BFing - how to fit in pumping?

Christine&Chris

We're currently EBFing on demand and it's going amazingly well. Maddie is eating about every 2-3 hours around the clock, but only on 1 side each feed. I need to start pumping, at least once a day, for a back-to-work stash.

How do you fit it in?? Do I pump the side she's not eating from and have two single pump sessions? Do you pump after a particular feed, but do both? I guess I'm not sure if I should pump after she eats and not get a lot - building a stash slowly - or if I try and add a pump session in between feedings - like an hour after she finishes and about an hour before I think she might eat again and hope to have more...  And now I think I'm overthinking this...what are you doing?

(I need to fix my sig, but she's 2w1d.)

SnoopyLuv

1) You don't need a massive "stash" to go back to work. You'll need the first days pumping which should be 25 ish ounces, you should be able to get more than that doing one pump a day for the next few weeks. Pumping 0.5 - 2 oz in addition to nursing is normal.

2) Best time to pump is during or right after the morning feed. I would use my hands free bra and pump on one side while LO ate off the other, I'd always get a ton more this way. If you can't manage that, pump right after that feed on the opposite breast you fed from.

3) Pick one time a day (preferably a time you'll be pumping at work) and pump every day at that time. You'll be telling your body baby needs milk then, rather than adding in random pumps throughout the day which won't yield as much or signal your body as well.

ibs11

I'm having a hard time with this also because sometimes ds will eat from both sides and sometimes only one. Also he eats very sporadically, sometimes he goes 3 hours but most of the time it's every 1.5 or 2 hours and never has his long periods at the same times...I tried to pump after a feeding one morning and by the time I got done he was waking up again wanting to eat and of course I had nothing for him so he spent the next 4 hours nursing and screaming because I had nothing for him :-( Jude is already 5 weeks now so I will be going back to work next week and work 8 hour shifts so I know I don't need a ton but I've been too scared to try to pump again and now I know I'm in trouble as I lost track of time and going back to work is so close eek!! :-)

muffyvonmuff

I started building my stash by pumping right after my am nursing session.  I would get about 2-3 ounces and freeze and date it.  Then I wanted to get more sleep so I also pumped after my my pm nursing session and gave DH a bottle to feed him once in the night.  Now recently I have started pumping once in the middle of the day to symbolize when I would be pumping at work.  I just feed him the bottle I pump while were out at target or if Im grabbing lunch with friends because I don't want to pump and nurse in the middle of the day since that would tell my body to produce that much more.  It seems to be working so far but Im not back at work full time just yet so we will see.

Christine&Chris

ibs11 said:

I'm having a hard time with this also because sometimes ds will eat from both sides and sometimes only one. Also he eats very sporadically, sometimes he goes 3 hours but most of the time it's every 1.5 or 2 hours and never has his long periods at the same times...

 

This is us too!

 

I tried to pump after a feeding one morning and by the time I got done he was waking up again wanting to eat and of course I had nothing for him so he spent the next 4 hours nursing and screaming because I had nothing for him

 

And this is what scares me!

 

 

I have to start going in on Friday's beginning next week so I need to get something going. I'm going to try pumping the unused side after her 9-10pm feed. She is sleeping from then until about 1:30am, so it should give me some time to 'replenish' and I won't have to worry about my toddler.