FTM pumping ?

jburnsanderson91

FTM here and I have been EBFing since DD was born, which was 1w1d ago. I want to start pumping so DH can help with feedings at night and also so when we're in public I can give her a bottle instead of BFing. I plan to pump 3 times a day for 5-10min, is this a good plan? How do I know how much LO will eat in a bottle each feeding? Is there any advise I should know before switching from EBFing to BFing and pumping?

linzeek44

A few thoughts:

It might be better to wait a little longer for breastfeeding habits to be established and your supply to be established. Most LCs recommend starting to pump around 3 weeks or so, assuming BFing is going well by then. 

When DH does give a bottle, you will still need to pump. So if you give a bottle while out doing errands, you should be pumping to replace that feeding, or pumping during the night when your baby gets a bottle. Eventually once your supply is established, you could skip a feed or two with pumping but that's months away.

In general with pumping, you want your body to know to make more milk for the bottle. Emptying your breasts will make more milk, so 5-10 minutes a bunch of times a day might not be the best approach. Instead, you could start one time a day (usually in the morning after the morning feed or if your baby only nurses on one breast you could pump the other) and pump until the milk stops flowing or a little after the milk stops flowing (usually that's longer than 10 minutes). 

You'll want to read about paced bottle feeding to make sure you're giving the bottle in a way that's BFing friendly. Here's some info about it: https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/bottle-feeding/

A lot of people, including daycare workers, don't know about paced bottle feeding, but it's important so I'd read it and make sure you and caregivers understand. Paced bottle feeding will also make sure your baby doesn't guzzle down more than she needs, which means you'll have a better idea of what to pump. 

In general, BF babies' bottles are small (compared to formula feeding). The average is about 25ish ounces a day (although not necessarily that much at one week). If you are nursing 12 times a day, that'd be about 2 ounces each bottle. If you're nursing 8 times a day, it'd be closer to 3. 

I hope that helps.

jburnsanderson91

Thanks for all the great advice and helpful link. I will use all of this information.

linzeek44

You're very welcome! 

Lorjo2022

Thanks for asking this @jburnsanderson91, I was wondering the same thing! Not to take over the OP but I have a related question.. My LO is 3w5d old and I'm wanting to just start a freezer stash (not necessarily start bottle feeding yet), so I was going to add one pumping session in about an hour after his morning feed. Will this be okay, as I don't want to create an oversupply.
Thanks for the great advice @linzeek44!

jburnsanderson91

@theresat858 Very helpful information, Thanks for the help! I guess I am going to have to get over my fear of nursing in public. Where is the cheapest place to buy nursing covers?

==N==

Maybe try in a carrier? Dd nurses in her beco all the time and it's barely even noticible.

emilykathleen511

I have also found the nursing cover to be much more conspicuous than the nursing tank under/ shirt over method. Try both ways in front of a mirror at home a few times to practice. Although, while your baby is still a newborn, the nursing cover might be better while you both are still learning how to get latched on. After you both are "pros" it will probably be easier to ditch the cover.

Also, keep in mind that older babies might not /let/ you wear a cover. My baby started screaming in the cover around 3 months. I tried the cover again once when he was about 5.5 months and he thought it was a big game of peek-a-boo. lol. Babies don't always cooperate with the whole cover thing! lol.

bnikiz

Uddercovers.com has free codes you just pay shipping. Just google and you should find several codes

eaevansmd

I started pumping and supplementing at 3 days because DS was falling asleep on me - and at 4 mos., he's doing fine. We lucked out with no nipple confusion, and I could start a freezer stash long before going back to work.
That said, I got pretty happy about being able to feed him a bottle in public, and didn't end up with quite the stash I wanted. I love having the ability to go out with just him and a shawl and not fuss with the pump. I definitely recommend NIP, and have never had people comment negatively on it.