Expert: ruth kraft - 4/24/2011

Question
Hi, I had to have an emergency c section and gave birth to a 13 week premature baby. I am now pumping while he is still at the hospital, i pump every 2-3 hours a day, and sometimes at night, but it seems my milk supply keeps getting lower and lower and i only will get a good 2-3 oz. and then it lowers with every pumping. I got up to 17 ounces and then it dramatically dropped to 10 and now its 8 or less everyday. I am using an ameda electric grade hospital pump. my baby is now 3 weeks old. I do live in a house with a smoker, but when baby comes home we will not be living here. Please help :/

Answer
At first our bodies often produce an over supply of milk until the baby determines how much the baby actually needs. It last a few days and then levels out to what the baby needs. Right now the baby is really a pump but the body doesn't know that. You will always get more in the morning than you will in the late afternoon or evening. Pumping or nursing. So know that this is normal.

That being said, eat lots of fiber as the more gastro motility you have the more milk you make. You can try things like fenugreek, mothers milk tea etc to also boost your supply. and of course you can pump more frequently. Unfortunatly, the pump is not as good at getting milk out of you as a baby, sopumping more frequently. Like if they are feeding the baby every 3 hours, try pumping every 2. You can also try power pumping for 3 days where you pump every hour during the day and only 2-3 hours at night and this acts like a growth spurt for the baby and can increase supply. It is hard to do , but can be helpful to some women.

I hope that gives you a few ideas. Your body is doing quite well actually, when baby is able to get to breast he will also build your supply up to what he wants as well :) Keep at it! It is tedious but will be well worth it! with preemies especially!