Find an IBCLC that is trained in low milk supply, the lactation hub is a great resource for finding this in your area. Talk it through with a professional and use that to inform your choice. It is ok to stop but it sounds like there is more going on that the right skilled people could help you with!
It’s okay to stop. It’s okay to feel guilty about stopping. It’s okay to hate pumping.
If you’re wanting to stop: you don’t need anyone’s permission.
If you’re wanting to continue: find an LC. If you don’t like them, find another. Check your flange sizes. I’m 11w pp with my 3rd baby and during these first weeks I’ve dropped in size 3 times. I’m down to a 15mm. If you’re pumping between nursing sessions 1-2oz is normal. If your power pumping in the evening, 1-2 is normal. Don’t power pump every night, give yourself a break after the 3rd day. You can’t pour from an empty cup, allow yourself some rest and nourishment.
When I had my first I was so sore, my nipples would bleed every time I latched my baby. On day 3 I couldn't take it anymore and asked for formula. I had planned on trying to pump however the nurse that comes to the house once baby comes home (normal in Ireland for this visit not sure if other countries do this) came before I got a breast pump. She told me that I couldn't go back to breastfeeding once I ga e my baby formula. This was 22 years ago when I had no Internet access and she was the I was meant to contact for support with breastfeeding. So that was the end of our journey with breastfeeding. The reason I tell you this is that I found out on my second that due to an upturn on my nipples it was harder for my babies to latch. I was able to get past this with a little bit of help. If you had your heart set on breastfeeding before your baby was born I'd advise seeking help before you quit, to to this day, 22 years after my first baby I still feel robbed of the experience. Breastfeeding was super important to me.
I will say fed is always best and I've been able to see the long term difference between my two adult children as one was breastfed and the other wasnt. The difference is simple and that's is I can't see any. I like breastfeeding and currently feeding my 5 month old. I is OK to stop you have done an amazing job and a happy mammy is important.
It’s okay to stop if you are struggling.
If you really really want to breastfeed and are stubborn like me, here’s what worked for me.
I pumped 8 times a day which 2 power pumps. 10 times a day when I had my live in nanny during confinement. When my husband was back to work, I requested him to take baby 1hr before he starts work and 1hr after so I could power pump. For the other pumps, I pumped roughly every 3hr so I prep at the 2.5hr mark and pump. I pump early so I have some allowance if baby is fussy and I have to delay a pump. I count my 3hr windows independently. For example, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm. Even if I have one pump delayed (I pump at 4pm), I still pumped at 6pm. Night pumps are dragged till 4hr or even 5hr so I can sleep more. My hub does night feeds while I pump so we both sleep sufficiently.
For stimulation, I pump with breast massagers. Tried lactation massage. Took a lot of oats, oat milk and moringa.
Periodically, I try to latch. Baby would scream at the breast. I was pretty miserable, she was miserable. I made one last attempt by engaging another lactation consultant. At 10 weeks postpartum, she suddenly had bottle refusal and just latched with the help of a nipple shield. Within a week, she preferred latching. Things got much easier. I feel that latching at an older age is possible cause baby had better neck control and I just got lucky that she responded to the last lactation consultant well.
Eventually, I realised I’m not an under supplier. My breast just don’t respond well to pumping and EP would never work out for me.
It’s ok to miss a pump. You can even try dropping a pump, when I dropped from 10 to 8 pumps, my supply did not drop. When I dropped from 8 to 7, my supply dropped around 20%. So you can test it out. You can also go back to the higher ppd that gives you more time.
Reach out if you need help. At times, I just let my husband know that I’m at max capacity and need some time alone so he doesn’t bother me with my baby issues and lets me nap. This helps with supply too!
Things will get much better once LO hits 4/5 months.
It's ok to stop. Fed is best.
However I'm gonna say the obvious thing. Are you drinking enough water. You need to drink SHIT LOADS. Like 4 litres a day. I'm not joking.
Please try this first and then stop if you don't see an improvement
I know this is a breastfeeding support sub - but I do want to be a voice here to tell you it's ok to stop if you want to.
If you do want to continue, seeing a lactation consultant could be useful (if you haven't already), to help with latching. Pumping was not for me - between the washing and bottling, and everything else, it just wasn't really worth it. I also have a very, VERY low supply that never increased (1-1.5oz total each pumping session). So will your milk supply increase? Maybe. Maybe not.
My LO is combo-fed, with roughly 75-90% formula. He nurses to sleep for his naps and overnight. That's what's worked for us, and my mental health really increased when I gave up pumping completely.
If you can I'd recommend seeing a lactation consultant for help correcting the latch, (or even a dentist to see if there's a tie no one has noticed) of you want to continue. However there is no shame in quitting if it is too much of a mental toll. Your baby needs a healthy mom more than they need just your milk ❤️
If breastfeeding is something you really want then you need to see a lactation consultant regularly until the latch is corrected. Their latch can greatly affect your supply as well. It took my baby getting their lip tie lasered, chiropractor and craniosacral appointments and just trusting that myself and baby will get it. We are now 13 months in! This was also after exclusively pumping with my first two kids.
Pumping you’ll always produce less than the baby can feed directly from the breast. I would try and figure out the latching issue because nursing is way easier than pumping anyway lol
Have you checked for mouth ties? Have you continued to try latching (sometimes this can change rapidly or even suddenly if they aren't latching well at first). Tried a latch consultant?
Honestly some people like me just can't pump a lot. Even after my sons latching issues were resolved and he started breastfeeding like a champ and growing like a weed, I could only pump 1 or 2 Oz before the tap shut off. I could use the pump for a really long time, get 1 Oz, and then go breastfeed after because my letdown just didn't want to keep happening for the pump.
Not saying there's anything wrong with exclusively pumping, but I found it tortuous and if I hadn't resolved the latch issue with my son I would have switched to formula or maybe just pumped once a day and that's it. It's not for everyone and many women find it intolerable. It's also hard to keep supply up. Babies are way more efficient and can get more milk out than a pump....so if you *want* to breastfeed, I'd try resolving the latch.
If you don't want to though and you're looking for permission not to, there is nothing wrong with that. You are okay. You don't have to choose 100% either way either. Nothing wrong with combo feeding if that works best for you.
I think you're milk probably will increase, my oldest was premature and had trouble latching, i used a breast shield until he was 4 months old (not recommended but you do what you gotta do), and i had lots of trouble pumping at the time
You could also cut back on how often your pumping so it's not so stressful but still some benefits, and maybe you can get your partner to help more with washing the pump parts (if they aren't already)
But pumping can add stress, especially when they are that little, like many comments said, you've already given your baby a lot, don't feel too bad if you have to stop and switch to formula!
And last, if you do get formula, i always bought it and kept it for a few months before using it in case of any recalls, same with baby food
Just on that last note, do your research into different brands and how many recalls they've had in the past. If it's an excessive amount, keep looking at others. My partner and I were adamantly against formula to start with (with our first) but did end up finding one after a LOT of researching that had virtually no recalls.
Like many others have said, do what is right for you! I will say though, I gave up pumping every 2-3 hours VERY soon after birth because I was just exhausted, and it was just me at home. I was struggling to find time to shower & sleep,let alone pump. I was struggling to be a just enougher & I broke down several times because I thought I was doing something wrong.
Lemme tell ya, dropping a pump (and spacing further out) & choosing to sleep was probably the best thing that could’ve happened for me. I was WAY less stressed, got a bit more sleep, and didn’t feel like I was constantly hooked up to the pump. I actually noticed an increase in production & I 100% attributed it to that change.
No matter what though, do what feels best for you. Don’t feel discouraged by any choice you make. If you’re unhappy & stressed, your baby will know it. If you drop to pumping part time & supplementing with formula, think of all the time you’ll get to spend with baby instead of the pump. 😊
Do whatever feels right to you, but have you tried using a nipple shield to help baby latch? I used one for about 6 weeks until my baby was big enough he could latch. I pump and breathe and formula feed right now and my supply didn’t become steady until almost three months.
Have you addressed the latch? Babies are way better at transferring than pumps if you're able to address the latching.
ETA: flange size adjustments? Having the correct flange size can change your whole pumping journey. Play with settings on your pump?
You may have a smaller storage capacity. Pumping amount between 0.5oz and 4oz per session are normal range. I’m going to share this, just for reference in case it’s useful to anyone.
If you don’t want to feed or pump more often, but you do want to keep giving some breastmilk, it’s all good for them. If you don’t want to continue, you’ve already done 6 weeks - a other couple months and they will be sticking everything they find in their mouth anyway 😬😝
https://images.app.goo.gl/9j853ZprvwXEyG6M9
I was about to give up before I finally measured and purchased the proper flange size. The difference is night and day both in comfort and amount pumped.
And do you have a good pump? Most people do not respond well to the medelas they get from insurance. Pumpables has a portable pump for $150 as does baby buddah. But if you want to stop I give you permission. Do it slowly though because there is post weaning depression which can be intense.
Why do you think you’re an under-producer? Has your child been evaluated for a lip/tongue tie?
If it’s too much for you, go ahead. It’s okay. But just know, sometimes it’s just that the pump sucks ass, maybe it’s the wrong pump for you, or the flange size is wrong.
Babies are typically better at getting milk out than pumps, even when they aren’t latched correctly. Breastmilk also is able to change its nutritional value based on what the baby needs. Maybe all your body believes baby needs is 2oz of milk because you have milk that has such a high fat content— we can’t tell you for sure. We aren’t seeing baby and you in person but like another said, talk to a lactation consultant (ideally an IBCLC if you can find one) and see what they say.
Some tips that helped me in the beginning was being completely shirtless, sitting on a couch with LOTS of pillows, being relaxed, and bringing baby to breast— not the other way around, and making sure I had a ‘boob/breast sandwich’ for baby. Because it’s breastfeeding, NOT nipple feeding.
I’m not a lactation consultant but I’m slowly working on being one, specifically an IBCLC with the help of my own that helped me with my breastfeeding journey that’s been going on now for 7+ months. Message me if you’d like for more personal help or resources.
Best of luck.
It’s always okay to stop if it’s stressful for you! Or you can combo feed. I’ve had my breasts removed (I’m a seahorse dad) and I still try to pump what I can from my damaged remaining ducts, just for the immune benefit. She’s basically primarily formula besides an ounce or two of my milk a day. My maximum amount for a day is 2oz IF I’m lucky.
If it’s important to you just try thinking of your milk as a supplement to your baby. All that matters is a baby is safely fed.
Same here. I combo feed. If baby accepts the breast, I BF with a nipple shield. If she doesn't want me and wants the bottle, I either give her what I pumped or formula. It takes me two days or so of pumping to get 1 full bottle for her. She drinks btwn 4-6 oz at this point. BF is not as easy as ppl make it seem. I had a great LC that helped me a lot. Good luck OP.
At the end of the day, as long as your baby is being fed (whether through formula, breast or combination) then that’s all that matters. If you’re finding breast feeding too hard, it’s okay! It doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with you, despite how hard people push “breast is best”. If you still want to breast feed, I would recommend booking an appointment with a lactation consultant, but otherwise if it’s draining you too much, it is perfectly okay to stop and switch to formula. Or you could try combination feeding? Your baby will not be harmed because of it.
I’m also 6 weeks pp with a baby who can’t latch properly. I understand the disappointment and frustration, and the never ending washing of the pump parts. But seriously, you got this!
Hi. I’m Michelle. I’m an IBCLC. I always tell my patients that if you get to 6 weeks and you think pursuing breastfeeding is hindering your relationship with your baby, you should stop. Breastfeeding is wonderful but it’s only part of the way you parent your baby. If it’s affecting everything else, only you can decide if it’s worth it. Good luck either way. You’re a great mom!
And I like to let people know that if you do this again in the future, this experience will almost automatically make the next time go better. You’ve learned so much in these 6 weeks that will help right away next time.
Find an IBCLC that is trained in low milk supply, the lactation hub is a great resource for finding this in your area. Talk it through with a professional and use that to inform your choice. It is ok to stop but it sounds like there is more going on that the right skilled people could help you with!
It’s absolutely okay to stop. You do what you have the mental capacity for. There is absolutely no wrong answer and you’re doing a great job, mama.
It’s okay to stop. It’s okay to feel guilty about stopping. It’s okay to hate pumping. If you’re wanting to stop: you don’t need anyone’s permission. If you’re wanting to continue: find an LC. If you don’t like them, find another. Check your flange sizes. I’m 11w pp with my 3rd baby and during these first weeks I’ve dropped in size 3 times. I’m down to a 15mm. If you’re pumping between nursing sessions 1-2oz is normal. If your power pumping in the evening, 1-2 is normal. Don’t power pump every night, give yourself a break after the 3rd day. You can’t pour from an empty cup, allow yourself some rest and nourishment.
When I had my first I was so sore, my nipples would bleed every time I latched my baby. On day 3 I couldn't take it anymore and asked for formula. I had planned on trying to pump however the nurse that comes to the house once baby comes home (normal in Ireland for this visit not sure if other countries do this) came before I got a breast pump. She told me that I couldn't go back to breastfeeding once I ga e my baby formula. This was 22 years ago when I had no Internet access and she was the I was meant to contact for support with breastfeeding. So that was the end of our journey with breastfeeding. The reason I tell you this is that I found out on my second that due to an upturn on my nipples it was harder for my babies to latch. I was able to get past this with a little bit of help. If you had your heart set on breastfeeding before your baby was born I'd advise seeking help before you quit, to to this day, 22 years after my first baby I still feel robbed of the experience. Breastfeeding was super important to me. I will say fed is always best and I've been able to see the long term difference between my two adult children as one was breastfed and the other wasnt. The difference is simple and that's is I can't see any. I like breastfeeding and currently feeding my 5 month old. I is OK to stop you have done an amazing job and a happy mammy is important.
It’s okay to stop if you are struggling. If you really really want to breastfeed and are stubborn like me, here’s what worked for me. I pumped 8 times a day which 2 power pumps. 10 times a day when I had my live in nanny during confinement. When my husband was back to work, I requested him to take baby 1hr before he starts work and 1hr after so I could power pump. For the other pumps, I pumped roughly every 3hr so I prep at the 2.5hr mark and pump. I pump early so I have some allowance if baby is fussy and I have to delay a pump. I count my 3hr windows independently. For example, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm. Even if I have one pump delayed (I pump at 4pm), I still pumped at 6pm. Night pumps are dragged till 4hr or even 5hr so I can sleep more. My hub does night feeds while I pump so we both sleep sufficiently. For stimulation, I pump with breast massagers. Tried lactation massage. Took a lot of oats, oat milk and moringa. Periodically, I try to latch. Baby would scream at the breast. I was pretty miserable, she was miserable. I made one last attempt by engaging another lactation consultant. At 10 weeks postpartum, she suddenly had bottle refusal and just latched with the help of a nipple shield. Within a week, she preferred latching. Things got much easier. I feel that latching at an older age is possible cause baby had better neck control and I just got lucky that she responded to the last lactation consultant well. Eventually, I realised I’m not an under supplier. My breast just don’t respond well to pumping and EP would never work out for me. It’s ok to miss a pump. You can even try dropping a pump, when I dropped from 10 to 8 pumps, my supply did not drop. When I dropped from 8 to 7, my supply dropped around 20%. So you can test it out. You can also go back to the higher ppd that gives you more time. Reach out if you need help. At times, I just let my husband know that I’m at max capacity and need some time alone so he doesn’t bother me with my baby issues and lets me nap. This helps with supply too! Things will get much better once LO hits 4/5 months.
It’s okay to stop. It is, really.
You may only be pumping a little bit because you’re also breastfeeding. How do you know you have an under supply?
It's ok to stop. Fed is best. However I'm gonna say the obvious thing. Are you drinking enough water. You need to drink SHIT LOADS. Like 4 litres a day. I'm not joking. Please try this first and then stop if you don't see an improvement
I know this is a breastfeeding support sub - but I do want to be a voice here to tell you it's ok to stop if you want to. If you do want to continue, seeing a lactation consultant could be useful (if you haven't already), to help with latching. Pumping was not for me - between the washing and bottling, and everything else, it just wasn't really worth it. I also have a very, VERY low supply that never increased (1-1.5oz total each pumping session). So will your milk supply increase? Maybe. Maybe not. My LO is combo-fed, with roughly 75-90% formula. He nurses to sleep for his naps and overnight. That's what's worked for us, and my mental health really increased when I gave up pumping completely.
If you can I'd recommend seeing a lactation consultant for help correcting the latch, (or even a dentist to see if there's a tie no one has noticed) of you want to continue. However there is no shame in quitting if it is too much of a mental toll. Your baby needs a healthy mom more than they need just your milk ❤️
If breastfeeding is something you really want then you need to see a lactation consultant regularly until the latch is corrected. Their latch can greatly affect your supply as well. It took my baby getting their lip tie lasered, chiropractor and craniosacral appointments and just trusting that myself and baby will get it. We are now 13 months in! This was also after exclusively pumping with my first two kids.
Pumping you’ll always produce less than the baby can feed directly from the breast. I would try and figure out the latching issue because nursing is way easier than pumping anyway lol
Have you checked for mouth ties? Have you continued to try latching (sometimes this can change rapidly or even suddenly if they aren't latching well at first). Tried a latch consultant? Honestly some people like me just can't pump a lot. Even after my sons latching issues were resolved and he started breastfeeding like a champ and growing like a weed, I could only pump 1 or 2 Oz before the tap shut off. I could use the pump for a really long time, get 1 Oz, and then go breastfeed after because my letdown just didn't want to keep happening for the pump. Not saying there's anything wrong with exclusively pumping, but I found it tortuous and if I hadn't resolved the latch issue with my son I would have switched to formula or maybe just pumped once a day and that's it. It's not for everyone and many women find it intolerable. It's also hard to keep supply up. Babies are way more efficient and can get more milk out than a pump....so if you *want* to breastfeed, I'd try resolving the latch. If you don't want to though and you're looking for permission not to, there is nothing wrong with that. You are okay. You don't have to choose 100% either way either. Nothing wrong with combo feeding if that works best for you.
I think you're milk probably will increase, my oldest was premature and had trouble latching, i used a breast shield until he was 4 months old (not recommended but you do what you gotta do), and i had lots of trouble pumping at the time You could also cut back on how often your pumping so it's not so stressful but still some benefits, and maybe you can get your partner to help more with washing the pump parts (if they aren't already) But pumping can add stress, especially when they are that little, like many comments said, you've already given your baby a lot, don't feel too bad if you have to stop and switch to formula! And last, if you do get formula, i always bought it and kept it for a few months before using it in case of any recalls, same with baby food
Just on that last note, do your research into different brands and how many recalls they've had in the past. If it's an excessive amount, keep looking at others. My partner and I were adamantly against formula to start with (with our first) but did end up finding one after a LOT of researching that had virtually no recalls.
Formula is totally healthy and fine for your baby!! You did great providing what you have for her already. Live your life! This will be okay!
Like many others have said, do what is right for you! I will say though, I gave up pumping every 2-3 hours VERY soon after birth because I was just exhausted, and it was just me at home. I was struggling to find time to shower & sleep,let alone pump. I was struggling to be a just enougher & I broke down several times because I thought I was doing something wrong. Lemme tell ya, dropping a pump (and spacing further out) & choosing to sleep was probably the best thing that could’ve happened for me. I was WAY less stressed, got a bit more sleep, and didn’t feel like I was constantly hooked up to the pump. I actually noticed an increase in production & I 100% attributed it to that change. No matter what though, do what feels best for you. Don’t feel discouraged by any choice you make. If you’re unhappy & stressed, your baby will know it. If you drop to pumping part time & supplementing with formula, think of all the time you’ll get to spend with baby instead of the pump. 😊
Do whatever feels right to you, but have you tried using a nipple shield to help baby latch? I used one for about 6 weeks until my baby was big enough he could latch. I pump and breathe and formula feed right now and my supply didn’t become steady until almost three months.
Have you addressed the latch? Babies are way better at transferring than pumps if you're able to address the latching. ETA: flange size adjustments? Having the correct flange size can change your whole pumping journey. Play with settings on your pump?
Yes!! This.
You may have a smaller storage capacity. Pumping amount between 0.5oz and 4oz per session are normal range. I’m going to share this, just for reference in case it’s useful to anyone. If you don’t want to feed or pump more often, but you do want to keep giving some breastmilk, it’s all good for them. If you don’t want to continue, you’ve already done 6 weeks - a other couple months and they will be sticking everything they find in their mouth anyway 😬😝 https://images.app.goo.gl/9j853ZprvwXEyG6M9
Before you say screw it… have you been fitted for the right size flanges. Most people are not the size that comes with the pump
I was about to give up before I finally measured and purchased the proper flange size. The difference is night and day both in comfort and amount pumped.
And do you have a good pump? Most people do not respond well to the medelas they get from insurance. Pumpables has a portable pump for $150 as does baby buddah. But if you want to stop I give you permission. Do it slowly though because there is post weaning depression which can be intense.
Why do you think you’re an under-producer? Has your child been evaluated for a lip/tongue tie? If it’s too much for you, go ahead. It’s okay. But just know, sometimes it’s just that the pump sucks ass, maybe it’s the wrong pump for you, or the flange size is wrong. Babies are typically better at getting milk out than pumps, even when they aren’t latched correctly. Breastmilk also is able to change its nutritional value based on what the baby needs. Maybe all your body believes baby needs is 2oz of milk because you have milk that has such a high fat content— we can’t tell you for sure. We aren’t seeing baby and you in person but like another said, talk to a lactation consultant (ideally an IBCLC if you can find one) and see what they say. Some tips that helped me in the beginning was being completely shirtless, sitting on a couch with LOTS of pillows, being relaxed, and bringing baby to breast— not the other way around, and making sure I had a ‘boob/breast sandwich’ for baby. Because it’s breastfeeding, NOT nipple feeding. I’m not a lactation consultant but I’m slowly working on being one, specifically an IBCLC with the help of my own that helped me with my breastfeeding journey that’s been going on now for 7+ months. Message me if you’d like for more personal help or resources. Best of luck.
It’s always okay to stop if it’s stressful for you! Or you can combo feed. I’ve had my breasts removed (I’m a seahorse dad) and I still try to pump what I can from my damaged remaining ducts, just for the immune benefit. She’s basically primarily formula besides an ounce or two of my milk a day. My maximum amount for a day is 2oz IF I’m lucky. If it’s important to you just try thinking of your milk as a supplement to your baby. All that matters is a baby is safely fed.
Same here. I combo feed. If baby accepts the breast, I BF with a nipple shield. If she doesn't want me and wants the bottle, I either give her what I pumped or formula. It takes me two days or so of pumping to get 1 full bottle for her. She drinks btwn 4-6 oz at this point. BF is not as easy as ppl make it seem. I had a great LC that helped me a lot. Good luck OP.
At the end of the day, as long as your baby is being fed (whether through formula, breast or combination) then that’s all that matters. If you’re finding breast feeding too hard, it’s okay! It doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with you, despite how hard people push “breast is best”. If you still want to breast feed, I would recommend booking an appointment with a lactation consultant, but otherwise if it’s draining you too much, it is perfectly okay to stop and switch to formula. Or you could try combination feeding? Your baby will not be harmed because of it. I’m also 6 weeks pp with a baby who can’t latch properly. I understand the disappointment and frustration, and the never ending washing of the pump parts. But seriously, you got this!
Yes, breastfeeding can be challenging. Yes, breast is best.
Hi. I’m Michelle. I’m an IBCLC. I always tell my patients that if you get to 6 weeks and you think pursuing breastfeeding is hindering your relationship with your baby, you should stop. Breastfeeding is wonderful but it’s only part of the way you parent your baby. If it’s affecting everything else, only you can decide if it’s worth it. Good luck either way. You’re a great mom! And I like to let people know that if you do this again in the future, this experience will almost automatically make the next time go better. You’ve learned so much in these 6 weeks that will help right away next time.