Exclusive Pumping

Taymiller

Here is the new EP thread. I think there are a few of us left

skfg

@taymiller - thanks for starting. I am no longer pumping due to my health, it is nice to be around people that appreciate the pumping experience.

My freezer stash is almost gone and it makes me sad

Taymiller

It's cook @nutmegs8‌, we will see you on the other side

Cwg22

I am a new EPer. Went back to work two weeks ago and my LO would only drink about 5oz a day at daycare then cluster feed and wake up multiple times a night after having slept through fairly consistently. She was also barely sleeping at daycare probably bc she was never actually full. So, for all of our sanities and her comfort and health while I'm at work I knew I needed to get her to take the bottle and the only way I could was to stop BF. It worked, and over the course of a weekend she went from refusing the bottle and crying to holding it herself and chugging. It has been a little over a week of pumping and while it's time consuming and tedious, especially in the office, I plan to try to continue as long as I can. Thanks for letting me join you guys!

skfg

Welcome @Cwg22‌! Great support here. Hope the adjustment to work is going well - I too am newly away from LO as a FT student.

Abenedict2011

@MommyWaldron‌ you are super woman! Ep'ing and donating. (Not an EP'er but bf and pump at work so I lurk here.) all of you ladies are awesome.

brooklyngirl46

Still here, though barely. If my supply drops any more i will have to supplement. Am determined to make it to a year.

amackattack

Not an exclusive pumper but I pump 3+ times a day during the work week so I'll chime in and say I'm still here. I got a stomach virus last week and my supply has scary dropped and I'm having trouble getting a let down for the pump. We haven't had to supplement yet but my freezer stash is almost gone so I suspect it's only a matter of time. If it keeps going in this direction I will have to add another pump at night. It's so hard! Keep it up ladies

frenchchocolate611

 

amackattack said:

Not an exclusive pumper but I pump 3+ times a day during the work week so I'll chime in and say I'm still here. I got a stomach virus last week and my supply has scary dropped and I'm having trouble getting a let down for the pump. We haven't had to supplement yet but my freezer stash is almost gone so I suspect it's only a matter of time. If it keeps going in this direction I will have to add another pump at night. It's so hard! Keep it up ladies

And I haaaate pumping so I really don't want to!! I only pump during the work week as well, but I hate it so much. I would love to make it to 18 months BF/pumping. Does anyone happen to know for how long you are allowed to pump at work? If there is a cut off at 12 months, I don't know if I will be able to stretch my freezer stash out long enough

ashanne88

frenchchocolate611 said:

 

amackattack said:

Not an exclusive pumper but I pump 3+ times a day during the work week so I'll chime in and say I'm still here. I got a stomach virus last week and my supply has scary dropped and I'm having trouble getting a let down for the pump. We haven't had to supplement yet but my freezer stash is almost gone so I suspect it's only a matter of time. If it keeps going in this direction I will have to add another pump at night. It's so hard! Keep it up ladies

And I haaaate pumping so I really don't want to!! I only pump during the work week as well, but I hate it so much. I would love to make it to 18 months BF/pumping. Does anyone happen to know for how long you are allowed to pump at work? If there is a cut off at 12 months, I don't know if I will be able to stretch my freezer stash out long enough

I never even thought about a cut-off for pumping.  I'm curious now...

amackattack

I plan to pump for as long as I need to! After a year your supply is pretty much established and you don't need to pump at work cuz baby is just eating regular foods and you can nurse when you're together, no? Or were you guys wanting to give like a sippy of milk during the day when you're gone? 

I stupidly donated 200oz of BMilk. Now I'm having supply issues. Wouldn't you know it?

brooklyngirl46

A quick google of the dept of labor says that there is a cut off of a year; but it depends on each state. NY has a cut off of 3 years, for example.

frenchchocolate611

amackattack said:

I plan to pump for as long as I need to! After a year your supply is pretty much established and you don't need to pump at work cuz baby is just eating regular foods and you can nurse when you're together, no? Or were you guys wanting to give like a sippy of milk during the day when you're gone? 

I stupidly donated 200oz of BMilk. Now I'm having supply issues. Wouldn't you know it?

Yea that's a good point. I guess I just have no clue how much milk he will still be drinking around 1 year? I feel like I am just winging this whole having a baby thing sometimes haha.

ETA: that sucks @amackattack But you are so awesome for donating! I wanted to donate as well a while back but now that I am having supply issues as well and my freezer supply is dwindling, I am glad I didn't. E got donor milk while we were at the hospital and I am still so so greatful for the momma who donated that milk. I would love to pay it foward some day if I am able - maybe when we are closer to weaning.

ashanne88

@amackattack I'm curious, how do you go about donating?  Did you contact the hospital directly or do you donate to a milk bank (do those exist?) or is there another way?  Do you have to donate a certain amount?

If I have the ability I would like to donate extra milk but have no clue what I would need to do.  I think it's awesome that you donated!

amackattack

@ashanne88 I live in Ohio and so I used the Mother's Milk Bank of Ohio. I had to get bloodwork done and paperwork filled out by the pedi and my OB, do a phone interview, and fill out an application. 

There are some facebook groups though that help donors link up with mother's and it's much more informal. I think one of these is human milk for human babies?? I started a thread way back called Donor Milk that you could search...some people had some good advice. 

@frenchchocolate611 I would love to get another batch of donor milk and continue pumping past the year mark to do so...who knows if it'll happen! I think the year mark is when you *can* give cow's milk instead of Bmilk and continue nursing whenever. Of course you can give Bmilk instead of cow's milk too I guess if your employer will allow you to continue pumping and you have the motivation. I am definitely also winging it! Lately I feel completely defeated with ever getting her to sleep longer than 3 hours at a time....I think a lot of that is due to the frequency at which we nurse when we're together. 

texasmama2014

About pumping past a year:  All the wording I have read only protects your pumping breaks up to a year. I assume it would be on your employer to allow pumping past a year.  If they don't allow extra breaks maybe you could make do with just 1 pump on your lunch break?  I hear past a year they don't nurse/drink as much BM normally...

(I'm not an EPer, but I pump during work. I'm also hoping to go longer than a year.  My mom BF me until I was about 15 months and only nursed in the morning and at night, no pumping.)

Stevens627

My supply is dwindling is about half of what it once was and I am a few days from finishing my freezer supply. Do you guys think I can fix my supply? I feel like if I start suplementing that I'll just give up on pumping altogether.

Have you guys ever used fenugreek or any other herbs?

skfg

@stevens627 - I do not have knowledge in upping supply at 7 month mark. I did take herbs - there are several out there, lactation tea, oatmeal and lactation cookies/smoothies worked for me. I stopped at 5 month mark bc of my own health.

Good luck in reaching a decision. Be gentle with yourself, you've done a great thing and make sure to acknowledge that.

Taymiller

@Stevens627‌ - I take Domperidone to increase my supply. It works for me

Stevens627

@skfg‌ thanks for the kind words. I bought some fenugreek today and have taken it twice already. I'll let you guys know if it works.