Help , Please !
Ladies, My DD was born 3 weeks early and we tried BF for a few days and it just did not work. She would not latch for long enough to get more than a few sucks and then pass out. After her getting so upset and me getting so upset we switched from the finger feedings to breastmilk in the bottle and she has gained weight and is happy and I am just pumping away, which I do not mind.
My question is can you ladies offer any of your advice for EPing, this looks like our road to travel. Right now I am getting between 40-70ml (total ) at each pump every 2 hours.( she is 6 days old ) This is enough to feed her now at 40cc each feeding. What happens as she grows and is drinking 4oz at each feeding? Please give me some insight into how often I pump, how much I should get, and any advice you have. Thanks I know this is long and scattered but I just want to do it all right 
TIA
Re: Help , Please !
Congrats on your LO!!! There are several moms on here who EP. I recently made it to 4 months.
EPing is hard work!!!! Your supply will increase until 12-14 weeks pp with good pumping habits, so please keep that in mind. My best resource for info when I first started was this board on ivillage devoted to EPing:
https://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ppexcluspump
Every woman on there has gotten to where they are for some reason or another and they are very supportive. You need to pump every 2-3 hours around the clock (8-12 times/day) to trigger your supply. At one week, I was only getting 20 mLs/pump... about 5-6 ozs day, so you're doing really well!!! I now get about 30 ozs/day, and while I'd really like 40 because then I could stash some more, 30 still beats my son (barely) and that's a good thing. If pumping works for you, then great, but if you do want to nurse, I'd recommend trying to put her to your breast at least once a day. As she gets older she may catch on. I know that's easier said than done, and even though I tried that it really didn't work for me, my son, or my dh either. EPing does so that's what we do.
Here are some other tips to making your life easier:
1. Go hands free when you pump. This will enable you to read a book, piddle on the computer (which is what I'm doing right now), and distract you from the fact that you are doing the most disciplined chore of your life. Ways to do this: use the rubber band trick described on kelly mom (https://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/hands-free-pumping.html), cut holes in an old sports bra where the horns go, or buy a hands free bra- either the easy expressions bustier https://www.easyexpressionproducts.com/ or the one la leche league international sells https://www.amazon.com/Leche-League-Pumping-Nursing-Softcup/dp/B0011ETOE2. Also, by being hands free, you can entertain your daughter while pumping if needed to. I can't tell you how many times I've been on the floor next to DS making faces at him or talking to him, etc...
2. Try to relax about pumping.. stress decreases supply. I know this is hard being a new mom, but that's where doing something other than pumping helps
3. A hospital grade will be the most similar to a baby at the breast. You may want to consider renting one if you're having supply issues. However, after about 2 months my PISA did the job. Before that I had to supplement with formula. It sounds like you're already producing enough for the day and pumping every 2-3 hours will help you maintain that production.
4. Get multiple sets of pump parts so that you don't have to wash all day (just every other pump session or every 3rd)
5. Try massage/compression when you pump. This will help open up ducts and increase supply... sometimes dramatically. It will also help you pump faster. Here's a video:
https://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.html
Also, click some of the other links.. they have a ton of good information
6. Make sure you're eating enough. Remember BM is 20 cals/oz, and it comes from you. Protein, lots of water help me a ton, and supposedly oatmeal does too.
7. Remember you need to be pumping every 2 -3 hours around the clock. Your prolactin levels are highest between 1 and 5 am, so be sure to pump a lot then. Try power pumping- pump 20, take off 10, pump 10, off 10, pump 10. This simulates a cluster feed and triggers more milk. Even if you aren't getting any milk, it triggers your body to produce more. Also, I usually have to pump for 25-30 minutes. My last let down comes at about minute 22, and I usually get 1/3 of my output then. If your supply is good, you can back down to 6-7 pumps/day.
8. Develop a pumping schedule. When your body knows when you're going to pump, it really does help your milk production.
9. Using my hands-free bra and a car adapter for my PISA, I actually pump while driving (I have a hooter hider). This saves me time and allows me to feel like a human being. I know it sounds crazy, but it is the biggest time saver ever. On Saturday while DH drove to his family's Christmas gathering, I pumped in the backseat and fed DS while driving up there. It was about a 30 minute drive.
10. Look at a picture of your baby, or have a sleeper that she recently wore. The objects will remind you who you're doing this for and help you get more milk.
I wish you luck!!! EPing is hard work, but I remind myself that my son loves my "magic milk" and look at a picture of his precious face and it enables me to truck on.
Just keep pumping frequently and your supply will go up. You may have to add sessions during 'growth spurts' around 2, 3, and 6 weeks when babies would normally nurse more to boost supply. And make sure to eat and drink enough.