I'm drying up!

What in the world!!!! I just pumped for 45 minutes straight (usually only takes me 15) and I barely have an ounce! Yesterday I was pumping 3-4 oz every 2 hours and it's been 4 hours and I only have an ounce... Why!? What can I do to keep my supply going? I've been drinking mothers milk and taking fenugreek since I had DS, and I don't smoke or anything so I don't see why I'm drying up.... this is irritating! I can't breastfeed and now I can't pump...  

Put him to your breast as much as possible, even if he isn't nursing the skin to skin contact will help. Also- pump with him near you.

Drink tons of water make sure you are also eating good as well.

Why can't you breastfeed?

Quoting Baby Love.:" Put him to your breast as much as possible, even if he isn't nursing the skin to skin contact will help. Also- pump with him near you."

I haven't tried to breastfeed in 2 or 3 days, I've just been pumping, so good idea! He's never more than 4 ft away from me when I pump!

Quoting ~~My Pet Wussy~~:" Why can't you breastfeed?"

My son just won't. We've been to 5 breastfeeding support meetings and had 3 appointments with a LC and he still won't STAY latched on. Nobody could really give me any input. He latches great but he will only stay latched on for 3-4 seconds and pull away. After awhile he just gets irritated and then there's no way in hell he'll feed.   He did this before we ever introduced the bottle so I don't know what it could be!

<blockquote><b>Quoting ☼ Mª mª:</b>" My son just won't. We've been to 5 breastfeeding support meetings and had 3 appointments with a LC and ... [snip!] ... then there's no way in hell he'll feed.   He did this before we ever introduced the bottle so I don't know what it could be!"</blockquote>




Has he been checked for tongue tie?

Have you tried a nipple shield?

Have you altered your diet, such as cut out all dairy intake for 2 weeks?

<blockquote><b>Quoting ☼ Mª mª:</b>" I haven't tried to breastfeed in 2 or 3 days, I've just been pumping, so good idea! He's never more than 4 ft away from me when I pump!"</blockquote>



Why CAN'T you breastfeed? Is there a medical situation. Pumping exclusively doesn't work for most women, nursing is a lot easier and more reliable once you get passed the painful part and figure out your latch, which took me two months. My DD had a terrible latch and My nipples bled through every feed for the first 8 weeks until she grew into her latch.

Quoting ~~My Pet Wussy~~:" <blockquote><b>Quoting ☼ Mª mª:</b>" My son just won't. We've been to 5 breastfeeding ... [snip!] ... for tongue tie? Have you tried a nipple shield? Have you altered your diet, such as cut out all dairy intake for 2 weeks?"

This!!
DS wouldn't stay latches and it was because of tongue tie.

Quoting ~~My Pet Wussy~~:" <blockquote><b>Quoting ☼ Mª mª:</b>" My son just won't. We've been to 5 breastfeeding ... [snip!] ... for tongue tie? Have you tried a nipple shield? Have you altered your diet, such as cut out all dairy intake for 2 weeks?"

I'm lactose intolerant so I don't eat dairy anyways! And we tried the nipple shield but it was the same exact situation. He hasn't been checked for that though. Who do I ask, his pedi? He breastfed perfectly for the first 3-4 days and once we left the hospital he kind of...forgot I guess. He just WON'T and I want him to so bad, I hate pumping   I'm glad he's still getting BM benefits but I wanted the bonding time too.

<blockquote><b>Quoting ☼ Mª mª:</b>" My son just won't. We've been to 5 breastfeeding support meetings and had 3 appointments with a LC and ... [snip!] ... then there's no way in hell he'll feed.   He did this before we ever introduced the bottle so I don't know what it could be!"</blockquote>




Dd did the same thing, we just kept offering only breast and dealing with the frustration and pain until she grew into her latch.

ETA: like the other poster said, definitely get him checked for tongue tie.

<blockquote><b>Quoting ☼ Mª mª:</b>" I haven't tried to breastfeed in 2 or 3 days, I've just been pumping, so good idea! He's never more than 4 ft away from me when I pump!"</blockquote>

That could be it! Skin to skin and him at your breast. You can put him near one while you pump the opposite.

Quoting ☼ Mª mª:" I'm lactose intolerant so I don't eat dairy anyways! And we tried the nipple shield but it was the same ... [snip!] ... WON'T and I want him to so bad, I hate pumping   I'm glad he's still getting BM benefits but I wanted the bonding time too."

Introducing a bottle can cause latching problems too. Some babies prefer the teat as they don't have to work for milk and it's easier to get milk out. We tried DS on a bottle when he was a couple of weeks old for night feeds. He got so fussy when I tried to breastfeed and wouldn't stay latched long as he couldn't get the milk out easily right away like with a bottle. We had to cut a bottle full stop.

Quoting MommaSav2:" <blockquote><b>Quoting ☼ Mª mª:</b>" My son just won't. We've been to 5 breastfeeding ... [snip!] ... did the same thing, we just kept offering only breast and dealing with the frustration and pain until she grew into her latch."

I waited a good week and ahd a half before I introduced the bottle but he lost close to a pound and a half and would cry every 20 minutes because he was hungry...this went on for like, 3 days, so I caved and finally pumped... I couldn't stand seeing him hungry and he wouldn't eat from the breast.  

<blockquote><b>Quoting ☼ Mª mª:</b>" I'm lactose intolerant so I don't eat dairy anyways! And we tried the nipple shield but it was the same ... [snip!] ... WON'T and I want him to so bad, I hate pumping   I'm glad he's still getting BM benefits but I wanted the bonding time too."</blockquote>




His pedi can check and so can a lactation consultant. You can also google pics and see if you can determine yourself, but I'd still follow up with the pedi to be sure even if you can't see it.

You don't drink milk but do you use butter, cheese, processed/packaged foods that contain trace amounts of dairy? Some babies are extremely sensitive to milk proteins, mine were. Fwiw, it's not the lactose that bothers them, it's the milk itself.