Must Pump. Is there a 'right' way to do it?

Lana - posted on 07/25/2010

I had to pump for the first 6 weeks with my daughter until we finally got breast feeding down. I would invest in the Medela Pump in Style. It is an awesome pump, and if you have to pump every day you are going to wear out other pumps (I went through 2). You can buy bras to hold the shields in place while you pump, which is great so you can help with the expression. Or if you have a bobby pillow you can manage a way to pump one side and feed off the other. I usually pump for about 10-15 minutes and can get 7+ ounces. Like most of the ladies said, make sure you drink a lot of water, pump on a schedule to keep your supply up, and oatmeal is good (I also heard about Blessed thistle herb supplement).

Good luck and way to stick with it.

Lisa - posted on 07/25/2010

I found pumping consistantly at the same time helped increase the amount of milk I received too.

Stevie - posted on 07/25/2010

I pump when my baby goes to sleep in the evening because that is his longest stretch of sleep. I wait a couple hours then sit down to pump, make sure you are drinking lots of water and try eating oatmeal. It comes down to trial and error to find the most effective time to pump. Also you can get a lot if you pump one side while nursing from the other but its tricky make sure there's someone around to give you a hand if needed :)

Jessica - posted on 07/25/2010

I have a double electric pump, and I highly recommend one if you need to pump regularly. It's more efficient and faster than a manual one. Most women get less milk output with a pump than directly from their baby. I usually get about 7 oz combined in one session (my baby is older so I only pump once a day while away from her). The way I do it, is I requested a well lit, comfortable, clean and quiet place to pump. (I use a spare office). I relax, and often bring a snack and a magazine with me. I take a few deep breaths before I pump, and try to think about my baby. Then, I eat or read my magazine while pumping instead of watching the bottles. I set a timer so I know when I am done. (I usually set it for 15 mins). To get the pump to a comfortable speed, I practiced at home before I returned to work. I would nurse my daughter on one side and pump on the other so I could adjust the pump to more closely match the sensation of her nursing. It helped me get it so it didn't hurt as much to pump. And make sure you stay hydrated. Drink lots of water, and eat well. If you supply goes down, fenugreek (it's a herbal supplement), oatmeal, rest, drinking lots of water all help bring it back up (as do increasing the number of pumping and nursing sessions).

Candice - posted on 07/23/2010

Drink a TON of water,your weight in ounces at least. I used several pumps,I have turbo monsoon pouring boobs and blew out 2 different pumps before moving to a Medela Pump in Style. I love it. It changes speed just like a baby so milk will pour out.Having something near by that smells like your baby will also aid in let down.

Brooke - posted on 07/23/2010

I forgot to say that when I first started pumping I could get more milk than I needed in less than 10 minutes. But after a couple of weeks it took longer and I got less. After a while, your pumping output decreases and it is normal. I think the average pumping output is 1/2 to 2 ounces. So to keep your milk supply up even though you'll be dumping it, I would still pump every 2 hours during that 6 hour period. That way it won't hurt your supply too much. And then nurse as often as possible while you can to keep it high. Good luck!

Brooke - posted on 07/23/2010

I would definitely get a double electric pump since you'll be doing every day. I am not a good pumper - but I'll tell you what I do. First thing you have to do is relax. I keep several pictures of my daughter that I look at while I pump to help me let-down my milk. During a let-down I use breast compressions because I can get twice as much milk that way - gently squeeze the milk out while you can. And make sure that the breast shield is correct size or you won't be getting all the milk you can get. If I can, I usually pump for at least 20-30 minutes and I'll have maybe 5 let-downs. After I'm done I can still hand express a little milk. I don't get all the milk out, but I think I get most of it doing all of this. Good luck to you!

Lerin - posted on 07/22/2010

Pumping isn't going to be as efficient as the baby, so even when you're good to nurse him, I'd still sneak in a session or two of pumping. Pumping in the morning is said to get the highest yield. Just make sure to keep yourself hydrated. Eating oatmeal is said to help as well. Since this is going to be something that you're doing alot of, I would suggest a double electric pump. They are pricier, but are well worth the price.
You should pump for several minutes after nothing is coming just to make sure. Massaging the breasts as you go can make it more effective.An LLL leader would be a good resource to have, and they're just a phone call away and can help you in person.
Good Luck!

Heather - posted on 07/22/2010

I believe my lactation consultant told me 15 minutes on each side whether anything was coming out or not. That was the amount of time needed to empty the breast. Maybe you should contact your local LLL leader.

I'm proud of you for even trying to breastfeed with a disorder like this and the medications involved. You are doing a wonderful thing for your baby.

Olivia - posted on 07/22/2010

I had an electric pump.. and it helped me to just sit back on the couch (dont stand or lie down) and massage the top of my boob while I was pumping. This really helped me.. I would get 4 1/2 ounces out of each boob while i pumped and still be able to feed baby afterwards.

Kimberly - posted on 07/22/2010

If you're going to get a pump, a manual would probably be most effective, since you control the speed. If you're doing it by hand, cup your breast and pull it back toward your chest, then squeeze.

Brooke' - posted on 07/22/2010

I'll have to pump and dump 6 hours after taking it, that's the time that the highest levels of the medication will be passed through the milk. And I need to pump enough "good" milk to feed him through the 6 hours (they said I could feed him 2-4 hours after taking it, but I'd rather skip all feedings through the 6 hours), but I also need to make sure I'm doing it right so that when it's time to pump and dump after the 6 hours, I'm sure I'm getting all (or most) of the "bad" milk out..

Lerin - posted on 07/22/2010

I'm kinda confused but I'll try to help. You have to pump & dump b/c of your medication, I get that. Did they tell you to just pump & dump at the 6 hr mark? Or for how long after that? Are you also trying to store up 'good' milk to give in a bottle during the time when you have to pump & dump? I need a little bit more info, really.