Fri, Jun-27-08, 13:14
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Senior Member
Posts: 2,011
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Plan: Protein Power
Stats: 190/169/140
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: New York
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A few thoughts:
1) the "mini pill" definitely reduces supply in some women. You might be one of them. You might do better with a diaphram or condoms while nursing.
2) How much are you pumping and how much is she drinking in your absence? It's pretty common for babies to be over-fed by caregivers. Is your husband giving her a bottle every time she fusses, or is he trying other comfort measures and only giving a bottle if she's truly hungry? Does he offer a pacifier at all? It's appropriate to offer the breast every time the baby fusses, but it's not the same when the milk is in bottles.
If you can tell us how much you're pumping, how much is in each bottle, how much she's drinking in your abscence, and how much she weighs, we can help you figure out if this is part of the problem. A 17 lb baby will need more milk than a 10 lb baby, even if they're both the same age.
3) How often are you pumping? You may need to add in a pumping session (or two or three) at home before or after work, in addition to pumping at work. I used to pump every single morning, even on my days off, in addition to pumping at work. I'd pump one breast and feed him on the other- sometimes I'd do both at the exact same time, sometimes I'd pump before he woke up, and sometimes he'd nurse and then I'd pump the other breast once he was finished. I managed to get my body used to making enough milk in the morning that one side filled him up.
4) What kind of breast pump are you using? Pumps vary widely in quality, and if you have a "cheap" pump, it may be well worth it to invest in a better one. Similarly, all pumps need regular maintenance, and often moms find themselve suddenly pumping much less (after working and pumping sucessfully for a while) and all they need to do is change a valve on the breastpump.
Right now, I'd make baby care and lactation your priority and not worry so much about weight loss. I never lost much weight before my babies were 8 or 9mo, at which point I lost weight fairly easily.
Besides eating oatmeal (which won't make your whole diet SUPER high in carbs if you avoid sugar and keep other grains and fruits to a minimum), make sure you're avoiding mint, sage, and parsley- those 3 herbs can reduce milk supply, even in something as simple as tea or candies. Plus make sure you're drinking plenty of water.
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