2 Oz Across Two Pumpings - Would You Stop?

Happy mom, happy baby!
You decide what's best for you!

Honestly, I would stop. You've done a great job in giving your little one breastmilk, and supplementing with formula is really okay. You called it the 'burden' of pumping... I think that says it all. It IS an added responsibility and your plate is already full. Working mom of a seven month old? Kudos to you for being so diligent and trying so hard to make things work. I remember that time-- not a lot of sleep, lots of caregiving and household responsibilities in the daytime, and working on top of that!

Go forward guilt-free. You have done a wonderful job with nursing and it seems like your body and your son are moving on.

I don't know what I would do in your shoes. I pumped longer, but my babies liked to nurse and I didn't want to lose my supply.

I cannot make this decision for you, and will not try to make you feel guilty if you want to stop. You have already done a great thing for your baby by going this long. That said, here are the things that helped me get more milk when I pumped, in case you want to try.

- use a hands-free double pumping bustier. I would never have had the patience to pump for long enough each time without it. I was lucky enough to have my own office, so I could hook it up, relax until that 1st letdown, then I'd do work on my computer for the rest of the pumping session, so no one ever complained about me taking long pumping breaks. This is directly related to my second point which is...

-make sure you are pumping long enough. I got a small letdown to start, and then after 20 minutes of pumping, I would have a second letdown that would more then double my pumping output. If I would have stopped when the milk from that first letdown stopped, I would never have gotten much milk. And I would never have had the time or patience to pump for 30 minutes twice a day without the hands-free system.

-I would get a stronger letdown if I sat back, relaxed, and either looked at a picture of the baby or simply closed my eyes and imagined the baby in my arms for at least the first few minutes until that first letdown.

-I assumed you've played with your pump settings? Ironically, I found that if I turned the suction up on my pump to try to get more milk, I would tense up because it was a little painful and I would get less milk. I actually got more milk pumping by turning the intensity down to a level that was comfortable for me.

-on a separate note, for the bottles, I stayed with the Stage 1 nipples the entire time so that bottles wouldn't be too easy to drink from. I think this helped keep my babies used to the strong suck they needed for nursing.

Again, this are only if YOU want to keep trying. I am not trying to pressure you. This decision is totally yours.

I pretty much was in your shoes with my second child. I tried most of the tips/suggestions offered by the previous responders. They didn't increase my supply. So, we switched to formula. I never felt guilty about it nor should you.

sounds stressful. your baby has had 7 months of breastmilk, so i think you're wonderful. pumping and nursing on dry breasts is no fun.
if you can keep producing a little, maybe just nurse him once a day and give him formula for the rest of the time. if he's resisting, though, it might just prolong the frustration.
i say you do whatever makes your life a little easier and less stressful.
khairete
S.

I think it's time to stop. I totally know what a pain it is to have to pump when you're working -- I worked full-time when my daughter was an infant. I probably would not have continued as long as I did if I only got 2 oz. It's not just worth the time it takes to pump, but all the extra parts you have to wash. Just give him formula. Lots of babies grow up on formula and they all seem fine.

I disagree with below that a 7 month old should be getting most of his nutrition from solids. Babies normally start solids at 6 months and are not usually ready for all foods that their parents eat. Rice cereal has iron, but not too high in calories and the pureed veggies and fruits also have some vitamins, but don't have as much calories as breast milk/formula. They need to continue to have formula/breast milk until they are about 12 months old.

But if you want to continue, maybe you should increase the number of times you pump/nurse. I took More Milk Plus by Motherlove to increase quantity, which sort of worked. Can't remember if it had fenugreek in it.

I would quit and have. Switched to formula. At 7 mos, most of the nutrition your baby gets is going to be coming from table foods anyway. As a working mom, I commend you for going at it this long. Feel no guilt going forward!

Of course breast feeding advocates are going to tell you you need to pump for as long as humanly possible.

I nursed my first for 1 year, my 2nd for....3 months? My third for....4-6 months...

My circumstances were so different for each. My second child was ravenous and I was chasing a 2-year-old and the baby wouldn't sleep through the night on just breast milk and WHATEVER. I'm adopted and NEVER nursed and loads of completely healthy people are running around who NEVER nursed.

7 months is AWESOME. You should feel proud of yourself if you stop right this minute.

If you want to continue, it's 100% about water intake and frequency of pumping. To increase your supply you MUST drink TONS of water (is this possible at your job?) and you must increase the frequency of pumping and nursing to stimulate more production. And it's perfectly OK to taper off and stop, this may be the natural timing to do so for you and your baby.

Good work!

btw, my oldest, who nursed longest? Pickiest eater of all three of my kids and she gets the most illnesses. She's also the only one I vaccinated in infancy. And she got chicken pox. My middle child, who nursed the least long? Sturdy as a horse, almost never sick, eats tons of everything. It's impossible to compare kids really, so I take all those nursing studies with a grain of salt. Yes, it's healthy and great, but you can let it go and carry on now with healthy food as he grows.

I would continue to pump, as it keeps up your supply. Remember that your milk gets more fatty as the baby gets older. You may want to look at kellymom.com for tips on supplementing when you don't have enough fresh or frozen supply for his bottles. I pumped for a year with my DD and while I did not have the same concerns you did, there were times I was short on her bottles. I premeasured all her bottles and numbered them and asked them to give her the smallest bottle last, so that she would soon be with me and be able to nurse. A friend of mine also gave formula during the day and nursed anytime she was home.

Things to try: try to destress. I know it's hard when you are working and watching the clock and the ounces, but try to relax. I took my pumping time as time to get away from the office for a few minutes, much like anybody else who walked or took a smoking break. I also tried to keep water at my desk all the time, to help me be hydrated. Even if you stop pumping, you still need to be hydrated. I also ate oatmeal breakfast cookies. I don't like oatmeal as a breakfast that much, but the cookies were good and filling and the oatmeal was good for nursing.

I would give it another week or so, at least, to see if this was a temporary problem or not. Is there any possibility of increasing your pumping sessions to 3? Did you change the number of sessions before the decrease? When I was really busy at work, I used a hands free pumpin' pal, a backwards sweater and a battery pack to pump in the car on my long commute. I just made sure not to be fiddling with the pump when I was driving. It sounds weird, but it helped. I had a stopping point where I was guaranteed to be stuck at a light and that's when I turned it off.

You might also find http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/back-to-breast/#strike helpful.

I also agree that slow flow nipples on the bottles may help.

If it is stressing you out, there is no shame in stopping. You can take pride in the fact that you tried, and succeeded for as long as you did.

If you would like to continue, then I would try increasing your supply. Maybe up the dose of fenugreek you are taking. Oatmeal is a good booster as well. (You can search Pinterest for all sorts of supply boosting recipes.)

Try having a lay-in, where you stay in bed as much as you can all day with baby, getting him to latch on as much as possible.

Another good booster is to pump after each nursing session. This tricks your body into thinking baby is demanding more than he actually is, and you will produce to meet that demand. At first I would only get half an ounce or less, but after a few weeks I was pumping an extra 5-6 ounces after a nursing session. It was great, because I was able to build up a supply in the freezer for times my supply dropped.

Also, I went through a period when my daughter was exclusively pump-fed. It wasn't too effective at first, and I REALLY had to massage a bit and help the pump along to get the maximum amount out. (Massage while pumping, firmly, but not enough to cause pain.)

If you are stressed out at all while nursing or pumping, it hinders the let-down. Try to be relaxed as much as possible. I used to read a book while pumping. :)

It is hard while working to pump. Legally, your workplace HAS to allow you time and a sanitary place to pump if you are nursing your baby. (If you are not already pumping while at work.) long periods of not pumping doesn't help the supply much. Just get an insulated lunchbox, and keep the milk in it with a couple of ice packs or something. :) I had a major issue when I went back to work with my supply dropping, but it did pick up.

One other thing to think about is the type of pump you are using. I had a Madella pump in style electric pump, which was supposed to be one of the better brands out there... Yet I was able to get double the milk with a cheap manual pump I bought for work.

Also, understand that the pump is not nearly as effective as the baby, and it is not unusual to not get much from it. It is also common for babies to go on nursing strikes, where they seem like they aren't eating much at all. As long as he is still putting out adequate wet and dirty diapers and gaining weight, then I wouldn't worry that he isnt getting enough.

Good luck!

Perhaps you are too stressed with work. My supply went down when I first went back to work and then it came back up once I got in a work routine. Is the baby close by at lunch? Perhaps you can BF on your lunch hour. Have you tried raising your feet on a foot stool?

Every little bit counts. I would continue until nothing else comes out or his first birthday.

Personally I would try to stick it out for another month, you've done great so far, and even that little bit is wonderful.

i'ts a hassel but 2 minute alone to pump can be a nice break in your day and a tiem to think about your little one.

massaging while pumping did wonders for me. taking a small blanket the baby has slept with too just to smell helped me.

If you want to continue I have a trick that I learned from a co worker. Each time I pumped at work I would drink a hot cup of cocoa (the whole thing as quickly as I could right before hand. It seemed to warm me from the inside and I would truthfully get at least twice as much milk.
That being said, this is totally your decision! Don't let others sway you or make you feel guilty for stopping if you feel like you are done. :)

The bottom line, to me, is:
that no matter what route you take, that your baby gets enough and adequate intake. Intake of breastmilk or Formula. Everyday. And per the intake needs of a baby during a growth spurt. During growth spurts, babies need more and/or more frequently.
If intake is inadequate, then baby will not be happy nor get proper intake.
And no matter if a baby is on solids or not, breastmilk or Formula is a baby's PRIMARY, intake. Not solids and not other fluids, which is less nutritionally dense, as breastmilk or Formula. This is also per our Pediatrician.

Okay. So I breastfed both my kids. My 1st would not ever, take a bottle. Though I tried. Many. Types. So she only breastfed. My 2nd child, would take a bottle and pumped milk etc. BUT then, he... gradually HATED breastfeeding directly from breast, because, as you said, sucking from a bottle is easier and more immediate. Before he was 1 year old, HE... had had it with breastfeeding, and ONLY wanted a bottle. So that is what I did. And that was fine. Because, for ME... the bottom line was that, he got proper intake, daily, on demand and per growth spurts. He (well both my kids), had GINORMOUS appetites. And they nursed/fed a LOT. Frequently. So with each of them, I just did what worked. Even if I had tons of breastmilk. Even at that, my son gradually HATED nursing from breast. He would actually push my breast away. Fine. So then he weaned himself. And then I used bottle and Formula for him. Fine.
But in either case with my kids, they both grew like weeds, were healthy, GOT adequate and proper intake per their needs.

Don't feel bad. If you have to give your baby a bottle. Don't feel bad if you are not pumping adequate amounts.
But just make sure, that your baby is getting, proper and adequate intake and per growth spurts.
The 1st year, is a building block time per development etc.
And the bottom line is that baby gets adequate intake.

If you are not getting much pumped milk, then during the day when you are not home, is he getting enough intake via bottles? 7 month old babies, drink more than 2 ounces per feeding. For example.
And as you said, he is also resisting breastfeeding.
So then again, is your baby, getting enough, intake?
And also think about dehydration.

i didnt nurse either one of my kids-but id say its time to stop..

That depends on what your goal is. Mine was minimum one year. So, I was determined that my baby drank nothing but breast milk the first year. There's no herb that's going to help produce milk. Drink water and eat healthy. I drink a glass every hour at work. I get 6 oz per pumping. The trick to pumping (besides water) is to relax. Listen to music. Look at something that makes you happy. I had a picture of my baby on my computer screen while pumping. Seeing my baby actually produce the letdown.
Another thing is once you start the supplementing, your breastfeeding session is going downhill. Babies don't like to work too hard for the milk once they're given something easier to drink from.

My firstborn was a terrible nurser because of medical issues that were not discovered until after he was 2 months old. I pumped several times a day to fill bottles and kept up with him for six months. At that point I had to start using formula, but I continued to pump for awhile longer before eventually going to all formula.

In your situation I'd likely quit pumping now and use formula bottles, while trying to keep nursing when I was home.

With my second, he was a champion nurser that never had a problem or needed a bottle, so I've been on both ends of the situation. Whatever you want to do is fine. As long as baby is getting either BM or formula as their primary food source, there is no wrong choice.

I agree with what Marie C wrote. If you're passionate about breastfeeding then there are ways to get past this but if you're mentally and physically burnt out on it - and pumping at work is HARD - there's nothing wrong with tapering off and moving to the bottle. You've done a great job so far and have gone longer than most women.

I'll share where my decision to stop pumping early has caused me to second-guess myself. This may be pure coincidence but I stopped pumping earliest with my oldest (around 8 months I think) and switched to formula for when I was at work and continued to nurse morning, night and weekends until he was a year old. He was my first so I used a lot of jarred baby and toddler foods, etc. Anyway...at 16 he is and has always been the worst eater of my clan by far...very picky, has some sensitivities and oral allergies, etc. I always wonder if the formula and processed foods contributed to that - lots of other kids take formula and processed food and are totally fine so there is probably no link but I'll always wonder. I was able to pump for my younger sons for a year and breastfed nights/weekends until 18 months and 2 years, respectively, and they both ate a lot more real food from the start. My youngest didn't have any baby food at all and he's the best eater and healthiest of all of the kids. Breastfeeding isn't a cure all by any means - my middle son still had a ton of ear infections as a baby - but I know that by feeding him in the way that I thought best for as long as I could, I don't question whether or not I did the right thing for him like I wonder about my oldest and know that with my oldest, if I knew then what I know now, I would have approached how and what I fed him very differently.

Whatever you decide...don't beat yourself up over it for years ;-)

It may be time to stop - but 2 quick questions to consider before you make your decision - Are you taking in enough fluid? If you are going to produce 32 oz of breast milk a day you have to be taking in 32 oz of additional fluid. My friend told me when my first baby was born to get a big glass of water whenever I sat down to nurse or pump in order to replace the fluid. As a result I always had more than enough. Second, are you under a lot of stress? Working full time, coming home to a messy house, feeling overwhelmed, trying to squeeze in pumping while at work - it can all cause a lot of stress - which will also reduce your milk supply.

If you want to try to continue nursing try to increase your fluid and try to mentally relax yourself while you nurse and pump. Then, if your supply doesn't improve then maybe it's time. Isn't it wonderful that there's formula and we have options?

I loved nursing my babies - but they're both really tall teens now and it's nothing more than a faint memory.

I don't know how helpful this will be since it looks like you've already got a lot of good responses, but I'll put in my two cents anyway. My daughter decided at around 7 months that she was no longer going to nurse. Every time I put her to the breast she turned away and wasn't having it. Put that same milk in a bottle, and she was fine. So, I pumped and fed her for about a month before my supply dropped enough that I thought I needed to give formula. I, too, used the Fenugreek and kept track of how much water I was drinking, but once we were done, we were done. It really helped having a husband who was supportive of whatever I thought was best. He never guilted me or asked me to try harder, just loved and supported me.
If I could do it over again, I would probably have tried adding a pumping session or two to my day to see if that would help. My daughter is now 6 and is healthy and smart. I'd say, try what sounds good from these suggestions, and then figure out what works best for you and your family. Like the other moms, I say whatever you decide, don't second guess and don't feel guilty. You obviously love your baby and what what's best.