1. Want to be a Positive Parent? : Click Here
    Dismiss Notice

Low Milk supply after returning to work--PLEASE HELP MOMMIES

Discussion in 'Breast Feeding' started by reply2me0909, Feb 28, 2015.

  1. reply2me0909

    reply2me0909 New IL'ite

    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Gender:
    Female
    Hello Mommies,

    I am mother of a 3 month old baby boy. We are in UAE, so I did not get 6 months maternity leave.:-( But luckily i got almost 3 months of unpaid leave.

    I returned to work last January 29th . Till then I was exclusively breastfeeding my son. But then I switched to formula. He will be on formula in the day time and at night I will be feeding him. But now it seems as though he is not getting enough milk when I am feeding him. He would suck his hands soon after i feed him. Also i need to feed him for hours!! (this was not the case till a few weeks ago). Now I am really worried that my milk supply at night time has gone down!!:-( I know that if we don't feed baby, the supply will drop at that particular time of the day. But I am feeding him at night regularly, so i should be having enough milk at night. Is n't it? Now I am so much worried about it. I have heard of Lactare. Should i try that? Is it available in UAE?thinkingsmiley But i am worried that after consuming it, I will have leaking breasts at work!

    Here we do not have the option to express milk at office!!
     
    Loading...

  2. butterflyice

    butterflyice Local Champion Staff Member Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    1,589
    Likes Received:
    1,646
    Trophy Points:
    283
    Gender:
    Female
    Have you considered pumping your milk for your baby to consume during the day time? That will probably ensure that the milk supply is not diminished.

    Incorporate lots of garlic, methi and shatavari in your diet to enhance milk supply.
     
  3. reply2me0909

    reply2me0909 New IL'ite

    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Gender:
    Female
    Yes. I am pumping before leaving to office. But that will be just sufficient for his 2 time feed only in the day time. :-( At day time, he will be having a total of 5 bottle feeds.
     
  4. reply2me0909

    reply2me0909 New IL'ite

    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Gender:
    Female
    @butterflyice - OK . I will include that in my diet. Thanks dear.friendssmiley
     
  5. JanSri

    JanSri Silver IL'ite

    Messages:
    51
    Likes Received:
    69
    Trophy Points:
    58
    Gender:
    Female
    Breast feeding works on the simple logic of supply and demand. You have to express at regular intervals. Through the day at work too. You get good sleek electric pumps that are really discreet. I don't know what kind of work u do. May be u could do it an a cabin or if no other choice even toilet. Store the milk in sterilized bottles in a thermos bag with a few freezer sticks (can't remember what they're called) in the bag and put in the fridge as soon as u get home. It can be used for a few feeds the next day. When u don't feed or express thru the day how can your body produce his complete requirement just at night. This is from my personal experience. I've exclusively breastfed my preterm baby for 1 1/2 yrs. She couldn't feed from me directly so I had to express refridgerate and put it in a bottle and give her.I did this for nearly 6 months.
    If this is difficult for u don't beat urself up. Feed ur baby as long as u can and give our baby formula.
    Best wishes.
    J
     
  6. Sandhya13

    Sandhya13 Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    536
    Likes Received:
    442
    Trophy Points:
    138
    Gender:
    Female
    @reply2me0909 - As the other poster mentioned, BF works on a simple supply and demand theory. You can increase your supply ONLY by increasing your demand. You have decreased your demand by not pumping/feeding during daytime in office. Hence, your supply has reduced. I dont think you can maintain your supply just be feeding baby in the night/after work.

    1. Can you come home atleast once during lunch time or so to feed the baby? If so, please do that. It may help to some extent.

    2. Can you use a hand pump in office instead of noisy expensive double electric pump? A hand pump does not make any noise and no one would know that you are pumping. All you need is some privacy - a room with lock. Just take a 15 min break once in 2-3 hours. Remember, it is your baby's food and so I personally would not prefer pumping in toilet.

    Good Luck!
     
  7. Rakhii

    Rakhii Moderator IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    7,299
    Likes Received:
    6,339
    Trophy Points:
    440
    Gender:
    Female
    OP, like others said, try to pump once or twice at work too. That should slowly start the supply going. Not sure in UAE but here we have a small medical room, especially for the young mothers who are still nursing. But my office is really big with a LOT of floors to it. I dont know if all offices give you that space/privacy for pumping.
     

Share This Page