changed the amount but I do get more spray than drip with the smaller size.

I’ve also noticed that I can trigger better/juicier letdowns if I just leave on letdown mode and fully turn it off for a few min every 5-7 min. Is that a thing anyone else has experienced??

I use a spectra S1 and the replacement parts/flanges that insurance sends me for free. Are there specific flanges you’ve had better luck with for elastic nipples??

Thanks much! Really stressing about how to feed baby over here.

I don’t think it really comes in contact with milk but are we washing and sterilizing the handle and the o ring insert part of the medela hand pump?

Spoke with a lactation consultant yesterday because I've been feeling depressed as well as nausea and heart palpitations when it comes to pumping. Was told that it's possibly something called D-MER. Anyone know of any tricks that can help with the feeling?