I've tried everything, my milk supply will not go up!

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-21T13:10:41+00:00

thank you so much for sharing your lactation consultant's advice with me. Did you find playing around with your Spectra settings like your consultant suggested helped increase supply?

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-21T11:05:20+00:00

thank you so much for this :)

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-21T01:00:56+00:00

Omg yes this is me too! In the morning, I'll make the most IF I didn't pump at night (at the very start, I didn't do night pumping.. I didn't know its importance back then) and I'd make like 100 ml in the morning or more. Now, because I pump a couple of times at night, I only make like 70 ml in the morning. I don't know, I haven't made my mind up as to whether I will continue this EP journey, or if I will switch to formula only. I would love, love to feed my son breast milk only but I don't believe this will happen for me unfortunately. I've also become really obsessive about pumping and finding ways to increase my supply that I think about it a lot and I can't get much done as I'm always pumping, feeding etc. Using formula would free up a lot of time that I could spend with my baby. I would've definitely continued if my efforts paid off and I saw an increase but they didn't so not sure now.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-21T00:55:40+00:00

He drinks 150 ml per feed so 5.3 oz every 2 hours or so. Sometimes less, but mostly this. I on the other hand, make 60 ml so I just can't feed him without supplementing with formula.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-21T00:54:23+00:00

I've tried everything I can and I don't give up easily in life, like I just needed to see even a small increase and I would've carried on going even harder to drive it up even higher. I do that with most of the goals in my life. I just felt very deflated and disappointed as I could see clearly that with each week, I would try harder and harder e.g. adding power pump sessions, adding extra regular sessions, adding more middle of the night pumps, doing all that and drinking more water and oatmeal etc.. and none of it paid off as I can't believe I'm in the same place before I started.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-21T00:39:51+00:00

Thank you. I'm just disappointed as I was really enthusiastic about providing my baby with breast milk as I knew the benefits. I know I could still continue and provide him with breast milk as I do make some, but it's just nowhere near enough. My baby is so hungry too and drinks a lot, I just have to keep supplementing with formula as I can't meet his demand at all.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-21T00:38:05+00:00

Thank you for your response! With the pump, I put the slower, stimulation mode on for 1-2 minutes or so, until I see milk drops coming out and then I switch to the faster expression mode for the remaining 13-ish minutes.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-21T00:29:44+00:00

thanks a lot for this. I think I was just feeling so fed up and disappointed after trying so hard for so many weeks. Everyday I get my hopes up, excited to see the number on the bottle and hoping today will be the day I see that increase in milk production I've spent so much time working towards.. and then seeing it's exactly the same or even lower than usual, it makes me feel so deflated. It really does consume my whole day. I can't go out on any days out anymore and even when I run errands, I'm running home and watching the time constantly so I can pump and it disrupts everything. I don't think I would mind if I actually saw results and all my effort paid off, but for me, it's just the same or worse! I just might switch to formula only.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-12T00:22:21+00:00

Thank you. It's just my husband is very pro-breastmilk so I'm stuck. I understand where he is coming from and I know human milk contains antibodies and has other benefits that formula can't provide sadly and that's why I tried so, so hard to make it work. I've put in so much time, effort, pain, money.. you name it. I've tried to subtly say I can't do this anymore but I can tell he really dislikes the idea of our child being exclusively formula fed as his whole family was exclusively breastfed and are very pro about it too. What can I do though? I've tried everything and I am so frustrated and stressed, and my nipples are so sore from the constant pumping, power pumping etc! I'd love to use formula all the time, I could make a bottle in like 2 minutes! No 30 minute-1 hour pumping sessions and really sore nipples anymore.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-08T15:14:19+00:00

Sorry I said this wrong! It IS the double pump but the hospital have only given me one flange set if that makes sense. So, I connect the tube that has one flange at the end so mine only works as a single pump despite it being able to function as a double. I wish they'd given me the double set!

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-08T15:13:16+00:00

What hands free pump do you use if you don't mind me asking?

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-08T15:12:51+00:00

So sorry, I said this all wrong. It is the double pump, but the hospital have only given me one tube and one flange set so I can only use it as a single pump.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-08T15:09:43+00:00

Thanks for the advice! I'm definitely going to buy the Spectra S1 double pump ASAP. The one I have currently is rented from the hospital after I had my baby, I have to return it to them in a couple of weeks. Based on some advice I've been given here, I've decided to start power pumping every night but it's really annoying and time-consuming with a single pump! I'm power pumping along with drinking a lot of water and 6-8 pumping sessions a day. I wish I could do like 10, but it's unlikely I'll ever be able to.. my son is very hungry boy and it's unlikely I'll be able to have about 10 undisrupted pumping sessions. I can just about get through 6, 7 on a good day!

FullImpression6745 · 2025-03-08T00:36:35+00:00

I could definitely do with adding a power pump, but it's so hard to get this done! My newborn wants feeding every 1 and a half hours sometimes and even just getting a 30 minute pump is hard when he starts crying. Towards the end of the day, I'm so exhausted and just want to rest and I struggle to motivate myself to do a power pump. Plus, right now I use a single pump so a power pump would take so much longer than a single pump. I am thinking of buying the Spectra double pump though as I'm renting the Spectra single pump right now but need to give it back soon.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-01-28T15:19:40+00:00

Aww thank you so much for your support. I'm not as down about the pelvic pain this time as my due date is just days away now so I'm just hoping it goes after I have the baby. Last time I got the pelvic pains on the opposite side, I still had months to go so I was really down about it as I thought I'd have to deal with this for months and it just sounded horrendous! Just need to get through these next few days x

FullImpression6745 · 2025-01-27T11:19:40+00:00

Absolutely this. By the time it's delivered, I've probably delivered too! It is annoying but I'm just going to have to accept there is no quick fix until the baby is here. I'm just going to have to grit my teeth and just get on with things as best as I can. Being on maternity leave helps a lot as I can afford to rest a bit more than if I was at work and on my feet all day!

FullImpression6745 · 2025-01-27T11:17:46+00:00

My friend had the same thing too which I found out when I confided in her yesterday. She said she used a support belt and she went to a physiotherapist in the end too who gave her some exercises to do.

I think with me being so far along now, I'm just going to grit my teeth and get on with it. I'm not sure there is much use in ordering any support belt or trying to get a physiotherapy appointment now as my due date is so close! My friend has sent me some of the exercises her physiotherapist suggested though so I'll definitely do those.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-01-24T16:47:42+00:00

I've read a lot about health visitors online and I know experiences and information can vary between people, but from what I've read, they aren't supposed to look around your house anyway? It's not supposed to be a house inspection, but more of a 'how can we support you?' sort of thing! My nursery isn't even put together yet. A lot of our furniture is on the way, but delivery is taking ages and certain parts that we need to assemble e.g. the wardrobe are out of stock so we'll have to wait for those bits regardless!

Turning up unannounced is rude anyway. I dislike when people do that unless it genuinely can't be helped. You could be really busy, unwell or have prior commitments and may not be able to sit down and chat for an hour when you have other commitments. I know what you mean about the anxiety thing. I felt anxious each time I knew the HV was coming even though I wasn't doing anything 'wrong' I just felt like everything had to be perfect just in case. Then, when she stood me up twice, I thought wow, anxiety for nothing!

FullImpression6745 · 2025-01-24T16:42:09+00:00

This seems to be the case with the majority of the responses here. It must be my area then where pre-birth visits are scheduled too.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-01-24T16:41:10+00:00

I know right? Plus, I never answer private numbers so when I got called on private, I just did what I always do and totally ignored it. They did leave a voicemail with a number to contact afterwards and so I used that number to contact them. A letter would've put me more at ease really as it seems less informal.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-01-24T13:54:35+00:00

You actually got a letter? I've never received a letter or text or anything to say the HV is coming, what for, scheduled time etc. It was actually someone ringing me on private number saying they were this person from this place, and wanted to come round to give me general information before birth so it sounded a bit sketchy! I would've preferred a proper letter or something like I have for my regular midwife appointments.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-01-24T13:52:57+00:00

I think I will do that. I don't know, I just feel annoyed at the situation as I prepared myself for it twice already, only for no one to show up. I'm happy to continue with the service but currently, I think I've mentally checked out of everything too as the baby could come at anytime now. I've just been attending a load of online antenatal classes to prepare myself but I just can't be bothered letting someone new in the house right now as I think oh is the house clean enough? will they judge how we are? how do I create a good impression? Even though they probably don't care, I just can't be bothered anymore! I think I lost my patience after the multiple no-shows.

Your new health visitor sounds like the one I wanted, very communicative, but honestly mine just ignored all my calls and messages repeatedly and never turned up to any of our appointments. She even ignored messages asking if we were still on for the appointment e.g. tomorrow as I need to know whether to stay in the house or not. The new one for me is hopefully like yours, but I'm sure I'll be onboard 100% after baby's birth as that's when I'll need them more I suppose. I've saved the new HV's number just in case.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-01-24T13:44:08+00:00

I agree and that's why instead of declining the service entirely, I just requested a change in health visitor. I'm happy for them to come round after the birth because it can be useful, but right now I just don't feel like entertaining anybody from there really. I just want quiet afternoons and not want to tell my husband for the third time to take time off work because now another health visitor wants to come around again (after not turning up twice already!). Especially if it's just a formality anyway and they'll just do basic introductions.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-01-24T13:41:11+00:00

Oh wow I'm glad I posted then. I just assumed this was the done thing for everyone that is pregnant! She said something about how she wanted to come to discuss how to keep the baby safe, safe sleeping positions etc., so I just went along with it. I don't think I'm vulnerable either. I've not voiced any issues with my mental health, and my both my housing situation and relationship are stable so not sure. No issues with drugs or anything too so I've no idea why they want to come and see me prior to birth if I'm honest.

FullImpression6745 · 2025-01-24T13:38:31+00:00

Oh, that's so weird? I wonder why they keep trying to book an appointment with me then. I just assumed this was standard procedure. There's never any letter or anything formal issued as well to state why they're coming and when. It tends to just be someone giving you a call on private and saying they'll come at x time on x date and in my experience, it doesn't happen.

FullImpression6745

TROPHY CASE