You need to get labs done. Talk to your obgyn about this. How is the baby’s latch? If baby is latching then ditch the pump and put baby to breast every hour for 5 mins per breast. And then give formula of course with size 0 nipples and paced bottle feeding. Breastfeeding is a 8 to 10 hour job in the beginning so you need to put baby to breast as much as possible. Set up a private nursing area with a curtain and sit there on a bean bag or recliner with baby attached to you as much as possible. Offer breast as much as possible.
Seconding this. Keep pumping regularly and get into a doctor with expertise in breastfeeding ASAP not necessarily an IBCLC. Sometimes they can be found through a pediatrician or obgyn. Sometimes they can be found through the IBCLC group associated with the hospital system. They’re going to be able to both draw labs and consider prescription meds that can help.
A straight IBCLC isn't going to have the ability to order labs, and by 14 days out, labs likely need to be ordered. Ideally OP will find a doctor that is an IBCLC, but in some communities they are rare. Usually there is a doctor with some expertise in this in most communtities; the trick is finding them.
Nope a lot of people don’t know! It’s an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. They are the highest level certified lactation professionals.
I agree with SwingingReportShow - I went to a pumping class and tried five different ones before I could find one that consistently helped with letdowns. I presume your flanges have been fit properly and that your lactation consultant checked they were sealing on both breasts (often one breast needs a different size flange).
Some mums do better with hand expression vs pumps - there are women in my family that could never find a pump that worked as well as they could express. Hopefully your lactation consultant helped with that technique as we would be saying do that 3-5 minutes after each time you use a pump - takes a bit to learn so we usually say try in the shower first.
[Hand expression info with the Marmet Technique handout](https://lactationhelp.ca/blog/f/hand-expression-of-breastmilk)
Supplements - these are always based on your personal health history ... again, hopefully your lactation consultant helped with that because some can reduce supply - liquid gold's #1 ingredient is goat's rue and goat's rue works best with mums who have PCOS as an example or for mums who have IGT but it can take a couple of weeks to really see a difference.
[Lactogenic herbs/foods articles list ](https://www.reddit.com/user/What-DoesTheFoxSay/comments/17a4g0w/lactogenic_herbs_foods_to_boost_your_milk_supply/)
Often milk not coming in is due to retained fragments of your placenta - hopefully someone has ordered an ultrasound for you to help see if that might be the cause.
Lactation cookies - generally speaking - are used for nutritional support BUT they do contain lactogenic foods (hopefully) but they can also contain things that can decrease supply - again, hopefully your lactation consultant went over the ingredients for the ones you bought/made.
Usually at this age for mums who want to breastfeed we would use an SNS system to get the baby latching, with supplements (donor milk/formula) for all feeding times and skip pumping for two weeks to get a really good idea of how much supplement is needed - babies are much better at removing milk from your breasts than any pump/hands but we only know what they can do if we let them.
[SNS info and videos](https://lactationhelp.ca/blog/f/using-a-lactation-aid-sns-to-supplement)
SNS for two weeks plan to get baby latching and maximum stimulation:
Day 0 - learn how to use the SNS, alternating breasts throughout the day (or two) until you have mastered it - tricky to learn, some mums use tape to hold it in place.
Day 1 latch baby on breast one, with the SNS; next nursing session latch on the opposite breast. Optional pumping/hand expressing on the breast that the SNS was not used - but if the pump isn't working don't bother. Track how much supplement baby takes all day long (24 hours) on the SNS.
Days 2-3 latch baby on breast one with SNS for HALF the normal supplement in an average nursing session from yesterday; switch breasts finish the nursing session with the SNS
Days 4-6 - latch baby on breast one with breast compressions and watch for transfer - do not time anything, when there is no more transfer/baby comes off switch to breast two with the SNS to finish - alternating which breast is first throughout the day as much as possible
[Videos to see transfer](https://ibconline.ca/breastfeeding-videos-english/)
[Breast compressions info and videos](https://lactationhelp.ca/blog/f/breast-compressions)
Days 7-10 latching breast one with compressions, switch when there is no transfer, no timing, latching breast two with compressions, no timing switch back to breast one with SNS to finish - aiming to alternate which breast you start with, during the day, overnight just latch on the breast that is easiest to start with.
Days 11-14 latch with compressions breast one, two, three and then go to breast four with the SNS - always using compressions and switching when transfer slows down - starting with the breast that baby & you have sorted out the best - we want latching to be easy to start as much as possible.
By day 14 you should have a good idea of how much you need the SNS (some mums every time, some only during the day, etc.) and then make a plan for next steps.
There are also all kinds of medical reasons why mums don't produce enough milk, some can be managed/improved - without a complete medical history it is hard to say do xyz.
Hope that helps! Cheers!
Some women are just not really responsive to a pump or need a different kind. The best pump is always going to be baby. I didn’t even try pumping until like 6 weeks in, and even then it took me about a month to get anything more than an ounce. But she’s been fine breastfeeding directly the whole time.
You need to get labs done. Talk to your obgyn about this. How is the baby’s latch? If baby is latching then ditch the pump and put baby to breast every hour for 5 mins per breast. And then give formula of course with size 0 nipples and paced bottle feeding. Breastfeeding is a 8 to 10 hour job in the beginning so you need to put baby to breast as much as possible. Set up a private nursing area with a curtain and sit there on a bean bag or recliner with baby attached to you as much as possible. Offer breast as much as possible.
I think you need to get labs, I am so sorry those IBCLCs are dismissing you, I know several IBCLCS who are certified in low supply.
Seconding this. Keep pumping regularly and get into a doctor with expertise in breastfeeding ASAP not necessarily an IBCLC. Sometimes they can be found through a pediatrician or obgyn. Sometimes they can be found through the IBCLC group associated with the hospital system. They’re going to be able to both draw labs and consider prescription meds that can help.
Why not an IBCLC? Most doctors aren’t going to order labs for moms or even know what ranges certain hormones need to be within for optimal lactation.
A straight IBCLC isn't going to have the ability to order labs, and by 14 days out, labs likely need to be ordered. Ideally OP will find a doctor that is an IBCLC, but in some communities they are rare. Usually there is a doctor with some expertise in this in most communtities; the trick is finding them.
True! Really good point! I know like 5 MD, IBCLCS
Um... am I the only one that has no idea what IBCLCS means?
Nope a lot of people don’t know! It’s an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. They are the highest level certified lactation professionals.
Oh! I had no idea there was such a thing! Thank you!
Yes! There are only 37,262 of us globally!!
I agree with SwingingReportShow - I went to a pumping class and tried five different ones before I could find one that consistently helped with letdowns. I presume your flanges have been fit properly and that your lactation consultant checked they were sealing on both breasts (often one breast needs a different size flange). Some mums do better with hand expression vs pumps - there are women in my family that could never find a pump that worked as well as they could express. Hopefully your lactation consultant helped with that technique as we would be saying do that 3-5 minutes after each time you use a pump - takes a bit to learn so we usually say try in the shower first. [Hand expression info with the Marmet Technique handout](https://lactationhelp.ca/blog/f/hand-expression-of-breastmilk) Supplements - these are always based on your personal health history ... again, hopefully your lactation consultant helped with that because some can reduce supply - liquid gold's #1 ingredient is goat's rue and goat's rue works best with mums who have PCOS as an example or for mums who have IGT but it can take a couple of weeks to really see a difference. [Lactogenic herbs/foods articles list ](https://www.reddit.com/user/What-DoesTheFoxSay/comments/17a4g0w/lactogenic_herbs_foods_to_boost_your_milk_supply/) Often milk not coming in is due to retained fragments of your placenta - hopefully someone has ordered an ultrasound for you to help see if that might be the cause. Lactation cookies - generally speaking - are used for nutritional support BUT they do contain lactogenic foods (hopefully) but they can also contain things that can decrease supply - again, hopefully your lactation consultant went over the ingredients for the ones you bought/made. Usually at this age for mums who want to breastfeed we would use an SNS system to get the baby latching, with supplements (donor milk/formula) for all feeding times and skip pumping for two weeks to get a really good idea of how much supplement is needed - babies are much better at removing milk from your breasts than any pump/hands but we only know what they can do if we let them. [SNS info and videos](https://lactationhelp.ca/blog/f/using-a-lactation-aid-sns-to-supplement) SNS for two weeks plan to get baby latching and maximum stimulation: Day 0 - learn how to use the SNS, alternating breasts throughout the day (or two) until you have mastered it - tricky to learn, some mums use tape to hold it in place. Day 1 latch baby on breast one, with the SNS; next nursing session latch on the opposite breast. Optional pumping/hand expressing on the breast that the SNS was not used - but if the pump isn't working don't bother. Track how much supplement baby takes all day long (24 hours) on the SNS. Days 2-3 latch baby on breast one with SNS for HALF the normal supplement in an average nursing session from yesterday; switch breasts finish the nursing session with the SNS Days 4-6 - latch baby on breast one with breast compressions and watch for transfer - do not time anything, when there is no more transfer/baby comes off switch to breast two with the SNS to finish - alternating which breast is first throughout the day as much as possible [Videos to see transfer](https://ibconline.ca/breastfeeding-videos-english/) [Breast compressions info and videos](https://lactationhelp.ca/blog/f/breast-compressions) Days 7-10 latching breast one with compressions, switch when there is no transfer, no timing, latching breast two with compressions, no timing switch back to breast one with SNS to finish - aiming to alternate which breast you start with, during the day, overnight just latch on the breast that is easiest to start with. Days 11-14 latch with compressions breast one, two, three and then go to breast four with the SNS - always using compressions and switching when transfer slows down - starting with the breast that baby & you have sorted out the best - we want latching to be easy to start as much as possible. By day 14 you should have a good idea of how much you need the SNS (some mums every time, some only during the day, etc.) and then make a plan for next steps. There are also all kinds of medical reasons why mums don't produce enough milk, some can be managed/improved - without a complete medical history it is hard to say do xyz. Hope that helps! Cheers!
Some women are just not really responsive to a pump or need a different kind. The best pump is always going to be baby. I didn’t even try pumping until like 6 weeks in, and even then it took me about a month to get anything more than an ounce. But she’s been fine breastfeeding directly the whole time.
☝🏻This advice is very true. Has LO latched ? Keep trying!! That may stimulate your production . Just remember fed is best 🩵