1st time pumping

rmarruffo

I just pumped for the fisrt time for 15 min only. It just barely covers the bottom of the bottle. So do I freeze this (just want to start building a supply) or can I save it somehow to add to it the next time I pump? With more pumping will I produce more at each session? Also, in between pumpings, do you keep the parts in the fridge, and clean them at the end of the night? Thanks!!

(I posted this on BF board too)

houndbaby

You can leave fresh milk in the fridge several days before freezing it. You can add milk from several sessions together but you should let the pumped milk cool before adding it to milk thats already refridgerated. I leave the pump parts in the fridge and wash once a day.

hawindrem

I got the same results when I first started pumping. ?I slowly built up to between 3-7 oz per session, depending on the time of day and if LO has nursed recently. ?It took a couple of weeks and I was actually really stressing about it! ?Anyway, I froze everything. ?If I know it's going to be a while till I pump again I'll wash the parts. ?If it's just going to be a couple of hours, I'll put them in the fridge.?

aawilson

When I first started pumping I'd only get an ounce or two. I would freeze everything because since I wasn't giving him bottles. I did however, keep all pumps separate. I would be THRILLED with two ounces. Now, I look at those little baggies I have and think it looks like such a little bit. I'm now pumping 5+ ounces.?

?You're fitting extra feedings in between your child's feedings and so it might take some time for your body to catch up? I'm guessing anyway. Plus at this point he/she's probably not eating much anyway so that could be why there's not much coming out.

?I would wash my parts between each feeding, but I also bought extra specifically for that reason.??

ilovemygirls

I would not freeze that small amount.  You can add more pumped milk to it later but you have to cool the milk first - or at least get it to the same temp as the milk you just pumped.  Use this milk to start getting baby used to the bottle.  Don't be discouraged at first because sometimes you barely get any.  And- this doesn't happen to everyone- but I was never a very prolific pumper, no matter what I did.  Some bodies just don't pump as well as others.  The most I ever got at any session- even when my kids had been nursing for months (nursed them each for a year)- was about 5oz total from both breasts.  I always had to supplement with formula because I just couldn't keep up with their needs. Seriously, it's not a big deal to have to do that- I was very committed to bf'ing & they did great w/bm, formula or a mix of the two.

rmarruffo

You guys are awesome, thanks for all your input!

Ace1599

The hospital has always told me not to combine pumps...so I store all of mine separate. For me, I did not see an increase in milk btwen sessions, more so between days. I would go 3 or 4 days with 5 or 10 ml/pump and then it would just to 15-20 ml/pump. I clean my parts with dish soap after each pump, and sterilize once a day.

aldyn

Don't be discouraged about how little you pump early on.

I remember quite vividly - this was back in the beginning when breastfeeding was SO SO SO painful and pumping felt fruitless - I remember looking at the picture of the woman pumping that came with my pump and she had a bottle attached to each boob and those bottles each had about 3 ounces in them - I totally thought "you b!tch!!" I was so irritated looking at all that milk in those bottles and then looking at my few precious drops I'd managed to squeeze out.  That was then and this is now... now my first pumping session at work often generates 8-10 ounces total!