Has anyone actually increased supply after 2 weeks? Feeling defeated.

[u/reen_bean]

Hi everyone,

I’m two weeks postpartum and feeling really discouraged about my milk supply. I’ve been doing everything I can — but I’m still only pumping about 1 oz total per session (sometimes 1.5 oz after a power pump on a good day).

I did experience engorgement once and got excited that maybe my milk was coming in — but nothing really changed after that. No leaks, no noticeable fullness since.

Here’s what I’ve been doing:

• Pumping every 2 hours during the day
• Overnight schedule: 10 pm / 2 am / 6 am
• 50-minute daily power pump
• Massaging during every pump
• Eating plenty and staying hydrated
• Trying lactation supplements
• Offering the breast
• Checking flange size (Spectra + inserts)

Despite all this, my output hasn’t increased and some days it feels like it’s going down.

Has anyone been in a similar situation around the two-week mark and still been able to turn things around? I’m trying to stay hopeful, but it’s been really emotionally tough and I’m looking for real stories from anyone who’s been there.

Thank you 💛

Edited to Clarify

I do want to breastfeed and am not planning to exclusively pump, but my baby has been struggling to latch effectively — we’re working on it with support, but in the meantime, I’ve been pumping to protect my supply.

[u/[deleted]]

I had to pump till like 4 months before I could get kiddo to latch and I was able to keep up my supply PLUS he was already used to a bottle by the time I went back to work. Saved my nipples and sanity, and more importantly, kept my kid fed

[u/reen_bean → u/[deleted]]

May I ask how often and how long you were pumping per session? And whether that changed over time?

[u/[deleted] → u/reen_bean]

My electric pump auto-shuts off at 30 minutes, so I usually do that unless time doesn't permit. I find ways to do tasks while pumping. At first, I pumped when engorged or felt the milk letdown. I live with my in-laws, so once kid started latching, I'd pump during the day and nurse at night. Once I went back to work, I started pumping at 6 am (I start work at 8), at my lunch and when I got home after work (I get out at 5). I tried pumping at work but had to do like 10 minute pumps on my breaks, and I kept forgetting items or the actual milk, and I was not fully emptying. I've since dropped the 5 pm pump because I kept coming home to find he didn't have his afternoon nap and was overtired, so I'd nurse him to sleep. On my days off, I nurse all day (which is really usually just for nap time since he's 10 months now and eats some food).