Pumping Breastmilk

Cecilia - posted on 01/20/2010

thanks for all the advice everyone!!! I am still BF and my supply seems to be doing much better....had to use some of my pumped milk tho...

Stacey - posted on 01/16/2010

I had the same problem. I supplemented with formula. I don't see any way around it. It did not take long at all for my body to adjust. I did not have to supplement with formula for more than a few weeks. I just decided to stop pumping in January and I feel so free!!! I am using all the formula I had from the beginning. My daughter will be 1 in February. I still nurse her to sleep, but I am stopping that soon. 11 months of being tied to that pump was enough for me!!!

Kris - posted on 01/16/2010

Don't use fenugreek if you are asthmatic as this can start an attack, it is a common allergen for asthmatics secondary to the flower part of it. You can also call your hospital for the lactation consultants and they offer free advice.

Kris - posted on 01/16/2010

Pump during the time of day your milk is most prevelant. Mine was AM. Drink extra fluid add a little more milk in there and like it was posted before, do it half way between his feedings. Your supply increases with demand so, this should increase your deman. I found that if I collected a few ounces every day, I had enough for the first day of day care. Then, when I pumped during the day she was at day care, this was the next days supply. It worked out well. You really only need one day's supply.

Nikki - posted on 01/14/2010

Along with the pumping in between each feed you could try some fenugreek (get it from a health food store) to increase your supply, I started on this a couple of days ago and I cant believe how much milk I have now, I could easily pump a few extra feeds a day if I needed too. Good luck

Cristy - posted on 01/14/2010

Not sure where you live but a couple medications here in Australia often used to stimulate prolactin and increase milk supply are Domperidone and Maxolon, google them to get the generic names and ask your doctor. I used Maxolon which I think is Metclopromide, but not sure on that spelling 3 times a day with my first child to increase my supply it worked. He was fully expressed breast milk fed for 5 and a half months as we couldn't get him to take the boob.

Naomi - posted on 01/13/2010

good website with lots of tips. but you got some good info. from the ladies here :)

i pump at work and at home i pumped between feedings to build up frozen milk storage



http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/index...

Erin - posted on 01/13/2010

it doesnt say where you live, but you should be able to contact you WIC office or a lactation consultant who know the laws in your state. here in AR your job has to let you pump every two hours. i dont have a big supply and wne t back to school this week,my son is 5 wks tomorrow. the school has a place for me to pump. my lactation team said to increase supply dont go over 3 hrs w/out pumping and to try and pump 30 min after feeding. the more often you pump the more your breast will think they need. hope any of this helps

Shana - posted on 01/13/2010

Drink drink drink water! Eat oatmeal, drink non-alcoholic beer (something about the yeast in it makes you make milk- straight advice from a lactation consultant) Find mother's milk tea. Pump one side while he's eating from the other, and even if the pump stops getting milk your son will still be able to get milk out of the pumped breast- you will make enough to feed your baby, that's what your body does.

Cecilia - posted on 01/13/2010

All of these seem to be so helpful! Thank everyone so much I am going to have to try all of these somehow! I am scared of not having enough and having to supplement because he won't even be 2 months when I go back and I wanted him to be on the breastmilk much longer than that.



So if I pump in between feedings will I have enough when he does eat? Also are there certain foods or drinks that will help make more milk?

Lauren - posted on 01/13/2010

I agree, pump in between feedings. Its all about supply and demand. And make sure you keep up with your fluid intake! I'm back at work and pumping, but I supplement. I've been back for a little over a month. My supply is getting a little less, since I am not able to pump as often.

Rebecca - posted on 01/13/2010

Pumping and going back to work is a task, I feel for you. I was really lucky I had a massive supply and was able to store a lot of milk. I didn't have to pump after feeds but I found that as my baby slept better at night I had to get up at about 3am and was able to pump out a full bottles worth to freeze. When I went back to work I used to pump 3 times a day (morning, lunch time, afternoon) to keep up supply but I found with each day I got a little less. I mainly had to formula feed him with a bit of breast milk every day. I figured what I could give was better than nothing at all and I used to breast feed him while I was home, in the morning, at night and on the weekends. This lasted about two months but it eventually all wound up as I got less time to pump at work.

It is tough work but I think it was all worth it! I hope it works out for you. You'll find you'll work out what works best for you both as you go along. Please don't feel bad if you do have supply issues once you're back at work. It can be really stressful and that doesn't help your supply either.

Arginella - posted on 01/13/2010

Maybe what you can try is before you are suppose to feed him you can pump out the milk, so when he is ready to eat he can drink the breastmilk out of the bottle. This way you will most likely have some left over and also it will get him use to the bottle. You will more than likely have some either left over in the breast or in the bottle. If you do this every other time you need to feed you should be able to start accumulating milk to save for later. This worked for me at times, I hope it can help you to.

Brandy - posted on 01/13/2010

If you do pump right after you feed him, you will eventually build up a better supply for him. For now you can also pump half way between your feedings. If you feed him every 3 hours, then pump an hour and a half after he eats.