We’re still going strong!
But not as strong as it once was. From what I hear & read from other working moms, a downslide in production this late in the game isn’t unheard of. Especially when you account for the fact that Lucy & especially Zach have been sick on & off {mostly on} since mid-December.
Then add in the couple weeks I was sick, getting my period back, stress over sick babies & work, & busyness at home & work that lead to me not staying as hydrated as I should be, and it’s no shock that my supply isn’t where it used to be. I tried mother’s milk tea & upping my water intake, beyond sloshing to the bathroom more frequently, I didn’t see a difference.
Lucy & Zach wake up hungry & I wake up with both sides feeling full. We typically tandem feed around 745a & they pull off & head to daycare very satisfied.
Three hours later, I pump & can get about 5 oz on each side. But the days of bringing home 30+ oz of pumped breast milk are gone. Now I’m feeling lucky if I make 18 oz total in a day.
This was what I was able to pump today afternoon at my 130p pumping session: 5 oz total. 
And I’m hoping for 4-5 oz again at 345.
Getting 4 oz a session would be good if I was trying to feed one baby, but I’m not. As a reminder, Lucy & Zach are drinking 3 5oz bottles each Mon-Fri at daycare. That’s 30 oz a day. And I think Lucy would drink more if I offered it. At this point, I’m bringing home typically half of what I need for the next day.
I continue to be so thankful that, despite the precious time it took & strange looks I got & the help it required, I pumped & froze the milk every time after I nursed Lucy & Zach for the 16 weeks I was on maternity leave. Even though for the past month or so, I’ve been pulling out up to four frozen bags a day, I’m still just beginning to make a dent in my frozen stash from July. {I’ve already used up the little frozen from May & gave most of June’s stash to a friend.}
I no longer can pump before I go to bed. There’s little to no milk in there after the babies nurse around 7. I actually have been splitting a bottle to give both close to 3 oz some nights right before they go to bed around 8-830p because they don’t seem to be full after nursing. Since Zach is usually the only one up in the middle of the night, this week I’ve even had to offer him both sides to fill him up at 3am. This bit me in the butt Wed night when Lucy woke up too. Poor girl was sucking all she could to get what I hoped was some fatty milk Zach left behind on each side.
I’m not giving up. Either nursing or pumping. But I can see the end is in sight. My first goal was 9 weeks, then 6 months. We’ve sailed happily past both of those. I’d love to make it nursing until they’re 1. But I also know it’s important to make sure they’re getting enough. So if that means giving up some nursing & bottle feeding them either the pumped milk I can make or thawed frozen stash, I’m good with that too.
I’m waiting to make any changes until their 9 month appointment in two weeks, or if I notice either or both are no longer satisfied after nursing. I’ll keep updating as we go along.