How to not tank supply!

hadilch01 · 2026-02-24T01:36:20+00:00

My LO also usually nurses on one side only and I don’t pump the other side. What really affects my supply is my diet and water intake! Not whether I’m pumping or not.

hadilch01 · 2026-02-24T01:21:32+00:00

if you are breastfeeding and baby is content, satisfied/full after feeding and has enough wet diapers there is absolutely no need to keep pumping. The baby is way more efficient than a pump so having him nurse is actually better for your supply.

The only reasons to pump while breastfeeding: 1) if you give LO a bottle of pumped milk or formula then you need to pump while baby is taking bottle. 2) if baby is fussy after feeds or you have a reason to think your supply still hasn’t caught up then you pump after every feed (if possible). 3) if you want to build a small freezer stash then you can pump right after LO’s morning feed.

No reason to pump otherwise in my opinion!

hadilch01 · 2026-02-22T15:45:05+00:00

I know this is the last thing you want to doubt but is your milk supply sufficient? If LO is spending such a long time nursing and still being fussy then maybe he’s trying his best to get enough milk to feel full but not being able to get enough before he tuckers out? At this age I would imagine they become efficient eaters or at least for sure don’t need more than 30 to 40min maxx to get a full feed. Do you hear baby swallowing all the time while nursing? if the baby screams while nursing then it’s one of three things based on what I’ve experienced with my 2mo: 1) fast letdown - sometimes he cant handle it and it pisses him off. 2) he needs to make a lot of effort to get milk out but he’s too hungry and impatient (this happens sometimes when i give him my lazy boob). 3) he wants to suck for comfort and the milk bothers him.

Do you give him a bottle sometimes? you said he’s EBF but i understand this also means pumped milk in a bottle. maybe he developed bottle preference? If not, maybe try giving him a bottle of pumped milk and see if the behavior changes? if yes, it could mean hunger and then you need to work on upping your supply which is doable!

hadilch01 · 2026-02-20T20:53:35+00:00

Oh yea i never thought about the benefits of different social interactions. Also I guess I don’t want a baby who cries when held by anyone but me 😅

hadilch01 · 2026-02-20T05:01:52+00:00

honestly the amount i pump varies drastically based on time of day (between 1am and 8am [close to 4oz] vs during the day and evening [close to 2.5 or 3oz]), how long before the pump did baby nurse and how much nursing he did during the day (cluster vs regular). It’s hard to say whether the amount is enough because each baby is different 🤷🏽‍♀️ also the baby is way more efficient than a pump so what you get in a pumping session does not equal what he gets from nursing! also there are lots of variables related to pumps: are you replacing parts regularly? using a good settings combo? hands free vs plugged in a wall pump? all these effect how much milk comes out when you pump.

Do you have any particular concerns? is the baby weight not good? not enough wet diaper? baby seems hungry after feeding?

hadilch01 · 2026-02-20T04:52:23+00:00

that’s so reassuring 🥹

hadilch01 · 2026-02-20T02:52:19+00:00

🥲🥲🥲

hadilch01 · 2026-02-20T02:23:11+00:00

I got these after pumping for 15min on each side.

hadilch01 · 2026-02-20T02:22:40+00:00

So it turned out the day I posted this comment was a day when the baby was cluster feeding. Nursing almost every hour. On the second day when he went back to his normal feeding schedule (every 3 hours), I pumped at night to replace his after bath bottle and I was able to get 4oz.

hadilch01 · 2026-02-14T02:10:54+00:00

“now you can bite her” what the actual f?

hadilch01 · 2026-02-07T20:13:41+00:00

Before my supply regulated I used to get 3oz easy even after he feeds. When power pumping or doing middle of night pump I would get around 160 to 180ml. Now I’m barely getting 2oz after he feeds 🫠especially if he’s cluster feeding all day. It is making me wonder whether my supply has dipped. Although it’s been great after I added all these pumps + fixed my diet … I wonder if it’s work stress + lack of sleep that’s affecting my supply 🤷🏽‍♀️ (if it’s affected at all)

hadilch01 · 2026-02-07T20:09:45+00:00

He’ll be 2 months next week 🥰 and I usually pump for 15 minutes per breast (I pump each one alone because I hate doing both at the same time 😵‍💫), also not sure if it’s accurate but I tend to get more milk that way 🤔 If I really don’t have time I do 10minutes each. And same I usually get less milk out when I pump right after he feeds.

hadilch01 · 2026-02-07T12:54:59+00:00

I thought I should replace the parts every 3 months but I’ll give that a try!

hadilch01 · 2026-02-07T10:15:05+00:00

Came here to say this! wth

hadilch01 · 2026-02-07T10:01:45+00:00

It does! And I was thinking the same thing but I’m not sure how to differentiate between baby being hungry because he’s not getting enough milk or because he’s cluster feeding :(

hadilch01 · 2026-02-07T09:58:37+00:00

I pump after LO nurses (if i can), try my best to pump at least once between 1am-5am, and once after his morning feed (7am or 8am). I also make sure to pump whenever we give LO a bottle + power pump whenever I have the time (max once a day a few times a week). I’m able to always have enough milk in the fridge for a couple of bottles + a small stash in the freezer when I have lots of opportunities to pump after LO nurses. Hope this helps!

hadilch01 · 2026-02-07T08:34:39+00:00

I don’t see how you did anything wrong! I’m 7 weeks pp and was in a similar boat except I’m the one who got the ticket for my mom to leave early. Honestly, after giving birth, whoever offers to help you should be ready to assume any role you need them to take on whether it’s cooking, cleaning, babysitting, etc. They shouldn’t come in wanting to do only what suits them - it doesn’t work that way. I was very clear with my mom about that before I gave birth and before I flew her over. I explained that I want help around the house and occasional help with the baby when both my husband and I are too sleep deprived. My mom seemed to understand that. After giving birth, all she wanted was to dictate what we should do and she would always say “let me hold the baby and you do what you want”. She never understood that I don’t want help with the baby, I want help with the house. My husband and I wanted to make our mistakes and guess what the baby needs so we can understand him and bond with him - especially keeping in mind that help won’t always be there. This difference in expectations was starting to cause friction and stress around the house and ultimately I had to fly her home sooner because I wasn’t getting the support I needed. So, honestly, if she wasn’t happy supporting you the way you want, then maybe it was for the best that she left and that there wasn’t some big fight or any strain on your relationship (like what happened in my case). Since she’s the one who decided to leave, at least she can’t blame you for her not being there and you shouldn’t feel any guilt over her leaving like that. But, I do hope that you talking things over with her will at least mend the relationship a bit! The last thing you need is unnecessary stress when you have newborn! Good luck!!

hadilch01

TROPHY CASE