Pumping and Getting Ready to Return to Work, Help!

Even if you DID need a stockpile of milk (you don't) if it's driving your entire household crazy, STOP!

That being said, the best, easiest, and healthiest way to pump for baby is to pump every time you're away from her for a feeding and give her THAT milk the next day when you're away from her. That way the milk is always made for her current developmental stage. Also, if you do that, you can put the milk in the fridge rather than freezer, and don't have to worry about thawing it out.

When I went back to work, DS was 8 weeks old I had enough milk on hand for maybe two days. I pumped at work each day and always gave him that the next day.

Last thing, if you're willing to supplement with formula when your breasts are empty, formula is also an easy supplement if you happen to run low on pumped milk, so stop stressing about it and enjoy your time with baby. You'll get plenty of milk pumping at work (especially if you time your pumping to correspond to a regular feeding time... or two).

HTH
T.

When you are away from your baby, more will come out when you pump, since your baby isnt there to drink it. I always pumped first thing in the morning and before bed to be sure I had some extra in the freezer. Also, instead of pumping after you nursed I would pump before, as baby is better at getting out the hind milk, and at stimulating more milk production. It is very uncomfortable to try and pump.when your breasts are empty, as Im sure you know.

Also, if you supplement, your supply wont increase. It will take around 2-3 days, but just keep pumping and nursing and your supply will increase. Baby may cluster feed to help increase your supply.

I am a childcare provider, I have worked with many breast feeding Moms and none of them did what you are talking about. They all had some frozen back up, some more than others, but they weren't going out of their way to make sure they had tons extra. I've always been amazed by the human body, it always seemed that Mom would pump exactly the amount that baby would eat the next day.

Give yourself a break, if you don't feel that your little one emptied your breasts, pump. Otherwise just feed your little one.

Good Luck,

M.

Before returning to work, I only had enough for the first day or two in reserve. I pumped when DD napped or pumped one side and nursed her on the other. Remember that when you work all day, your pumping sessions will be instead of her nursing, so your body should produce more than it does when you are also nursing her. I didn't pump like a crazy person, but I did sometimes pump (hands free!) in the car (I had a long commute) or on weekends to make up the difference as needed (sometimes it is OK to cry over spilled milk). You should not need to supplement. Supply responds to demand, so if you pump and she nurses after, you are telling your body you need more. Go by her output. That will tell you her input. You will find the schedule that works for you. Start with every 2-3 hours and pump for 15 minutes or so. Double pump, it's faster. Take things that remind you of your baby and try to take that time to relax.

kellymom.com has more tips

Also, make sure that whoever is feeding her knows not to microwave or shake breastmilk and how to handle it and how to feed it, etc. A caregiver who gives a lot of milk may go through your stash much faster than necessary. I had to talk with DD's daycare and remind the caregiver that no, really, she doesn't need the same sized bottles as the formula fed babies b/c it changes and formula doesn't. And if you can, leave a frozen bag (as spare) with the daycare but make sure it's in a real freezer and not just a mini fridge freezer compartment. I gave her daycare premeasured bottles with the name and date and oz on them so they just grabbed one. If one bottle was older milk, I numbered them so that one got used first.

I had to pump exclusively and did so for 9 months so I know what a pain it is. Right now the extra pumping really is a good thing because it is increasing your supply. I think you should feed then pump so that she has enough though. I also took a supplement (Mama's Milk I think) and it helped increase my supply too. I really wanted to go as long as I could so I wanted a big supply in my freezer. I didn't waste ANY of it and it brought me to tears if DH left the bottle in her room and not the fridge. Once you get some supply your hubby can feed LO and you can pump at the same time if you are pressed for time. This worked well for us at night especially.

I know it is incredibly time consuming but I was told to pump every two hours for like 3 days straight- nights included (maybe a stretch of 4 hours at night) and it really boosts your supply. At some point your LO will want more than you have so it is nice to have some of your reserves to give as a supplement and give you a break.

Keep drinking your water and eating tons that way you have lots of milk! Don't forget to rest too! It's amazing how these things really do help!

I pumped like crazy with my first because he had such a hard time nursing, I had a really heavy flow and he couldn't keep up without drowning. I usually was able to send him up to daycare with 4-6 oz. of my milk and then told the daycare provider to give him formula for the next feeding. The milk I pumped at work that day was usually used for the following morning. If I had pumped more often, then yes I probably could have exclusively breastfed him...but it was wearing me out, the best thing for everyone was to let the baby have some formula occasionally. I was able to give him breast milk for over a year with this system.

I would actually pump and nurse at the same time! It was ergonomically challenging to have baby on the breast and pump on the other one, but it worked.

Good luck! Been there, pumped that.

Every body is different. With my 1st, I nursed him for 15-20 on each side, then pumped for 10 mins.

What you are doing is requesting more milk from your body, your body will respond in a few days. You want to have a buffer supply, to keep from needing to supplement.
Not sure how old your little one is, but also about 6 weeks the supply seems like it is going down, but really it is just a growth spurt and the baby could be taking more, and you are pumping..

It does seem like a vicious circle. Your milk supply will go down as time goes on, so trying to get as much as you can for a good start, it the best thing you can do.

I was lucky my body made a lot of milk, had more milk in my freezer than food.. I was lucky that I did not have to supplement (which was my wish/decision, supplementing is not bad and sometimes necessary!) .

My schedule with both my kids.. was feed, pump at every feeding. Morning before work, 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm and 10 pm before bed.

Good Luck

I did not realize you were suppose to pump and nurse at the same time?? idk much about it other than contact your le leche leauge.

i drank mothers milk tea and it truly helped me produce something.

( i had a horrible time and did not produce for the first child, took perscribed pills...nothing. the second child i drank mothers milk tea and i actually was able to make an ounce per pump session. .. . later i discovered you could excuslively pump...wish i would have found that information before being so dissapointed i didnt make much)