[BlondieUK]

Sam is 9.5 months old (8.5 corrected) - he was born at 35 weeks.

I went back to work FT when he was 6.5 months old. He stopped feeding from me at around 8 months. I would offer the breast, but he would just refuse. So I have been expressing.
However, my supply has dropped and dropped and dropped - down to about 40-60 mls a day. I take Fenugreek tablets, I drink Mothers Milk Tea.

Seriously, short of taking drugs (which I really don't want to do) - what can I do? I want to keep giving him at least some breastmilk until he's one, but at this rate I don;t see me lasting more than another couple of weeks. It just takes so long to get even that tiny amount - and the skin around the nipple is starting to crack.

Any suggestions?

[JustSmileAndNod]

A similar thing happened to me - my daughter preferred bottles over me when I introduced them for work, she went to full time bottles by 10 months. I also was a crap expresser and it was painful and hard work. My son seems to be going down the same way even though he didn't want a bottle for ages

Things you could try:

Electric pump
switch pumping (do one breast, then the other, then back to the first and so)
motilium - need a script from your Dr
oats for breakfast (some swear by this!)

Good Luck, it is so stressful isn't it??!!

[BlondieUK]

electric pump - check
oats - check
switch pumping - check

Drugs - last resort........

[lucky 2]

Which pump have you blondie, and how often are you expressing, I maintained some supply from 8-23 months with just expressing, with a double electric Ameda Purely Yours pump, expressing 3 times in the day at that age. Have you are double pump?
Try 3 or more times in 24 hours.
What are your concerns re Domperidone medication to ? increase prolactin levels and ? milk production?
It is certainly very frequently used in Aust with minimal side effects. I know you are in HongKong, maybe it is not as accessible there?
Mainly I would look at the mechanical factors, ie increase frequency of pumping, with a good pump (a well fitting pump [u]does not hurt your nipple, so something is not ideal with your pump).
Avoid pump sessions greater than 20 min double pump or 30 mins single pump.
Frequent and short sessions are better than longer infrequent sessions.
Double pumps have been found to increase volumes rather than single pumps.
Bottom line is that any breast milk is better than none in the diet, but I hope your volumes can increase to make it feel a little more worthwhile.
All the best.

[*~butterfly~*]

Hi BlondieHK, Sorry to hear your supply isn't going so well.

Sorry I have no advise but be carefull if you turn to meds to help with supply as these can cause major Lupus flare.

Good Luck

[Snafu]

have you tried expessing by hand? I went through a couple of pumps but they were no good, I hated them! so I just used me , way easier more comfortable & I expressed more milk that way too!
I also agree with PP frequency is important

[BlondieUK]

Butterfly - that's why I am avoiding the drugs. I am pretty healthy as far as the Lupus goes (touch wood)......

[Guest_cathode_*]

I found the motilium did nothing for me (nor my group of friends that were on it) and that the fenugreek capsules worked the best.

What I would do is - try and get baby back onto the boob, at least for evening and breakfast feeds as their suction would build up your supply better than most other things would.
Babies often go through a phase of refusing boob, so the child may well get back on now after having a break.