Tips to boost production

Hi Emmy,

Wow, that's so brave of you to pump full-time! Sounds amazing! It's tough that your supply is dropping!

Do you always get a good let-down reflex at work? I notice that when it's busy at my job and I'm a bit tense, it doesn't let down. I think the milk is there, but it doesn't come out I now usually start with a nice cup of tea, grab a book, and then pump while relaxing nicely; that often helps. (I do have a manual pump, I assume you have an electric one, so maybe the let-down matters less then.)

If it's not about the let-down for you, but the supply is really dropping, I'd try to take it easier if possible and drink lots! There seems to be herbal tea that's good for your supply? I'm not sure about that exactly. And I've heard you need a really strong pump to keep things going if the pump has to do all the work. A Medela pump like the ones they have in the hospital, which you can also rent, is stronger in terms of motor and suction than a simpler model. You could maybe rent such a pump for a few days to give your supply a boost? And otherwise, maybe pump more often, even if it's just small amounts; that still stimulates your supply! Do you have a single or double pump? If you have a single, maybe try right first, then left, then right again immediately after, and then left again.

Good luck! I hope it works out!

That's amazing that you're pumping full-time!
I also noticed that on stressful days at work, I had trouble pumping.
But on calmer days, it went super well again.

Another thing you can do to boost your milk supply is cluster pumping for a few days. Then you pump for an hour, every 5 minutes or so. You could try googling how exactly it works.

Ate lots of Vitamin C tablets (red ones) like candy, got that tip from the maternity nurse.

Power pumping, if you're pumping full-time you'll miss out on some of your baby's feeding days. You could try power pumping. You can also have a lactation consultant observe your pumping; are the breast shields the right size?
A lactation consultant also helps with pumping issues. Good luck!

Pumping with your baby against you or even skin-to-skin, or at least close by, could also help.

And a nice old-fashioned sorry, but brown beer also works really well, and there's alcohol-free versions nowadays!

What really helped me was eating fenugreek—it really boosts milk supply.