The pump will never drain your breasts as well as actual nursing so when you are with baby nurse as frequently as possible. There are also pumping techniques to help as well as making sure you’re fitted for the proper sized flange. I recommend following Legendairy Milk on Instagram for some awesome tips and tricks as well as links so some amazing products that mothers swear by.
But In the end, even if you are only ever able to pump 3 oz, the fact that you care so much makes you not only NOT a failure, but a great mom! Snuggle that baby as much as possible and know that you’re doing your very best and in his/her eyes, it is more than enough.
2 Likes
You shouldn’t feel like a failure! Some produce more than others…you need to take care of yourself. Do what’s best for you! You’ll be no good for your baby. Best wishes…you’re a good mom!
My kids exclusively breast fed. I TRIED formula, and bottles. My kids wouldn’t take either. I TRIED pumping. Pumping just engorged my breasts and gave me little to no milk.
I HAD TO breast feed. Like, old school breast feed.
Drink more water throughout the day when you are not pumping. Massage downwards when you are pumping and have baby nurse between pumping sessions and offer both breast. Your boobs may feel empty but they always have milk and having the baby nurse and an “empty breast” will help the milk flow.
1 Like
Fenugreek. It comes in supplemental pill form and it’s AMAZING tripped my breast milk supply over night!
1 Like
Actual nursing helps
Oatmeal helps (the good kind) make cookies, have it for breakfast
Lots of fluids
Limit caffeine
Stress less
A fed baby is always best
It’s frustrating but formulas not the devil
Kids grow up just fine with them
1 Like
Motherhood should be a happy time your not a failure maybe add some formula to substitute for not enough breast milk you are doing the best job ever enjoy your baby and God Bless you
1 Like
Fenugreek and eat Swiss chard. My milk production went through the roof.
Fenugreek tea…mother’s milk tea… health food store…worked for me.
I tried breastfeeding for the first couple weeks and he unfortunately refused my milk, but to keep my breast from being engorged from being on an IV for so long (I was in labor for 38 hours and induced) I used cold cabbage leaves for about 30 min on my breast, until they were starting to wilt and it helped a lot and I felt like I got more out when I did pump! He was 8lbs 12.6oz when he was born, he is almost 7 weeks old and is 12lbs 6oz and he’s been fed formula pretty much since birth so either way you go your little one will be okay!
My mother lost her father when my brother was 6 months old and lost most of her milk due to the stress, her doctor told her to drink beer because it stimulates milk production.
Believe it or not 3 oz a session is really good. Does baby latch at all? If so I would nurse as often as possible. Also, make sure you use the slowest flow nipple and pace feed. And drink as much fluid throughout the day as possible (I drink almost a gallon of water a day). Make sure that you are eating enough too.
You could also try power pumping or pumping more often. In theory you should pump every time baby gets a bottle.
Be careful with supplements meant to help increase supply. A lot of women do not respond well to fenugreek, and it dries up their supply. I actually use fenugreek when I am trying to dry up when I wean since it dries me up very fast. Oatmeal and flaxseed, on the other hand, have successfully helped my supply.
Sunflower lecithin can be a big help with clogged ducts. Magnesium and calcium are also important.
2 Likes
Drink the foam from a beer.
Lindsay Kempenich Greenfield
Veronica Eneix
I had the same problem, but with my two week old daughter. I didn’t have enough to keep her satisfied. (This was July 2001), and there wasn’t as much help with that back then . (Not that I could find, anyway). I started giving her formula by the time she was three weeks old. (After talking to her pediatrician). Her two younger sisters got it from the beginning, I just never produced enough! (Yes, I tried a pump. But it didn’t help).
Someone recommended orange juice 2
Some just don’t produce a lot. It is okay!!
Production is supply and demand. So the more you pump or nurse, the more you produce.
1 Like
Stress , if applies to you can make your breasts dry up. I too tried everything but couldn’t pump fast enough. I had to introduce formula as well
I have 3 kids and I have never been able to nurse them because I dont produce any milk, from my frist baby mom made me try till I couldn’t anymore and it made me feel like a horrible mom, but one day my dad told me, “do you ever wonder why they make power formula?, for women like you, not everyone produces milk with ease.” So I gave all my kids formula and they are super healthy. Cheer up and enjoy ur baby!!
In todays super fast pace even if you are nursing the baby, your milk supply may slow-just keep resting, keep your fluid intake up and if your milk supply keeps dwindling you may need to switch to formula-it will be ok- the baby has had much needed mothers milk which in the first weeks transmits immunities and things that are much needed- but you may have to relax and enjoy holding your baby while bottle feeding-try not to beat yourself up!
I never produced milk both my boys were bottle fed and they are now 21 & 20 and over 6 foot healthy men. It took an hour on a pump at the hospital for the nurse to admit I don’t produce milk 
. Please don’t feel like a failure. You do what is best. Don’t stress.
1 Like
Hey. 3 Oz every 3 hours is normal! Did you drop your nighttime pump?
Also. Many kids get over fed with the bottle. Is the baby using a slow flow nipple? This will help keep feeds normal. Milk increases in fat and protein content as baby ages. So you don’t increase volume like formula.
1 Like
Make sure your not wearing a underwire. Try using moist heat to keep from clogging.
Ducts. Keep trying. Warm hugs
Drink more water and after the kid is done pump for 10 mins. Besure to relax and let down
A fed baby is a happy baby. Breast milk or formula doesn’t matter. Happy mom equals happy baby!
1 Like
Contact a lactation specialist.
Increase the times you feed or pump the more you do so the more milk you will produce
My MIL told me to get in the shower and let the hot water run on my chest and massage the clogged ducts to get it loosened up. It helped. I had a hand pump so I started pumping in the shower. I also found the my milk seemed to “move” easier if I laid on my side and propped my breast up on that feeding pillow and then attached my son. Also my MIL’s idea. She said with the size of my breasts I wasn’t litting it into position correctly and as such my milk ducts were constricted, like a bent water hose. I was a 32F before I got pregnant. Idk how much of what she told me actually true or if they were just some kind of ol wives tale thing, but these 2 acts helped me immensely.
I ate a ton of oatmeal and made lactation cookies (look online for a recipe) and it seemed to help. I was in the same boat, for the first few months I barely breastfed and had a hard time getting my supply up but it worked!
If you stay stressed out about producing enough, you won’t produce enough. I learned that the hard way. Try and stay relaxed. Also oatmeal helps. My 10 month old at a normal feeding usually only eats about 4 ounces at a time so don’t worry. Your breastmilk has more fat in it than formula and a 2 month old having 3 ounces every 3 hours is pretty good. I wouldn’t be concerned if I was you. I took fenugreek as well but they suggest 3 a day and it made the baby have an upset stomach and me too, but one was enough for me but eat with it. But once again 3 ounces every 3 hours for a 2 month old is great!
In my country, breastfeeding moms are advised to have soup all the time, veggy soups… Specifically, papaya soup. Not depend on pills all the time. Just sharing.
You should drink half your weight in ounces, example 160lbs, 80oz a day, pump more often, try every 2 to 2.5 hrs. Ebf babes don’t up their eating, if being bottle fed pls make sure baby is being pace fed. Bf babies typically take 1 to 1.5oz every hour away, so if LO is chugging 6oz every 3 hrs. They are overfeeding your baby.
From my research, every three hours at the age isn’t enough pumping it should be every two hours. Other than that, oatmeal helped me a lot (two bowls a day) and breastfeeding on one side 10 to 15 minutes, the other side for 10 to 15 minutes, and then switch back and let them breastfeed as long as they want. I got to the point where I had a bit of an over supply and had to be leaned back while I breastfed and just breastfed with one breast each session. Good luck and remember it gets better. (Also if you haven’t tried nipple shields, do that for a week or two and your baby should latch better and your nipples should get less sore).
Try bringing your baby to your breast while pumping, “skin to skin.” Power pumping may also help. Pump for 20 minutes each breast then wait 15-20 minutes and pump again for 10 more minutes each breast. I also take a supplement called Lush Leche from Euphoric Herbals. There’s a sports drink called Body Armor that is coconut water based and super hydrating. Having the baby latch also increases your supply because they can usually get more out than a pump. I understand there may be lip or tongue tie that could be hindering the latch (infant chiropractic can help with that) or if your nipples just get too sore nipple shields and nipple balm can help tremendously
1 Like
No matter what I did, I only produced an ounce (MAYBE 2) all day. I gave in at 3 months (we had already been supplementing) because I was in so much pain and it just wasn’t working. My daughter still comfort nursed, but it took all the pressure off .
Add this page. We’re all about breastfeeding. Tips and tricks. Be careful with fenugreek it can dry up your milk. Oatmeal, lots of water, and body armor drinks. You will see a huge difference if you stay hydrated. For me personally I drink either a body armor drink or a coconut water. Also sex
1 Like
Hydrate! Body armor drinks help a ton. And expressing in a hot shower will help with ducts. Also pumping in between feeds can help
Drink regular tea with milk, I breastfed all my 4 children and it works the best for building up milk. And don’t drink acidy drinks like pop or certain juices or eat spicy foods. It will give the baby upset stomach or colic. I learned from the best, my late mother and good luck!
1 Like
Eat some snacks while pumping. And massage your breasts as you pump, especially the areas that are sore and the clogged ducts. Also, while pumping try angling the pump in different directions as you pump. Dont be discouraged, 3oz per session is GREAT. You got this mama
1 Like
Also power pump every night. YouTube has great tutorials on power pumping
How much are you eating?? If you’re not consuming enough calories your supply will dip. Don’t worry about the weight - it will come off later. Drink 64+ ounces of water a day.
Gatorade helped keep my supply in the 5oz per pump range. Brewers yeast (buy on Amazon) in oatmeal is good for you too.
Before pumping I like to drink 1 to 2 bottles of water. 1 to 2 power pumps a day (morning and night or just night). And I also find taking a hot shower before my night power pump helps a lot. I always try to stay as relaxed as possible, watching a show I like, listening to music or a book, so I dont focus on oz. Most of all remember, breast milk is amazing, but a healthy mom is more important. Keep your sanity as priority
Sunflower lecithin can treat and prevent clogged ducts, also pump every 2 hours instead of 3. You got this!
Try cluster pumping or power pumping to let your body know you need more milk. Oatmeal and fenugreek pills may help too. you can look up cluster pumping on Pinterest
The mothers milk tea dried mine up and the pills from the doctor made me so sleepy I couldn’t function. I heard oatmeal is a good production aid.
Brewers yeast. It will work! Get on Pinterest and look up boobie bites. There are tons of other recipes there too!
A midwife advised me to help with the clots to have a warm shower and massage your breasts whilst showering, then immediately breast feed after as the steam helps to break down the clots and the baby will help stimulate your milk
1 Like
My mother-in-law always said,drink a beer.It definitely works.
1 Like
Lots and lots and lots of Water…all day long. And no caffeine
Try Fenugreek tablets. They worked a treat for my sister and I when we were both breastfeeding. All the best x
I thought pumping decreases milk flow?? I may be wrong but I use to pump and my milk slowly started to drop more… I told eat stuff with yeast in it
Somebody suggested eating ice cream helps. It can’t do any harm to try. Good luck.
Do you have WIC? They have lactation consultants that can help and amazing pumps that work so much better than the one I bought on my own. Drink lots of water and if things dont work out remember fed is best.
Keep going!!! It can be really frustrating, trust me, I’m very familiar with this.
Breasts work like this:
It’s supply and demand. The more often you empty, the more often they refill. Pump/feed more often to build your supply. Baby does a better job extracting milk than any pump, so don’t be fooled by what measurements you get.
Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! Think about how much fluid your putting out! And the fluid it takes to make it plus what your body needs.
Relax. Find a lactation consultant you can reach out to whenever you need to. Ask your doc or local hospital. Don’t give up!!! You can do it!
Do you drink 4 oz of beer each week? Thats what Army Aircorp told us breestfeeding new mothers to do. Taste awful to me but tried praise Lord God had great production
Pump every two hours and drink LOTS of water. Also tell your OB/GYN. They may be able to prescribe you Reglan, its a GI drug that has a secondary use of making you lactate.
If I were you, I’d probably google the question. Maybe even look on YouTube. You can maybe find a great idea😍. Don’t give up. Good for you, new mama.
You have to drink water to produce milk. More water than your body needs.
Hi there! Sounds like you’re doing an amazing job already. A few ideas for you:
Make an appointment with a lactation consultant. Find online thru word of mouth via a moms group so you get one who has helped other moms.
Mothers tea has fenugreek which is controversial whether it helps or not. I stopped drinking it.
Lengendairy supplements seem to help me and were recommended by my lactation consultant.
Look up “power pump” and do that 1x per day.
Use heat on your breasts before pumping, they sell packs designed for this on amazon.
Try to relax and not stress as that affects milk supply.
Good luck!!! 
Drink LOADS of water and maybe try power pumping to keep your breasts empty so your body knows your baby needs more. Also some things to consider is the fit of your pump - never hesitate to reach out to a lactation consultant to make sure you’re using the right suction for your body and have the right size parts. Sometimes supplements don’t help and you have to go through a series of trial and error to see what works for you. I know it’s hard not to worry, but the more stressed out you are the less your body will produce. I always produced less when I was sleep deprived or anxious. If all else fails there is no shame in supplementing formula to top your little off while you work on your supply. Hopefully this helps!
Massage/squeeze every part of your breast that you feel is clogged while you’re pumping and pump at different angles to maximize letdown, eat more and I find I always pump the most after eating a good meal and having a good rest. I pump one at a time so that the other hand can help squeeze and express milk down and then switch. When you think you’re done, keep going even if nothing is coming out! To let your breasts know you need more than what they’re giving. Pumping is tricky it’s all about basically tricking and training your breasts to what you and your baby need. Wish all the best! And don’t stress, just the fact that you’re this worried about this shows me you’re a great mama no matter the outcome of this you still tried your best
Coconut water, pump every 2hrs aaaannndd hydrate
Dr told me to drink a beer